Year 3

Option 1) Complete a dissertation worth 60 credits

This will take the form of the planning, execution, and reporting of a significant project. The subject matter must be relevant to the area of critical care. This is a chance to acquire and develop new technical and non-technical skills and to demonstrate your professional autonomy.

We permit several types of projects:

• Clinical research
• Quality improvement project
• Clinical practice guideline
• Systematic review and meta-analysis

Reflecting the iterative nature of most modern healthcare projects we have an iterative course design with assessments spread over the year, with a portion of the total 60 credits available for each:

• Verbal proposal abstract (10%) - Week 2
• Written project proposal, 1,000 words (15%) - Week 8
• ePoster and presentation (15%) - 6 weeks before final deadline
• Final Project Report, 10,000 words (60%) - End of year

The dissertation is a self-directed component, and whilst there will be regular contact with a supervisor, there is no formal teaching programme. Comprehensive resources for self-directed learning are available. In conjunction with the course organisers you will identify an appropriate supervisor. Supervisors not currently associated with the University of Edinburgh are entirely permitted and will be supported throughout. In the event your primary supervisor is not or has not previously been affiliated with the University of Edinburgh or NHS Lothian then you will be appointed a secondary supervisor. 

Option 2) Complete 40 credits of taught courses and a 20-credit student-led project

Students will design their own timetable for the third year, selecting 40 credits worth of taught courses and conducting a 20-credit project. 

You can choose from a wide range of approved 10 and 20-credit health care-related elective courses available from the University of Edinburgh from the MSc in Critical Care and other MSc programmes. There are approximately 33 pre-approved elective courses available spanning a breadth of critical care-related topics, but students do not need to be limited to the pre-approved list. 

You will design, deliver, and report on a short critical care related project whilst supported by a University tutor. The project could be for example, a local audit, service evaluation or improvement, developing a teaching resource, or undertaking a secondment.