Applications for this year’s credit-bearing version of the course are now closed.

But you can join the CPD version of this course until 30 September 2024.

Learn to lead more effectively as a clinical educator.

Join our flexible online short course to develop your leadership skills for healthcare education.

Credit-bearing or CPD?

You can choose between two versions of this course:

  • Credit-bearing – includes assessments, which allows you to earn credits towards an MSc.
  • Continuous professional development (CPD) – no assessments but carries zero credits.

Other than assessments, the course content and delivery are exactly the same for both versions of the course.

Expert guidance

Whichever option you choose, you’ll learn about roles, leadership, and governance within healthcare education, as well as its wider social and political context.

Guided by highly experienced clinicians and educators, you’ll:

  • examine the qualities, values and importance of leadership in clinical education
  • explore various styles of leadership, and when they are most and least effective
  • gain insight into your own leadership skills, beliefs and behaviours, and
  • learn to contribute to curriculum development and informed educational debate.

Build your professional network

In this collaborative online course, you’ll gain insight and learning not only from the faculty, but from each other, sharing experiences and creating connections with your peers.

Tailor your learning to you

With bespoke learning, this course allows you to develop knowledge and skills applicable to your own specific area of clinical education practice.

Who can join this online clinical education course?

This distance learning course is open to professionals in healthcare and healthcare-related areas who are currently involved in clinical practice.

It’s ideal for those involved in the education of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, dental practitioners, associated scientists (biomedical or social), clinical psychologists and occupational therapists.

You can learn with us anywhere in the world, no student visa required.

Build credits towards a Masters degree

The credit-bearing version of this course is part of:

You can use the credits you earn towards either of these postgraduate qualifications.

What you’ll study

In this course, you’ll learn to become a better educator through reflection and critical understanding of roles, leadership and governance within healthcare education.

You’ll explore a range of leadership styles and examine factors that can influence leadership in clinical and higher education settings.

Course themes

The course is split into the following main themes, which you’ll cover in detail:

  • Leadership in clinical education – including attributes, leadership in action and networking, emotional intelligence, and student development
  • Change management
  • Teams and team working
  • Governance

You’ll gain knowledge and understanding of the core principles of each of these themes and how they can be applied in clinical practice.

By the end of this course, you’ll be able to...

  • Describe different leadership styles and explain when they are most and least effective.
  • Identify the influences on leadership in clinical and higher education.
  • Recognise governance frameworks and how these influence leadership in clinical education internationally, nationally, and locally.
  • Reflect on the theory of team working and how varying leadership styles can directly impact on the team.
  • Review the theory and practice of management and leadership in medical education and where this sits within your own practice.
  • Differentiate the many roles of vision and governance in medical education and identify their impact in your own areas of practice.
  • Review and evaluate evidence in a specified topic within clinical leadership and identify gaps for further research and evidence building.
  • Communicate the value of professional networking in order to share good practice and learn from others.

Choose the University of Aberdeen for online clinical leadership courses

Fits around full-time work

This course is designed to fit around work. With flexible hours and 24/7 study access.

Trusted clinical education training

We’ve been training outstanding clinical educators in the NHS, military, private and overseas health sectors since 2016.

NHS and alumni discounts

NHS staff get 10% off this online course. University of Aberdeen alumni get 20% off.

How you’ll study

Online learning

This leadership course for healthcare educators is delivered flexibly, 100% online.

You can learn with us anywhere in the world, no student visa required, and manage your study hours to suit you.

Your teaching

This course is taught at Masters level.

Teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.

You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources available, including:

  • videos
  • video lectures
  • live online sessions
  • podcasts
  • quizzes
  • discussion boards with your tutors and peers
  • online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.

Flexible learning

All course material will be pre-recorded and available at the beginning of the course, to enable flexibility for you in your studies.

Live online sessions

You’ll have live interaction with your tutors via a live online workshop and a series of live online Q&A sessions.

These sessions will give you the chance to meet the faculty that have prepared the pre-recorded materials, and to ask questions and discuss any course content or assessments.

All live sessions will be recorded for those that cannot attend.

Peer learning

You’ll be encouraged to participate in the discussion forums throughout the course, enabling you to learn from others, build your professional network, and share your experiences.

Your tutors

This course is delivered by our School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition.

You’ll learn from an experienced, multidisciplinary team of educators, researchers and NHS staff. They’re actively engaged in clinical education and pedagogic research.

Credit-bearing course assessment

The credit-bearing course is formally assessed. These assessments take place online.

Choose this course and you’ll be assessed via:

  • a critical analysis (worth 20% of your final course grade)
  • a development plan for a practical initiative (20%)
  • a reflective account (60%).

CPD course assessment

There are no compulsory assessments for the CPD version of this course.

But you’ll be able to gauge your progress as you work through the course via a series of unlimited self-assessments.

Live online sessions

This course features live online sessions.

They’re scheduled to last for around one hour.

Session times will be organised at the start of the course. Your coordinator will consider everyone’s circumstances and time zones before setting up times.

Live sessions will be recorded, so you can view them anytime if you are unable to attend.

Study hours

  • The credit-bearing version of the course totals approximately 150 hours of study and assessment time. That’s around 10 – 15 hours per week.
  • The CPD version of the course totals approximately 100 hours of study time. That’s around 7 – 10 hours per week.

This is an indicative guide to the time required for a typical student at this level to achieve the learning outcomes. This includes time for independent study, teaching and, for the credit-bearing version, assessments.

You can largely set your own study hours each week to cover the materials. MyAberdeen is available 24/7, so you can log in and study when it suits you.

Activities at fixed times

There will be some activities scheduled at fixed times, such as meetings with your tutor or assessments with deadlines. But otherwise, you can access and work through each course at your convenience.

Our first-class support structure will ensure that you aren’t alone in your studies. You’ll have contact with your tutors via MyAberdeen and email. You can use social media and discussion boards to chat with your fellow students too.

We provide a wide range of services to support you in your studies and beyond:

Wherever you are in the world, you’ll feel part of our very special Aberdeen learning community.

Your course coordinators

Your course coordinators are there for you throughout the course if you have any questions, concerns or points you would like to raise and discuss.

Helen Gray

Helen is a Lecturer who leads our MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice. A dual registered nurse, she specialises in critical care nursing and practice education.

Helen has worked as a bedside nurse, team leader and educator in the UK, Canada and USA. She’s been training NHS advancing practitioners for over 10 years.

View Helen’s profile

Dr Eve Brock

Eve is a Lecturer who leads our MSc in Clinical Education. She holds a PhD in Medical Sciences. She is also a registered nurse with a background in emergency care nursing.

Eve has been working in Higher Education since 2011. She has an interest in qualitative research and is a supervisor of Clinical Education PhD and Masters students.

View Eve’s profile

Where this will take you

Towards a Masters

If you choose the credit-bearing version of this course, you’ll earn 15 credits at Masters level (SCQF Level 11) on successful completion.

You can use these credits towards our:

Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice

Develop your advancing career in healthcare with this uniquely flexible MSc, delivered part-time via blended learning. 10% discount for NHS staff.

View MSc Advanced Clinical Practice

Masters in Clinical Education

Become an outstanding clinical educator with our distance learning clinical education training. Study online with us and earn your MSc, PgDip or PgCert in Clinical Education while you work. 10% discount for NHS staff.

View MSc Clinical Education

Certificate of completion

If you choose the CPD version of the course, you will not receive any credits.

However, you will receive a digital certificate of completion.

CPD hours

Your employer or professional institute may recognise this course for CPD hours. Talk to your employer or institute to find out more.

Careers

You’ll complete this course ready to advance your leadership practice in clinical education.

You’ll also be ready to undertake leadership roles within the workplace while being mindful of your leadership strengths and resources.

As well as going on to further study in clinical education at Masters and PhD level, students who have completed this course have gone on to develop as educators in a variety of roles.

Careers that this course can help you progress within or work towards include:

  • Practice Educator
  • Clinical Supervisor
  • Educational Supervisor
  • Academic Lecturer
  • Healthcare Education Researcher
  • Director of Medical Education
  • Training Programme Director.

Free career support

Access our free careers service while you study.

  • 1:1 appointments
  • CV checks
  • Interview prep
  • Job opportunities

See how our careers service can help you.

Entry requirements

Application deadline for credit-bearing course

We advise you to apply as early as you can, to allow us time to review your application and get a decision to you.

For our September 2025 intake, the application deadline will be announced in due course.

Teaching starts on 22 September 2025.

Application deadline for CPD course

You can join the CPD version of this course up until the teaching start date.

Entry requirements

We welcome students from all over the world.

See the minimum entry requirements above. If you do not have qualifications from the UK, check equivalent qualifications from your country.

Visa requirements

You do not need a student visa to study online with us.

English language requirements

Teaching is delivered in English.

If English is not your first language, use our English requirements checklist to see if you need to provide evidence of your English language skills when you apply.

