This sub-site has been created by colleagues at the University's Institute for Academic Development to support University of Edinburgh staff in learning more about, or further developing their experience of, programme and course design.

Programme and course design provides the vital foundation for pedagogical success, which involves far more than just adding content to a course structure. Designing programmes and courses thoughtfully and rigorously provides a framework for sustainable and effective teaching and learning, which leads to successful student outcomes.

This website signposts you to high-impact teaching practices, which are founded in evidence-based learning and teaching scholarship, and include: University of Edinburgh-supported resources; design techniques; good practice examples; case studies; quick tips; toolkits; and reflective prompts.

Using this website

This site is not meant to be prescriptive nor a how-to guide. Pick and choose what is of most use to you.

The first heading on the main menu, ‘Programme and course design’, presents the main conceptual approaches for educators to consider when approaching programme and course design. The rest of the menu headings are key topics integral to ‘good’ pedagogy that should all be consulted when designing programmes and courses. For each topic we provide a core overview, then offer further guidance on embedding in practice plus additional resources.