About the degree programme

Our online Clinical Education programme takes advantage of our world-renowned expertise to support your professional development in this dynamically developing area. 

The Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) is designed to enhance your abilities to teach and assess students in a clinical environment by preparing you to make evidence-informed decisions relevant to your individual context. 

As you progress to the Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) and Master of Science (MSc) levels, the programme enables you to build deeper subject matter expertise, plan and implement educational innovations, and carry out your own research projects. These advanced stages empower you to take a leadership role in clinical education and contribute to the advancement of your field.

This is an ideal programme for those with an educational role in relation to healthcare professionals and veterinary practitioners, including:

  • doctors
  • nurses
  • dental practitioners
  • physiotherapists
  • pharmacists
  • clinical psychologists
  • occupational therapists
  • those involved with veterinary education
  • associated scientists (biomedical or social)
  • and representatives of other professions involved in different aspects of clinical education

What will I learn?

Our aim is to help you reflect upon, and share thoughts about, your practice, while increasing your understanding of how to apply educational theories and evidence from the literature. As a result, you will learn the knowledge and skills you need to deliver, develop and research high-quality clinical education in your own discipline.

Meet the Clinical Education Programme Team

Hi, I'm Jane Hislop. I'm a senior lecturer in clinical education and the deputy Programme Director of the MSc in clinical education. And I'm here in a rather windy garden, although at least it's sunny and it's not raining. And I just want to tell you a little bit about why I really enjoy working on the programme. The main reason is because I get to meet people like you who are healthcare professionals from around the globe. And together with the team at Edinburgh University, where we have a diverse range of professional backgrounds, we can share our experiences and form an academic community where we learn about clinical education. So every day I'm learning new stuff from you and together, I guess that helps us improve and develop as educators. So I really hope you will join us. We welcome you to Edinburgh virtually online, and you'll get to meet all the team. And if you want to find out more about the programme, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We can put you in touch with former students or current students if you want to hear more about the programme. Thank you for listening, and we hope you will join us. 

Hi there, my name is Femke Morrison and I work on clinical education and simulation based clinical education master programmes. I am just here today with a very short video to share what I really enjoy about our programme. The first thing that springs to mind is the flexibility that we can offer our students. Almost everyone on the team has experience with being a part time students while working. I think that really translates in the flexibility that we offer students and the way that we try to help you the best way that we can. So yeah, I'm really excited that you're thinking about joining us. And I really hope to see you soon. And if you  look at the background, you can see the skyline of Edinburgh. Bye for now. 

Hi, I'm Steve Wright. I'm the newest member of the team. I joined in June 2025. I joined the team in order to work with an established group of really experienced clinically qualified faculty. It's an incredibly diverse and very experienced team who bring a really robust approach of discussion, debate, exploration and experimentation. With a programme that's been going for 20 years, I can really see the commitment to placing students at the centre of the whole discussion to support you to find your voice, but also to support that inclusively. There's online live discussions. If you can't attend or if you can't access, then there's text based discussions. Nobody is excluded whether you're in a privileged position with high tech good technology, good devices, whether you're in the global majority with more challenging access. Everybody's involved and that commitment to inclusivity, I see is just so important. I've got 20 years experience designing, developing, supporting learners on distance education programmes for education and health professionals. And I'm really excited about 2026. It's going to mark 20 years of this programme, but also 300 years of medical education at Edinburgh University. So joining such an incredible institution, an incredible team is a brilliant experience. I hope you will come and join me and become part of those conversations and that programme and that commitment to learning and development. Hi there. 

