PGCert, PGDip and MSc inPalliative CareImplementing Best Practice
Course length
1 year full-time,2 years part-time,12 weeks CPD module
Start date
September 2026
Location
Online
About the programme
Learn how to make a difference by developing, delivering and evaluating care that facilitates best practice in palliative care and care for people living with long-term and life-limiting conditions.
Life expectancy is increasing worldwide, with people living for longer and often with multiple chronic conditions. Palliative care, including rehabilitation and ‘living well’, is increasingly needed in people’s homes and other community settings, as well as in hospices and hospitals.
Delivering evidence-based, cost-effective palliative care in partnership with communities requires health and social care professionals, policymakers and researchers who can lead change and use robust evidence to inform their work. These professionals must be able to design, conduct, and critically appraise research about what should be done, how it is done, and to what effect. There is an urgent need for professionals in this field to drive positive change in palliative care.
Our MSc in Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice programme is designed to address this significant gap. It will enable and empower you, whether you are a health and social care professional, policymaker or researcher, to progress your development, delivery and evaluation of care that facilitates best practice in palliative care and long-term conditions.
This programme is delivered 100% online, allowing you to access our world-renowned, research-led teaching from anywhere in the world. Designed specifically for an online audience, we use a range of interactive activities to support learning, including discussion forums, webinars and online lectures.
Key benefits
- Develop the research and personal skills, attributes, and confidence to apply your learning to implement evidence-based palliative care, whether your focus is hospital, hospice, or community, regional, national or international
- Delivered by some of the world’s leading palliative care experts within the Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, who have helped shape clinical guidelines and government policy
- Study for a PGCert, PGDip or MSc
- Build your global network of palliative care professionals and connect with like-minded peers
- Flexible full or part-time study options, delivered 100% online
Meet the Programme Directors
Book a one-to-one chat with Programme Directors Dr Joseph Clark or Professor Mark Pearson to learn more about our PGCert, PGDip and MSc in Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice.
Get the answers to your questions about the course, studying at Hull York Medical School, support, finance and more.
Book a meeting now
- Dr Joseph Clark (available soon)
- Professor Jonathan Koffman
Contact Us
[email protected] 01904 321690
Watch:
Discover Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice
Course overview
3 mins
A different kind of medical school
Our school
5 mins
Webinar
Discover Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice
Wedneday 3 June, 18:00 - 19:00
Whether you're a prospective student or currently preparing your application, our webinars are a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the content of our Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice course, how it's taught, and the exciting career development opportunities on offer.
You’ll also have the chance to speak directly with the Programme Directors, Dr Joseph Clarke and Dr Jonathan Koffman and get answers to your questions.
Who is this programme for?
If you have a passion for healthcare, a drive to excel, and a genuine desire to make a positive impact, this course will empower you to unlock a future filled with endless possibilities.
The programme is open to individuals working anywhere in the world who work in palliative care or the care of people living with long-term conditions and who have a drive to leverage change in services in the field.
Palliative care is multidisciplinary, and we welcome students from a range of specialities including health and social care professionals, medical clinicians and GPs, policymakers, researchers, and decision makers at local, regional and national level.
This opportunity allows you to embark on a journey that will not only shape your career but also transform the lives of those you serve.
Experiences
Student stories
"Because it's remote studying I've been able to work alongside and fit in my sessions. So for me, it was a perfect balance of being able to expand that knowledge and do a really interesting course, while actually fitting in full-time working as well. I've really enjoyed it so far".
We talked to Louise Nicholson and Angela Laybourne, two current Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice students about their experiences of the course so far.
Teaching and assessment
What will you learn?
You will learn how to:
- Conduct a research project in your own work setting or country
- Engage critically and knowledgeably about how factors such as gender, ethnicity and disability impact on palliative care research and implementation
- Critically appraise the strengths and limitations of different forms of evidence
- Design and conduct palliative care research that makes a positive impact relevant to patients, carers, workforce and policymakers
- Design processes for, and confidently engage with, patients and the public throughout the research development, delivery and dissemination process
- Present and critically reflect on evidence using structured, coherent arguments appropriate to the material, medium, and audience
- Understand in detail the contribution of implementation science to enable palliative care research to be successfully operationalised through working with key stakeholders
Study routes
This course can be studied flexibly to meet your needs via the following routes.
All modules are subject to availability, and this list may change at any time.
Modules
Core themes of equity, patient and public involvement, implementation science, and critical appraisal are integrated across all modules. This cohesive approach helps you build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to implement evidence-based palliative care in your settings.
Some modules can also be studied as standalone courses. Find out more about our continuing professional development opportunities.
All modules are subject to availability, and this list may change at any time.
Filters
Palliative Care Research and Practice
This module will equip you with transferable skills to enable you to understand the full range of research methods as applied to palliative care.Core
20 credits
Introduction to Implementation Science for Palliative Care and Long-term Conditions
Learn how to research, select, and adapt implementation strategies to deliver evidence-based palliative care and care for people with long term conditions.Core
20 credits
Global Palliative Care Development
Be introduced to key policy and systems issues surrounding the unequal development and implementation of palliative care globally including pain management services worldwide.Core
20 credits
Research project / Dissertation (MSc)
Undertake an in-depth research project in a topic related to the programme and is relevant to your own practice or developing interests.Core
60 credits
Qualitative Research Methods for Palliative Care
Be equipped with the theoretical knowledge and skills to critically appraise, conduct, analyse and report qualitative research when applied to palliative care and care for people with long-term conditions.Optional
20 credits
Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions
This module will equip you with the skills to critically evaluate, develop and evaluate complex interventions in the context of advanced and chronic care.Optional
20 credits
Advanced Implementation Science for Palliative Care and Long-term Conditions
Gain advanced skills in theory and critical evidence use to develop, adapt and evaluate implementation strategies for the delivery of evidence-based palliative care and care for people with long term conditions.Optional
20 credits
Regression Analysis
Develop your understanding and skills in using statistical analysis techniques that are widely used in quantitative health research, such as understanding the impact of socio-economic status on wellbeing.Optional
20 credits
Advanced Regression Analysis
Advance your understanding and skills in using statistical analysis techniques that are widely used in quantiative health research for outcomes such as time-to-event data, count data, and multilevel data.Optional
20 credits
HULL YORK MEDICAL SCHOOL Stories
If you’re interested in palliative care, or work in palliative care, the Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice course at Hull York Medical School will really enhance and broaden your thinking.
Angela Laybourne
Teaching and assessment
How is the programme taught
The programme is delivered 100% online using our Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment.
This online delivery enables you to study flexibly, although you should take part in the weekly online group discussion sessions held for approximately one hour between 10am and 1pm (GMT).
We deliver our teaching and learning online through lectures, small group seminars (both tutor-led and student-led), Q&A seminars with tutors and external experts, one-to-one tutorials, feedback and support from tutors and other students.
Careers
Career prospects
This course supports and empowers individuals across a range of professions to develop the knowledge and skills needed to design, deliver and evaluate care that improves the wellbeing of those with advanced illness and their families. For example:
- Consultant in Palliative Medicine, guiding patients and their families through the most challenging times with compassion and expertise
- Nurse Consultant in Palliative Care, leading a team of dedicated professionals to provide unparalleled support and comfort to those in need
- Physiotherapy Consultant, using your advanced knowledge to improve the wellbeing and quality of life for patients facing difficult circumstances
- Chief Executive of a Hospice, overseeing an organisation that delivers exceptional care to countless individuals during their most vulnerable moments
For those who seek to deepen their understanding and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field, pursuing a PhD is a natural progression. By embarking on this academic journey, you can position yourself on a career track that allows you to shape and influence the very methods that researchers employ, making substantial contributions to the field of palliative care.
Entry
Entry requirements
Applicants must have previous training in a health or social care profession (e.g. graduates of medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, or social work or other allied health and social care professions), in a science applied to human or organisational behaviour (e.g. graduates of psychology or sociology) or have equivalent professional experience.
Applicants must have a 2.1 degree or equivalent.
All applications will be subject to successful completion of an online interview.
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
Fees listed are for 2026 entry. Fees are reviewed on an annual basis and may change for future years.
PGCert
- 1 year: £4,480
- 2 years: £2,240*
PGDip
- 1 year: £8,960
- 2 years: £4,480*
MSc
- 1 year: £13,440
- 2 years: £6,720*
- 3 years: £4,480*
*The fees listed for part time study relate to the current year only, fees for subsequent years are subject to confirmation.
Applicants who hold Hull York Medical School palliative care module credits who want to apply for a higher level award for this programme should contact [email protected] for specific application support and fee information.
Professional Development Grants
Applicants currently employed at hospices in the UK may be eligible to apply for a professional development grant via Hospice UK, such as the Wolfson Professional Development Grant and the Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) bursary. These grants can provide up to £1,500 per year, with matched funding by your hospice encouraged by Hospice UK.
Visit the Hospice UK website for further information.
Applying
How to apply
To apply, submit an online application on the University of Hull website.
You don’t need to complete your application all at once - you can save and finish it later.
Apply now
To find out more about studying a single module, visit our Continuing Professional Development pages.
The deadline for applications from international applicants is 10 August 2026, and 17 August for home (UK) applicants.
