Primary Care Ophthalmology (Online Learning) MSc

The programme is taught entirely online.

You are supported by discussion with e-tutors - all leading clinicians in their field. You will also have access to a large learning resource, including subscriptions to key online books and journals.

You will be expected to lead e-seminars and e-journal clubs.

Our online 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.

Research community

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

Academic staff

The Clinical Leads for the programme are Professor Baljean Dhillon and Professor Roshini Sanders, Programme Directors.

Dr Heather Ellis, Deputy Programme Director, is the Academic Lead.

• Professor Dhillon's profile
• Dr Ellis' profile
• Graduate testimonials

How will I learn?

The programme runs on a semester basis over three years - from September until June each year. You will follow a weekly timetable.

The learning content is delivered each week in a flexible, modular manner, through an online learning environment.

The programme involves a minimum of 15-20 hours of study per week.

Courses

All courses are compulsory and are taught and assessed using a clinical problem-based approach and involve participation in discussion boards and reflective portfolios.

You will accumulate credits by completing a series of courses leading to a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Science degree.

The minimum time for completion of the full Masters programme is three years, and the maximum time for completion is six years.

How will I be assessed?

Knowledge and understanding will be assessed with a formal multiple-choice question (MCQ) exam. You will also participate in academic discussion boards, leading and facilitating debate, and complete a reflective ePortfolio.

You are required to complete a Masters research project in Year 3 in an appropriate ophthalmology sub-speciality of your choosing, for example, original research or a systematic review.

Year 1: Certificate

• Basic Ophthalmic Science: Anatomy, Pathology, Physiology of the Ocular Structures
• Basic Examination & Investigation Techniques
• Basic Glaucoma
• Basic Macular Disease
• Basic Acute Eye Disease & Vision Loss
• eTriage and Refinement of Referral Criteria

Year 2: Diploma

• Advanced Ophthalmic Science: Anatomy, Pathology, Physiology of the Ocular Structures
• Advanced Examination & Investigation Techniques
• Advanced Glaucoma
• Advanced Macular Disease
• Advanced Acute Eye Disease & Vision Loss
• Advanced eTriage and Refinement of Referral Criteria

Year 3: Masters

The final year involves a supervised Masters research project. This will be undertaken on an approved topic that reflects your subspeciality interest and will require the submission of:

• four written assessments, including a final project report (7,500-10,000) words

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.

The MSc supports learning for achievement of the outcomes of the UK’s Ophthalmic Practitioner Training (OPT) programme which is based on the Ophthalmic Common Clinical Competency Framework (OCCCF), developed by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in collaboration with the:

• College of Optometrists
• Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
• British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS)
• Association of Health Professions in Ophthalmology (AHPO)

This degree is aligned with the curricula of the:

• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd)
• Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth)

This supports learning for their membership and fellowship examinations, making the programme very attractive to domestic and international students.

This programme is designed for you if you wish to enhance your knowledge with particular regard to diagnosis and treatment of ocular disease as you take on an increasingly expanding role in the management of eye disease as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Students come from different health backgrounds, including:

• optometrists
• orthoptists
• ophthalmic nurses
• other ophthalmic allied health professionals
• ophthalmologists
• ophthalmology trainees/residents/registrars

This programme may also be of interest if you are a medical or surgical trainee and aspire to specialise in ophthalmology or are a GP or GP Specialist Trainee with a Special Interest in Ophthalmology. The MSc is also relevant if you are a dispensing optician, a family medicine physician, or other eye healthcare professional seeking to advance your understanding of primary care ophthalmology and its interface with secondary care.

The degree supports your learning for professional examinations such as:

• Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd)
• Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (FRCOphth)
• equivalent

The award of MSc will highlight your commitment to continuing professional development in your chosen career and will ensure a competitive edge when applying for clinical positions.

The MSc will also help prepare you for an academic or research career.

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.

An accredited medical degree (MBChB or equivalent), or a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent, in optometry, orthoptics, dispensing optics, ophthalmic nursing or biomedical sciences.

We will also consider your application if you have 3-5 years' relevant work experience or professional qualifications, such as RGN, with appropriate clinical experience.

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

Featured funding

• Online Learning Scholarships

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

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• Search for funding