Applied Health Research
MSc
Key facts
Course code
MSC-AHR
Start dates
September 2025 / September 2026
Application deadline
1 September for a September start.
Course length
Full time: 1 year (3 semesters)
Part time: 2 years (6 semesters)
This course is not available to students classed as International for fees purposes.
Overview
The importance and value of research is recognised in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (NHS LTWP) (2023), with a need for a continuous approach to the development of staff skills, knowledge and expertise. This is vital to the provision of high-quality care, supporting, delivering and leading high-quality research, maintaining professional registration and ensuring staff have rewarding careers to recruit, retain and reform our health and care services.
While research awareness is a compulsory component of all registered healthcare, social work and public health professional's initial education and training, this often does not prepare them well to integrate and engage with research practice.
This Applied Health Research programme has been designed to support students in developing knowledge and skills that enable them to begin integrating a research element into their existing role.
How to apply
Entry requirements
- a first degree, or prior learning at the equivalent appropriate level
- evidence of current professional registration with an appropriate professional body, such as, the Health Care and Professions Council, Nursing and Midwifery Council or General Pharmaceutical Council
- access to appropriate mentor support within your area of practice to develop your research project.
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
Application process
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
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.
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
Financial support and scholarships
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Learning and assessment
Our blend of learning approaches is designed to build on existing academic knowledge and skills and includes:
- face-to-face seminars and workshop activities
- guided online activities
- student-led seminars
- and individual tutorial and supervision sessions.
Study modules
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Learning and teaching
Teaching and learning strategies will encourage each student to:
- engage and explore new areas of knowledge
- build on and deepen existing knowledge, understanding and skills in health research
- engage in critical analysis of texts, concepts, theories and practices and reflect on a range of professional issues, questions, policies and practice encountered during their studies
- begin to interrogate the assumptions underpinning theory and research in order to identify an understanding of their significance and limitations
- develop appropriately informed research skills.
Assessment
Assessment methods used on this course
The types of assessments used within this programme are varied, including:
- reflective essays
- critical analysis of evidence-based practice
- presentations
- analytical essays
- and a ‘portfolio of learning’ based on the Vitae "Researcher Development Framework".
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.