Postgraduate

PGCert, PGDip and MSc in

Health Professions Education

Course length 1 year full-time, 1 - 3 years part-time

Start date January or September 2026

Location Online with face-to-face study days

Discover Health Professions Education

Course content
Routes
Modules
Teaching
Careers
Entry requirements
Fees and funding
Applying

About the programme

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.

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.

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 work in medicine, dentistry, nursing, physiotherapy or any other relevant profession, we can help you take the next steps to enhance your teaching. 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 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.

Meet the Programme Directors

Book a one-to-one chat with Dr Amaya Ellawala or Dr Amelia Kehoe to learn more about our MSc in Health Professions Education.

Get the answers to your questions about what you'll study, life at Hull York Medical School, support, finance, how to apply and more.

Book time with Amaya Ellawala

Book time with Millie Kehoe

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CONTACT US

[email protected] 01904 321690

Dr Amaya Ellawala,
Programme Director

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Dr Amelia Kehoe,
Programme Director

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Webinar

Why study Health Professions Education?

Tuesday 21 October, 18:00

Join Programme Directors Dr Amaya Ellawala and Dr Millie Kehoe, Programme Directors for our Health Professions Education programme, for an engaging webinar and live Q&A session.

In this interactive event, they will share why Health Professions Education is important, the unique strengths and benefits of the programme and explore how it will prepare you to inspire and lead in your area of practice.

Whether you're a prospective student or currently preparing your application, this is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the course content, structure, and the exciting career development opportunities on offer. You’ll also have the chance to speak directly with the Programme Directors and get answers to your questions.

Book your place now.

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 study at any time of day and have maximum flexibility. We regularly teach students from across the UK and worldwide. Find out more about our term dates.

Accreditation and awards

Accredited by Advance HE, you will be able to apply for Fellowship or Associate Fellowship upon completion of the Certificate and a reflective portfolio. This status is recognised by professional bodies as reaching international standards to deliver high quality education. You will have the right to use the post-nominal letters FHEA or AFHEA - qualifications 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 completion of the Certificate, students can apply for membership of the Academy (MAcadMEd). Achieving MAcadMed is strongly recommended for those aiming for senior educational roles in a clinical setting.

We recently won the 2024 ASME institutional ‘commitment to scholarship’ award. The award claims exceptional commitment to ‘Advancing Scholarship in Medical Education’.

Study dates for 2025-26

You will take part in optional face-to-face study days for each module on our York campus or online. The sessions are currently scheduled as follows, but are subject to change. Each day runs from 9:00 - 16:00.

Induction (September cohort)

Wednesday 17 September 2025

Learning and Teaching

Wednesday 8 October 2025

Research Approaches

Friday 10 October 2025

Implementation Science for Advanced and Chronic Care

There is no study day for this module

Induction (January Cohort)

Wednesday 14 January 2026

Assessment and Feedback

Wednesday 28 January 2026

Contemporary Issues in Health Professions Education

Friday 30 January 2026

Professional and Reflective Practice

Wednesday 6 May 2026

Leadership in Health Professions Education

Wednesday 13 May 2026

Clinical Reasoning

Friday 15 May 2026

Study routes

This course offers flexible study options to suit your individual needs through the following routes.

Postgraduate 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 health professions education. The Certificate covers large and small group teaching, session design and delivery, reflective practice and other key topics.

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

Postgraduate 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: Two years part time
Start date: January or September
Online, self-directed learning and assessment: Up to 200 hours per module
Face-to-face (blended learning option): Optional eight hours per module (one 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.

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

Health Professions Education students in discussion

Course content

Modules

The Postgraduate Certificate consists of three modules (60 credits); the Postgraduate Diploma consists of six modules (120 credits); and the MSc programme (180 credits) 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.

Health Professions Education students in discussion at at a study day

Teaching and assessment

How is the programme taught?

Our programmes are delivered primarily through distance learning, with optional face-to-face opportunities. Tutors on the programmes are leading scholars and practising experts in a wide variety of disciplines, including dentistry, nursing, medicine and pharmacy with a clinical, educational or research background.

You will take part in:

Weekly online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) activities

The VLE provides you with easy access to online resources and is where you will complete learning tasks.

Discussions with your peers and the Programme Team

Your peers hold a wealth of knowledge and experience. You will work together on activities through the VLE and during study days.

Face-to-face and online study days

Our optional face-to-face study days involve interactive workshops to explore ideas with your peers. They are a brilliant opportunity to share good practice and network with colleagues from a range of healthcare professions.

Meetings with your Programme Tutor

You can meet with your Programme Tutor for guidance and support.

Health Professions Education student doing a presentation

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 is a literature review or a major research project (dissertation) covering a subject of interest to you. The MSc is assessed through a presentation and written dissertation. The Masters programme has a strong record of publishable work.

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 a clinical academic career.

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)

Fees listed are for 2026 entry. Fees are reviewed on an annual basis and may change for future years.

PGCert

1 year: £4,480 (part time)

PGDip

1 year: £8,960 (part time)
2 years: £4,480 (part time)*

Fee for completion of PGDip in one year as a higher level award following prior completion of PG Cert stage: £4,480**.

MSc

1 year: £13,440 (full time)
2 years: £6,720 (part time)*
3 years: £4,480 (part time)*

Fee for completion of MSc in one year as a higher level award following prior completion of PG Cert and diploma stages: £4,480**

Fee for completion of PGDip and MSc stages in one year following prior completion of a PGCert stage: £8,960**

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

**Applicants who have previously completed a Hull York Medical School Health Professions Education award or an equivalent from another institution and who want to apply for a higher level award for this programme should apply for the appropriate course, the fees will be charged as per the stated stage fee listed above.

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 reduction applies 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 entry in September 2025 and January 2026. Discounts for future years are to be confirmed.

17.5% reduction in tuition fees

This reduction 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 and our MB BS Medicine and Physician Associate alumni. Find out more about our partners.

This offer is available for entry in September 2025 and January 2026.

Discounts for future years are to be confirmed but we anticipate these will be as follows:

September 2026 and January 2027 entry - 15%
September 2027 and January 2028 entry - 12.5%
September 2028 and January 2029 entry - 10%

Clinical Teaching Fellows

Clinical Teaching Fellows employed by one of the Hull York Medical School Partner NHS or Community organisations applying for the PGCert are entitled to a 20% fee reduction for September 2026 and January 2027 entry. This reduction is also available for September 2025 and January 2026 entry.

applying

How to apply

To apply, submit an online application on the University of York website.

You don’t need to complete your application all at once - you can save and finish it later.

Apply now

For study in January, the deadline for applications is 3 November 2025.

Applications for September study should be received by 17 August 2026.

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:

Murillo‐Zepeda, C., Pearson, M., & Ellawala, A. (2025). Quality Standards of Transitional Programmes for International Medical Graduates: An International Modified Delphi Study to Develop a Theory‐Based Framework. The Clinical Teacher, 22(3), e70092.

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.

HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL Stories

We are immensely proud of our Health Professions Education programmes. These are flexible to suit the needs of busy healthcare professionals, and are designed to inspire critical thinking and support the development of excellent educational and research practice. 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

Further information