POSTGRADUATE DEGREES IN OUTDOOR EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH: ESTABLISHED AND NEW PROGRAMMES
About every four years or so the University of Edinburgh requires us to revalidate our degree programmes. When we completed the latest of these last year we took the opportunity to revise aspects of our existing provision, develop two new programmes and extend our PhD provision.
Our established programmes are:
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN OUTDOOR EDUCATION
POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN OUTDOOR EDUCATION
MSC (OUTDOOR EDUCATION)
PRACTICAL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES COMPETENCY PROGRAMME
Our two new programmes are:
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION
These programmes are all nested within one overall programme structure allowing students flexibility to move from Postgraduate Certificate to Postgraduate Diploma and MSc level. Whist the Practical Outdoor Activities Competency Programme is a central element of the Postgraduate Diploma and MSc programmes, it is also optional for all students on all programmes. It involves up to 15 weeks of practical outdoor activity in the UK and overseas.
PHD (OUTDOOR EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION)
There are currently six doctoral students registered in the Department. The number of students, their international background and range of topics they are studying make this probably the most vibrant doctoral research environment in the field.
The Outdoor and Environmental Education Department of the University of Edinburgh has the longest tradition of such provision in Higher Education in the UK. Over the past 35 years it has established an international reputation as one of the world?s leading providers of such degree programmes.
Our close proximity to the countryside, mountainous areas and seas of Scotland allow us to teach theory alongside practical outdoor activities. In running a full practical outdoor activities programme we make full use of Scotland?s two National Parks (?Loch Lomond and the Trossachs? and ?Cairngorms?) in both of which we have residential outdoor education centres.
Our staff have teaching and/or research experience in other parts of the United Kingdom and other countries (Australia, New Zealand, America, Canada, South-East Asia and various Scandinavian and European countries). We are also involved in various international collaborative projects and national or international advisory committees associated with outdoor, experiential and environmental education. The international dimension of our work is enhanced by the number of taught postgraduate and research students we attract from countries all over the world and similarly the visitors who come to work with us on short term and longer term sabbatical leave.
Full details can be found on our website (www.education.ed.ac.uk/outdoored)