Primary Care Ophthalmology (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip, PgCert Level: Postgraduate taught Subject: Medicine Year of entry: 2026 Study options Mode of study Online learning Part-time MSc | 3 years | Start date: September 2026 PgDip | 2 years | Start date: September 2026 PgCert | 1 year | Start date: September 2026 Key facts School Edinburgh Medical School College College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Programme website MSc Primary Care Ophthalmology Accreditation Available Apply now Open Days on Demand Dive into an extensive selection of programme-specific session recordings hosted by our Academic and Professional Services staff. Watch the recordings Overview About the degree programme The MSc Primary Care Ophthalmology is a multidisciplinary programme that aims to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence of clinicians working with patients in a variety of ophthalmic settings using up-to-date evidence in a modern teaching environment. The programme is offered by the University of Edinburgh in partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd). It has been developed in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) as part of the Scottish Government's directive to empower and enhance the shift of balance of care for cataract, glaucoma, medical retina, emergency and ophthalmic triage from secondary to primary care.Our part-time, fully online programme offers you a range of educational opportunities and provides you with a unique opportunity to have direct contact with students, tutors and experts in ophthalmic practice from across the world to help widen your understanding of ophthalmic practice in a variety of clinical contexts.The programme also aims to support learning for membership and fellowship examinations, thus making the programme attractive to both domestic and international students.Developed for working clinicians The programme is designed to be completed alongside an ophthalmic clinical post and, as the programme is delivered online, there is no requirement to attend the University of Edinburgh campus. It was designed specifically for online delivery and learning, and our online platform allows working clinicians from a range of professions, backgrounds and countries the opportunity to learn together while meeting their personal and professional commitments.Throughout your studies, you will be supported by tutors who are all leading clinicians in their field. You will also have full access to University resources, including an extensive library resource with electronic subscription services.Created for working healthcare professionals We would encourage you to apply for our programme if you are working in secondary and/or primary care directly with patients with ophthalmic conditions in any of the following roles:doctoroptometristdispensing opticianorthoptistophthalmic nurseother ophthalmic allied health professionalThe programme is also relevant if you are a family medicine physician or other eye healthcare professional seeking to advance your understanding of primary care ophthalmology and its interface with secondary care. Our programme will be of particular interest to you if you want to take advantage of unparalleled networking opportunities and peer learning, as well as embrace digital learning technologies. Study options This study options available for Primary Care Ophthalmology are:Master of Science (MSc) (three years of study)Postgraduate Diploma (two years of study)Postgraduate Certificate (one year of study) Fees, costs and funding 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 MSc Primary Care Ophthalmology (3 years) tuition fees PgDip Primary Care Ophthalmology (2 years) tuition fees PgCert Primary Care Ophthalmology (1 year) tuition fees Deposit You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme. Funding opportunities Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:borrowing moneytaking out a loanfamily supportpersonal savingsincome from workemployer sponsorshipscholarshipsExplore sources of funding for postgraduate study Online learning scholarships We offer scholarships specifically for online, part-time postgraduate programmes. View details: Online learning scholarships UK Government Loans If you live in the UK, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan for online study from one of the UK’s governments.If you intend to apply for a UK government loan you should apply for the 3-year Masters option. View details: UK government loans Search for other funding opportunities You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.Postgraduate funding opportunities Entry requirements 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 An accredited medical degree (MBChB or equivalent), or a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent, in medicine, optometry, orthoptics, dispensing optics, ophthalmic nursing, ophthalmic photography, or biomedical sciences.We will also consider your application if you have 3-5 years' relevant work experience or professional qualifications, such as RGN, with appropriate clinical experience.You must be working in a relevant patient-facing clinical role or undertaking a relevant clinical training programme when the programme starts and throughout the duration of your MSc studies. Please contact us to check before you apply. International qualifications To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list. Where you studied - Select a country or region -AfghanistanAlbaniaAngolaArgentinaArmeniaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaChileChinaColombiaCosta RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of CongoDenmarkDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEritreaEstoniaEswatiniEthiopiaFinlandFranceGabonThe GambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGreeceGuatemalaGuineaHaitiHondurasHong Kong-SAR ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKorea, Republic ofKuwaitLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLithuaniaLuxembourgMacau-SAR ChinaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMauritiusMexicoMoldovaMongoliaMontenegroMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNepalNetherlands, TheNew ZealandNicaraguaNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayOmanPacific IslandsPakistanPalestinian TerritoriesPanamaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalQatarRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTajikistanTaiwanTanzaniaThailandTogoTrinidad and TobagoTurkeyTurkmenistanUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited States of AmericaUruguayUzbekistanVenezuelaVietnamWest Indies and CaribbeanZambiaZimbabweMy country or region is not listed 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 testa degree that was taught and assessed in Englishcertain 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 oldThe 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 AcademicTOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)Trinity ISEOxford ELLTOxford Test of English AdvancedTests no more than three and a half years oldAll 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 countriesWe 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-MESCHow old your degree can beIf 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 Programme details What you will study Our programme is structured around an academic year that begins in September and finishes at the end of June. Study breaks are scheduled throughout the academic year. Years 1 and 2Over Years 1 and 2, you will enhance your knowledge in regard to recognition, diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease as you take on extended, shared care and advanced practitioner roles in the management of eye disease as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Interaction between students, clinicians and academics is promoted through facilitated discussion forums and provides you with the opportunity for collaborative critical discourse and debate of current issues. Year 3In Year 3 of the programme, you will complete a research project, which serves as an opportunity to conduct applied research in your sub-speciality of interest and to develop an academic career. Compulsory courses All courses of the programme are compulsory. 