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Postgraduate

PGCert, PGDip and MSc in

Health Professions Education

Develop the skills and knowledge to deliver exceptional teaching, assessment, course design and educational research, so you can inspire and lead in your area of practice and ultimately improve health outcomes.

Course length 1 year full-time, 1-3 years part-time
Start date January or September 2025
Location Distance learning 100% online, or blended learning with a mix of online and face-to-face study days at the University of York
Health Professions Education students at at a study day

About the programme

At Hull York Medical School, we not only deliver exceptional education, but teach others to do so too – using the latest pedagogical evidence-based practice. If you are as passionate as we are about delivering high quality education, your journey starts here.

Hull York Medical School trains doctors and healthcare professionals of the future – equipping them with the skills and knowledge to meet the demands of a modern-day health service. We are innovators in medical education, pioneering approaches such as problem-based learning, clinical reasoning and situational judgement tests.

Our Health Professions Education programme will equip you with the skills and knowledge to deliver exceptional teaching, assessment, course design and educational research, so you can inspire and lead in your area of practice and ultimately improve health outcomes. The programme is open to those from across the healthcare professions, so whether you are working in nursing, physiotherapy, dentistry, medicine or any other relevant profession, we can help you take the next steps to enhance your teaching. Former students have come to the programme from a wide range of healthcare professions, both clinical and non-clinical.

We offer three routes – a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MSc – all of which are flexible and designed to fit around your busy work schedule and home life.

Teaching is delivered by experienced clinical and non-clinical academics and researchers from our Health Professions Education Unit (HPEU), a research group dedicated to advancing health professions education. We extend knowledge boundaries on workforce research, recruitment, selection and widening access, workplace-based learning, curriculum development, professionalism and assessment to enhance practice and understanding.

Flexible study options

Whether you wish to study at a distance or with a mix of online and onsite face-to-face contact, our distance and blended programmes are ideal. These programmes mean that you can work and study at any time of day and have maximum flexibility. We regularly teach students from across the UK and worldwide including Mexico, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Japan and more.

Find out more about our term dates.

Health Professions Education is an ideal option for intercalation. Read on to find out more.

Accreditation and awards

Accredited by the Advance HE, you will be able to apply for Fellowship or Associate Fellowship upon completion of the Certificate and completing a reflective portfolio, a status recognised by professional bodies as reaching international standards to deliver high quality education, with the right to use the post-nominal letters FHEA or AFHEA. Obtaining these qualifications is highly recommended for those looking to work in the education sector.

In recognition of the excellent standards of teaching, assessment, research and scholarship provided on the programme, our Certificate is also accredited by the Academy of Medical Educators (AoME) – the multi professional body which sets the standards for clinical teachers in the UK. Upon successful completion of the Certificate, students can apply for membership of the Academy (MAcadMEd), signifying that they have met the Academy’s Professional Standards for educators in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science. Obtaining MAcadMed is highly recommended for those looking to work in senior education roles within the clinical workplace.

We have also recently won the 2024 ASME institutional ‘commitment to scholarship’ award. The award claims exceptional commitment to ‘Advancing Scholarship in Medical Education’ (i.e. research, evaluation, innovation, practitioner inquiry), including translation of medical education ‘evidence’ into policy or practice.

Study routes

Certificate (PGCert)

The Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) allows you to develop an understanding of the key principles of learning, teaching, assessment and professional practice, which relate to clinical education. The Certificate covers large and small groups teaching, session design and delivery and reflective practice.

Credits: 60 credits over three 20-credit modules
Study length: Part-time, one year
Start date: January or September
Online, self-directed learning and assessment: Up to 200 hours per module
Face-to-face (blended learning option): 8 hours per module (1 day)

Diploma (PGDip)

In the Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), you can explore aspects of leadership and management and contemporary practices in education, supporting you to deliver quality health professions education in your clinical and teaching practice. Diploma modules are designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills upon which you can continue to build your own career, and build the foundations for a successful MSc dissertation project.

Credits: 120 credits over six 20-credit modules
Study length: Part-time, two years
Start date: January or September
Online, self-directed learning and assessment: Up to 200 hours per module
Face-to-face (blended learning option):
8 hours per module (1 day)

Masters (MSc)

In the Masters (MSc) programme, you will undertake a high-quality research project in health professions education, relevant to you own discipline and research interests. Our Masters programme has an excellent record of publishing work in research journals. You will have a dedicated supervisor who is research active and will guide you through your research journey.

You can also choose to do the MSc by thesis (research), and if you are interested in this option, you can arrange this by contacting pgtadmissions@hyms.ac.uk.

Credits: 180 credits over six 20-credit modules plus 60-credit dissertation
Study length: Full-time: 1 year, part-time: 3 years
Start date: January or September
Research and dissertation preparation: 600 hours per academic year

CONTACT US

Amaya Ellawala

Dr Amaya Ellawala,
Programme Director

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Amelia Kehoe

Dr Amelia Kehoe,
Programme Director

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Course content

Modules

The Postgraduate Certificate consists of three modules (60 credits, part-time 1 year); the Postgraduate Diploma consists of six modules (120 credits, part-time 2 years); and the MSc programme (180 credits, part-time 3 years) consists of six modules (120 credits) and a research project (60 credits).

All modules are subject to availability and this list may change at any time.

UV anatomical body painting

Teaching and assessment

How is the programme assessed?

Certificate and Diploma

You will be assessed through written assignments - see each module for more information.

Masters

Your assessment consists of a literature review, or a major research project (dissertation) covering a subject of interest to you. The Masters programme has a strong record of publishable work.

