Infant Mental Health MSc/PgDip/PgCert: Online distance learning
This programme in Infant Mental Health explores the journey of the infant from pre-birth to pre-school. The foundational threads of the centrality of relationships; significance of environmental influences; and competence of the infant will run throughout the programme. By providing a solid grounding in theory and equipping students with contemporary insights into the observation and practice of supporting Infant Mental Health and development, the programme aims to produce graduates who will contribute to the mental health and wellbeing of infants in their own unique context. Developed in collaboration with the National Health Service, the Scottish Government and the Association of Infant Mental Health (AIMH) UK, this programme is at the forefront of the rapidly developing policy and practice landscape. The teaching team comprises internationally renowned clinical and research experts in the field.
- Online distance learning
- Academic contact: mvls-infantmentalhealth@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: September
- Online
- MSc: 36 months part‑time
- PgDip: 24 months part‑time
- PgCert: 12 months part‑time
Why this programme
- This programme is taught fully online.
- This is the only Infant Mental Health MSc/PgDip/PgCert programme in the UK.
- The multidisciplinary research and clinical expertise harnessed within this programme in Infant Mental Health make this programme unique in the UK.
- This programme exploits the knowledge & skills unique to Scotland as an international leader in the evidence-informed policy and practice interface in Infant Mental Health.
- Developed in alignment with the Association for Infant Mental Health UK’s core competencies, this programme develops graduates in attributes essential to competent infant mental health practice.
- In their final year, MSc students have the option of completing a clinical/work placement or submitting a research dissertation.
Programme structure
This is an online distance learning teaching programme, with a blend of synchronous and asynchronous approaches. All teaching content and learning activities will be asynchronous in order to maximise accessibility and flexibility, students can access learning materials at any time during their studies. Each course will have optional synchronous tutorial sessions in alignment with key submission dates, allowing students the opportunity to discuss assignments with tutors.
Teaching content will comprise the following elements;
- Written content, hyperlinked to the reading list to encourage student engagement with the literature and self-directed study
- Brief recorded videos from experts in the field
- Case-studies
- Interactive note-taking activities (2-3 per week). These questions are designed to consolidate learning and encourage reflection and interaction with peers (responses are posted on the class space on MS teams)
- Quiz designed as a form of weekly summative assessment to consolidate learning
Year 1 PgCert Infant Mental Health (60 credits)
- Exploring Infant Mental Health and Development
- Fundamentals of Infant Mental Health and Development
- Infant Mental Health and Neurodevelopment in Practice
- Systems Around the Infant
Year 2 PgDip Infant Mental Health (120 credits)
Core
Optional
Year 3 MSc Infant Mental Health (180 credits)
Students have option of completing either a traditional research dissertation or a workplace/clinical placement
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 course is designed to equip learners with skills to progress within the following roles and industries:
- Psychologist
- Psychiatrist
- Infant Mental Health practitioner
- Medical professional
- Social worker
- Midwife
- Health visitor
- Paediatrician
- Third sector family and infant support
- Early years educator
Completion of this course grants potential for:
- Further academic study
- Promotion
- Increased earning potential
- New career path
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
Greater Glasgow & Clyde Healthcare Charity
Greater Glasgow & Clyde Healthcare Charity (formerly the NHSGGC Endowment Fund) provides millions of pounds of charitable funding to projects that benefit staff and patients every year. These projects support the advancement of health and wellbeing by providing services and facilities to:
- Help improve the physical and mental health of the population
- Fund important health related research and innovation projects
- Support education and development.
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.
Postgraduate Student Loan (Scotland and EU)
Eligible full-time and part-time students, undertaking an eligible postgraduate course, can apply for a tuition fee loan up to a maximum of £7,000 towards their course. Eligible full-time postgraduate students can apply for a living-cost loan of up to £4,500.
This support extends to online Masters or Postgraduate Diplomas, and not to the online Postgraduate Certificate courses.
For more information visit the SAAS website.
Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans England only (PTFL)
If you’re an English student looking to study a taught Masters programme in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan. Students from England are able to apply for a non-means tested Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to £11,570 to help with course fees and living costs. You have to repay your Postgraduate Master’s Loan at the same time as any other student loans you have. You’ll be charged interest from the day you get the first payment.
If you’re studying by distance learning, you can also apply.
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
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 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 Psychology, Nursing, Medicine, Education, Social Work, Midwifery, Health Visiting, and Childhood Practice.
We may sometimes accept degrees at Ordinary or non-UK equivalent.
We may also accept applicants with significant relevant work experience in addition to lower qualifications.
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
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
- An English language certificate/evidence of your English language ability may be required
- 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, please see our guide 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, you should visit the Application Troubleshooting/FAQs page.
Please ensure all documents are correctly named and are uploaded before you submit your application to prevent any delays with your file.
All documentation must be attached to your online application, but please remember your student recruitment coordinator is here to support you by reviewing it before you upload it, so feel free to send them over to your student recruitment coordinator before you submit your application.
- 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. Online taught masters degrees begin in January, April and September.
- 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. It is important to upload official copies of your transcripts and certificates for your full academic history, from Undergraduate onwards. For example, if you have a bachelors and a masters degree, you must send documents from both degrees.
- 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 will be accepted up until the programme start date.