Professional Development in Health and Social Care
MSc, PGDip, PGCert
Build on your professional experience to deepen your understanding of practice in health and social care.
Key facts
- Duration
- Full time: MSc: 12 months, Distance learning: 12 months, PGDip: 12 months, PGCert: 6 to 12 months
- Part time: Depends on the award sought and any credit already attained; maximum of 3 years (Distance Learning 24 months)
- Starts
- January 2027
- Level
- Master's and postgraduate
- Course code
- MSC-NLC/PDH
- Location
- Distance Learning
- Headington
- School
- School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health
About this course
The MSc/PGDip/PGCert in Professional Development in Health and Social Care is a highly flexible postgraduate programme designed for professionals seeking a qualification that reflects their individual career goals and areas of practice. Designed with flexibility at its core, the programme enables you to work in partnership with us to create a personalised programme of study.
The programme offers you the unique opportunity to translate existing professional practice and prior learning into academic credit, enabling you to accelerate your progression. With flexible study options available on a full-time or part-time basis, this 'Open Award' is designed to support you as working professionals in achieving your academic and career aspirations at a pace that suits your individual circumstances.
You will study alongside a diverse community of practitioners and leaders, including clinicians, managers, educators, and researchers from across the fields of health, social care and social wellbeing.
This is a mirror provision for pathways in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Curate your learning
Design a personalised programme of study that aligns with your academic interests and professional goals, and propose your own degree title.
Multi-discipline learning
Your learning will be informed by our international and multi-disciplinary teaching team with backgrounds in nursing, leadership, public health, psychology and research.
Recognise prior learning
Your existing qualifications, Master’s level credit and relevant experience may be recognised and count towards your studies, helping you progress more quickly.
Flexible learning
You can fit the course around your life and work commitments with the option for distance learning, block teaching, full-time and part-time study.
Research expertise
The course content is underpinned by the research and scholarship activities of the staff in the fields of consultancy, educational development, management education, leadership development, project management, and related clinical fields, including health promotion, drugs and alcohol, social welfare, and clinical trials.
Over the past few years, these researchers have won external research and consultancy contracts, including grants, fellowships, and studentships. Our research staff collaborate with researchers from across Oxford Brookes University, with researchers from the Institute of Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, and with research teams from many other UK and international centres.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
Entry normally requires a UK/EU first degree or equivalent overseas degree from a recognised institution. Subject to approval by Oxford Brookes University, equivalent professional or other qualifications applicable to health and social care can be considered under some circumstances, particularly if you are registered as a health or social care professional.
Evidence of recent study (within the last 5 years) at degree or equivalent level is highly desirable. Students who do not hold a first UK/EU degree or equivalent overseas degree from a recognised institution (taken within the last 5 years) OR students who have not studied at degree or equivalent level within the last 5 years will be required to write and submit an assignment which will be taken into account as part of their application.
Six months' experience as a student, employee or volunteer within the health / social care sector (European or International; public, private or voluntary) will normally be required.
International students, like home and EU students, must be practising health and social care professionals or have recent experience of working in these sectors.
Fees and funding
Fees
| Fee types | 2026/27 | 2027/28 |
|---|---|---|
| Home distance learning | £1,165 per single module | £1,195 per single module |
| Home full-time | £10,450 | £10,750 |
| Home part-time | £1,165 per single module | £1,195 per single module |
| International distance learning | £2,030 per single module | £2,145 per single module |
| International full-time | £18,200 | £19,300 |
Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.
Questions about fees?
Learning and assessment
Develop your professional needs and interests by choosing between:
Unstructured Pathway: a bespoke programme, studying from a range of modules aligned to your professional interests and career objectives. You may propose an award title, subject to academic approval.
Structured Pathway: a guided, structured study route with defined modules:
- MSc/PGDip/PGCert in Professional Development in Health and Social Care
- MSc Organisational Psychology, Leadership and Wellbeing* - modules taken are Advanced Research Methods (HESC7016), Dissertation (HESC7020)
- MSc Psychotherapy, Counselling and Mental Health Interventions** - modules taken are Advanced Research Methods (HESC7016), Dissertation (HESC7020)
- MSc/PGDip Nursing Studies (Leadership in Clinical Practice)***
The following pathways are also offered via partnership with international organisations or agencies:
- with The School of Positive Psychology, Singapore
- with Alliance of International Education (HK), Hong Kong.
At Oxford Brookes, we have made a commitment to student-centred learning. We believe this approach encourages innovation within the practice areas.
We ask you to be proactive as you complete your unique learning journey. Your tutors will facilitate your learning, yet be available.
Your course will build on existing knowledge and skills. There will be many opportunities for academic learning. You'll also further develop your professional practice.
Assessment
Assessment methods depend on the modules you choose. These may include written assignments, reflective portfolios, presentations, case studies, reports, or practice-based assessments. All assessments are designed to promote independent and reflective learning and to be relevant to professional practice.
Each module guide includes an assessment matrix, helping you to understand the learning outcomes and assessment criteria, designed to develop your postgraduate attributes. These attributes are introduced during your induction and form the focus of discussions with your Academic Advisor. You will explore how module contact and learning activities contribute to acquiring these attributes and reflect on your own experiences in developing them.
For each module, you’ll receive a module handbook which will explain the assessment methods.You'll submit coursework, which includes projects and dissertations, posters and essays. Some assessments may be exam-based.
Careers
This programme supports career development across a wide range of roles, helping you to:
- Strengthen your expertise for leadership or management positions
- Equip yourself for advanced or specialist clinical or practice roles
- Develop skills for education, training, or practice development
- Broaden your capabilities in digital health and wellbeing, quality improvement, or service redesign
- Build a qualification that aligns with long-term progression goals.
By graduation, you’ll be ready to take your next step - whatever that looks like for you. This could mean advancing into a senior nursing role such as matron, or applying enhanced leadership and management expertise to lead change within a social welfare setting, or even starting up in private practice!
Wherever you choose to make your impact, you'll be equipped to tackle real-world challenges and help shape the future of health, social welfare and wellbeing.
How to apply
Application for MSc Professional Development in Health and Social Care is via our portal.
Along with your application, you will be required to submit:
- two references (professional/academic)
- copies of certificates of previous qualifications
- English language qualifications, if your first language is not English
- confirmation of funding.
Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)