Lisa Flynn

HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL Stories

A significant portion of my role involves the education of pre-registration allied health professionals, where I help to facilitate their transition from university to clinical practice. The programme has really helped me to develop the skills and knowledge I need to design and deliver teaching, complete assessments, and facilitate educational research, leadership and placements for students.
Practice Learning Facilitator for Therapies, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Lisa Flynn

Careers

Career prospects

Teaching experience and the associated skills and knowledge you will develop on this programme are increasingly in demand by employers.

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. Previous alumni now hold senior roles such as Dean, Head of School, Education leads, Senior Lecturer and more. We hope their stories will inspire you to take this next step on your career path. The programme is also an excellent stepping-stone for pursuing a PhD/MD in health professions education or clinical academic career in the field.

Doctor desk with medical equipment, stethoscope and clinic tonometer and blood pressure measurement
Health Professions Education students
Medicine students on a hospital ward at Hull Royal Infirmary

Intercalation

An ideal option for intercalation

We welcome applications from Medicine students to intercalate on our Masters level programme, to be completed in one year.

The programme uniquely enables intercalating students to gain an excellent understanding of education and research principles at an early career stage, which can facilitate and shape future clinical academic careers, as well as those aspiring to senior educational leadership positions.

Discover intercalation

entry

Entry requirements

Part-time Certificate: Applicants to the Certificate must hold a relevant undergraduate degree or its equivalent and have access to an appropriate level of teaching activity (we recommend around 18 hours which should ideally consist of a few separate events) during the year of the programme. Academic waivers may be possible in exceptional circumstances.

Part-time Diploma or Masters: Applicants who have completed the certificate and/or diploma modules elsewhere and wish to progress to the Diploma or MSc may apply for transfer of credit. Applicants without an existing qualification can, in exceptional circumstances, apply for credit for experiential learning.

Full-time Masters: Applicants to the full-time MSc must hold a relevant undergraduate degree or its equivalent. Students must have access to an appropriate level of teaching activity (we recommend around 18 hours which should ideally consist of a few separate events) during the year of the programme. Applicants to the full time MSc must ensure they have sufficient protected time in order to commit to studying the full programme (180 credits) in one year, evidenced in the personal statement.

Intercalating medical students must have successfully completed a minimum of three years of an MB BS or comparable medical qualification.

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

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

UK (Home) and International (including EU)

The fee per stage is £4,480 (stage 1 - Certificate; stage 2 - Diploma; and stage 3 - Masters).

Fees listed are for 2025 entry. Fees are reviewed on an annual basis and may change for subsequent years.

The fees for part time study are for the current year only, fees for subsequent years are subject to confirmation.

Reduced tuition fees

To support the professional development of the Hull York Medical School community – our staff, alumni and partners – we offer reduced fees for our MSc Health Professions Education Programme.

50% reduction in tuition fees

This is applicable to contracted or seconded members of Hull York Medical School staff with a substantive teaching and leadership role in the delivery of our curricula (for example Problem Based Learning Tutors, Associate Directors of Clinical Studies, or Directors of Clinical Studies). This offer is available for 2025 entry, January and September.

20% reduction in tuition fees

This is applicable to employees of our University partners, NHS partner organisations, and primary care and community partners including our community of honorary clinical tutors in the NHS, Clinical Teaching Fellows and our MB BS Medicine and Physician Associate alumni. Find out more about our partners.

This offer is available for January 2025 entry only. Discounts for future years are to be confirmed but we anticipate these will be as follows:

September 2025 and January 2026 entry - 17.5%

September 2026 and January 2027 entry - 15%

September 2027 and January 2028 entry - 12.5%

September 2028 and January 2029 entry - 10%

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.

Dr Amaya Ellawala and Dr Millie Kehoe

HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL Stories

We are immensely proud of our Health Professions Education programmes which are flexible and designed to inspire critical thinking to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s health education issues. Our staff are a mixture of practitioners, academics and researchers, who are passionate about health professions education. We know you will enjoy being part of a diverse cohort, studying in a research-active environment and discussing key topics with peers and subject matter experts. We look forward to welcoming you to Hull York Medical School.
MSc Health Professions Education Programme Directors

Dr Amaya Ellawala and Dr Millie Kehoe

Published dissertations

Students studying the MSc in Health Professions Education are very much part of our research community, and experience much of their learning through research and inquiry. This leads to our students producing high quality research for their dissertation, which we encourage and support them to publish in academic journals and conferences.

A selection of their publications include:

Kilday, C., Laughey, W., & Boland, J.W. Educational impact of COVID‐19 on foundation doctors and the decision to take a break from structured approved training programmes in the United Kingdom. The Clinical Teacher 21, no. 2 (2024): e13667.

Bray, L., Meznikova, K., Crampton, P., & Johnson, T. (2022). Sustainable healthcare education: A systematic review of the evidence and barriers to inclusion. Medical Teacher, 1-10.

Wilkinson, C., Finn, G., & Crampton, P. (2022). Responsibility with a Safety Net: Exploring the Medical Student to Junior Doctor Transition During COVID-19. Medical Science Educator, 32(1), 121-129.

Morgan, L. J., Finn, G. M., & Tiffin, P. A. (2021). Are efforts to recruit to psychiatry closing the stable door after the horse has bolted? Knowledge and attitudes towards a career in psychiatry amongst secondary (high) school students: a UK-based cross-sectional survey. Journal of Mental Health, 1-8.

Boland, J. W., Brown, M. E., Duenas, A., Finn, G. M., & Gibbins, J. (2020). How effective is undergraduate palliative care teaching for medical students? A systematic literature review. BMJ open, 10(9), e036458.