Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgProfDev

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Veterinary Medicine

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

Online learning

Part-time intermittent study
  • PgProfDev | 2 years | Start date: multiple dates
  • MSc | 6 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgCert (ICL) | 2 years | Start date: September 2026
  • PgDip (ICL) | 4 years | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

College

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Programme website
Accreditation

Available

Apply now

15 October: Postgraduate Online Learning Essentials

Find out what it’s like to study online at Edinburgh, with insights into learning, community and the support available to online postgraduate students.

Register now

Open Days on Demand

Dive into an extensive selection of programme-specific session recordings hosted by our Academic and Professional Services staff.


About the degree programme

Anaesthesia and analgesia have vital importance in improving animal welfare, facilitating veterinary treatment, as well as permitting the ongoing medical and surgical developments in a research context.

Advances in anaesthesia over the last 20 years have been considerable. For example, our knowledge of locoregional anaesthetic techniques and an ever-increasing array of treatment options to manage pain, alongside the wider availability of monitoring equipment, means we can aim to optimise animal welfare while reducing anaesthetic-related morbidity and mortality. 

This programme allows you to study these advances, during which you can gain knowledge and understanding in the equipment, drugs and techniques associated with veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia.

The teaching team offers a diverse range of clinical and research experience across various species. Through the varied selection of elective courses, you can tailor the programme to suit your clinical interests, including topics such as ventilation, ethics, and non-technical skills, alongside species-specific courses. 

Study options

PhaseDurationCredits
Masters3-6 years180
Diploma2-4 years120
Certificate1-2 years60
Individual courses*up to 2 yearsup to a maximum of 50

The degree programme allows progression from individual courses to Certificate, Diploma and MSc phases. Students may also exit the programme on completion of each phase.

The programme is designed to be taken part-time at 20 hours per week, with the flexibility to complete in longer time frames if required.

*Individual courses are also referred to as Postgraduate Professional Development (PGProfDev).

Programme benefits

  • Flexible learning throughout the year to match busy working lives
  • Build a personal portfolio of skills and knowledge
  • Demonstrate commitment to a chosen specialty
  • Mentoring and online discussion from teachers and researchers who are specialists in their field
  • Access to high-quality interactive online resources/e-journals and online textbooks
  • Develop and enhance transferable technological skills in digital learning environments
  • The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online degrees since 2005, with more than 11,000 graduates from over 180 countries
  • We are experts in online learning and have a strong track record of providing the best experience possible, working closely with academic teams to design a fully online degree that works well for both the educators and our students.

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

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

Payment for individual courses 

It is possible to pay for the programme on a course-by-course basis.

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 money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

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

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 UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in veterinary medicine or veterinary nursing.

We will also consider your application if you have a degree in a related science with appropriate practical experience.

We may also consider your application if you do not have a degree but are a registered veterinary nurse/technician with a minimum of 3 years experience in anaesthesia and hold additional nursing or technical qualifications. You may be admitted to certificate level only in the first instance. Please contact the programme team to check before you apply.

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 full degree programme is a total of 180 credits, divided into:

  • Masters - 180 credits
  • Diploma - 120 credits
  • Certificate - 60 credits
  • Individual courses - up to 50 credits

Courses offer a mix of:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • tutorials
  • practicals
  • guest speakers
  • recommended reading
Time expectation

20 credit courses are delivered in two blocks of five weeks with one week of independent study and reflection time in between.

10 credit courses are delivered over one block of five weeks.

Each 10 credits of study represents 100 hours of study and a time commitment of 20 hours per week.

Compulsory courses

Core courses
Certificate phaseCredits
Basic sciences in veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia 20
Clinical anaesthesia: equipment and the patient 20
Masters phaseCredits
Dissertation60 - must be written within a 12-month period

During the Dissertation phase, you will have the opportunity to further develop your scientific skills and utilise scientific theory. The form of the dissertation may vary to suit individual candidates, subject to approval of a submitted proposal.

The dissertation will be a piece of written work 10,000-15,000 words long, which may take the form of one of the following:

  • a research study
  • a clinical audit
  • an extended literature review

Option courses

Elective courses
Certificate phaseCredits
Chronic pain and advanced analgesic principles *10
Dogs & cats 10
Ethics for veterinary clinicians and researchers* 10
Equidae10
Ruminants, camelids and pigs 10
Small mammals 10

It is recommended that students take at least one species-related course.

*only available to students in their second year of study, or can be taken as part of the Diploma phase.

