MSc in Human Anatomy
This 12-month programme offers a rare opportunity to learn anatomy from dissection and experience in teaching human anatomy. This is an ideal stepping-stone to a career in anatomy teaching and research.
- Video: BMTO Christina
- Christina provides an overview of what she enjoyed about studying the Masters in Human Anatomy in Edinburgh.
With this highly regarded qualification you will gain major transferable skills through an intensive on-campus dissection course and develop teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Our students come to us from all over the world with a huge range of expertise. Many students will go on to anatomy teaching positions in academic institutes within the UK or overseas. Some continue in research by achieving funding for a PhD position. A number of our students choose to study medicine.
After graduation I was able to apply my knowledge at a start-up called Touch Surgery, where we build surgical and anatomical simulations to train and empower surgeons around the world.
What will you study?
This programme has two main strands.
Develop your in-depth knowledge of human anatomy through dissection
Anatomical knowledge will be learned to a level to teach undergraduate and postgraduate students and professions allied to medicine. This strand will involve the dissection of a body in groups of three to five students over two semesters. This part of the course is largely self-directed, with regular “surgeries” when teaching staff are present to answer questions and help students with the dissections.
Learn to teach anatomy
The second strand is anatomy teaching, covering the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching anatomy to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Alongside theoretical lectures and workshops in the first semester, you will focus on observing the teaching of anatomy to medical undergraduate students.
In the second semester you will be involved in preparing and carrying out teaching sessions to both small and large groups of students. You will compile an end-of-year teaching portfolio based on:
- The theoretical material you learn
- The observations you make
- The practical experience you have gained.
The experience that you will gain can be used towards an application as associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Embryology course
Complementing these strands will be a lecture-based embryology course. This will provide you with an understanding of normal human development and how normal development can go wrong, manifested in commonly observed congenital abnormalities.
You will also study:
- Neuroanatomy
- Embryology
- Anatomy law and ethics
- Medical imaging
- The health and safety of embalming procedures and handling bodies
- The legal and historical aspects of anatomy in Scotland and the UK
- An introduction to the ethics of using bodies in medical education
You can find out more information about the courses you will study on the University Degree Table.
Following graduation I embarked upon a PhD at the University, investigating repair and homeostasis mechanisms in mechanosensory neurons responsible for hearing. The project enables me to examine the genetic, molecular and cellular constituents that regulate the hearing apparatus in Drosophila melanogaster.
Entry requirements
These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published in October 2023.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a medical, biomedical or relevant bioscience subject, or other subject allied to medicine.
We may also consider applicants with a UK 2:1 or 2:2 honours degree or its international equivalent, if you have other qualifications with relevant work experience, normally of at least one year; for example if you have human anatomy work experience (i.e. human anatomy tutor, demonstrator, dissector etc) or in medical and paramedical fields. Please contact the programme team to check before you apply.
International qualifications and English language requirements are available on the University Programme Degree Finder.
Course start date
The course starts in September each year. Should you face delays due to valid reasons such as visa issues, and therefore be unable to commence the MSc Human Anatomy programme on time, a one-week delay may be permitted with the Programme Director's consent.
Fees
Deposit
You will need to pay a £200 non-refundable deposit before an unconditional offer can be made.
This contributes towards your tuition fees.
Fees
Information about programme fees can be found on the University of Edinburgh's Postgraduate Study website.
Before you can work out how much you will pay for your programme, you need to know what your fee status is. Your fee status determines how much you will pay in tuition fees. It is based on your nationality and where you are ‘ordinarily resident’.
Why choose Edinburgh?
-
Anatomy expertise with a rich history
There is a long and distinguished tradition of anatomy teaching in Edinburgh, reaching back to 1505 and the first recorded use of a body for dissection. Today our courses are taught by leading academics who are passionate about teaching and research, who are making an impact on an international level.
-
Outstanding facilities
The department has undergone extensive refurbishment and is well equipped with facilities to preserve, maintain and utilise fixed and frozen human material, for both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. We have a recently established Research and Development Area, which is utilised by external clinical companies and surgeons for training and research purposes.
-
World Leading Research
The University of Edinburgh is fourth in the UK based on the quality and breadth of its research with its qualifications valued internationally. The 2021 Research Excellence Framework exercise results reveal that nearly 90 per cent of the University’s research activity is in the highest categories, which are classified respectively as ‘world leading’ and ‘internationally excellent.’ Edinburgh is home to numerous highly respected research centres, which many of our academics are active members of. These include the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research.
Ready to find out more?
Entry requirements and fees on degree finder
Speak to a current student
Want to speak to a current student about their experience in Edinburgh? You can email an online student through our student portal, Unibuddy.