My name is Lynsey Campbell, and I am one of the lecturers within the MSc Clinical Education Programme Team. I'm speaking to you from Edinburgh Medical School, where I have enjoyed studying as a postgraduate student, first leading to a long career within the NHS and laterally to my new role within the MSc Clinical Education Programme Team. Being a graduate of Edinburgh gave me the opportunity to develop my knowledge and understanding in the specialist field of clinical and medical education. I graduated from the MSc in clinical education in 2023, and this really enhanced my ability to support the education and learning of a variety of professional groups within the NHS. And although this is something I had done for many years, I then had the knowledge and understanding to support this specialist skill. Last year, this allowed me to enter the next phase of my career, leaving the NHS and joining the medical school and clinical education team. The knowledge and enthusiasm I had gained in undertaking the MSc really laid the path for the next steps of my career and really helped me find my voice within the world of clinical education and academia. Since joining the team, I've really enjoyed the opportunity to continue learning, both from colleagues and students alike. I really enjoy the variety of professions within the programme and the experiences shared, and I've been delighted to have a peek behind the curtain, if you will, in joining the team, seeing the group academic and student really are symbiotic. We relish the opportunity to learn from, with, and about you as students, as well as our colleagues and others in the world of education. And we really relish the rich conversations which develop throughout the course. I would encourage you to get in touch (clinicaleducation@ed.ac.uk) if you are interested in finding out more, and I hope to see you on the programme in the future. 

Hi, my name is Magda. Greetings from rainy Scotland. I'm at the moment in Portobello, beautiful Edinburgh sea side. What I like the most about the programme, both as a programme director and one of the programme alumni is that it has always been truly student centred. Your growth, your development are at the heart of everything that we do. For this reason, the programme curriculum is very flexible because you know best which courses are suitable for your personal and professional goals, and the whole team is here to support you. The excellence of the programme was recognised by external agencies. We were awarded with accreditation plus by Academy of Medical educators (AoME). Moreover, each PGCert in clinical education graduate is automatically eligible for fellowship of Advanced HE. And even though we are very proud of those successes, what makes us even prouder are successes of our alumni, They shape clinical education in different parts of the world. They are launching research projects in clinical education. They are sharing their voice with the wider, broader community through publication, conference presentations. What makes us most happy, I would say, is that they are creating meaningful learning opportunities for their students. So I warmly invite you to join our community and network of clinical educators, and I hope to see you in September. Thank you.

Study options

The programmes are part-time, flexible, online learning to allow you to work full-time and study at the same time. For most students, the usual route of study is:

  • Postgraduate Certificate, 60 credits = 1 year of study
  • Postgraduate Diploma, 120 credits = 2 years of study
  • Masters degree, 180 credits = 3 years of study

For intermittent study, you will have:

  • up to 2 years for the Postgraduate Certificate
  • up to 4 years to complete the Postgraduate Diploma
  • up to 6 years to complete the Masters degree

Programme benefits

  • The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online degrees since 2005, with more than 11,000 graduates from over 180 countries
  • The Clinical Education programme has a great reputation as one of the longest-running online programmes, with an expert team and a strong philosophy underlying it
  • We offer a holistic approach to student support, giving you a dedicated advisor
  • Our flexibility allows you to choose what you study; in the third year, you can choose between a fully taught year, a quality improvement project with taught components, or a dissertation based on a research project
  • Our student intake is diverse, allowing networking with people from different professions, disciplines and countries

What I like best about the programme is its flexibility and accessibility. With my unpredictable work schedule, I am grateful for the opportunity to study when, where and how I can.

Proposed new programme

We would like to hear your views on a potential new postgraduate opportunity in MSc Simulation-Based Clinical Education.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Part-time intermittent study
Part-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A primary clinical qualification, such as an MBChB, BVS, BDS, Bachelor of Nursing, or a UK 2:1 honours degree in a relevant subject, or their international equivalents.

We will also consider your application if you have a biomedical science qualification or a non-university professional qualification, such as Registered General Nurse, with appropriate clinical experience.

You must be currently teaching in clinical or educational settings.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 7 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 145 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

The Master of Science/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education is an online taught postgraduate programme, run by the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.

The programme has been divided into a sequence of interrelated components, or ‘courses’. 

Postgraduate Certificate

To qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate, you must complete three 20-credit compulsory courses, which allows you to become recognised as Fellows of Advanced HE:

  • Principles of Teaching and Learning
  • The Curriculum
  • Assessment, Examinations and Standard Setting

Postgraduate Diploma

Continuing to the Postgraduate Diploma, you must complete three additional 20-credit courses from the selection offered in Year 2.

Year 2 selection

Masters

You must complete another 60 credits in Year 3 to achieve the MSc.

There are three choices of pathway in Year 3, and you can choose to complete taught courses or a dissertation research project.

