Health Research PGCert

Our PGCert can be taken as a stand-alone qualification or as a stepping-stone to a Postgraduate Diploma.

Designed to fit around you and your personal and work commitments, our course provides introductory research training for health professionals with an interest in researching health and healthcare, often undertaken within National Health Service Settings.

You will:

• receive teaching from active health researchers

• study a range of topics such as philosophy of research; quantitative and qualitative research design; critical appraisal of published papers; questionnaire design; recording and analysing data; analytic research design

• have access to our Health Sciences Library, with computing facilities, a broad range of books and journals

Develop and connect

You will register initially for the Postgraduate Certificate, which you can join in either September or February. Successful completion of the Certificate means you can apply to register on the Postgraduate Diploma. All programmes are part time. Most modules are around four days' duration, with a gap of two or more weeks between modules. Typically, the Certificate can be gained after six months of study and the Diploma after a further year.

The Postgraduate Certificate is an introductory course in research skills and consists of four compulsory 15-credit modules. The certificate is offered twice yearly in September and January.

Topics include the philosophy of research, quantitative and qualitative research design, critical appraisal of published papers, questionnaire design, recording and analysing data, analytic research design, systematic reviews and writing and disseminating research.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Health Research PGCert in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Effective and enjoyable learning about research skills involves activity: on this course you will find that there is extensive use of problem-based classes, workbook exercises, hands-on computer sessions and group participation.

You’ll have access to electronic copies of all the teaching materials through our Virtual Learning Environment and to the Library’s extensive collection of online journals.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

Assessments reflect teaching style and depend heavily on the assignments. They could typically involve completion of problem schedules and workbooks and critical appraisal of published research.

Your results in all modules count towards the final qualification.

Entry requirements

Normally applicants should hold a degree in medicine, dentistry, nursing, a profession allied to medicine, health management, a biological science or a social science at 2:2 or greater.

Non-graduates can undertake programmes leading to postgraduate awards with the University of Leeds if they have adequate and relevant professional qualifications. We welcome enquiries and applications from non-graduates with work experience in health research.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Science (6 weeks) and Language for Science: General Science (10 weeks). 

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. You could study a part-time online course starting in January, or a full-time course in summer. Find out more about online pre-sessionals.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Applications are considered on the basis of the applicant’s qualifications and experience. Applications may close before the deadline date if numbers accepted reach capacity.

In your application you should demonstrate through the supporting statement how the course will be of direct benefit to your personal and professional development.

Apply

This link takes you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

School of Medicine Taught Postgraduate Policy 2022

Fees

• UK: £3,917 (total)
• International: £8,333 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more about additional costs.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Many of our successful participants work in the UK National Health Service or in universities associated with the NHS and its research projects. Graduates of this course have gone on to research degrees, research fellowships, and research posts within the NHS and the university sector.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.