Palliative Care MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert

Course detail Description

We offer a range of qualifications in our palliative care programme, from standalone modules to an MSc. There are various core and optional modules available to suit your interests or learning needs.

Research and evidence are central to every module on this course. The Cicely Saunders Institute has an extensive programme of research, and you can get involved with these larger projects. We also support you to publish the findings of your research and contribute to the evidence base.

The course is flexible so you can register to study full time or part time. That means you can study at your own pace while continuing to work in a health or social care setting. We also offer the option to change your registration (for example from PG Diploma to MSc) as you progress through your studies and your learning needs evolve.

This course incorporates leading research and innovative and evidence-based practice. It is delivered by the Cicely Saunders Institute in partnership with St Christopher’s Hospice.

Our programme is open to any professional working in palliative care or with people facing advanced illness. Palliative care is a multidisciplinary speciality involving doctors, nurses, and allied health and social care professionals. We believe our students learn best in a classroom reflecting that range of professions.

Our aim is to develop your competence and confidence in caring for patients with advanced disease, while supporting people close to them. Within your practice, you need to be able to critically evaluate the evidence behind different palliative care treatments. This is why there is such a strong focus on research and evidence-based practice in our programmes.

Please note: The course runs from January to December.

For further information about our postgraduate opportunities, please visit our Faculty Postgraduate Study handbook here.

Teaching

You’ll be taught by academics and professionals at the cutting-edge of palliative care research and practice. We work closely with St Christopher’s Hospice to deliver the modules and we bring in experts from around the world to teach on different subjects. We want you to receive the most current thinking on all aspects of palliative care.

Your course will include a mixture of taught sessions, such as lectures and seminars, and interactive sessions. At St Christopher’s Hospice you can interact with patients and their famililes, and take part in discussions and library sessions.

We have deliberately designed the course to fit around your commitments at home and at work. Each of our modules is delivered in two week blocks throughout the year, with time for self-directed learning in between.

Module

Study time

15-credit module

150 face-to-face taught or self-directed learning hours.

30-credit module

300 face-to-face taught or self-directed learning hours.

Research Study Project (MSc students only)

600 hours of self-directed learning.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work

Assessment

You will be assessed using a combination of coursework and exams across the different modules. If you are an MSc student, you will be required to write a 15,000-word research study project.

The study time and assessment methods detailed above are typical and give you a good indication of what to expect. However, they may change if the course modules change.

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Structure

Year 1 Required Modules

If you are an MSc student, you will take a total of 180 credits.

If you are a PG Dip student, you will take a total of 120 credits.

If you are a PG Cert student, you will take a total of 60 credits.

If you are an MSc student or a PG Dip student, you are required to take all of these modules. If you are a PG Cert student, you are required to take two of these modules.

• Research Methods and Statistics in Palliative Care (15 credits)
• Biology and Management of Symptoms in Advanced Disease (15 credits)
• Psychosocial, Cultural, Ethical and Spiritual Issues (15 credits)
• Service Organisation and Policy in Palliative Care (15 credits)

If you are an MSc student you are required to take:

• Research Study Project (60 credits)

If you are an MSc student or a PG Dip student, you will choose two modules from the list of options below. If you are a PG Cert student, you will choose one.

• Advanced Psychosocial Ethical and Spiritual Care (30 credits)
• Applying Epidemiology in Palliative Care (30 credits)
• Service Development and Management (30 credits)
• Advanced Pain and Symptom Control (30 credits)

For part-time students: with the exception of Research Methods and Statistics in Palliative Care, which you will take in your first year, you may choose which year you will take each module. If you are an MSc student, you must take your Research Study Project in your second year.

Part time MSc students should expect to study 90 credits a year and PG Dip students 60 credits a year.

We regularly review our modules to make sure our programmes are as up-to-date, innovative and relevant as possible. The modules we offer may therefore change. We suggest that you check the course finder for updates: