Fees and funding
Tuition fees
UK (Home) and International (including EU)
Fees listed are for 2027 entry. Fees are reviewed on an annual basis and may change for future years.
- Part-time (1 year) £4,640
Postgraduate
PGCert inHealth Professions Education (Simulation)
Course length
1 year full-time,2 - 3 years part-time
Start date
January and September
Location
Online with face-to-face study days
Why study Health Professions Education (Simulation)?
Develop the knowledge and practical skills you need to design, deliver and evaluate simulation-based education in healthcare.
Healthcare simulation uses simulated clinical situations, environments, patients and technologies to help healthcare professionals develop, practise and assess skills in a safe and supported setting. On this PGCert, you will explore how simulation can be designed and delivered effectively to support learning, assessment, professional development and improvements in healthcare practice.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Professions Education (Simulation) is designed for healthcare professionals who want to develop their expertise in simulation teaching and assessment. Building on the foundations of health professions education, you’ll explore how simulation can be used effectively across healthcare settings and develop the skills to plan, deliver and evaluate simulation activities.
You will learn alongside experienced educators and healthcare professionals from a range of disciplines, giving you the opportunity to share ideas, experiences and good practice with colleagues from across the health professions.
This healthcare simulation course will help you develop your understanding of learning and teaching, while giving you specialist knowledge of simulation. You will explore the technological and educational elements of simulation, effective debriefing and how simulation can contribute to improvements in systems, culture and safety.
You will also develop your ability to critically engage with educational evidence and apply it to your own practice.
Teaching is delivered by from experienced clinical and non-clinical academics and researchers within our Health Professions Education Unit (HPEU) – a dedicated team shaping the future of health professions education through teaching and research.
The programme can be studied flexibly, across one, two or three years.
One-to-one chat
Meet the Programme Director
Book a one-to-one chat with Dr Paul Crampton to learn more about our PGcert in Health Professions Education (Simulation).
Get the answers to your questions about what you'll study, life at Hull York Medical School, support, finance, how to apply and more.
Watch...
Discover Health Professions Education
Course overview
2 mins
A different kind of medical school
Our school
5 mins
Teaching
Flexible study options
Whether you wish to study at a distance or with a mix of online and on-site face-to-face contact, our distance and blended simulation in healthcare course is ideal. This programme allows you to study at any time of day, giving you maximum flexibility. We regularly teach students from across the UK and worldwide.
You can also tailor programme content based on your interests and learning requirements by choosing from a range of optional modules.
Why Health Professions Education (Simulation) at Hull York Medical School?
Develop specialist simulation skills
Accredited by both the Academy of Medical Educators (AoME) and Advance HE
Flexible study to fit around your work
Modules
You will study two core modules - Learning and Teaching and Simulation in Healthcare - and choose one optional module to complete the 60-credit PGCert.
All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.
Some modules can also be studied as standalone courses. Find out more about our continuing professional development opportunities.
Filters
Learning and Teaching (Certificate core module)
This module will introduce you to the key principles of teaching and learning in the health professions.Core
20 credits
Simulation in Healthcare (Certificate core module)
Combining practical and academic insight, this module explores the core principles of simulation and considers the range of ways simulation can be effectively implemented.Core
20 credits
Assessment and Feedback
Explore key principles and practices underpinning effective assessment and feedback.Optional
20 credits
Contemporary Issues in Health Professions Education
Reconsider the ideologies and assumptions underpinning current models of curriculum, course and assessment design within health professions education, and think about current issues that affect our everyday practice.Optional
20 credits
Implementation Science for Advanced and Chronic Care
Develop critical skills in implementation science so that you can lead change in key advanced and chronic care issues such as shared decision-making, advance care planning, and medication management.Optional
20 credits
Leadership in Health Professions Education
Become better equipped to be involved with shaping your institutional and personal leadership approaches.Optional
20 credits
Professional and Reflective Practice
This module will provide you with the tools and framework to reflect critically on your practice as a health professions educator, especially in relation to learning, teaching and assessment.Optional
20 credits
Research Approaches in Health Professions Education
The module introduces you to key concepts in quantitative and qualitative research to form a research question, plan an appropriate methodological approach and method for data collection and analysis, and write a research proposal.Optional
20 credits
Teaching Clinical Reasoning
Gain the tools and framework to reconsider the ideologies, theories and concepts underpinning current clinical teaching to develop a more explicit approach to the teaching of clinical reasoning in health professions education.Optional
20 credits
Teaching and assessment
How is the programme taught?
Our PGCert Simulation programme is delivered primarily through distance learning, with optional face-to-face opportunities. Tutors on the programme are leading scholars and practising experts in a wide variety of disciplines, including dentistry, nursing, medicine and pharmacy, with a clinical, educational or research background.
You will take part in:
Weekly online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) activities
The VLE provides you with easy access to online resources and is where you will complete learning tasks.
Discussions with your peers and the Programme Team
Your peers hold a wealth of knowledge and experience. You will work together on activities through the VLE and during study days.
Face-to-face and online study days
Our optional face-to-face study days involve interactive workshops to explore ideas with your peers. They are a brilliant opportunity to share good practice and network with colleagues from a range of healthcare professions.
Meetings with your Programme Tutor
You can meet with your Programme Tutor for guidance and support.
Teaching and assessment
How is the programme assessed?
Assessment methods vary across the programme and are designed to help you apply educational theory and evidence to your professional practice - see each module for more information.
You’ll be assessed through activities such as written assignments, online tasks, design activities and assessment of practice.
You’ll also receive formative feedback throughout the programme to help you develop your knowledge and skills.
Careers
Careers in healthcare simulation and education
Simulation is increasingly used across healthcare education and practice, including undergraduate and postgraduate education, community and primary care settings, and across different health professions.
The programme can help you develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to simulation-based education within your organisation and wider professional practice.
The qualification also provides a foundation for further postgraduate study in Health Professions Education. Many of our graduates from the Certificate go on to study the Diploma and Masters programmes, and forge exciting careers as educators, leaders, researchers, practitioners and clinicians.
entry
Entry requirements
Applicants to the Certificate must hold a relevant undergraduate degree or its equivalent and have access to an appropriate level of teaching activity during the year of the programme. Academic waivers may be possible in exceptional circumstances.
This programme is not eligible for CAS student visa for international students.
Accreditation of prior learning
The Medical School considers applications for accreditation of prior certificated learning (APCL) or for accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) on an individual basis. Applicants applying without first completing the Certificate in Health Professions Education will need to have an equivalent qualification, approved by the Department. Please contact us to discuss.
English language requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English must have one of the following:
- IELTS: 6.5, with no less than 6.0 in each component
- PTE Academic: 61, with no less than 55 in each component
- CAE and CPE (from January 2015): 176, with no less than 169 in each component
- TOEFL: 87, with a minimum of 21 in each component
- Trinity ISE: level 3 with Merit in all components
- LangCert B2 Communicator High Pass (minimum score 33/50)
- WASSCE: C5
Funding
There are a number of funding options available to help with costs and support your postgraduate study. To apply for funding, you will need to hold an offer to study at Hull York Medical School.
Reduced tuition fees
We are delighted to support the development of the Medical School community by offering reduced fees of up to 50%. Please see tuition fees above.
Hull York Medical School Intercalated Student Bursaries
We offer two bursaries worth 50% of the tuition fee to intercalating Hull York Medical School MB BS students who meet widening participation criteria.
applying
How to apply
To apply, submit an online application on the University of York website.
You don’t need to complete your application all at once - you can save and finish it later.
For study in January 2027, you must have submitted an application by 9 November 2026 and 3 September 2027 for September 2027 entry.
Applications will be accepted shortly. Subscribe to our Postgraduate Newsletter to the the first to hear when applications open.
Overview
Health Professions Education (Simulation) at a glance
What is the PGCert in Health Professions Education (Simulation) at Hull York Medical School?
This online course allows healthcare professionals to develop specialist skills in simulation-based healthcare education, technologies that help healthcare professionals learn, practise and assess skills safely.
Who can apply?
The PGCert in Health Professions Education (Simulation) is designed for healthcare professionals with an interest in health education, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other professionals responsible for healthcare training.
What does the course cover?
This healthcare simulation course will help you develop your understanding of learning and teaching, while giving you specialist knowledge of simulation. You will explore the technological and educational elements of simulation, effective debriefing and how simulation can contribute to improvements in systems, culture and safety.
How is the PGCert taught?
This Healthcare Education Simulation is taught online, where resources are provided on a virtual learning environment. You will also take part in study days - both online and optionally in person.
How long does it take?
The PGCert in Health Professions Education (Simulation) at Hull York Medical School is studied part time over one, two or three years.
Is it studied online?
Yes, the PGCert in Health Professions Education (Simulation) is delivered online, with optional in-person study days in York.
How much does it cost?
£4,480 for 2026 study. Fees for subsequent years may change.
What are the entry requirements?
Applicants must hold a relevant undergraduate degree or its equivalent and have access to an appropriate level of teaching activity
What modules are included?
The core modules in the PGCert in Health Professions Education (Simulation) are Learning and Teaching and Simulation in Healthcare. Students can select an additional module from Assessment and Feedback, Contemporary Issues in Health Professions Education, Implementation Science for Advanced and Chronic Care, Leadership in Health Professions Education, Professional and Reflective Practice, Research Approaches in Health Professions Education and Teaching Clinical Reasoning**.
What is the application deadline?
Applications to study PGCert in Health Professions Education (Simulation) are being accepted now and the deadline will be confirmed soon. For study in January 2027, you must have submitted an application by 9 November 2026.
HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL Stories
Simulation is emerging as vital sustainable approach in health professions education. Join us on this exciting new programme which tackles some of the current key pedagogical challenges in simulation. The programme will provide introductory information on simulation as well as detailed considerations about how best to design and deliver simulation experiences reflecting on your experiences. We look forward to welcoming you to Hull York Medical School.
Programme Director, PGCert Health Professions Education (Simulation)
Dr Paul Crampton
