Health Research PGDip

Course overview

Designed and delivered by active applied health and social care researchers, our course will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to progress your research career. Designed to fit around your personal and professional commitments, the PG Dip in Health Research delivers advanced research training to inspire the next generation of applied health, healthcare and social care researchers. Our course is ideal for health and social care professionals, those already working in research, as well as those with an interest in applied health, healthcare and social care research.

Supported by our dedicated and enthusiastic team of academics and researchers, you’ll develop and apply your research knowledge and skills through interactive teaching sessions. You’ll explore the principles of research design, apply your knowledge to design high-quality, ethical and inclusive studies, discover the practicalities of delivering applied research, and critically appraise existing studies.

There will be opportunities to engage with a range of quantitative and qualitative data, such as big data and interview data, while progressing your knowledge of optional topics including qualitative research and data science. Our approach means you’ll learn alongside colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds, supported by our interdisciplinary team of applied researchers.

Our PG Dip in Health Research can be taken as a stand-alone qualification or as a stepping-stone to an MSc in Health Research. The PG Dip is part-time. To enable you to fit the modules around your professional commitments, most modules are taught in blocks that run over four consecutive days, 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.

Why study at Leeds?

• The School of Medicine's world-renowned research directly informs our course, meaning your learning will be shaped by current, innovative research that has real-world impact.
• Our interactive and engaging sessions are designed to facilitate your learning and application of research knowledge and skills, providing you with a solid grounding in interdisciplinary, applied health and social care research.
• You’ll be supported throughout your studies by our interdisciplinary team, who are experienced and enthusiastic educators, as well as active researchers (both clinical and non-clinical). Our interdisciplinary team has expertise in research design (quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods), medical statistics and biostatistics, epidemiology, applied qualitative health research, health economics, evidence synthesis, clinical trials, use of health and social care data, and health and social sciences.
• Tailor the course to suit your research interests and career aspirations with a range of optional modules.
• Opportunity to learn together with colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds, including medics, nurses, allied health professionals, social workers and researchers.
• Our current students highlight the knowledge and infectious enthusiasm of our team, our inclusive learning environment in which all can participate, and the engaging teaching sessions.
• The course is designed with flexibility in mind to enable you to study alongside your professional and personal commitments, allowing you to progress in stages from the PG Cert to the PG Dip to the MSc.
• On successful completion of the course, you’ll graduate with advanced knowledge of applied health and social care research, which is increasingly sought after in healthcare, social care and research sectors.

Course details and modules

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Research is a course in applied health and social care research. It consists of the PG Cert (four compulsory 15-credit modules) and an additional four optional 15-credit modules.

Across the modules, topics include:

• key principles of designing applied research
• designing health and social care research projects that have real-world impact
• exploring quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and evaluative types of research
• critically appraising existing research
• practicalities of conducting research, including applying for funding, gaining approvals, engaging stakeholders, and disseminating your findings
• opportunities to have a go and analyse health and social care data
• exploring the importance of public and patient involvement in applied health and social care research and how we can ensure our research is inclusive
• building expertise in particular approaches and methods (eg statistical methods, qualitative research, health economics, systematic reviews, clinical trials, and informatics and data science).

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 PGDip in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Learning and teaching

Learning about applied health and social care research in an effective and enjoyable way involves activity. On this course there is extensive use of problem-based scenarios, workbook exercises, hands-on computer sessions, small-group teaching and group participation. Face-to-face teaching will be complemented with extensive use of our virtual learning environment, meaning that materials will be available to support your studies at your own pace and in your own time. You’ll also have access to University facilities and resources for independent study.

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

The modules are assessed by a variety of methods, typically including: workbooks, critical appraisals, presentations. Our approach to assessment aims to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and skills through the completion of assessments that align with activities you would typically perform as a researcher (eg designing proposals, critiquing existing research, empirical research tasks such as analysing and presenting data, in both written and verbal formats). There are no examinations.

Your results in all modules count towards the final qualification.

Applying

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 for the Certificate but want to undertake individual modules. They should hold a degree in medicine, dentistry, nursing, a profession allied to health, social work, health management, a biological science, or have relevant vocational experience.

You should be working in a health or social care-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 also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional. 

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

How to apply

Application deadline

A rolling application deadline stands for this course.

You can apply here or for more information on the application process please contact our admissions team.

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 six weeks prior to the anticipated start date.

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take 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 2025

Contact us

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Fees

UK: £8,500 (Total)

International: £19,500 (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 on our living costs and budgeting page.

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.

Studying in the School of Medicine at Leeds is an amazing opportunity, but we know that the cost can be difficult for many people to meet. If you are keen to join us, a range of funding opportunities are available.

Career opportunities

Many of our successful graduates work in the UK National Health Service, social care sector, local authorities or universities associated with health and social care research. Graduates of this course have gone on to our MSc in Health Research, and obtained funding for doctoral studies, research fellowships and research posts within higher education or health and social care sectors.