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 MSc Primary Care Ophthalmology (3 years) (2025-2026) We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative. Teaching and assessment Teaching During your time on the programme, you will have time to study independently and reflect on what you have learned and how you might apply your learning to your clinical practice. Assessment In Years 1 and 2 your knowledge and understanding will be assessed through a variety of assessment methodologies, including, but not limited to, academic discussion boards, multiple-choice questions (MCQ) and the completion of assignments that allow you to reflect on your clinical practice.All assessments have been specifically designed to provide you with authentic learning opportunities and offer the ability to draw on your personal clinical experiences and expertise, regardless of where in the world you are located. Learning outcomes The Primary Care Ophthalmology programme supports learning outcomes of the UK’s Ophthalmic Practitioner Training (OPT) programme, which is based on the Ophthalmic Common Clinical Competency Framework (OCCCF). This is developed by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in collaboration with the:College of OptometristsRoyal College of Nursing (RCN)British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS)Association of Health Professions in Ophthalmology (AHPO)This postgraduate programme is aligned with the curricula of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth). 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 Our academic staff The Primary Care Ophthalmology programme is led by Professor Baljean Dhillon and Professor Roshini Sanders. Professor Dhillon's University profile Online learning How online learning works This degree programme is taught entirely online. There is no need to come to the city or University campus. All learning and teaching takes place within our virtual learning environment (VLE). Through the VLE, you can: access all your learning materials and study resources, including e-books and library resourcesinteract with your tutors and classmates An online degree from the University of Edinburgh is academically equivalent to an on-campus postgraduate degree and involves the same level of work overall. The qualification you get is of equal value. Your degree certificate will not mention that you studied the programme online. A variety of platforms are used to deliver content and enable you to collaborate with other students and academic staff. Watch our video to see how online learning works. How you learn online - a conversation with staff who create, teach and support online degrees. Expertise in online learning Not only do we have expert clinical expertise and decades of teaching and learning experience, but we also have long-standing experience in the delivery of digital education. Since 2014, our programme has focused on integrating current clinical research with high-level academic and professional input to enable health care professionals to directly impact ophthalmic clinical practice. Over the years, we have grown in scale and scope, but we continue to remain focused on our key aim of helping you to improve the lives of patients with ophthalmic conditions. Time commitment This programme is designed to be fully flexible to fit around your schedule. You can study in your own time and access all your learning resources, such as reading lists, discussion forms and slides from anywhere in the world. If there are live online sessions, you can watch a recording later in the virtual learning environment at a time convenient to you. Typically, you will need to dedicate around 20 hours per week to your programme although managing this is up to you. This may also vary from course to course, and the time commitment may increase when assignments are due. See 'Find courses' in Programme details for more information about study time commitment 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 Support for online students As an online student, you will have access to a range of support services throughout your time at university if you need them.These support services include:academic support servicesebooks and ejournals within the librarythe disability and learning support serviceEnglish language supportskills development courses on LinkedIn Learningemail-based sessions delivered by the Counselling Servicesupport for students who are parents Research communityBy enrolling on our programme, you will become part of the community of the University of Edinburgh and be able to take advantage of the University’s world-class reputation and history of academic excellence. You will have access to experienced teaching staff who have a wealth of clinical experience and will join a supportive online community that brings together students from across the globe. Careers and further study Accreditation As a successful Primary Care Ophthalmology graduate, you will benefit from having completed a programme of study accredited by the: Royal College of NursingBritish and Irish Orthoptic Society The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) cannot confirm the competence of any individual practitioner. Career opportunities This programme will provide you with enhanced knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease and enable you to take on an expanding and extended role relevant to eye health preservation, primary prevention, disease diagnostics and therapeutics as part of a multidisciplinary clinical team.The programme will also help prepare you for an academic and/or research career, delivering evidence of achievement for enhancing your professional portfolio across a number of domains: advanced clinical learningdeveloping clinical leadershipmultidisciplinary team workingapplied clinical researchtraining and educationservice quality improvementpatient pathway integration across care sectors This award will highlight your commitment to continuing professional development in your chosen career and will ensure a competitive edge when applying for clinically-relevant positions. You will be well-placed to harness your learning to advance your professional career within health services, pursue advanced academic study and/or work in industry. Further study After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.Applying for research degreesMoving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service) Graduate profiles While we are already aware that the University of Edinburgh is regularly listed as one of the top universities in the world, it is always extremely satisfying to hear directly from our graduates about their experiences on our programme.Graduate testimonials 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 strengthstry different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you developget help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobsattend careers events and practice interviewsget information and advice to help you make informed decisions Visit the Careers Service website Applying 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 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: a personal statementdetails of relevant knowledge/training skillsYou will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:copies of your degree certificates and academic transcripts that confirm your current or final marksreferencesevidence you meet the English language requirementscertified translations if your original documents are not in EnglishWhen you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide. ReferencesYou must submit one reference with your application. Apply Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for. Select programme - Select a programme -MSc Primary Care Ophthalmology (3 years)PgDip Primary Care Ophthalmology (2 years)PgCert Primary Care Ophthalmology (1 year) 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 applicationWe 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 decisionWhat to do if you receive an offer:Receiving an offerAccepting an offerSubmitting supporting documents Contact General enquiries Ophthalmology Programme AdministratorPrimary Care Ophthalmology programmeLauriston Building, 1st Floor, Lauriston PlaceCentral CampusEdinburghEH3 9EN futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
