Digital Education (Online Learning) MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL)
Awards: MSc, PgDip (ICL), PgCert (ICL)
Study modes: Part-time Intermittent Study
Online learning
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Digital Education (Online Learning)
The course was varied, stimulating, engaging and provided me with so many wonderful experiences, including funny ones....I felt challenged but received encouragement along the way. The tutors were so accessible, friendly and encouraging. I also discovered a new fascination for game-based learning that I retain and use in my current role.
Learning, teaching, training, and research are profoundly affected by the challenges and opportunities posed by the digital acceleration in education. Since 2006, the MSc in Digital Education has given professionals in education - whether in higher or further education, schools, NGOs, commercial organisations, and government ministries - the critical insight they need in this fast-moving and richly diverse field.
The Digital Education programme is delivered fully online and is designed as a part-time programme, with the majority of participants studying over a period of 3-4 years.
The programme is distinctive for its innovative design, its breadth of scope, the high level of support provided to students and its basis in the research activity of the Centre for Research in Digital Education. Our tutors are actively researching in this field and bringing that research to their teaching.
Delivered fully online, this programme gives you the opportunity to work closely with your fellow students and tutors in a properly supported, collaborative and vibrant online learning environment, studying at the times and in the places that suit you best.
Studying online at Edinburgh
Find out more about the benefits and practicalities of studying for an online degree:
To complete the MSc programme, you will complete one compulsory course and a number of option courses. You will also produce an independently researched dissertation.
Compulsory courses
- Critical Issues in Digital Education (compulsory for all students)
- Research Methods (compulsory for those studying for the MSc)
Option courses
Option courses are subject to change each year and some may be offered every other year. These have previously included:
- Course Design for Digital Environments
- Critical Data and Education
- Digital Education in the Majority World
- Digital Education: Strategy and Policy
- Digital Futures for Learning
- Education and Digital Culture
- Information Literacies in Digital Education
- Learning Spaces and Digital Technologies
- Digital games, play and the psychology of learning
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.
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Digital Education | Up to 6 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Programme structure 2024/25 |
PgDip (ICL) | Digital Education | Up to 4 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Programme structure 2024/25 |
PgCert (ICL) | Digital Education | Up to 2 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Programme structure 2024/25 |
The skills and knowledge this programme provides will enable you to expand your existing career into the fast-moving and richly diverse field of digital education.
The research skills you gain in the MSc programme will equip you for further study and possibly an academic career if you choose.
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 relevant discipline. You should demonstrate a professional interest in the programme.
We may also consider your application if you have relevant employment or experience; please contact us to check before you apply.
Students from China
This degree is Band C.
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 7.0 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 100 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 185 with at least 169 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
- Oxford ELLT: 8 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:
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:
Tuition fees
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Digital Education | Up to 6 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Tuition fees |
PgDip (ICL) | Digital Education | Up to 4 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | Tuition fees |
PgCert (ICL) | Digital Education | Up to 2 Years | Part-time Intermittent Study | 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
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
The part-time intermittent variation of this programme, also known as invoiced-at-course-level (ICL), is not eligible for UK government loan funding.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Postgraduate Admissions
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: Admissions Office
- Programme Director, Dr Janja Komljenovic
- Contact: digitaled@ed.ac.uk
- Moray House School of Education and Sport
- Old Moray House
- Holyrood Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 8AQ
- Programme: Digital Education (Online Learning)
- School: Education and Sport (Moray House)
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc Digital Education (Online Learning) (ICL) - 2-6 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
PgDip Digital Education (Online Learning) (ICL) 1-4 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
PgCert Digital Education (Online Learning) (ICL) 1-2 Years (Part-time Intermittent Study)
Programme start dates | Application deadlines |
---|---|
8 September 2025 | 30 August 2025 |
7 January 2026 | 15 November 2025 |
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 then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.
You must submit one reference with your application.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Postgraduate Admissions
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: Admissions Office
- Programme Director, Dr Janja Komljenovic
- Contact: digitaled@ed.ac.uk
- Moray House School of Education and Sport
- Old Moray House
- Holyrood Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 8AQ
- Programme: Digital Education (Online Learning)
- School: Education and Sport (Moray House)
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences