This 12-month programme offers a rare opportunity to learn anatomy from dissection and experience teaching human anatomy. This is an ideal stepping-stone to a career in anatomy teaching and research. With this highly regarded qualification, you will gain major transferable skills through an intensive on-campus dissection course and develop teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate level. What will you study? This programme has two main strands. Develop your in-depth knowledge of human anatomy through dissection Anatomical knowledge will be learned to a level to teach undergraduate and postgraduate students and professions allied to medicine. This strand will involve the dissection of a body in groups of three to five students over two semesters. A major component of this course involves self-directed learning. When there are no scheduled lectures or tutorials, students are required to spend their time in the lab, fully engaged in the process of dissecting and learning anatomy from their assigned dissected body. Additionally, there will be regular "surgeries" where teaching staff will be present to offer guidance and support during the dissections. Learn to teach anatomy The second strand is anatomy teaching, covering the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching anatomy to undergraduate and postgraduate students. Alongside theoretical lectures and workshops in the first semester, you will focus on observing the teaching of anatomy to medical undergraduate students. In the second semester you will be involved in preparing and carrying out teaching sessions to both small and large groups of students. You will compile an end-of-year teaching portfolio based on: the theoretical material you learn the observations you make the practical experience you have gained the experience that you will gain can be used towards an application as associate fellow of the Higher Education Academy Embryology course Complementing these strands will be a lecture-based embryology course. This will provide you with an understanding of normal human development and how normal development can go wrong, manifested in commonly observed congenital abnormalities. You will also study: Neuroanatomy Embryology Anatomy law and ethics Medical imaging The health and safety of embalming procedures and handling bodies The legal and historical aspects of anatomy in Scotland and the UK An introduction to the ethics of using bodies in medical education Course start date The course starts in September each year. Should you face delays due to valid reasons such as visa issues, and therefore be unable to commence the MSc Human Anatomy programme on time, a one-week delay may be permitted with the Programme Director’s consent. However, if you are not in attendance by the start of week 2, your place may be withdrawn. (Revised 4 July 2025 to add course start date information) From August 2025, teaching on this programme will be delivered by the Edinburgh Medical School. (Revised 1 August 2025 to update reference to Edinburgh Medical School)