Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases MSc, PgDip, PgCert, PgProfDev (Online Learning) The University of Edinburgh

This three-year, part-time, online postgraduate programme leads to the degree of Masters of Science in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (CMID).

Aimed at junior doctors currently undergoing, or about to undertake, specialty training in an infection discipline, this programme is open to trainees in the UK and worldwide.

This degree will also be attractive to those who have completed their training but wish to fulfill continuing medical education requirements or those who wish obtain a formal qualification in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

The programme is aligned with JRCPTB and RCPath training in infection disciplines: Combined Infection Training and Higher Specialty Training in Infectious Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Medical Virology.

This programme is designed to support trainees/specialists in preparation for FRCPath Part 1/Diploma in Infection, Infection Specialty end-of-training assessments and hospital-based practice.

Programme participants will have access to key texts and research bases and will have direct contact with leading clinicians and clinical scientists, providing a repository of information on infection disciplines that can be accessed at any time.

Online learning

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

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

The University of Edinburgh is currently ranked 15th in the World in the QS World University Rankings 2023.

This specialist programme will offer you the knowledge and skills required to enhance your career progression in clinical or academic medicine.

The programme will offer an alternative to traditional classroom-based research training for those candidates who do not wish to take time away from their professional commitments.

Programme structure

This programme is taught entirely online. The structure of the degree is designed to meet the needs of trainees and specialist practitioners from all over the world.

Courses are offered as five-week courses, each worth 10 credits. Courses in Year 1 are compulsory. In Year 2 students choose six courses from the list of available courses.

Year 1:

• Introduction to Immunology
• Science and biology of bacteria
• Science and biology of viruses
• Science and biology fungi, parasites and prions
• Laboratory practice in microbiology, virology and serology
• Anti-infective therapy and resistance

Year 2:

• Immunopathology
• Molecular diagnostics of infection
• Community-acquired infections and public health
• Infection prevention & control
• HIV infection and other immune-compromised patients
• Clinical syndromes and infection
• The returning traveller: Diagnosis, investigation and management of imported infection
• Bioinformatics and study design in infectious diseases
• Emerging Infectious Diseases

Year 3:

• Research in Infection Medicine, written reflective element (project)

Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD)

Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) is aimed at working professionals who want to advance their knowledge through a postgraduate-level course(s), without the time or financial commitment of a full Master, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate.

You may take a maximum of 50 credits worth of courses over two years through our PPD scheme. These lead to a University of Edinburgh postgraduate award of academic credit. Alternatively, after one year of taking courses, you can choose to transfer your credits and continue on to study towards a higher award on a Master, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme. Although PPD courses have various start dates throughout the year you may only start a Master, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme in the month of September. Any time spent studying PPD will be deducted from the amount of time you will have left to complete a Master, Postgraduate Diploma or Postgraduate Certificate programme.

Flexible study

The programme also offers the opportunity to take a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), either part-time over 9 months or on an intermittent basis over 2 years; or a Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits), either part-time over 21 months or on an intermittent basis over 4 years.