Diploma phaseCredits
Advanced cardiovascular procedures and monitoring 10
Avian anaesthesia 10
Chronic pain and advanced analgesic principles 10
Ethics for veterinary clinicians & researchers 10
Evidence based research methods in clinical practice 10
Non-technical skills for safer veterinary care 10
Professional and clinical skills for advanced veterinary practice 10
R for veterinary epidemiologists 10
Research methods and data analysis*10
Veterinary techniques and interventions for conservation medicine 10
Ventilators and ventilation in veterinary anaesthesia 10

Species-related courses from within the Certificate phase are also available to Diploma phase students. 

*recommended for students who intend to progress to the Dissertation phase.

Individual courses

Postgraduate Professional Development (PGProfDev) is the study of individual courses from within a degree programme.

It is aimed at working professionals who want to upskill in a specific area but do not want to commit to a postgraduate qualification. 

You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses from within this degree over two years. Credits can also be put towards further study, however, any time spent taking courses will be deducted from the amount of time you have left to complete the higher award. 

Individual courses available within this programme

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

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

Disclaimer

Course availability is dependent on the number of students, and availability of places on non-programme owned courses. We cannot guarantee that all courses will be available to all students each year.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Courses are taught and completed entirely online. The varied teaching may include:

  • online lectures
  • tutorials
  • specialist external lectures
  • group discussions
  • case studies
  • problem-based learning scenarios
  • literature-based research
  • quizzes

Assessment

Your progress will be assessed through the following:

  • essays
  • critical reviews of literature
  • student self-reflection activities
  • short-answer questions
  • multiple choice questions
  • case management plans

Learning outcomes

You will gain extensive knowledge, understanding and skills within the field of veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia, and a contextual understanding of past and present knowledge and ideas within the subject.

You will gain an awareness of the importance of anaesthesia and analgesia for animal welfare and its context in different situations, including how this is relevant for different societies. The programme encourages an intellectual curiosity, a willingness to question accepted wisdom, and openness to new ideas within the field. 

You will also gain an ability to appreciate the significance of, and participate in, the critical analysis of new knowledge and understanding acquired through research and inquiry. Students are encouraged to develop:

  • a capacity for independent, conceptual and creative thinking
  • a capacity for problem identification
  • an appreciation of the use of scientific methods in the collection of evidence, synthesis and analysis

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

How online learning works

The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online postgraduate programmes since 2005, and is the largest provider of online programmes in the prestigious Russell Group of universities.

Online learning is aimed at people who want to study for a postgraduate qualification alongside personal and professional commitments. Most of our students continue in their employment while they study.

Expert tutors will support you through every stage of the programme and you can engage with fellow students in supportive and constructive online networks.

Courses are taught and completed entirely online. The varied teaching may include:

  • online lectures
  • tutorials
  • specialist external lectures
  • scientific group discussions
  • case studies
  • problem-based learning scenarios
  • literature-based research
  • computer-assisted learning
  • quizzes

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

Find out more about the benefits and practicalities of studying for an online degree:

Postgraduate online learning

Watch our video to see how online learning works.

Time commitment

This programme is designed 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.

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

Support for online students is given as much emphasis as for our on-campus learners. The 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.

A dedicated e-Learning team ensures the programme runs smoothly and the programme is supported by an experienced team of academic and administrative staff. Each student is also provided with a Student Adviser.

Accreditation

Accreditation of this programme was awarded by the Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists in 2022.

The Association was established in 1964 to promote the study of and research into the subject of anaesthesia and analgesia in animals.  It also publishes the Journal of Veterinary Anaesthesia and has been active in the founding of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia.

Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists

Career opportunities

This programme enables a variety of veterinary staff, including vets, vet nurses and technicians, to gain postgraduate qualifications.

Whilst working through the programme you will also acquire skills which are important for your own professional development, but will also enable you to improve clinical practice where you work.

In addition, those completing the MSc dissertation element will learn valuable research tools which will enable them to continue clinical research in the future.

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)

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 

Visit the Careers Service website 

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.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
7 January 2026 28 November 2025
1 April 2026 21 March 2026
14 September 2026 21 August 2026
6 January 2027 27 November 2026
1 April 2027 20 March 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

You 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.

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:

Academic contact

Juliet Duncan

Postgraduate Director

Contact details

Address

Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
Easter Bush Campus
The University of Edinburgh
EH25 9RG

Related degree programmes

Other degrees in Veterinary Medicine

You may also be interested in