Learning online

How does online learning work?  

Online programmes are delivered through the University's Virtual Learning Environment, LEARN. 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, bringing together students and tutors from around the world.   

After thorough training and induction in generic skills for online learning, you will listen and interact with talks by our team of 16 University of Edinburgh academics and 20 clinicians.  You also have full access to all online library resources of the University of Edinburgh. This provides you a fantastic framework to contribute to discussion boards and written assignments. On selected occasions you will have live discussions with our team. Beyond this every student has a Personal Tutor, who is there to give pastoral guidance to ensure you have the best academic experience possible. You can request to meet your Personal Tutor online at any point during your studies.

What does each course involve?

Each course will run over a period of 5 weeks with participation in online discussions and completion of timed tasks being a compulsory part of the process.Study materials are released on a weekly basis, providing an overview of the study topic, suggested reading materials and key questions that address the learning outcomes for the course. You are expected to split your time between independent study and interacting with peers and course tutors on the discussion boards in order to fully explore the topic and your understanding of it. Summative written and online assessment will test your knowledge and understanding of the learning outcomes, as well as the ability to communicate with others in a variety of ways. The course relies heavily on reading primary literature as well as key publications from the conservation sector. 

You should expect to spend between 12 and 15 hours per week on reading course materials, engaging with peers and tutors on the discussion boards and preparing assessed work. It is up to you how you organise your time from week to week, with course materials and discussion boards available for the duration of the course.

How will you learn?  

After thorough training and induction in generic skills for online learning, you will listen and interact with talks by our team of 16 University of Edinburgh academics and 20 clinicians.  You also have full access to all online library resources of the University of Edinburgh. This provides you a fantastic framework to contribute to discussion boards and written assignments. On selected occasions you will have live discussions with our team. Beyond this every student has access to pastoral guidance to ensure you have the best academic experience possible. You can request to meet your Personal Tutor online at any point during your studies.

Learning is delivered through:   

• Weekly materials, written notes, recommended reading, organised discussions with other learners, tutors and course organisers. Recorded lectures or podcasts may also be available for you to watch or listen to in your own time.   
• Opportunities to connect regularly with your course organiser and programme team to address concerns and monitor progress.   
• Individual assessments including essays, data presentations, proposals and presentations that will reinforce what you have learnt.   
• Group assignments and online discussions with your peers will expose you to different perspectives and new ways of thinking about a problem or topic.   
• Independent study and reflection.  
• Student Support and Facilities  

You will have access to online student services including: 

• library resources  
• well-being and student support services  
• technical support  
• study skills support

Speak to a current student

Want to chat to a current student about their online experience? You can email a current student through our student portal, Unibuddy.

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