Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Data-Driven Breeding and Genetics (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgProfDev

Awards: MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL), PgProfDev

Study modes: Part-time Intermittent Study

Online learning

Funding opportunities

Improving global food security and shifting to sustainable agriculture with technological advances are key to achieving sustainable development.

Despite selective breeding tools being applied for thousands of years, their use now is more important than ever. They can help us address some of the biggest global challenges in the Anthropocene, especially food insecurity and resource depletion in a changing climate.

Such contribution to the resilience and sustainability of food and production systems ‘can help the world achieve critical progress on all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

This online programme is led by academics from The Roslin Institute and the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. There are also strong links with the International Livestock Research Institute and the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health. The wide network of partners bring a valuable breadth of perspectives and offer students the opportunity to build relationships that will enrich their future practice.

It aims to equip graduates with practical, applied statistical and computational skills to:

  • manage, analyse and interpret large, real-world data
  • address context-specific genetic challenges using specialised skills in genetics, data science, and underpinning technologies

You will learn to implement sustainable genetic improvement programmes for key aquacultural and agricultural animal and plant species across:

  • global food systems
  • raw material
  • heat
  • power production

The programme contains a diverse range of global perspectives and representation of systems across the Global North and South.

(Revised 3 February 2025 to add information about partner institutions)

The University of Edinburgh has been delivering online postgraduate programmes since 2005 and is the largest provider of online programmes in the prestigious Russell Group of universities.

Online learning is aimed at people who want to study for a postgraduate qualification alongside ongoing personal and professional commitments. You can study at times most convenient to you and tailor the timeframe of studies to suit your needs. Most of our students continue in their employment while they study.

Student support for online students is given as much emphasis as for our on-campus learners. The learning technology is fully interactive, award-winning and enables you to communicate with our highly qualified teaching staff from the comfort of your own home or workplace.

A dedicated e-Learning team ensures the programme runs smoothly and the programme is supported by an experienced team of two programme co-directors, a co-ordinator, an administrator and course leaders. Each student is provided with a student adviser.

(Revised 31 January 2025 to remove reference to mentor).

Courses are taught and completed entirely online. The varied teaching includes:

  • online lectures
  • tutorials
  • specialist external lectures
  • group discussions
  • case studies
  • data analysis computer practicals
  • problem-based learning scenarios
  • literature-based research
  • computer-assisted learning
  • quizzes

Our 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:

The degree programme is structured to allow sequential progression from individual courses to Certificate, Diploma and MSc phases. Students may also exit the programme on completion of each phase.

The programme is designed to be taken part-time over three years at 20 hours per week, with the option to complete in up to six years if required.

The completion times are as follows:

  • PgCert: 1-2 years
  • PgDip: 2-4 years
  • MSc: 3-6 years

    The masters programme is composed of 180 credits divided over:

  • 12 taught courses

  • 9 Core
  • 3 Elective
  • Dissertation (60 credits)

Each 10-credit course encompasses 35 hours of directed learning and 65 hours of independent learning.

Courses offer a mix of:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • practicals
  • guest speakers
  • recommended reading
  • tutorials

These will be asynchronous and pre-recorded to accommodate for work, caring or other commitments. There is an emphasis on student engagement and real-life applied science. Assessment throughout the programme is 100% coursework.

Year 1

Core:

  • Sustainable breeding and genetics (10 credits)
  • Population and quantitative genetics for breeding (10 credits)
  • Principles of genetic evaluation (10 credits)
  • Genomics and phenomics in breeding (10 credits)
  • Breeding programmes and their modelling (10 credits)

Elective - to choose from:

  • An introduction to transboundary diseases and their impact on trade and wildlife populations
  • Data analysis with R
  • Population Genetics for Conservation Breeding
  • Quality Management in Wildlife Forensic Science
  • Introduction to Applied Conservation Genetics Part 1

Year 2

Core:

  • Advanced modelling in genetic evaluation
  • Future breeding and genetics
  • Applications of data-driven breeding and genetics to real-life challenges
  • Research and professional skills for data-driven breeding and genetics

Elective - to choose from:

  • Food Policy
  • Introduction to Wildlife Forensics
  • Poultry Breeding and Genetics
  • Science Communication and Engagement for Practice
  • Data visualisation: knowledge transfer
  • Control of economically important parasites
  • New developments in epidemiology and the control of vector borne disease
  • Project planning and decision support for animal disease control
  • Control of economically important parasites
  • New developments in epidemiology and the control of vector borne disease
  • Project planning and decision support for animal disease control
  • Pastoralism and Herd Health
  • Advanced Statistics
  • Genetic Data Analysis for Conservation Management and Wildlife Forensics
  • Statistical Modelling for Epidemiology
  • Poultry Embryology & Incubation
  • Engaging with Digital Research
  • The use and evolution of digital data analysis and collection tools

Year 3

  • Dissertation - must be written within a 12-month period

Course availability will be dependent upon the number of students and availability of places on non-programme-owned courses. We cannot guarantee that all courses will be available to all students each year.

Postgraduate Professional Development

Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) 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.

You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses from within this degree over two years and gain a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit.

It may also be possible 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.

Although PPD courses have various start dates throughout a year you may only start a Masters, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme in the month of September.

(Restructured 31 January 2025 and added more information about the time commitment per week; removed references to specific programme staff).

Beyond gaining factual knowledge of the immediate subject matter, programme participation is designed to achieve a series of key learning outcomes.

The programme aims to give you the ability to:

  • carry out independent research
  • produce reports to a professional standard
  • be competent in constructing logically sound arguments

By the end of the programme you will be able to:

  • demonstrate a critical understanding of genetics concepts, principles and theory relevant to the design of animal and plant breeding programmes for sustainable food production systems
  • apply your knowledge, skills and understanding of data-driven genetics and breeding to design or assess breeding programmes and tackle genetics challenges, using specialised skills in genetics, data science, and underpinning technologies
    • develop critical analysis skills to review complex issues relating to breeding and genetics, and formulate an original research problem and independently carry out the research needed to produce an appropriate solution in a range of scientific or policy contexts
  • apply and enhance a range of communication, ICT and numeracy skills applicable to breeding and genetics
  • work individually or as part of a group, and make informed judgements about the complex problems connected to breeding and genetics' challenges

(Rewritten 31 January 2025 to reword SCQF learning outcomes).

From one of the world’s leading universities, this postgraduate degree is recognised as a valuable, hard-earned qualification.

This programme will equip graduates with the knowledge, skills and global networks necessary to become the next generation of breeders and geneticists. Graduates will be able to address the shortage of data scientists in the Agri-Tech sector globally and locally, strengthening the pipeline into:

  • industry research and development
  • academia
  • governmental organisations (GOs)
  • non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

Graduates will serve as advocates for the importance of coordinated international efforts in tackling global challenges equitably.

By bringing together animal and plant species, this programme opens-up career prospects. It also delivers key transferable skills valued by employers. These include communication skills to present knowledge professionally while considering the economic, social, and environmental context into which these are being delivered.

We do not offer internships or placements, but students taking the dissertation course may be able choose a project offered by industry or academic partners.

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 UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a life science, including any relevant agriculture, breeding, genetics, statistical or data-driven background.

We may also consider your application if your degree is in an unrelated discipline but you have 3-year relevant work experience; please contact us to check before you apply. You may be admitted to Certificate level only in the first instance.

Students from China

This degree is Band D.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

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.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

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:

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).

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:

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MScData-Driven Breeding and GeneticsUp to 6 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees
PgDip (ICL)Data-Driven Breeding and GeneticsUp to 4 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees
PgCert (ICL)Data-Driven Breeding and GeneticsUp to 2 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition fees
PgProfDevData-Driven Breeding and GeneticsUp to 2 YearsPart-time Intermittent StudyTuition 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

As this is a part-time intermittent programme, also known as invoiced-at-course-level (ICL), it is not eligible for UK government loan funding.

Other external funding

(Revised 31 January to add funding information)

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Data Driven Breeding and Genetics Programme Directors, MSc Data Driven Breeding and Genetics
  • Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
  • Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems
  • The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
  • Easter Bush
  • Edinburgh
  • EH25 9RG

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. We may consider late applications if we have places available, but you should contact the relevant Admissions Office for advice first.

You must submit one reference with your application.

Please upload a copy of your CV.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Data Driven Breeding and Genetics Programme Directors, MSc Data Driven Breeding and Genetics
  • Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
  • Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems
  • The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
  • Easter Bush
  • Edinburgh
  • EH25 9RG