Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Digital Education (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL)

Awards: MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL)

Study modes: Part-time Intermittent Study

Online learning

Funding opportunities

The course was varied, stimulating, engaging and provided me with so many wonderful experiences, including funny ones....I felt challenged but received encouragement along the way. The tutors were so accessible, friendly and encouraging. I also discovered a new fascination for game-based learning that I retain and use in my current role.

Janet Benson MSc Digital Education 2016

Learning, teaching, training, and research are profoundly affected by the challenges and opportunities posed by the digital acceleration in education. Since 2006, the MSc in Digital Education has given professionals in education - whether in higher or further education, schools, NGOs, commercial organisations, and government ministries - the critical insight they need in this fast-moving and richly diverse field.

The Digital Education programme is delivered fully online and is designed as a part-time programme, with the majority of participants studying over a period of 3-4 years.

The programme is distinctive for its innovative design, its breadth of scope, the high level of support provided to students and its basis in the research activity of the Centre for Research in Digital Education. Our tutors are actively researching in this field and bringing that research to their teaching.

Delivered fully online, this programme gives you the opportunity to work closely with your fellow students and tutors in a properly supported, collaborative and vibrant online learning environment, studying at the times and in the places that suit you best.

Studying online at Edinburgh

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

You will complete one compulsory course and a number of option courses, depending on your choice of qualification.

To complete the MSc programme, you will also produce an independently researched dissertation.

Compulsory courses:

  • Critical Issues in Digital Education (compulsory for all students)
  • Research Methods (compulsory for those studying for the MSc)

Option courses are subject to change year to year and some may be offered every other year. These have previously included:

  • Course Design for Digital Environments
  • Critical Data and Education
  • Digital Education in the Majority World
  • Digital Education: Strategy and Policy
  • Digital Futures for Learning
  • Education and Digital Culture
  • Information Literacies in Digital Education
  • Learning Spaces and Digital Technologies
  • Digital games, play and the psychology of learning

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScDigital EducationUp to 6 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyProgramme structure 2023/24
PgDip (ICL)Digital EducationUp to 4 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyProgramme structure 2023/24
PgCert (ICL)Digital EducationUp to 2 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyProgramme structure 2023/24

The skills and knowledge this programme provides will enable you to expand your existing career into the fast-moving and richly diverse field of digital education.

The research skills you gain in the MSc programme will equip you for further study and possibly an academic career if you choose.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant discipline. You should demonstrate a professional interest in the programme.

We may also consider your application if you have relevant employment or experience; please contact us to check before you apply.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 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 100 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 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also 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:

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).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScDigital EducationUp to 6 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees
PgDip (ICL)Digital EducationUp to 4 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees
PgCert (ICL)Digital EducationUp to 2 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees

Moray House Access Scholarship

Moray House School of Education and Sport is pleased to offer a scholarship covering tuition fees and living costs for one student. The scholarship is for UK nationals domiciled in the UK, from backgrounds or groups which are underrepresented in our School.

Online Learning Scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

  • your programme
  • the duration of your studies
  • your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Programme Director, Dr Michael Gallagher
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 651 6347
  • Contact: digitaled@ed.ac.uk
  • Moray House School of Education and Sport
  • Old Moray House
  • Holyrood Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 8AQ
Programme start dates Application deadlines
9 September 2024 30 August 2024
6 January 2025 30 August 2024

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

You must submit one reference with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Programme Director, Dr Michael Gallagher
  • Phone: +44 (0)131 651 6347
  • Contact: digitaled@ed.ac.uk
  • Moray House School of Education and Sport
  • Old Moray House
  • Holyrood Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 8AQ