(Part time) 2022 start
Health Research PGDip

Coronavirus information for applicants and offer holders
We hope that by the time you’re ready to start your studies with us the situation with COVID-19 will have eased. However, please be aware, we will continue to review our courses and other elements of the student experience in response to COVID-19 and we may need to adapt our provision to ensure students remain safe. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, regularly visit our website, which we will continue to update as the situation changes www.leeds.ac.uk/covid19faqs
Overview
The Health Research PGDip offers intermediate research training to health professionals, research staff and research students. Modules include Statistical Methods, Systematic Reviews, Clinical Trials, Applied Qualitative Health Research and Health Economics. Classes include a lively mix of students from a range of health disciplines.
Develop and connect
The programme offers high quality learning and teaching and is aimed at people with a professional interest in researching health and healthcare, often undertaken within National Health Service settings. The academic staff who teach you are active health researchers.
You’ll have access to University facilities, including the Health Sciences Library, which provides computing facilities, a broad range of books and journals and a quiet environment for private study.
More information
You register initially for the Postgraduate Certificate programme. On satisfactory completion of the Certificate you may progress to the Postgraduate Diploma. All programmes are part time and flexible.
Most modules are around four days' duration, usually with a gap of several weeks between modules. Typically, the Certificate can be gained after six months of study and the Diploma after a further year.
Course content
The Diploma builds on the introductory research skills you have gained through the Certificate. You will study four 15-credit modules. The choice of Diploma modules offer greater depth of study in particular aspects of research, for example, in qualitative research, in systematic reviews, in health economics and in statistics for health 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.
Modules
Year 1
Compulsory modules
- Analytic Research 15 credits
- Intervention Research 15 credits
- Getting started in health research 15 credits
- Capturing and Handling Data in Research 15 credits
Optional modules (selection of typical options shown below)
- Statistical Methods in Health Research 15 credits
- Systematic Reviews of Research 15 credits
- Clinical Trials Research 15 credits
- Applied Qualitative Health Research 15 credits
- Introduction to Health Economics 15 credits
Learning and teaching
Teaching is delivered through lectures, practical classes, tutorials, seminars and supervised research projects. Extensive use is made of IT and a wide range of materials are available to enable students to study at their own pace and in their own time to enhance and extend the material taught formally. You’ll have access to electronic copies of all 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
Assessment is predominately by coursework, which takes place during the semester in which the module is taught.
Your results in all modules count towards the final qualification.
Applying, fees and funding
Entry requirements
You will already have successfully completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research before joining the Diploma. The Certificate provides 60 credits, the additional four modules you will study on the Diploma make your total credits up to 120.
We also welcome people who have not studied the Certificate but want to attend individual modules. They should hold a degree in medicine, dentistry, nursing, a profession allied to medicine, health management, a biological science, or have relevant vocational experience.
You should be working in a health-related environment.
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 are now offering online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. To find out more, read Online Academic English pre-sessional (10 weeks) and Online Academic English pre-sessional (6 weeks).
Read about differences between our online and on-campus summer pre-sessionals.
If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.
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.
Deadline for applications is around 1 month prior to the anticipated start date.
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: £7,000 (total)
- International: £15,500 (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.
Career opportunities
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. Thats 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.