Programme structure
All of our programme offerings are delivered on a part-time basis by fully online distance learning.
In order to fit in with the part-time nature of the programme, each academic year will consist of three 12-week terms, each of which offers plenty of time for independent study, reflection and consideration of practical application. The University of Edinburgh’s online programmes involve the same level of work overall as our on-campus programmes, and the qualification you receive is of equal value. In most cases, we would recommend setting aside 15-20 hours per week for studying.
Through the Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and Masters programme options, you will have opportunity to gain a solid, theoretical understanding of the biological, psychological and social concepts that drive, develop and maintain pain. You will also have, at Postgraduate Diploma and Masters levels, options to select courses that focus on areas of pain management that are congruent with your career goals and clinical and/or personal interests. In your final year of study at Masters level, you have a number of options in addition to the traditional dissertation, including a fully taught option where you complete further taught courses and an independent project which may, for example, be a clinical audit or quality assurance project. The option you choose will be based on your own personal, professional and academic goals.
If the completion of a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Masters degree does not align with your current goals, the option of a single course of study may be what you are looking for to enhance a particular element of your clinical practice. You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses through our PPD scheme. These lead to an award of academic credit or after one year of taking courses you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to studying towards a higher award on a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.
| Award | Length of Study | What Courses Are Available? |
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) | Maximum of 24 months (72 weeks of academic study) | DPT: Clinical Management of Pain (Online Learning)(ICL) (PG ProfDev) - 2 years (PTPDVCLMAP1U) |
| Postgraduate Certificate | 12 months (36 weeks of academic study) | DPT: Clinical Management of Pain (Online Learning) (PgCert) - 1 Year (Part-time) (PTPGCCLMAP1P) |
| Postgraduate Diploma | 24 months (72 weeks of academic study) | DPT: Clinical Management of Pain (Online Learning) (PgDip) - 2 Years (Part-time) (PTPGDCLMAP1P) |
| Master of Science | 36 months (108 weeks of academic study) | DPT: Clinical Management of Pain (Online Learning) (MSc) - 3 Years (Part-time) (PTMSCCLMAP1P) |
An indicative timetable is below:
