Health and Clinical Research Delivery

Entry requirements

Minimum 2:1 undergraduate honours degree in a clinical subject or equivalent qualification or an equivalent professional qualification or relevant work experience.

All applicants must complete the Health and Clinical Research Practice Experience form and submit this in the supporting documents section of their application.

IELTS 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in each component).

Months of entry

September

Course content

This online programme offers a practical look into the world of health and clinical research for aspiring researchers and research leaders.

The course is aimed at healthcare practitioners – such as doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, healthcare scientists and allied health professionals – whether you are new to research or are already championing research in healthcare.

You will learn to plan, analyse and evaluate clinical research, and reflect on the challenges, impact and ethical implications of existing research. Everything you study will be applied back to your field of expertise so you can leave the course with the confidence to lead your own clinical research. The course will prepare you for future roles as a Collaborator, Co-investigator or Principal Investigator (PI) within your organisation.

Flexible study and RPL

The programme has been designed to be as flexible as possible, to fit around you and your work and life commitments. The online course structure means you will be able to benefit from high-quality teaching and support wherever you are, alongside your clinical practice.

There are also multiple entry pathways to the programme to allow for Recognition of Previous Learning (RPL) and individual needs:

• Top-up a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Clinical Research Delivery gained at another university to a PGDip or MSc qualification. Using RPL, these 60 credits will be added to our top-up programme. Completing an additional 60 credits will lead to a Diploma, and completing an additional 120 credits will lead to an MSc. Equivalent work-based experience may also be considered for this route.
• Alternatively, this course has exit routes at PGCert, PGDip and MSc levels for those who are not able to top-up a previous PGCert.

Accreditation

The PGDip and MSc qualifications are accredited by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC).

This programme has been developed in line with the new NIHR-AoMRC linician Researcher Credentials Framework. This framework was designed by both the NIHR and the AoMRC to bridge the research skills gap within the NHS and other healthcare services. We have also worked with partners in the healthcare sector to develop the course and tailor it to your needs.

If you have a NIHR-AoMRC accredited PGCert qualification from the University of Exeter or the University of Newcastle, you can top this up to an accredited PGDip or MSc qualification at the University of Sheffield through Recognition of Previous Learning. The University of Sheffield PGCert qualification is not accredited, but it can also be topped up to an accredited PGDip or MSc qualification at this or another institution.