Postgraduate taught 

Clinical Critical Care MSc/PgDip/PgCert: Online distance learning

Postgraduate Online Event: Wednesday 6 November, 9:00 - 17:00

This online event will provide you with an overview of Postgraduate life at the University of Glasgow with live video sessions and on-demand content.

The care of critically ill patients is a challenging and highly specialised area of health care practice. The polio pandemic in the 1950s led to the birth of the modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Another pandemic (Covid-19) has seen the term ‘ICU’ rise to prominence once again as the area in hospital where the most severely ill patients are cared for. Critical Care is a term that was repeated daily in the media during the pandemic. It is the specialty we practice in and are passionate about, and the area of health care we are dedicated to teaching at the University of Glasgow.

  • Online
  • MSc: 36 months part‑time
  • PgDip: 24 months part‑time
  • PgCert: 12 months part‑time

Why this programme

  • Work and assignments are tailored in order for students to reflect on implementing knowledge and skills in their own unit, country or region.
  • Teaching will be delivered by experts in the fields of Critical Care via a state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).
  • Teaching sessions will include prerecorded lectures, online live webinars, practical demonstrations and peer discussion forums.
  • Study, in depth, a wide range of clinical and non-clinical topics pertinent to the practice of Critical Care.
  • Watch Prof Mo Al-Haddad, programme director explain more.

    Video: Clinical Critical Care/ Critical Care and Leadership Online Distance Learning

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    Why study online?

    • Flexible learning can be done at any time to fit in with other commitments. Speak to us about flexible learning options.
    • Most communication is via discussion boards or Microsoft Teams so you can reply at a time that suits you, fitting in with time zones and work commitments.
    • We record live sessions in case you can’t make it.
    • Your learning can be accessed on your computer, laptop, tablet or phone via the internet. Find out more about the remote resources available at Glasgow Anywhere.
    • We provide software to assist you, such as Office 365.
    • Your MVLS Digital Education Team provides support with technology issues by email or video chat.  
    • Flexible payment options are available. You don't have to pay everything upfront.
    • Be part of a global community of learners.
    • Connect with your fellow students and tutors through our virtual learning environment where you will have access to a multitude of learning resources.
    • You do not need to have experience of studying online, you will be guided on how to access and use all of our online resources.
    • Access Library e-resources remotely at any time. This includes an extensive catalogue of e-books and journals, searchable from the Library homepage

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Programme structure

This programme is delivered fully online. The MSc consists of 10 core courses plus a dissertation. There are two exit points, the Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert)* and the Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip).

The PgCert consists of a blend of clinical and non-clinical courses totalling 60 credits. The PgDip consists of 120 credits.

Learning is done exclusively via a state-of-the-art Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) with emphasis on the research and governance principles which underpin contemporary practice, as well as leadership and management skills.

The MSc/PgDip courses in year 1 are designed to introduce the academic skills required to complete the course and apply evidence based practice. The students will also start the in depth exploration of core clinical subjects in Critical Care and begin to produce independent reports/essays for submission online.

In Year 2, students will further enhance their knowledge of core Critical Care subjects and be introduced to leadership & management principles as well as clinical governance and quality Improvement in Critical Care.

In Year 3, MSc students will write a dissertation around a topic of their choice within their own professional domain allowing them to use the skills of academic enquiry learned.

There will be opportunities to discuss clinical cases, policies, management pathways, research and other aspects with world leaders in the field of Critical Care education and the opportunity to form professional ties with them.

Courses

Clinical 

Non-Clinical

*PgCert: During this programme you will be required to choose a blend of clinical and non-clinical courses all of which must total 60 credits. Please see the courses above and be specific in your application which ones you would like to study.

  • 40-50 credits must come from clinical courses.
  • 10-20 credits must come from non-clinical courses.

Specialism in Critical Care & Leadership

You can choose to graduate with a ‘specialism’ in Critical Care & Leadership (MSc/PgDip/PgCert). In this case the courses you take would be:

Students completing the Postgraduate Diploma will take no more than 120 credits. Students completing the Postgraduate Certificate will take no more than 60 credits.

Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.

Career prospects

This programme is open to nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, doctors, advanced critical care practitioners, critical care technicians, paramedics, emergency medical service personnel and all other health care professionals who look after critically ill patients, and ultimately leads to a Masters degree.

