Entry requirements
All candidates must have an existing teaching role in their workplace, with an interest in pursuing an academic career in healthcare education or heathcare education research.
PG Cert
- A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in a health profession or in a relevant field (including but not limited to Health Sciences). If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
Or
- Significant professional or other relevant experience alongside evidence of prior alternative learning such as professional qualifications or certifications.
PG Dip/MSc
- Evidence of having completed at least one 30 credit module at a minimum of SCQF level 9 (or equivalent) within five years of the programme start date.
And
- A 2.1 Honours undergraduate degree in a health profession or in a relevant field (including but not limited to Health Sciences). If you studied your first degree outside the UK, see the international entry requirements.
Or
- Completion and award of our PGCert Health Professions Education within five years of the programme start date
In reviewing applications for the programme, the School of Medicine looks especially at whether St Andrews is a good match for your specialist interests. The Programme Convenor is happy to be contacted and, if necessary, to set up a meeting in person or virtually so that you can discuss your plans and to ensure that St-Andrews is the best place for you to pursue a Masters degree.
If you have any queries concerning the programme or your suitability for it, you are encouraged to make contact in advance of your application.
The qualifications listed are indicative minimum requirements for entry. Some academic Schools will ask applicants to achieve significantly higher marks than the minimum. Obtaining the listed entry requirements will not guarantee you a place, as the University considers all aspects of every application including, where applicable, the writing sample, personal statement, and supporting documents.
Application requirements
- A CV that includes specific details of your current role and a history of your education and employment to date
- A personal statement explaining why you have applied for this course, how it relates to your personal or professional ambitions, and how your academic and professional background show you have the skills needed to work effectively at postgraduate level
- Two original signed references, one from your current employment and one academic reference
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates
- Candidates will attend a 30-minute online interview and must achieve a satisfactory score
For more guidance, see supporting documents and references for postgraduate taught programmes.
English language proficiency
If English is not your first language, you may need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. See approved English language tests and scores for this course.
Alternative study options
Some of the modules on this programme are available as stand-alone online modules, each accredited at SCQF Level 11. These part-time 15-credit modules run from September to December and are delivered entirely online. Find out more about Health Professions Education stand-alone modules.
Course details
Increasing pressures on healthcare systems require flexible, accessible, creative and relevant learning opportunities, particularly for educators who are also clinically active. On the Health Professions Education programme, you will examine the principles and values of a range of educational approaches.
Highlights
- A fully online part-time programme which offers flexibility of learning to suit those currently employed in a healthcare or academic setting.
- As an interprofessional and interdisciplinary programme, it provides opportunities to learn collaboratively about a range of educational contexts and teaching practices.
- Experiential and immersive learning opportunities mean learners undertaking the modules can have real-time interactive experience of the concepts being taught.
- An award-winning learning technology infrastructure and support provides innovative, interactive and flexible learning and supports the student learning journey.
- Staff from a variety of disciplines and healthcare backgrounds with expertise and experience in educating healthcare professionals.
- Membership of the Academy of Medical Educators through our accredited PGCert.
The Health Professions Education programme will inspire scholarship, research and leadership in health professions education. This programme will help to develop inquisitive educators who are equipped to deliver high-quality learning opportunities for health professionals.
The programme content will cover a range of approaches and methods of teaching, learning and assessment where learners will engage in independent and group study. Aspects of the programme will be interprofessional and interdisciplinary, enabling learners to reflect on and share their own teaching and learning practices. The programme will provide the opportunity to learn with, from and about each other’s educational contexts. Action learning sets will be utilised to bring a challenging or complex issue to discuss and share ideas for resolution. Learners will be able to develop a toolkit that will enhance their problem-solving abilities, critical thinking skills, and teaching strategies.
Academic staff in the School of Medicine provide expertise from a variety of disciplines and healthcare backgrounds. There is a wide range of experience in educating health professionals in the community and acute care settings, interprofessional education, and in educational research. The School of Medicine has institutional memberships of the Association for the Study of Medical Education (ASME) and the UK Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE).
Applicants will be able to choose which qualification they would like to apply for, depending on which level they wish to complete.
Applicants will be able to apply for the following:
- Option 1 - Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)
- Option 2 - Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) (starting at Year 1 or direct entry into Year 2)
- Option 3 - Master of Health Professions Education (MSc) (starting at Year 1 or direct entry to Year 2)
Modules
The modules published below are examples of what has been taught in previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your course. For more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment, please see the module catalogue.
Learners will normally be required to complete two core modules.
Semester 1
- Fundamentals of Designing and Facilitating Learning: explores the fundamentals and theoretical underpinning of designing and facilitating learning for health professions education. You will consider different methods of learning, reflect and apply their critical understanding of learning to their own academic and or health or social care environment.
Semester 2
- Impact of Learning: focuses on the key principles of assessment, evaluation and feedback and how these can be used to determine impact on learning. You will learn how quality can be achieved, measured and maintained in education.
On completion of the required modules, totalling 60 credits at level 11, learners may wish to exit the programme with a postgraduate certificate (PGCert) in Health Professions Education.
Learners will normally be required to complete the core module, along with two optional modules. Optional modules allow you to shape the degree around your personal and professional interests.
Semester 1
Optional modules are expected to be offered in the following areas:
Leading and Designing Teaching Programmes in Health Professions Education: focuses on considerations for designing, developing, implementing and evaluating an undergraduate or postgraduate credited short programme or course of study targeted at health professionals.
Contemporary Global Issues in Health Professions Education: explores the drivers of debate and change, applying theoretical models for understanding complex and wicked problems within health professions education.
Interprofessional Education: Design, Delivery and Assessment: focuses on design, delivery and assessment and examines the in-depth evidence base for interprofessional education in a variety of contexts.
Health Humanities Approaches within Health Professions Education: focuses on how health and medical humanities can be integrated within health professions education, exploring a range of arts and humanities approaches that can help to optimise, broaden and deepen learning outcomes.
Semester 2
Research Methods in Education: covers the fundamentals of research methods for health professions education. You will be provided the opportunity to critique, appraise and plan a research proposal.
On completion of the required modules, totalling 120 credits at level 11, learners may wish to exit the programme with a postgraduate diploma (PGDip) in Health Professions Education.
The final part of the MSc programme is the end of degree project. This takes the form of a period of supervised research where you will undertake an in-depth investigation into a chosen topic in health professions education.
Through the project you will show your ability to undertake sustained critical analysis, develop and improve your research skills, and produce an extended piece of written work that demonstrates a high level of understanding of your area of study. A flexible approach will be offered to suit the learner with respect to project options.
All options available will develop research skills to help with future intentions to study at the higher level of PhD or MD.
- Option 1: an empirical piece of research
- Option 2: a systematic review
- Option 3: an extended research proposal (including ethics application)
Teaching
The taught modules are taken over two semesters – September to December (Semester 1) and January to May (Semester 2). The period from June to August is used to complete summative assessments.
Each taught module will use teaching and learning methods appropriate to its aims and learning outcomes, which may include lectures, seminars, facilitated workshops, and tutorials.
The programme will be delivered online with a mixture of some real-time, scheduled teaching and some independent study, providing the flexibility of accessing learning materials at a time convenient to your own circumstances. All scheduled teaching will take place in GMT/BST when online attendance is required.
The programme delivery platform is supported by an award-winning learning technology infrastructure. This innovative and interactive platform allows you to access all of the programme resources, announcements, timetable, and lectures (both live and recorded). To help build a sense of community online, this platform also hosts a discussion board for you to engage in threaded discussions with other learners on the programme.
On average, each 30-credit module would involve 3 hours of fortnightly scheduled online attendance throughout the semester. The rest of the workload hours would consist of a range of activities that can be undertaken in your own time during the semester. These may consist of preparatory reading and reflection, assignment preparation, small group work, and participation in online discussion forums.
There are a broad range of sources of support within the school and the wider University, which are available to you as postgraduate student studying online. Throughout your programme you will be allocated an Adviser of Studies to provide academic support and advice.
The University has a mature and established Student Support Service able to offer advice on any welfare matters. The University Information Technology (IT) services can help if you require support, advice, or guidance with an IT issue. Academic and study skills support is available to help students throughout their University studies, as well as provide opportunities to support professional and personal development.
Fees
- MSc £15,800
- PGDip £10,530
- PGCert £5,270
Funding and scholarships
The University of St Andrews is committed to attracting the very best students, regardless of financial circumstances.
NHS Staff Discount
The University of St Andrews offers a 10% discount to NHS-funded staff who wish to undertake the programme.
15% Recent Graduate Discount
If you have graduated from the University within the last three academic years, you may be eligible for a 15% discount on postgraduate taught tuition fees. Terms and conditions apply.
After your degree
Careers
The University's global reputation makes its graduates highly valued by employers. The Health Professions Education programme is aimed at individuals who wish to develop their health professions educational role, follow an academic career in health professions education or healthcare education research, or pursue a PhD or MD.
In addition to broadening your subject knowledge and applying established techniques of research and enquiry, you will develop and demonstrate essential skills such as:
- critical thinking and creativity
- analysis and appraisal
- problem solving and decision making
- personal leadership and project management
- interpersonal communication and team working
The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students in building their employability skills.
Further study
St Andrews offers a vibrant and stimulating research environment. One of the great strengths of our research degrees is the collegiate atmosphere which enables access to expertise beyond your formal supervisors and the ability to conduct interdisciplinary research.
Research students are supported by a supervisory team throughout their studies and are assessed by means of a substantial thesis of original research.
Postgraduate researchContact us
- Phone
- +44 (0)1334 46 3599
- medadmiss@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Address
- School of Medicine
Medical and Biological Sciences Building
North Haugh
St Andrews
KY16 9TF