PGCert Health Sciences
Tailor a programme of study to meet your own personal and professional ambitions in health sciences.
Year of entry: 2026 (September)
This course gives you the opportunity to shape your own journey in health and social care.
You’ll choose a theme or area that excites you, and with the support of our dedicated academic team, design a pathway that helps you grow both professionally and personally.
What makes this course stand out is the way it blends research, theory, and practice. You won’t just be learning ideas—you’ll be applying them directly to real-world contexts, building your confidence as a critically reflective practitioner. By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to use your skills and knowledge to make a genuine difference to people’s care across a wide range of settings and roles.
Course content
You’ll be guided by experts who don’t just teach but actively shape the field through their own research and practice. Alongside them, you’ll deepen your understanding of key issues in health and social care, gaining the insight and expertise you need to move your career forward with purpose.
Modules
Option Modules
This course only offers optional modules. You'll study a variety of modules that amount to 60 credits in total. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
- Clinical Assessment
- Developing Advanced Clinical Practice
- Epidemiology
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Evidence Synthesis
- Health Economics
- Health Policy: Systems and Society
- Service Improvement Project
- Introduction to Health Statistics
- Principles of Mental Health
- Randomised Controlled Trials
- Regression Analysis
- Work-based Learning
- Developing Professional Practice
- Diagnostics
- Theory, Research and Treatment of Mental Health Problems
- 12 Lead Electrocardiogram Interpretation
- Qualitative Health Research
- Independent and Supplementary Prescribing
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Dissertation
In the summer semester, you will focus on an independent research project. You will be matched with a supervisor with complementary research interests, and together you will design an appropriate project, using the skills and techniques you have been taught in the modules.
Learning outcomes
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
Learning outcomes for this course
- Graduates will be able to work collaboratively to evaluate own and others' practice, acting as a role model and mentor, engaging in and developing strategies to act on learning, advocating for and contributing to the development of a culture that supports life-long learning and development.
- Graduates will be able to approach solving problems, building on a logical and hierarchical approach that enables you to justify personal and professional decisions through critical evaluation and synthesis of relevant theories, empirical evidence and experience to best optimise professional practice.
- Graduates will be able to demonstrate synthesis in the interpretation of findings, drawing conclusions that add to the existing knowledge base in your topic or field of practice.
- Graduates will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of leadership techniques and theory to initiate and manage change at the level of individual, team or organisation, underpinned by theoretical approaches.
- Graduates will be able to practice with a high level of autonomy and be accountable for decisions and omissions, adhering to codes of conduct, professional standards and scope of practice
- Graduates will be able to synthesise theoretical and practical knowledge of a topic related to your field of practice which demonstrates your academic and professional development.
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees for 2026/27
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £6,010 | £13,470 |
| Part-time (2 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£3,005 | £6,735 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.
- UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
- International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).
Fees information
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
Funding information
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2026/27 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
Funding opportunities
Chevening Scholarships
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
Teaching and assessment
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
Teaching format
You will be taught by and working alongside experts in the field using a combination of lectures, seminars, and supervision, depending on the modules that are taken.
Teaching location
You will be based in the Department of Health Sciences, on Campus West. The majority of your teaching will take place in Alcuin, or at other locations across Campus West.
About our campus
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
Assessment and feedback
Depending on the modules you select, assessments may include essays, presentations, exams, among other forms of assessment.
Careers and skills
This course is built with your future in mind. You’ll be encouraged to define and pursue your own professional goals, gaining the skills and confidence to take the next step in your career. By the time you graduate, you’ll have demonstrated the advanced attributes expected at master’s level - critical thinking, leadership, and the ability to apply research to practice - while also developing a clear sense of direction for your professional journey. Whether you’re aiming to progress in your current role, move into leadership, or open up new opportunities across health and social care, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and expertise to get there.
Career opportunities
- Senior Registered Health Care Professional
- Matron
- Practice Educator
- Working in the NHS
- Private Healthcare
- Social Care
Transferable skills
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be able to:
- Manage risk and influence healthcare practices and policy to become a resilient professional
- Work in collaboration with others to improve the health of the population
- Lead on service development and implement change
Turn ambition into achievement with our expert guidance and connections. From your first day here to life after graduation, we'll help you find your career advantage.
Entry requirements
| Qualification | Typical offer |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 degree or evidence of previous study at level 7 and/or experience in relevant employment such as Health or Social Care. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
English language
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Qualification | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 136, minimum 126 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 478-509, with 444-477 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all requirements |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
If you haven't met our English language requirements
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Next steps
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