The clinical and academic competencies acquired and attained during this programme make graduates very desirable for prospective employers. The aim is for graduates to be highly effective clinical leaders in their field and place of work.

          student getting career advice

Fees & funding

Tuition fees for 2025-26

MSc

UK / EU / International:

  • £15,000 (total cost)

You can pay in instalments of £1,667 per 20 credits.

PgDip

UK / EU / International:

  • £10,000 (total cost)

You can pay in instalments of £1,667 per 20 credits.

PgCert

UK / EU / International:

  • £5,000 (total cost)

You can pay in instalments of £1,667 per 20 credits.

Fees for students funded by the NHS or UK social care organisations or UK health and social care partnership (HSCP)

  • £11,820 (total cost for MSc)
  • £7,880 (total cost for PgDip)
  • £3,940 (total cost for PgCert)
  • £1,314 per 20 credits

Additional fees

  • Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
  • Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
  • Registration/exam only fee: £170

Funding opportunities

UK Study Online Scholarship

The UK Study Online scholarship is open to UK, EU and international students taking online undergraduate and postgraduate courses. 

Please see UK Study Online for more details.

Alumni Discount

In response to the current unprecedented economic climate, the University is offering a 20% discount on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni, commencing study in Academic session 2025/26. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, International Summer School programme or the Erasmus Programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships.

Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students

If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.

* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes

For more information visit Student Finance Wales

Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)

If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.

Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.

For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .

* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes

The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

Entry requirements

2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in any Health Care profession (Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy, etc.).

We may sometimes accept degrees at 2.2 Hons or non-UK equivalent.

All applicants must have relevant in hospital adult critical care experience.

Please upload a CV and a short personal statement listing your clinical experience in caring for critically ill patients (no more than 150 words).

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

  • 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
  • IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

  • 90 overall with Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements, this includes TOEFL mybest.

Pearsons PTE Academic

  • 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) 

  • 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Oxford English Test

  • 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

LanguageCert Academic SELT

  • 70 overall with no subtest less than 60
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Password Skills Plus

  • 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

Trinity College Tests

  • Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests
  • Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

  • Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.

Alternatives to English Language qualification

  • Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
    • students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
  • Undergraduate 2+2 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
    • students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

  • direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
  • essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
  • flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

  • Heriot Watt
  • Kingston Upon Thames
  • Middlesex University
  • Manchester University
  • Reading University
  • Edinburgh University
  • ST Andrews University
  • UCL
  • Durham.

 

For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form

Computer requirements for studying online

Broadband internet connection

  • 3 mbps or higher

Internet Browsers

Our online learning platform Moodle is compatible with any standards compliant web browser. This includes:

Desktop:

  • Chrome
  • Firefox
  • Safari
  • Edge
  • Internet Explorer

Mobile:

  • MobileSafari
  • Google Chrome

For the best experience and optimum security, we recommend that you keep your browser up to date. 

Javascript needs to be enabled within your browser

Please note: legacy browsers with known compatibility issues with Moodle 3.3 are:

  • Internet Explorer 10 and below
  • Safari 7 and below

Computer specifications

  • Processor: 2GHz
  • Operating system (minimum):
    • Microsoft Windows Vista service pack 1
    • Windows 7
    • Mac OS X v10.4.11+
  • Memory: 3GB of RAM or more
  • Hard disk: 300GB
  • Sound card and microphone
  • Speakers or headphones
  • Monitor and video card with 1024x768 display or higher

Mobile device specifications

  • iOS: latest (Apple Safari & Google Chrome)
  • Android: 4.4+ with latest Google Chrome

Other software

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
  • Media player e.g. Windows Media Player or VLC
  • Word processing software (that outputs to the following file types for marking online: .doc, .docx, .html, .txt, .rft, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .pps, .hwp)
  • Anti-virus software

Advised hardware / software

  • Microsoft Office 2010
  • Headset (ideally with a USB connector)
  • Webcam

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.

Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.

Documents

As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:

  • A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
  • A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
  • Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
  • One reference letter on headed paper
  • Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
  • Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
  • A copy of the photo page of your passport (Non-EU students only)

You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.

You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.

For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree

Guidance notes for using the online application

These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form. 

If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.

  • Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
  • Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
  • Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
  • Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
  • Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
  • English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
  • Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.

Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.

Application deadlines

  • Applications for this online programme will be accepted up until it starts.
Apply now

More information about this programme