Management in Health and Social Care

MSc or PGDip or PGCert

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Key facts

Course code

MSC-MHS, PGC-MHS, PGD-MHS

Start dates

January 2025 / September 2025 / January 2026 / September 2026

Application deadline

1 August (for a September start) 1 December (for a January start)

Location

Headington (Marston Road site)

Course length

Full time: 12 months

Part time: 2 to 5 years

Department

School of Psychology, Social Work and Public Health

Academic level

Academic credits

60, 120, 180

Apply now

pacreception@brookes.ac.uk

Overview

Good leaders make good decisions. Good decisions improve health care environments and drive them forward to serve society more fully. Study with us on our Management in Health and Social Care MSc to uncover dynamic approaches to health and social care management and gain the expertise you need to thrive as a leader.

As you study this programme, you’ll develop critical thinking in leadership, looking at how you can influence the various problems we face in health and social care. From interventions that promote working from home, to advocating for CPD training for healthcare professionals, you’ll explore innovative new ways to tackle the problems we face today.

This course will equip you to become a leader in both small teams and larger operational organisations. You’ll understand your role as mentor and you’ll develop skills in strategic management.

From writing business plans, to managing human resources, this interdisciplinary programme of study will give you the skills you need to succeed in a wide range of health and social care management roles.

How to apply

Entry requirements

You must have:

a UK BSc/BA degree, or equivalent learning experience, from a recognised international institution, or a professional qualification applicable to health or social care
6 months' experience as a student, employee or volunteer within the health/social care sector (European or International; public, private or voluntary).

If you do not hold a UK BSc/BA degree or equivalent overseas degree from a recognised institution, you should contact the Programme Administrator for further information.

International applications

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements.

Pathways courses for international and EU students

We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.

Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.

If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.

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.

English language requirements

For applicants whose first language is not English, an Academic IELTS score of 6.5 (with 6.5 in Reading and Writing, and 6.0 in Listening and Speaking) is required.

English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

Apply now

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note

Home (UK) full time

£1,100 per single module

Home (UK) part time

£1,100 per single module

International full time

£16,600

Home (UK) full time

£1,100 per single module

Home (UK) part time

£1,100 per single module

International full time

£17,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Tuition fees

2024 / 25

Home (UK) full time

£1,100 per single module

Home (UK) part time

£1,100 per single module

International full time

£16,600

2025 / 26

Home (UK) full time

£1,100 per single module

Home (UK) part time

£1,100 per single module

International full time

£17,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

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

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

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

During this course you’ll examine how different leaders operate, how you can employ different project management tactics, and how you can create systems to achieve operational goals.

As well as leadership and project management, you’ll also study strategic planning, finance and managing resources. You’ll explore coaching and mentoring and learn how to support staff on a one-to-one or one-to-many basis.

You’ll gain extensive research skills, allowing you to question the evidence people are using to make decisions, and find solutions of your own. During this programme you will also have the opportunity to specialise in areas like managing clinical trials and have the flexibility to do independent studies.

Before you finish this course you will also write a dissertation, which enables you to develop a more specialised and deeper understanding of management in your chosen field. This is an opportunity to identify areas of particular interest and tackle them with the support of management experts.

Study modules

The modules listed below are for the master's award. For the PGDip and PGCert awards your module choices may be different. Please contact us for more details.

Taught modules

Compulsory modules

Advanced Research Design

In this module you will develop your data acquisition and interpretation techniques, and prepare you for the Dissertation.
Operational Management in Health and Social Care

In this module you will understand the relationship between system design, demand and capacity management.
Organisational Resource Management in Health and Social Care

This module explores financial flows, controls and application to business/service development.
Coaching and Mentoring in Health and Social Care (alternative to compulsory)

This module is designed to enable you to explore the context, theory and application of coaching and mentoring within health and social care organisations. The role of managers and leaders in health and social care includes engaging, motivating and developing a wide range of staff in order to enhance engagement, retention and improve performance. Evidence-based coaching and mentoring is being used to support this, both in private and public sector organisations. This module will help you to learn the skills that underpin coaching and mentoring, identify how to incorporate these within your working relationships and create an environment to support this approach. The module also presents an opportunity to critically analyse and evaluate the theory and practice of coaching and mentoring, its emergence from and relation to other disciplines, and its implementation at team and wider organisational levels.

You can either pick this module or Leadership in Health and Social Care.
Leadership in Health and Social Care (alternative compulsory)

This module explores the utilisation and impact of leadership on organisations and teams with a clear focus on gaining understanding of your own leadership practice and development and its enhancement.

You can either pick Coaching and Mentoring in Health and Social Care or Leadership in Health and Social Care.

Optional modules

Advanced Communication and Supportive Relationships (20 credits)

This single module explores verbal and non-verbal communication, and the development of supportive relationships, within the context of health and social care. It aims to build on existing skills and develop them within the student's area of practice. The module promotes a critical approach to sources of knowledge from nursing, health and social care and psychotherapy.

Evidence Based Practice (20 credits)

This module aims to explore and critique theories, models and strategies for evidence-based practice, with application to the health and social care setting. We will examine the purposes, uses and limitations of various approaches to evidence-based practice, with consideration of political and economic dimensions.

We'll consider the concepts of decision-making from the practitioner, purchaser, provider and consumer perspectives. We will also explore some available tools for critical-appraisal and the transfer of evidence to professional knowledge.

Independent Study (20 credits)

The aim of this module is to enable you to build on your existing professional knowledge and experience and to study in-depth an aspect related to your chosen programme of study. You can choose your own area of interest, negotiate a study and assessment plan with an appointed supervisor. Most students work on their own project, though it may be possible to work on a group project depending on the nature of the topic and the availability and area of interest of other students.

Planning and Managing Clinical Trials (20 credits)

This module is aimed at healthcare professionals whose work directly involves (or wishes to become involved in) clinical trials. This includes principal investigators, clinical research nurses, clinical trial managers and clinical trial administrators. It can provide Continuing Professional Development for any healthcare researchers.

We'll facilitate demonstration of training required by the European Directive 2001/20/EC and the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004. You will have an opportunity to understand the principles of how to plan and manage clinical trials on human volunteers in accordance with current good clinical practice. You'll also explore, critically analyse and apply the knowledge and skills in your own working environment.

Final project

Compulsory modules

Dissertation

The Dissertation enables you to develop a more specialised and deeper understanding of management in your sector. Alongside the core modules there is also a choice of an optional module allowing you to tailor your study to your specific interests and learning needs.

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

You will learn through the following methods:

lectures
seminars
learning sets
blended and online learning.

Each module amounts to about 200 hours of study time. This is delivered through morning and afternoon sessions and online learning activities.

You can tailor your learning to cover topics suited to your professional development needs, through the course's flexible structure.

You will maximise benefits to your professional role through the use of real workplace issues, adding value to assignments. You can then apply your learning and evidence-based management to your organisation.

Assessment

Assessment methods used on this course

Assignments use real workplace issues to add value and maximise benefits to your professional role.

You will be assessed via written work and presentations. The vast majority of assessment is via written assignments as we don't use exams. These written assignments do come with a formative opportunity before the summative submission.

Student profiles

Aisha Abdulkareem

"For Brookes, it’s a reputable institution where there are a lot of things to gain here. The way they treat international students, that’s one thing that caught my eye, it's somewhere I can stay and feel at home"

Our Staff

Dr Alfred Veldhuis

Dr Alfred Veldhuis areas of expertise is Cognitive neuroscience, focusing on attention and memory using electroencephalogram and transcranial magnetic stimulation techniques.

Dr Alfred Veldhuis

Dr Alfred Veldhuis areas of expertise is Cognitive neuroscience, focusing on attention and memory using electroencephalogram and transcranial magnetic stimulation techniques.

Careers and professional development

Graduates of our leadership in health and social care degree develop a vast amount of expertise. You’ll be able to look for a range of different opportunities. Students have gone on to lead departments in areas such as:

local authorities,
public health services,
social care,
charities,
data analysis,
health care management,
health education.

Why Oxford Brookes University?

Leadership Skills

Through the course you'll develop the ability to lead health and social care teams to improve mental and physical health.

A global perspective

We take a global viewpoint, comparing contrasting health systems to give you a bigger insight into cutting-edge management practices and interventions.

The Health and Wellbeing Research Group

Be inspired by the experts at The Health and Wellbeing Research Group, a body that specialises in studying prevention efforts for physical and psychological health and wellbeing.

A recognised qualification

This interdisciplinary Master of Sciences degree is a globally recognised qualification that covers a range of leadership disciplines.

A stepping stone to a rewarding career

Whether you want to advance in a current clinical role, or are looking to enter the health or social care sector, this course will give you the skills to make it happen.