Postgraduate course
Professional Health and Social Care CPD modules, PGCert and MSc
Our course lets you continue your professional development, gaining new skills and improving your practice.

The flexible structure of our course means you can start by taking individual CPD (continuing professional development) modules. As you progress, you can choose to take additional modules to gain either a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) or Master of Science (MSc) in the subject. This lets you focus on the areas you want to develop, or take all of the modules and gain a recognised qualification.
York campus
- Start date – September 2021
- School – School of Science, Technology and Health
Minimum Entry Requirements
2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject
Course Fees
£6,500 for full MSc course
Health Education England funding may be available How to apply for funding
Course overview
Our modules cover a range of topics in the field of professional health and social care. They focus on service delivery and the experience of the user or patient. Your experience will aid the development of your theoretical knowledge that you can then apply to particular areas of your practice.
On each module we will encourage you to reflect on your professional practice so you can evaluate and continually improve how you work. We will help you understand complex health and social care issues you may not have come across, and deepen your understanding of familiar topics.
You can choose to study individual modules and specialist pathways that will aid your career progression. Alternatively, you can study them all as part of our MSc course to gain a comprehensive understanding of Professional Health and Social Care.
The Postgraduate Certificates available include:
- Health Coaching and Behaviour Change
- Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice
- Innovation and Leadership in Health & Social Care
- Resilience and Leadership in Health & Social Care.
Course structure
How you will study
CPD modules
Many of our modules can be taken as individual CPD courses. These include:
Semester 1
- Evaluating Evidence and Effecting Change
- Leadership in Health and Social Care - Service Innovation and Transformation
- Research Methods
Semester 2
- Health Coaching and Behaviour Change
- Leadership in Health and Social Care - Workplace Stress and Resilience
- Neuro-musculoskeletal Injection Therapy (semester TBC)
Once you complete a module, you will receive a university transcript. If you wish to continue your studies, you can talk to your tutor about progressing onto our PGCert or MSc course.
PGCert
Usually completed part time in 1 year, you will gain a PG Cert when you complete 2 modules, as listed below.
1 of these modules must include Evaluating Evidence and Effecting Change. For the second you can choose from:
- Leadership in Health and Social Care - Service Innovation and Transformation
- Leadership in Health and Social Care - Workplace Stress & Resilience
- Health Coaching and Behaviour Change
The Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice PG Cert comprises of a single 60 credit module called Neuro-musculoskeletal Injection Therapy.
Modules
Credits: 30
Compulsory for PGCert and MSc
This module can be taken as an individual CPD module, or as part of a PGCert or MSc qualifications. On this module you will critically engage with the contemporary understanding of evidence based practice. By understanding this, you will be able to improve the application of evidence to your professional practice.
Use the link below to read further information about the module and apply to study is as an individual CPD course.
Apply now
Credits: 30
Optional module
This module can be taken as an individual CPD module, or as part of a PGCert or MSc qualifications. This module is your opportunity to explore leadership research and practice within Health and Social Care. If you work in a health and social care setting and want to develop your leadership knowledge and practical experience, this module is for you. You will do this by studying relevant multi-professional research.
Use the link below to read further information about the module and apply to study is as an individual CPD course.
Apply now
Credits: 30
Optional module
This module can be taken as an individual CPD module, or as part of a PGCert or MSc qualifications. This module is an opportunity for you to explore stress and resilience within Health and Social Care. You will focus on the key concepts of stress and resilience and organisation culture. You will consider how managers contribute not only to wellbeing, but also counterproductive behaviours and conflict, toxic leadership and bullying in the workplace.
Use the link below to read further information about the module and apply to study is as an individual CPD course.
Apply now
Credits: 30
Optional module
This module can be taken as an individual CPD module, or as part of a PGCert or MSc qualifications. Health and Social Care is experiencing a significant shift towards enabling service-users to take more responsibility for the design and implementation of treatment programmes. On this module we will introduce you to the theory and practice of Health Coaching. You will critically evaluate its application in the context of long-term conditions.
Use the link below to read further information about the module and apply to study is as an individual CPD course.
Apply now
Credits: 60
Optional module
This module can be taken as an individual CPD module, or as part of a PGCert or MSc qualifications. Injection therapy plays a significant role in advanced Musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice and is used by other healthcare professionals across different specialist clinical areas.
It enables clinicians to deliver more efficient and seamless patient care, which is in line with current NHS policy to develop first contact practitioner provision and advanced practice roles across the NHS. The advanced clinical skills taught on this module will enhance practitioner’s ability to support these developments.
Use the link below to read further information about the module and apply to study is as an individual CPD course.
Credits: 30
Compulsory for MSc
On this module you will become informed consumers and producers of research. You will explore different approaches to knowledge construction and examine various research paradigms, their approaches to enquiry and their underlying assumptions.
Use the link below to read further information about the module and apply to study is as an individual CPD course.
Apply now
Credits: 60
Compulsory for MSc
This course is not available as an individual module and is only studied as part of the MSc qualification. You will produce a piece of publishable research. This piece of work will address a research question of significance in an area that interests you and is relevant to your clinical practice. You will use your knowledge from other modules to identify and answer a specific research question.
MSc
If you choose, you can progress onto an MSc instead of leaving with a PGCert. These are usually completed part time over 3 years, but you can choose to complete it in 1 or 2 years if you prefer. The Professional Health and Social Care MSc requires you to study the following modules:
- Evaluating Evidence and Effecting Change
- 2 of our specialist modules. Choose from:
- Leadership in Health and Social Care - Service Innovation and Transformation
- Leadership in Health and Social Care - Workplace Stress & Resilience
- Health Coaching and Behaviour Change
- Neuro-musculoskeletal Injection Therapy (TBC)
- Research Methods
- A 60 credit Research Paper module.
Teaching and assessment
Discussion between you and your tutors about contemporary subject material allows you to develop a valuable understanding of the course content. This will help you to evaluate current research and advanced scholarship in the subject area and critique the methodologies used to produce knowledge.
The assessment of these modules and qualifications are linked to the use of evidence and research applied to your practice. You can find out about the assessments for each module on our dedicated modules page. These can be accessed on our course structure tab.
For courses starting in September 2020, all semester 1 modules will be delivered online using Microsoft Teams. You will also be able to interact with your peers on Moodle, our virtual learning environment. At the moment, we expect this to be the case for semester 2 (January to June) and summer 2021 modules too. However, we will make announcements on this nearer the time, depending on the continued impact of covid-19.
Entry Requirements
Qualifications
Minimum Entry Requirements
2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject
Qualifications
Entry onto this postgraduate course requires a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree or equivalent qualification in health or social care.
If your undergraduate degree is not in a related discipline but you have relevant experience working in health and social care, your application will be considered.
Experience
You will also need to have post-qualifying experience, be employed or have access to an appropriate work-related health or social care provider service.
APEL Policy
If you cannot meet these minimum requirements it may be possible to take into account evidence of Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) as an alternative method of meeting the programme’s entry requirements. In such a case, appropriate references and records of employment might be presented to support the applicant’s case for admission.
Fees and Funding
Individual CPD Module fees and funding
The tuition fee for each CPD module is £1,083.
Some of these modules can be fully funded by Humber, Coast and Vale. You can find out which modules are eligible, and how to apply using the link below.
How to apply for Humber, Coast and Vale funding
All of these modules are available for self-funded places at the above price.
PG Cert fees and funding
The tuition fee for 2020 entry to this postgraduate course is £2,167.
This includes the cost of 2, 30 credit modules.
This price applies to all UK/EU, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.
Some of our PG Cert courses can be funded by Humber, Coast and Vale. You can find out which modules are eligible, and how to apply using the link below.
£6,500 for full MSc course
Health Education England funding may be available How to apply for funding
MSc fees and funding
UK & EU 2020 - 21
The tuition fee for 2020 entry to this postgraduate course is £6,500 for full time study.
If you choose to study part time, the full fee of £6,500 will be paid pro rata.
These prices apply to all UK/EU, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.
Additional costs and financial support
COURSE-RELATED COSTS
Whilst studying for your degree, there may be additional costs related to your course. This may include purchasing personal equipment and stationery, books and optional field trips.
ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING COSTS
View our accommodation pages for detailed information on accommodation and living costs.
Apply for this course
Applications for this course are currently closed. If you have any questions, our Admissions team will be happy to help either by email or over the phone:
Why choose Postgraduate study?
More than a degree
Present your work at our Postgraduate Research Conference, help organise events within your school and join our thriving research community. We help take your learning to the next level.
Be at the cutting edge
We are the people looking to the future and innovating for a changing world. Join our Postgraduate community, you too can be part of this.
Build a professional network
Engage with our academics, visiting speakers and fellow students to build connections in your industry or academic discipline.