English language tests and scores

If you do need to provide English language test scores, these are the tests and minimum scores we accept.

These are our Postgraduate Higher requirements.

IELTS Academic, IELTS UKVI Academic, and IELTS Online (not IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training)

  • 6.5 overall
  • 5.5 for listening and speaking
  • 6.0 for reading and writing

TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition

  • 90 overall
  • 17 for listening
  • 21 for reading
  • 20 for speaking
  • 21 for writing
  • TOEFL DI code is 0818

Cambridge English: B2 First, C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency

  • 176 overall
  • 162 for listening and speaking
  • 169 for reading and writing

LanguageCert Academic/LanguageCert Academic SELT

  • 70 overall
  • 60 for listening and speaking
  • 65 for reading and writing

LanguageCert International ESOL B2 Communicator (Written and Spoken) – Online / In-centre

  • Overall High Pass
  • 33 for listening, reading and speaking
  • 38 for writing

Oxford ELLT Digital – English Language Level Test Online

  • 7.0 overall
  • 5.0 for listening and speaking
  • 6.0 for reading and writing

PTE Academic (online test not accepted)

  • 62 overall
  • 59 for listening, reading, speaking and writing

Duolingo tests taken from 1 July 2024 onward

  • 120 overall
  • 95 for listening and speaking
  • 105 for reading and writing

University of Aberdeen English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE)

  • Pass
  • Valid for one year. Refresher can be offered if out of date

Pre-sessional academic English preparation programmes undertaken at other UK universities

  • Pass at an equivalent of 6.5 (C1)
  • B2 in all four skills
  • Certification must be within one year prior to the start of your course

For more information about language qualifications see our English Language Requirements page.

You will need access to:

A computer (PC, laptop or Mac) operating on either:

  • Windows 10 or later
  • macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.

Most teaching materials are smartphone- and tablet-friendly. But we recommend a proper laptop or desktop for completing assignments comfortably.

Reliable internet access

We recommend:

  • a wired connection
  • a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps so you can take part fully in live sessions.

Speakers or headphones

  • We recommend a headset with built-in microphone and earphones if you’re likely to study in an environment with background noise.
  • A webcam is optional, but you may like to use one for some interactive sessions.

Software

We’ll give you access to Office365 applications. This means you can use online versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and install these programs on up to five personal devices.

If your course requires specialist software, we’ll provide you with access to this and a licence that lasts throughout your studies.

See our detailed IT requirements for more information.

When you study with us, you can expect a first-class support structure so that you’re never alone in your studies.

But learning online does mean you have to motivate yourself and manage your own time.

Your most important commitment will be time – the time to work through, reflect on and understand your teaching materials.

Before you start a course that involves a high degree of independent study, we recommend looking at the time you will be able to devote to your studies each week:

  • Be realistic
  • Create a weekly schedule as a guide

If you have any questions about studying online, get in touch with our friendly team. We’re here to help.

Fee payment

Your course fee needs to be paid in full before you start your course.

We accept payment via Visa Debit, Visa Credit and Mastercard.

Ways to save

You may be able to get help funding this course via:

  • discounts – if any discounts are available for this course, they’ll appear in the section below
  • employer sponsorship – we accept full and partial fee payments from sponsors.

Find out more about funding options.

Student card

All our students are entitled to a University of Aberdeen student card. This gives you access to a range of student discounts around the city and online.

Learning resources

Access to all the books and resources you need are included in your tuition fee. They’ll be made available to you online and you do not have to buy your own copies.

Printing

You may wish to set aside a small budget for printing, depending on how you like to work.

Requirements for the credit-bearing course

Our minimum entry requirements for the credit-bearing course are:

  • a UK honours degree (or equivalent) in healthcare, eg, MBChB, Nursing, BDS, Physician Associate, or
  • a UK honours degree (or equivalent) in a healthcare-related area, eg, Psychology, Biomedical Science.

You must also be currently involved in clinical practice.

To see the entry requirements for the CPD version of this course, select it as your study option at the top or bottom of this page.

How to apply for the credit-bearing course

For the credit-bearing course, apply through our online Applicant Portal. This allows you to upload relevant qualifications and documents for us to review.

Documents you will need

  • Degree transcript
  • Personal statement
  • Degree certificate
  • CV / Resume

Ready to apply?

Start with our step-by-step guide. It explains degree transcripts, what to write in your personal statement and how to use our Applicant Portal.

Apply for this course

Start date
22 September 2025
Cost
£920
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