Online Postgraduate Programmes
These global health postgraduate programmes are delivered online. They provide flexible study options that bring together disciplines from across the University.
We have a range of online global health programmes for students based around the world.
Courses are typically delivered part time to enable ongoing professional work and are structured over 3 years with staged accreditation after each year (certificate, diploma and masters). Our online learning is designed for low internet bandwidth to make it easy to access the material. Follow the links below to learn more about each of these degrees.
An interdisciplinary, interactive MSc programme exploring the complex relationships that drive and power global health, development, society and environment. The three stages that make up this programme each take a multidisciplinary approach to global challenges from their own distinct perspective. Each stage is a Postgraduate Certificate in its own right. By studying all three stages students gain a comprehensive insight into global challenges and develop and broaden skills and knowledge to tackle them effectively.
- Awards: PgCert, MSc
- Student stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
Learn more about the stages that make up the MSc in Global Challenges:
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Global Development Challenges considers the increasing economic, social and political inequalities in many parts of the world, and the need for new ways of thinking about and addressing international development. Read more about the PgCert Global Development Challenges
- PgCert in Global Environment Challenges considers how human activity is changing the natural environment at an unprecedented rate and the impact of this on human wellbeing and development. Read more about the PgCert Global Environment Challenges
- PgCert in Global Health Challenges considers the connections between local and global health challenges, and our changing understanding of health and wellness, illness and health care. Read more about the PgCert Global Health Challenges
The discipline of Family Medicine is gaining prominence as a vehicle for promoting effective primary health care. This part-time online programme attracts students from a variety of countries across the world, each bringing their unique experiences to create a vibrant global learning community. The programme is designed to equip students with the skills to become expert family physicians whose approach will provide continuous, coordinated, comprehensive and cost effective care built around an understanding of the patient in the context of the family and the community.
- Awards: Masters
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This online programme is for qualified health professionals to gain a qualification in the theory and practice of health care interventions, including randomised control trials. It is suitable for graduates in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, life sciences and other allied disciplines involved in Clinical Trials. It also attracts students who are working in clinical trials but have not studied for many years, and people who wish to move into the field of clinical trials and change their career.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This flexible, online programme can be completed and adapted around a full schedule. You will work with real-world data and will gain skills, capabilities, and competencies that will allow you to realise the value of data in your current role, and open new career paths and promotion opportunities as they arise across the health and social care sector. If you have a background in healthcare, social services or computing, our programme would be ideal for you. It has been designed to suit people at different career stages with varying exposures to data science.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This part-time, online epidemiology programme will set the foundation for understanding and improving population health. It underpins medical research, investigates the causes of disease, and evaluates intervention to prevent or control disease. You will work with real-world data to develop a portfolio of statistical and data science skills to tackle contemporary challenges. We will prepare you to take on leading roles in epidemiology, by developing the skills you will need to address contemporary population health problems. This flexible, online programme can be completed and adapted around a full schedule. Graduates will be suitably qualified to pursue a range of careers across multiple sectors, including in academia, research, government, NGOs, charities, medical practice including public health and other health-related professions.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
Public health is about preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the efforts of society. Our part time online Masters in Public Health degree provides a comprehensive global public health education of the highest quality to equip you for a wide range of careers in practice or research.
- Awards: MPH, PgDip, PgCert
- Student Stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This online learning programme provides an interdisciplinary approach to conservation management. Students assess all aspects of ecosystems, aiming to conserve and maintain their sustainability in both the developing and developed world.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student and alumni stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This programme is for health care professionals and veterinary practitioners to learn best practice in clinical education to enhance their abilities to teach and assess students in a clinical environment. This is an ideal programme for those with an educational role in relation to healthcare professionals and veterinary practitioners, including doctors, nurses, dental practitioners, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, those involved with veterinary education or associated scientists (biomedical or social).
- Awards: MSc, PgCert, PgDip, PgProfDev
- Student stories
- For more information and to apply
- Programme website
Infectious diseases are a major global concern, resulting in 11 million deaths per year and many more lives affected by reduced productivity and missed educational opportunities. This programme brings together a diverse community of online learners with transdisciplinary opportunities to identify, explore and address regional and global health challenges related to infectious diseases. This programme aims to address the challenges posed by infectious diseases in the 21st Century by offering you courses in surveillance, prevention and control of infectious diseases, as well as evaluating how they impact public health.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student stories and What it's like to be an online learner
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
Livestock are vital to the lives of millions of people, but endemic and epidemic diseases that affect livestock limit productivity and exacerbate poverty. The diseases that can be transmitted between animals and people also threaten the health of livestock keepers, their families and their communities. In many developing regions farmers and animal health workers are often ill equipped to deal with this risk. Building on a solid foundation of biological, immunological, pathological and epidemiological principles, this online programme is designed to equip students with the skills needed to identify, control and manage animal diseases and the expertise to tackle the international animal health challenges of the 21st Century.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
A fully flexible postgraduate programme designed to provide knowledge and an understanding of animal welfare science, with a focus on the international issues arising from animal use in all its forms. Suitable for working professionals and others with an interest in studying a range of animal welfare disciplines, and who what a world-class qualification in animal welfare, ethics and law.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
One Health sits at the interface between human, animal and ecosystem health. As such, it is a fast-evolving subject area, well suited to preparing professionals looking to tackle the wide range of intractable and highly complex health challenges of the 21st century. This programme is suitable for a wide range of professionals, whose disciplinary backgrounds can include the health, biological, environmental and social sciences.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student Stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
Offered by the College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine and offered jointly with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Developed in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland (NES). The programme is designed to meet the needs of optometrists, GPs, junior medical and surgical ophthalmology trainees, other health professionals (e.g., orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses) seeking to advance their understanding of primary eye care and its interface with secondary care.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This two year part-time Masters programme in Clinical Ophthalmology taught entirely online, is offered by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh, and was developed with the support of NHS Education for Scotland (NES). It is designed to meet the needs of advanced medical and surgical ophthalmology trainees en route to consultancy. Applications from independently practising ophthalmologists will also be considered.
- Awards: MCh
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
Our programme provides a multidisciplinary approach to pain management, training healthcare professionals to treat pain more effectively. As a multidimensional phenomenon, it is essential that pain is managed through planned multidisciplinary initiatives and inputs that aim to ease patient suffering and improve quality of life. The clinical management of pain programme is able to accommodate the needs of students from a variety of healthcare backgrounds and provides both the education and flexibility that is required to allow students to tailor the programme to their personal goals, career needs and future aspirations.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student Stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
Many career opportunities are emerging at the interface between scientific research and public bodies. There is a greater need to demonstrate the impact of publicly funded research and to help the general public appreciate the value of science. This programme, offered by the School of Biomedical Sciences, will develop your knowledge of current issues and the latest methodologies. The programme attracts students from across the globe, from a range of academic and professional backgrounds and provides a formal qualification for those working in science communication and public engagement or a conversion route for those interested in moving into this field.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This online programme is designed to meet the needs of the modern surgeon in training. It is jointly offered by the University of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. It covers the UK Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum. This programme gives you first-rate preparation for the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) examination, with additional emphasis on acquired knowledge and its application. The third-year MSc research project also serves as an opportunity to develop an academic career in surgery.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) is a rapidly expanding specialty. It has its roots in Emergency Medicine and Paediatrics but also has close affiliations with Paediatric Surgical Specialties, Paediatric Critical Care, Primary Care and Public Health. Our programme has been designed to provide the educational background required for clinicians managing medical emergencies in children.
- Awards: MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student Stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website
This programme provides veterinarians with the skills, knowledge and global networks required to be effective practitioners of Conservation Medicine. It is aimed at veterinary professionals seeking to develop their awareness and understanding of, and practical ability to contribute to, the field of conservation medicine.
- Awards: MVetSci, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev
- Student Stories
- More information and to apply
- Programme website