PGCert — 2025 entry Education for Health Professionals
On our Education for Health Professionals PGCert, you’ll study a hands-on, clinical curriculum that will enable you to inspire and nurture new talent to meet modern healthcare demands.
Why choose
this course?
- Learn how to support existing qualified health or social care professionals, including medics, midwives, nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and allied health professionals.
- Benefit from the expertise of a multidisciplinary team of lecturers, who are all healthcare professionals with experience of working in the NHS.
- Gain a teaching qualification to become an educator within healthcare practice.
What you will study
We'll teach you how to develop a creative, innovative approach to your teaching and professional practice, and how to apply theory to practice. You'll explore the complexities associated with professional assessment and the evaluation of medical staff. You’ll identify personal goals and develop a learning plan to enhance your teaching skills.
You’ll understand the complex nature of curriculum design, ranging from philosophical underpinning, student experience and learning and teaching strategies. With this, you’ll develop a formal curriculum document based on a topic of choice.
You’ll study topics, including state of the art of learning and teaching, framing learning through the curriculum and supporting education in practice.
International students travelling to the UK
Due to the module structure of this programme, we are unable to provide sponsorship on the Student Route. International students should make use of the Visitor Visa Route to attend the practical component of the programme. Further details can be found on our apply for a visa page.
Unfortunately, the University cannot guarantee that Visitor Visa applications will be successful, and a refusal may result in students being unable to successfully complete the programme.
Facilities
You’ll benefit from our multimillion-pound facilities, including our lecture theatres and seminar rooms, designed to promote knowledge exchange and networking with other health and social care professionals.
This part-time course provides flexibility to complete modules, allowing you to fit your study around existing commitments.
Course length
This course can take between 1-3 years to complete. This is dependent on how many modules you select to study at a given time.
The structure of our programmes follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:
Modules
Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Modules are subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.
The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff, meaning all modules are comprised of multiples of 15 credits, up to a maximum of 120 credits.
Course options
Year 1
Semester 1
Core
The module provides the students with a comprehensive understanding of how people learn in a learning environment with an emphasis on what constitutes an effective learning setting and how this is conducive for learning. Through a series of lectures and facilitated groupwork students will identify educational strategies that can be used to ensure that the student learning journey is meaningful. These concepts will be underpinned by learning theories which will help the students construct an understanding of how people learn in their own environments.
View full module detailsSemester 2
Core
The module empowers students to explore the intricacies of creative educational design and development, within their specialist area, from implementation, delivery, and evaluation of learning. In addition to interprofessional learning, there will be opportunities for students from different professional disciplines to develop educational provision whilst reflecting upon and fostering a critical exploration of educational philosophy and pedagogic practices. Equipping them with the skills to design and assess innovative learning strategies aimed at enhancing the overall learning experience. In essence, students will gain a holistic perspective on education and develop the ability to create and evaluate novel approaches to facilitate effective learning journeys.
View full module detailsSemester 1 & 2
Core
This module uniquely combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, ensuring that students not only understand the principles of effective teaching but also can apply these principles in their specific professional contexts, allowing them to determine the type of educator they wish to become. During the module students will deepen their knowledge and understanding of the complexities of learning and teaching, assessment, and evaluation to enhance their expertise in these areas of professional practice.
View full module detailsOptional modules for Unstructured - FHEQ Level 7
Students must take all core modules. Students can RPL Educating Healthcare Professional module at FHEQ level 6 if completed prior to enrolling onto the PG Cert.
Teaching and learning
Your teaching will be delivered through a combination of:
- Group work (e.g. discussion groups)
- Lectures
- Online learning
- Role plays
- Seminars
- Tutorials.
Outside of these, you’ll be expected to carry out independent study, including coursework, essays and reading.
There may be occasions when the delivery of your teaching is supported by graduate teaching assistants. The University has a set of procedures that govern the use of postgraduate research students in this way.
Teaching staff
You’ll be taught by qualified healthcare practitioners and senior teaching staff, giving you a combination of both clinical and educational expertise. This may include:
- Amy Dopson, adult and children’s nurse and Head of Continuing Professional Development
- Nikki White, operating department practitioner and Senior Teaching Fellow.
Assessment
We use a variety of methods to assess you, including case studies, presentations and written work.
Check individual module information to see full details at a module level.
General course information
Contact hours
Contact hours can vary across our modules. Full details of the contact hours for each module are available from the University of Surrey's module catalogue. See the modules section for more information.
Timetable
Course timetables are normally available one month before the start of the semester.
New students will receive their personalised timetable in Welcome Week, and in subsequent semesters, two weeks prior to the start of semester.
Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday – Friday). Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities. Part-time classes are normally scheduled on one or two days per week, details of which can be obtained from Academic Administration.
Location
Our Medicine (Graduate Entry) BMBS degree, nursing and midwifery, and health science courses are taught at the Kate Granger Building (30 Priestley Road), on the Surrey Research Park.
Some modules on this course will be taught on Stag Hill campus.
We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.
By completing this course, you’ll fulfil the growing demand for excellent teachers within the healthcare sector. 100 per cent of our postgraduate health sciences graduates go on to employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2024, HESA). Our alumni typically work for the NHS, private healthcare organisations and academic institutions.
Visit the NHS careers website for further information.
UK qualifications
A minimum of a 2:2 in a relevant UK honours degree, or a recognised equivalent international qualification. You must be currently registered as a healthcare professional to apply.
For information on entry requirements based on International Qualifications, please contact the admissions team with details about where you studied and the content of your qualification.
English language requirements
IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall with 7.0 in each element.
These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept.
If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
Selection process
Applications are screened for standard documentation and then referred to the programme lead for review.
International students travelling to the UK
Due to the module structure of this programme, we are unable to provide sponsorship on the Student Route. International students should make use of the Visitor Visa Route to attend the practical component of the programme. Further details can be found on our apply for a visa page.
Unfortunately, the University cannot guarantee that Visitor Visa applications will be successful, and a refusal may result in students being unable to successfully complete the programme.
Scholarships and bursaries
Discover what scholarships and bursaries are available to support your studies.
Fees
The majority of students on this course will be funded through sponsorship arrangements with their NHS trust employer.
If you would be self-funding, please contact postreg_admin@surrey.ac.uk for information regarding the fees.
Additional costs
- Travelling expenses such as those incurred for travelling between their clinical practice area and the University
- General programme related costs such as study materials.
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Once you apply, you can expect to hear back from us within 14 days. This might be with a decision on your application or with a request for further information.
Our code of practice for postgraduate admissions policy explains how the Admissions team considers applications and admits students. Read our postgraduate applicant guidance for more information on applying.
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Terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures, student regulations, and terms and conditions.
We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:
- First when we make an offer.
- Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).
View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.
Disclaimer
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Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.
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