Urology (Online Learning) ChM (Urology)

The programme is taught entirely online and our students are supported through asynchronous discussion by our faculty of Consultant Urologists.

Our interactive online learning technology enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

Online students not only have access to Edinburgh’s excellent resources, but also become part of a supportive online community, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.

Studying online at Edinburgh

Find out more about the benefits and practicalities of studying for an online degree:

• Postgraduate online learning

The programme runs on a semester basis over two years and involves approximately 15-20 hours of study each week.

Please note that the programme is currently undergoing changes to the order of delivery of courses but the clinical content and alignment to the FRCS (Urol) remains unchanged. Please see Year 2 below for the indicative course content that a student entering the programme in the 2024/2025 academic year would typically undertake in Year 2 of studies.

Courses within the programme may also be offered as Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in the future. For more information about CPD options, please contact the programme administration team using the contact details provided in the 'Further information' section on this page.

Year 1

You will be taught through a clinical problem-based approach to cases, covering technical skills and relevant procedures, as well as core knowledge and clinical skills. In addition, you will be taught academic, research and reflective skills that will support your evidence-based medicine approach to your studies.

In each semester, the scheduled courses run concurrently and will involve taking part in online discussions. In a given week, you may be participating in several discussions per course (up to five discussions per week) across several courses. You can participate in discussions at a time that suits your own wider commitments. Live sessions may also be scheduled for certain courses, but participating in these sessions will be optional.

You will spend 15-20 hours on programme-related study each week, through activities including:

• reading the discussion thread
• reading around the topic
• contributing to the discussion

Compulsory courses

• Core Academic Activity (Research methodology and Study Design)
• Paediatric Urology
• Stone Disease
• Core Urology
• Female Urology, Reconstruction, Neurourology
• Transplant Nephrology
• New Technologies & Minimal Access Developments

Year 2

Compulsory courses

• Specialist Academic Activity (Research Project)
• Andrology
• Oncology 1
• Oncology 2

You will have the opportunity to develop skills in academic surgery and undertake an independent research project in an area of your interest. You will be encouraged to publish your final research project in suitable peer-reviewed journals and at surgery-focused conferences.

The programme offers an alternative to a dedicated research fellowship for those who do not wish to take time out of clinical practice or training.

(Updated 15 May 2024 to provide more detailed information on teaching and learning methods and upcoming changes to the order of delivery of courses)

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

On completion of this programme, trainees will be able to:

• demonstrate in-depth knowledge of their chosen surgical sub-specialty, and be able to apply this knowledge to the systematic assessment and management of surgical patients in the elective, urgent and emergency clinical setting
• recognise the leadership contribution and responsibilities of the surgeon in the multidisciplinary management of complex surgical disease
• critically reflect upon day-to-day surgical practice in the context of recent advances, and engage in critical dialogue with peers and experts in other sub-specialties
• apply the general principles of clinical study design, ethics, and statistics to critically evaluate the scientific literature in surgical research, and make informed judgements on new and emerging issues in surgery
• exercise a high level of autonomy and initiative in professional activities at a level of independent surgical practice

This award would highlight your interest in the specialty and commitment to continuing professional development. It is designed to enable you to study for final professional surgical examinations in a structured yet flexible way.

Upon completion, you will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the surgical specialty and application of this knowledge to the systematic assessment and management of surgical patients in the elective, urgent and emergency clinical setting.

If you wish to be involved with teaching or research you will also find this a useful qualification.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A medical degree (MBChB or equivalent) recognised by the General Medical Council, and must have acquired your MRCS (or equivalent assessment milestone).

UK applicants must have 1 to 2 years dedicated urology training (post MRCS completion) and be based in a supervised surgical training programme at the time of enrolling.

Applicants from outside the UK must have completed a minimum of 24 months of basic training in surgery and 18 months of specialty training in urology before enrolling for the ChM.

Surgeons who have a consultant or career grade post (or equivalent) in urology are also eligible for entry.

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

The University of Edinburgh offers a small number of scholarships to outstanding candidates. These are very competitive. We publish data on the success rate for scholarship applications to help you understand the level of demand.

• Scholarship applications - success rates

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

• Online Learning Scholarships

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding