Online short courses

Give yourself a competitive edge or learn a new skill in just a few weeks with an online short course from the University of Stirling.

Our online continuing professional development (CPD) short courses can expand your knowledge and equip you with practical skills. Many of our online module classes can be taken together to build up towards a PgCert, PgDip or Masters qualification, at a pace that suits you.

Find out why you should study an online short course with the University of Stirling

What it's like to study an online short course at the University of Stirling

How you will learn

You will access your course materials through a virtual learning environment (VLE). Depending on your course, you may have online lectures, seminars and guided independent reading. You can connect with your classmates or contact your course tutors with any questions as you study.

How much time you will need to complete an online short course

Online short courses generally last around 10-12 weeks. You will find the duration of your course clearly stated on your chosen course page.

Part-time online courses typically require 10-20 hours per week, while full-time courses require a full-time commitment of around 40 hours per week.

Access our highly-ranked facilities

Yes. When you enrol for your online course, you will receive a digital student card which will grant you access to all the facilities available to all University of Stirling students, including:

Flexibility

University of Stirling online short courses are incredibly flexible. You can study the learning material anywhere in the world, at a time that suits you.

Most of our online courses have live sessions. You should attend these to make the most of your course, but most sessions will be recorded so you can catch up if you need to.

Our courses are structured around self-paced study with occasional assessment and assignment deadlines to ensure you keep making progress.

Meeting other students online

You will join a global network of like-minded students and academics when you start your online course. Students can meet in our live sessions and online forums and connect on social media. 

After you complete your online short course

Our online short course qualifications have the potential to further your career. Many of our courses are modular, so you can take several short online short courses to build towards a PgCert, PgDip or Masters qualification.