Year 3 choices

Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD)

Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course(s), without the time or financial commitment of a full Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.

You may take a maximum of 50 credits' worth of courses over two years through our PPD scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit.

Alternatively, after one year of taking courses you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to studying towards a higher award on a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme. 

Any time spent studying PPD will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.

Please contact the programme team for more information about available courses and course start dates.

Read more about the programme structure

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Part-time intermittent study
Part-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Learning outcomes

After completing the MSc in Clinical Education, graduates will understand how to: 

  • Plan, deliver and evaluate teaching for undergraduate and postgraduate students at programme level, course and individual sessions, using methods appropriate to the situation (including online).
  • Assess students formatively and summatively (including written, practical, oral, and electronic formats).
  • Critically evaluate their own teaching practice and appraise others.
  • Access and critically evaluate the educational literature. 

Graduates will be also be able to: 

  • Describe and discuss contemporary theories and issues in clinical education, at a national and international level (such as academic conferences).
  • Recognise, evaluate and make an appropriate response to policy associated with clinical education.
  • Critically appraise situations and circumstances pertaining to clinical education with reference to appropriate theories and literature.
  • Recognise, reflect upon and respond to their own educational needs and the needs of others.
  • Take a lead responsibility for clinical education within their professional area.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.  

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need. 

How we support you 

You will also be allocated a Learning Mentor who will be there for you to provide guidance, support and advice on your academic and professional development through the programme for the duration of your studies.

How online learning works

Online programmes are delivered through the University's Virtual Learning Environment, LEARN. Our award-winning, online learning technology is fully interactive, and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

Our online students not only have access to the University of Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

Time commitment

Our programme is fully online. You will be expected to use self-directed learning, peer-discussion boards, live conversations, peer presentations and other similar e-learning activities to help engage with and get the most from the course materials.

During term time, you should be prepared to spend an average of 15-20 hours per week engaged in study, with study time intensifying prior to submission of your assignments.

Equipment and software needs

To study this online programme, you will need access to:   

  • a computer or laptop  
  • the internet  
  • the latest version of a web browser  

As an online student, you will have access to a range of software you can download to help you complete your coursework, including Microsoft Office 365. 

IT support is available if you have technical difficulties.  

IT and computing help

Opportunities to attend in person

Every year we run the on campus Edinburgh Summer School in Clinical Education (ESSCE), which our students are welcome to attend for an additional cost (in 2025, this was £650, or £250 with a scholarship).

We also welcome our students to attend their graduation ceremony in person on the Central Campus in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Summer School in Clinical Education (ESSCE)

Support for online students

Accreditation

This programme is affiliated with NHS Education for Scotland and the University's Global Health Academy.

Upon completion of the Postgraduate Certificate, and by meeting qualifying criteria, you will be eligible to apply for fellowship of AdvanceHE (FHEA).

AdvanceHE

We are members of the Academy of Medical Educators and on completion of the Postgraduate Certificate and by meeting their qualifying criteria, you can apply for membership through the shortened route.

Academy of Medical Educators

Career opportunities

Graduates of the online Clinical Education programme have a wide range of career opportunities open to them. 

Many go on to become clinical educators or tutors, teaching and supporting students and trainees within healthcare settings. Others take up roles as educational supervisors, mentoring and overseeing the professional development of medical or healthcare trainees. 

Some graduates become course or curriculum developers, designing and updating educational materials and curricula for clinical training programmes, while others move into roles as programme directors or coordinators, leading and managing clinical education programmes at universities, hospitals, or professional bodies.

Academic positions, such as university lecturers, are also common. 

Those with an interest in research can pursue careers as education researchers, conducting and publishing work that advances the field of clinical education. Graduates may also take up quality assurance roles, ensuring that healthcare education programmes meet the required standards and regulations. 

Finally, the programme provides preparation for leadership positions in healthcare education across diverse settings, including:

  • universities
  • NHS trusts (and their international counterparts)
  • professional bodies
  • medical schools
  • hospitals
  • government or policy organisations

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Graduate profiles

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 21 August 2026
1 November 2026 1 November 2026
1 February 2027 1 February 2027

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, please upload that evidence as soon as you have it.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer: