Credit-bearing standalone short courses (PPD)
Our postgraduate degree programmes are made up of short courses that can be taken as standalone study, we also refer to this as Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD).
The Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) scheme is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through postgraduate-level learning, without the time, or financial commitment, of a full award.
Qualification
You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses over two years and gain a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit.
You can also choose to continue your studies after one year and put credits towards a postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or full Masters degree. Any time spent taking courses through the PPD scheme will be deducted from the amount of time you have left to complete the higher award.
Delivery
Courses are delivered fully online using a blend of learning methods supported by the University’s award winning online learning environments.
They are distance learning courses, but you won’t feel isolated - you will have the opportunity to work closely with your fellow students and tutors in a properly supported, collaborative and vibrant online learning environment. With access to the internet, you will be able to study at the times and in the places which suit you best.
Applications
Applications must be made through the University's online postgraduate prospectus. Search for the parent programme and follow the link to apply to "PG Professional Development in [programme name] (Online Learning) (ICL) - 1-2 years (part-time intermittent study)". Once you have started your application to the degree within which the course sits, you will be asked to specify the name of the course you are applying to.
If you have questions or concerns throughout the application process, please contact the parent programme support teams directly. Contact details can be found on the parent programme pages linked to in the concertina.
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Advanced Clinical Practice
| General Medicine | Credits | Start | Duration (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine in Clinical Practice | 10 | January | 100 |
| Gastroenterology | 10 | January | 100 |
| Hepatology | 10 | May | 100 |
| Non-Surgical Musculoskeletal Disease | 10 | February | 100 |
| Practical pathology and microbiology | 10 | January | 100 |
| Professional and Clinical Skills for Advanced Veterinary Practice | 10 | November | 100 |
| Recent Advances in Internal Medicine | 10 | September | 100 |
| Renal and Urinary | 10 | May | 100 |
| Thoracic Imaging | 10 | February | 100 |
| Companion Animals | Credits | Start | Duration (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antimicrobial stewardship in companion animal practice | 10 | November | 100 |
| Approaches to Gastrointestinal Surgery in Dogs and Cats | 10 | April | 100 |
| Canine Endocrine Disorders | 10 | November | 100 |
| Companion Animal Respiratory Medicine 1 | 10 | April | 100 |
| Companion Animal Respiratory Medicine 2 | 10 | November | 100 |
| Feline Medicine 1 | 10 | September | 100 |
| Feline Medicine 2 | 10 | January | 100 |
| Feline Medicine 3 | 10 | April | 100 |
| Neurological Emergencies in dogs and cats | 10 | November | 100 |
| Standard Diagnostic Testing in Companion Animals | 10 | February | 100 |
| Veterinary Cardiology 2: Cardiac Diseases of the Cat and Dog | 10 | November | 100 |
| Wound Management and Reconstructive Surgery in Dogs and Cats | 10 | April | 100 |
| Equine Practice | Credits | Start | Duration (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approaches to wound management in horses | 10 | April | 100 |
| Poor athletic performance in horses | 10 | May | 100 |
| Recent Advances in Equine Practice | 10 | September | 100 |
| Standard Diagnostic Tests in Equine Practice | 10 | February | 100 |
| Exotic Pet Animals | Credits | Start | Duration (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principles of Exotic Pet Medicine | 10 | September | 100 |
| Rabbit Medicine | 10 | April | 100 |
| Standard Diagnostic Testing in Exotic Pet Animals | 10 | February | 100 |
| Production Animal Practice | Credits | Start | Duration (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bovine Reproduction: Beef and Dairy | 10 | November | 100 |
| Controlling Infectious Diseases in Beef and Dairy Cattle | 10 | September | 100 |
| Ewe Survival | 10 | February | 100 |
| Feeding for Production | 10 | April | 100 |
| Foot Health | 10 | September | 100 |
| Heifer Rearing | 10 | January | 100 |
| Lamb Growth | 10 | November | 100 |
| Lambing Percentage | 10 | May | 100 |
| Management of the Beef Herd | 10 | April | 100 |
| Recent Advances in Production Animal Practice | 10 | September | 100 |
| Standard Diagnostic Tests in Production Animal Practice | 10 | February | 100 |
| Udder Health | 10 | May | 100 |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia
| Course | Credits | Start |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Sciences | 20 | September |
| Clinical anaesthesia: equipment & the patient | 20 | January |
| Chronic pain & advanced analgesic techniques | 10 | February |
| Avian anaesthesia | 10 | February |
| Anaesthesia in ruminants, camelids and pigs | 10 | April |
| Anaesthesia in Equidae | 10 | May |
| Anaesthesia in small mammals | 10 | May |
| Ventilators and ventilation in veterinary anaesthesia | 10 | October |
| Dogs and Cats | 10 | April |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Applied Conservation Genetics with Wildlife Forensics
| Course | Credits | Start date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Management in Wildlife Forensic Science | 10 | January | 100 hours |
| Reporting Forensic Science | 10 | February | 100 hours |
| Introduction to Wildlife Forensics | 10 | May | 100 hours |
| Genetic Data Analysis for Conservation Management and Wildlife Forensics | 10 | May | 100 hours |
| Essential Population Genetic Theory & Techniques | 20 | September | 200 hours |
| Applied Conservation Genetics and Wildlife Forensics | 20 | September | 200 hours |
| Population Genetics for Conservation Breeding | 10 | January | 100 hours |
| Conservation Genetics for Reintroductions, Translocations and Population Monitoring | 10 | February | 100 hours |
| The Role of Wildlife Genetics in Global Conservation Challenges | 20 | May | 200 hours |
| Introduction to Applied Conservation Genetics Part 1 | 10 | January | 100 hours |
| Introduction to Applied Conservation Genetics Part 2 | 10 | February | 100 hours |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Applied Poultry Science
| Course | Credits | Start date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poultry Feed, Nutrition and Digestion | 20 | August | 200 hours |
| Poultry Behaviour & Welfare in Commercial Systems | 20 | August | 200 hours |
| Poultry Breeding and Genetics | 10 | August | 100 hours |
| Poultry Anatomy and Health | 20 | August | 200 hours |
| Poultry Embryology & Incubation | 10 | August | 100 hours |
| Poultry Housing and Environment | 20 | August | 200 hours |
| Leadership Skills | 10 | January | 100 hours |
| Poultry Business Management | 10 | August | 100 hours |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Clinical Animal Behaviour
Principles of Applied Animal behaviour
20 credits
This course introduces the theoretical concepts that underpin the professional field of Clinical Animal Behaviour, drawn from disciplines of ethology, psychology, anatomy, neurophysiology and psychopharmacology. This course will provide students with a solid foundation of theoretical concepts which will be used throughout the Clinical Animal Behaviour programme.
Clinical Animal Behaviour
20 credits
In this course, students will gain an appreciation of the interaction between health and behaviour in domestic/captive animals and develop their understanding of the development, diagnosis and management of behavioural disorders and conflicts in a range of companion animal species including; dogs, cats, horses and other household pets.
Anthrozoology
20 credits
This course is designed to expand knowledge and appreciation of how humans and non-human animals interact, covering theoretical and practical aspects of the interaction. There is an emphasis on examining the animal aspect of the interaction while adopting a multidisciplinary approach to the wider subject area.
Evidence Based Veterinary Medicine in Clinical Practice B
10 credits
The course begins with a focus on foundation concepts of evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM), which must be understood and appreciated by professional scientists in a veterinary context.
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Conservation Medicine
| Course | Credits | Start date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eco-system health and species conservation | 20 | January | 200 hours |
| Wildlife disease management | 10 | October | 100 hours |
| Veterinary techniques and interventions for Conservation Medicine | 10 | September | 100 hours |
| An introduction to Conservation Medicine | 20 | September | 200 hours |
| Applied Epidemiology and Surveillance for Conservation Medicine | 20 | May | 200 hours |
| Interventions in Wild Animal Health | 20 | January | 200 hours |
| Managing and Leading Conservation Projects | 10 | August | 100 hours |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Equine Science
Equine Digestion and Nutrition
This course provides an in-depth knowledge of equine digestion and nutrition, allowing students to pursue careers in research, industry or academia.
- 20 credits
- Course Leader: Dr Andrea Ellis
- September start
Course content provides students with a research driven, evidence-based approach to understanding equine digestive health delivered by world-leading experts in equid nutrition. Key topics covered are the anatomy and physiology of the digestive system, ration formulation, the evaluation of food sources and nutritional management.
Students will explore the nutrient requirements of horses involved in all types of work to formulate bespoke dietary plans and make recommendations on appropriate rations.
The course offers an evaluation of the nutritional value of feedstuffs and an emphasis is placed on health and welfare concerns associated with the inclusion of various types of feedstuffs in the diet.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
Equine Orthopaedics
This course is an in-depth exploration of key topics that affect the sports horse industry and the application of treatment in the equine athlete.
- 20 credits
- Course Leader: Dr Oliver James
- September start
The course content explores anatomy, physiology and the musculoskeletal system takes an evidence-based approach to disease, injury management and prevention in the context of the orthopaedic anatomy of a sports horse.
Students explore the most recent advances in treatments and novel therapies with the opportunity to engage with clinical specialists and leading researchers.
On completion of the course, students will have enhanced skills and be able to apply knowledge and understanding to real-life scenarios in support of professional, clinical or amateur equine care.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
Equine Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics
This course offers a focus on the effect physical environment and management has on the behaviour and welfare of both the developing and adult horse.
- 20 credits
- Course Leader: Dr Tamsin Coombs
- January start
The course will introduce students to the evolution of equids (horses and donkeys) and how this relates to their normal behaviour and physiology. The course then focuses on physiology and behaviour associated with poor welfare.
It will explore the relationship between management and welfare throughout an entire animal's life and how we can measure and assess welfare in a variety of situations.
The use of equids, their welfare and associated policy and legislation will be examined at a global level. Students will also explore the application of ethics to our use of equids and the trade-offs between human, environmental and equid wellbeing.
There is also a focus on human behaviour and its relationship with equid welfare to understand how we can begin to change behaviour in order to improve the lives of equids worldwide.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
Equine Reproduction
This course covers anatomy and physiology of equine reproduction, evaluation of breeding soundness, management techniques and the latest technologies used across the industry.
- 20 credits
- Course Leader: Dr Mina Davies-Morel
- January start
This course explores a range of topics associated with equine breeding and is delivered by leading experts in veterinary medicine, front line research and industry. The course provides students with an in-depth examination of equine reproduction in order to apply key skills, knowledge and understanding to their own horse breeding endeavours.
The course is fully online and delivered in a flexible, but structured, format which provides students with the opportunity to network, enhance skills and prepare to apply knowledge and understanding to real-life scenarios which can enhance existing professional or amateur equine practice.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
Equine Behavioural Medicine*
This course investigates why problematic and abnormal behaviours occur and how to resolve them.
- 20 credits
- Course Leader: Dr Gemma Pearson
- January start
Students will learn how to investigate when a horse presents with a problematic behaviour to formulate a differential diagnosis and effective treatment plan. The course investigates the emotions that drive behaviour in horses with an emphasis on how to recognise, and address, when pain and/or stress are contributing factors.
The course offers an insight into why horses behave the way they do through an exploration of the neurophysiology that explains behaviour, and how this is modified by early life experiences. Students will gain the tools create behaviour modification plans to improve equine behaviour and welfare.
There is a focus on human behaviour change and how this knowledge can be used to improve success rates and overall satisfaction on an individual client basis or to change hearts and minds to improve both human and equine welfare.
Each week presents a new topic and includes relevant case studies so students can experience the real-world application of this knowledge.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
*Equitation Science is a pre-requisite for this course
Equine Exercise Physiology
This course covers anatomy and physiology of the major implicated systems and their adaptation to exercise in the horse, the application of this knowledge to cases of poor performance and evaluation of training regimes across a range of equestrian disciplines.
- 20 credits
- Course Leader: Dr Victoria Lindsay-McGee
- April start
This course provides students with a detailed understanding of equine exercise physiology and the adaptations that occur in response to athletic function. There is a focus on applying this knowledge to assessing the sustainability of various training regimes for all classes of the equine athlete and methods of assessing and monitoring performance, and potential performance, in the horse. Consideration is also given to the health and impact of ill-health on the performance horse and the evaluation of current research in this area of equine science.
The course is fully online and delivered in a flexible, but structured, format which provides students with the opportunity to network, enhance skills and prepare to apply knowledge and understanding to real-life scenarios which can enhance existing professional or amateur equine practice.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
Equitation Science
This course takes an objective, evidence-based approach to understanding horse welfare to decide on the most ethical training methods to horses in your care.
- 20 credits
- Course Leader: Dr Gemma Pearson
- April start
Equitation Science uses an objective, evidence-based approach to understand and improve the welfare of horses in their interactions with humans; this can be during training, competition or even just in the stable. It uses a multidisciplinary approach with an emphasis on learning theory alongside a wide range of techniques including investigating the use of technology to provide objective measures of welfare or performance and sports psychology to understand how riders/handlers may influence their horse's behaviour.
Students learn how to apply scientific methods to identify ineffective training techniques and those that may result in problems with horse welfare. You will then apply these skills to build training plans that will enhance both performance and horse health and wellness.
Knowledge gained on this course can be applied to all horses by amateur and leisure horse owners to elite riders and professional trainers.
For full details of this course, including learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Regulations and Programmes of Study page.
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Food Safety
| Course | Credits | Start date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | August | 100 hours | |
| Data Analysis for Food Safety | 10 | August | 100 hours |
| 20 | August | 200 hours | |
| 20 | August | 200 hours | |
| 20 | August | 200 hours | |
| 10 | May | 100 hours |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: Global Food Security and Nutrition
| Course | Credits | Start date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrition for Food Security | 20 | September | 200 hours |
| Frameworks to Assess Food Security | 20 | August | 200 hours |
| Sustainable Food Production | 20 | January | 200 hours |
| 10 | February | 100 hours | |
| Interrelationships in Food Systems | 20 | September | 200 hours |
| Food Policy | 10 | August | 100 hours |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law
| Course | Credits | Start |
|---|---|---|
| International Animal Welfare Science | 20 | September |
| Animal Ethics, Policy and Law | 20 | January |
| Welfare of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes | 20 | September |
| Production Animal Welfare | 20 | April |
| International Cat and Dog Welfare | 20 | September |
| Captive and Free Range Wild Animal Welfare | 20 | April |
For more information on the parent programme, please see here: One Health
| Course | Credits | Start date | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| An introduction to One Health | 20 | September | 200 hours |
| Ecosystem Health | 10 | January | 100 hours |
| One Health Policy | 10 | January | 100 hours |
| Innovative Approaches to Health Challenges Across Disciplines | 10 | April | 100 hours |