Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (Online Learning) MSc, PgCert, PgDip 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 PgCert | 1 year | Start date: September 2026 PgDip | 2 years | Start date: September 2026 Key facts School Edinburgh Medical School College College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Programme website MSc Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors Accreditation Not 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. Watch the recordings Overview About the degree programme This three year, part-time, online MSc programme in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors aims to support graduate health care professionals, ranging from nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists, veterinarians, paramedics and those working in healthcare management. You will learn how to use evidence-based tools and techniques to improve the reliability and safety of everyday health care systems and processes.As an applicant of this degree, you will be looking to distinguish yourself as being an expert in patient safety and looking to move towards specialising or taking a management lead in this field. The programme will draw on teaching materials from a global network of experts.Due to the unique and completely online nature of the teaching, the programme is an attractive option if you are a professional wishing to secure academic credit or a higher degree in patient safety and are unable to commit to attend on-campus teaching.Year 1 and 2 of the programme each consist of three 20-credit courses. On successful completion of Year 1 and Year 2 courses, you will complete an independent research project in Year 3. Study options This programme has the following exit awards:Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert: 60 credits)Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip: 120 credits)Master of Science (MSc: 180 credits) 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 Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (3 years) tuition fees PgCert Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (1 year) tuition fees PgDip Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (2 years) tuition fees 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 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 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 A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in any healthcare-related subject, including but not limited to medicine, biomedical science, veterinary science, pharmacology/pharmacy, nursing, or psychology. Candidates currently working in healthcare-related industries with degrees in life sciences, social sciences, economics, management, or other related disciplines are also encouraged to apply.We may also consider your application if you have relevant work experience in a related scientific area, for example hospital or primary care for 3 or more years. Experience in patient safety or quality improvement would be advantageous. 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. 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 The programme has two elements: the taught element (Year 1 and Year 2) and the dissertation element (in Year 3).The taught element of the programme is divided into six 20 credit courses; three are needed to complete the Certificate and six needed to complete Diploma. Each academic year consists of three teaching blocks, each running over a period of twelve weeks.During the dissertation element of the programme, you will have the opportunity to further develop your skills by designing and conducting your own research project in your workplace. This dissertation year consists of a phased assessment.Year 160 credits = PgCertYear 1 will cover:a broad introduction into the current state of safety in health carehow harm comes to patientsa detailed understanding of clinical human factors and ergonomicsCourses include:Introduction to healthcare delivery and what leads to harm (20 credits)Clinical Human Factors and ergonomics in Healthcare (20 credits)Individual and team skills (20 credits)Year 2120 credits = PgDipYear 2 will follow on from the state of healthcare to look at how we can improve safety in healthcare.This involves examining how good teamwork influences patient outcomes, as well as improving healthcare and medicine management.You will also focus on quality improvement research and methodologies.Courses include:Learning from current practice and governance (20 credits)Training for safety (20 credits)Quality improvement for safer practice (20 credits)Year 3180 credits = MScDissertation and independent improvement project (60 credits)Year 3 will follow the highly successful iterative module used by the Masters in Surgical Sciences, involving:submission of a project outlineabstract submission with poster preparationcompletion of a dissertation 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 Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (3 years) (2025-2026) PgCert Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (1 year) (2025-2026) PgDip Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (2 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 Learning outcomes The programme's learning outcomes have been mapped onto the SCQF level 11 characteristics.On graduating from this programme, you will:demonstrate an extensive, detailed and critical knowledge and understanding of the current background and principal theories regarding the extent of and causes of harm in healthcare, reliability, patient safety and human factorsbe able to put into practice the applied knowledge, skills and understanding by planning and executing a significant project of research, investigation or developmenthave developed the necessary cognitive skills to deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent data/informationbe able to recognise contributory factors towards adverse events and use this knowledge to inform improvement plans and learning at a local and organisational level. This includes audit/M&M meetings and duty of candour, as well as ethicshave highly developed communication skills, and be communicate, using appropriate methods, to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertisegain a wide range of routine skills and a range of advanced and specialised skills as appropriate to Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factorsbe able to exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in professional and equivalent activitiesdemonstrate leadership and initiative and make an identifiable contribution to change and development and/or new thinkingdemonstrate in-depth knowledge of the chosen research topicidentify, conceptualise and offer original and creative insights into novel information and/or recently published dataproduce a written critique of a defined piece of research, as well as demonstrate originality and creativity in the development and application of new knowledge, understanding and practices 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 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. Watch our video to see how online learning works. 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 10 to 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 Careers and further study Career opportunities As a graduate of this programme, you may be looking to develop specific skills in this area within your current position. You may also be looking to secure an appointment as a patient safety officer, a position that is increasingly promoted and advertised in the UK and abroad.We anticipate that this qualification would not necessarily result in a change in career for graduate health care professionals so much as develop your current role.The demand for individuals with knowledge and skills in teaching and assessing patient safety and quality improvement is growing rapidly. Both NHS England and Scotland are driving initiatives in this area and this is being observed globally.As a graduating student, you will have a significant advantage in signalling not only your commitment to patient safety and quality improvement, but you will have also demonstrated the skills needed in identifying and measuring patient safety risks from a Human Factors science perspective.You will also gain the ability to apply quality improvement methodology to make effective changes to improve safety. These skills are highly sought after particularly within the NHS and other developed health care systems. 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) 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. 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 Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (3 years)PgCert Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (1 year)PgDip Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (2 years) 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 Academic contact Ms Dawn Shennan Administrator Contact details Work: +44 (0)131 651 6248 Email: patient.safety@ed.ac.uk Dr Domenica Coxon Academic Facilitator Edinburgh Medical School Contact details Work: +44 (0)131 651 4935 Email: patient.safety@ed.ac.uk
