Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £10,940 for the course
International/EU: £11,150 for the course -
How long will I study?
3 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2026
Course summary
- Join a synchronous online programme of innovative learning experiences.
- Gain advanced leadership skills for complex health and social care contexts.
- Lead strategically to improve services at system and organisational levels.
- Apply evidence and theory to real-world leadership challenges.
- Build confidence to influence change and drive service transformation.
This PGDip in Health and Social Care Leadership equips you with the strategic insight, practical tools, and critical understanding to lead complex and continually evolving care systems. You’ll explore leadership theory, service improvement, organisational development, and the wider socio‑political context of care. You can progress through flexible pathways from PG Certificate to PG Diploma to MSc.
How you learn
Our leadership programmes prepare professionals to tackle real‑world challenges, learn collaboratively across disciplines, think critically and reflectively, and thrive in a learning environment that’s both supportive and empowering.
You’ll learn through live lectures, interactive seminars, collaborative discussions, digital resources and real-world assignments. You’ll also complete a significant amount of self-directed study – identifying your leadership strengths, values, preferences and development needs through diagnostic tools.
We value creativity, inclusive practice and cross-sector collaboration, so you’ll learn alongside national and international colleagues across health and social care. You’ll also benefit from interdisciplinary modules and shared learning with other postgraduate programmes at Sheffield Hallam University.
You learn through:
- synchronous online delivery
- real-world exploration of work-based change and innovation
- digital whiteboards and real-time polling
- collaborative leadership exercises and peer engagement
- research-informed practice
- guest speakers, academics and experienced leaders
- workshops and group work
- independent study
- weekly (recorded) online live tutorials
- constructive feedback and reflection
- self-directed learning
Key themes
This is a comprehensive, practice-led programme to prepare you to make a significant impact within your organisation.
You’ll begin by deepening self-awareness and team leadership skills, exploring how personal values, behaviours and emotional intelligence influence leadership effectiveness. Through interactive learning and real-world assignments, you’ll apply evidence and theory to challenges within your own professional context, ensuring your learning is relevant and immediately applicable.
Building on these foundations, the diploma introduces strategies for leading change initiatives with confidence. You’ll critically examine the socio-political, economic and environmental factors shaping health and social care – gaining insight into how these influence leadership decisions at organisational and system levels.
You’ll also challenge your thinking with content from diverse authors and thought leaders – including John Amaechi and Nova Reid – while encouraging critical analysis and reflection on your leadership practice. By engaging with current research and best practice, you’ll learn to evaluate leadership approaches and propose evidence-based, ethical solutions to complex problems.
Course-level support
You’ll be supported in your learning journey through a number of key areas, such as:
- access to experienced lecturers and technical experts
- peer collaboration within a multidisciplinary cohort
- access to our Skills Centre for academic writing and study development
Applied learning
Live projects
You’ll engage in work-based projects or real-world projects set by external organisations. These experiences allow you to apply leadership principles to service improvement, manage change initiatives, and demonstrate decision-making in complex health and social care environments.
Example projects include a critical analysis of your own leadership practice, and leading change during periods of turbulence, uncertainty and organisational pressure. These aim to strengthen teams, tackle organisational challenges and enhance outcomes for service users.
You’ll also take part in interactive simulations – where students lead a service redesign, implement a new pathway or introduce a digital tool – managing resistance, stakeholders and organisational dynamics. These are opportunities to practice leadership, develop problem-solving skills and apply strategic thinking to real-world challenges.
Networking opportunities
You’ll have online opportunities to build leadership networks, share best practices and engage in strategic discussions. You’ll be able to collaborate by sharing real-world experiences as change agents in health and social care – contributing to a rich, peer-supported learning environment.
Course leaders and tutors
Nick White
Senior Lecturer In Adult NursingI am module leader for the Developing Simulation and Human Factors in Education Level 7 that is part of the MSc Healthcare Education and Clinical Simulation Lead for … Read more
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
Aims
This module explores principles of formative and summative assessment, examining their design, purpose, and impact on learner progression. You will explore inclusive assessment strategies, constructive alignment, and equity in practice. The module also introduces feedback models and strategies that develop feedback literacy, promote learner independence, and shape professional identity. You will engage with quality assurance processes, institutional frameworks, and wider policy drivers to inform your own practice. Through critical reflection, you will develop strategies to enhance fairness, coherence, and sustainability in assessment and feedback across diverse learning environments.
Indicative content:
Principles of assessment in health and social care education
Formative and summative assessment: design, application, and impact
Inclusive assessment and equity in practice
Constructive alignment
Feedback models in practice
Feedback strategies in contemporary practice
Assessment and feedback in professional identity formation
Quality assurance, policy, and institutional framework(s)
This module introduces you to contemporary knowledge, skills, and behaviours required to teach and facilitate others’ learning effectively. You will explore a range of educational theories and pedagogies that underpin teaching and learning, enabling you to apply them directly within your health or social care setting. The module focuses on creating inclusive and engaging learning environments, helping you design effective and motivating learning experiences that respond to diverse learner needs.
You will critically examine how educational philosophies shape your teaching practice and develop your understanding of assessment strategies that support learning. By the end of the module, you will be equipped to make informed, reflective decisions about how best to support the learners in your practice area.
Indicative content:
Contemporary learning theories
Educational philosophies and practice
Interprofessional Education
Technology-Enhanced Learning
Inclusive pedagogy and equity
Motivation and engagement
Designing learning activities
Assessment strategies for learning
Elective modules
This module enables you to explore and apply advanced knowledge, skills, and values related to workplace learning, with a focus on supporting learners or colleagues experiencing professional difficulties. You will critically examine mentoring, coaching, and supervision models and their use across diverse, inter-professional settings. Emphasis is placed on the value of early, constructive support for individuals, teams, professions, and organisations.
Through engagement with evidence-based frameworks, you will develop strategies to support learners in difficulty, using a range of communication and support approaches. You will also reflect on your own development needs and create a personalised action plan. By the end of the module, you will be equipped with the insight and tools to foster an inclusive learning culture and support others through challenges.
Indicative content
Mentoring, coaching and supervision models
Inter-professional working
Supporting learners in difficulty
Communication strategies
Personal reflection
Evidence base evaluation
This module enables you to explore the pedagogical foundations of simulation-based education in health and social care. You will examine how experiential learning, scenario design, and structured debriefing techniques can enhance learner development, support reflective practice, and build critical thinking. You are encouraged to apply inclusive and psychologically safe approaches when designing simulation activities that mirror real-world challenges and promote service improvement.
Throughout the module, you will critically reflect on the role of simulation in advancing quality assurance, patient safety, and educator development. You will consider the responsibilities of the simulation educator and how to lead and facilitate meaningful simulation experiences that engage diverse learners.
Indicative content
Pedagogical foundations of simulation-based education
Simulation and quality improvement
Patient and service user safety
Inclusive simulation practice
Role of the simulation educator
Structured debriefing models
Scenario design and learning alignment
Leadership and facilitation in simulation
Year 2
Compulsory modules
Module aims to:
This module will develop your critical understanding of curriculum theory, design, and review processes. You will explore how curriculum aligns with macro-level policy, workforce demands, and potential PSRB requirements. Through engagement with curriculum governance, quality assurance, and stakeholder expectations, you will gain the tools to lead inclusive, coherent, and strategically aligned developments in health and social care education.
You will consider your identity and influence as an educational leader, advocate, and change agent, fostering accountability, inclusivity, and sustainability.
Indicative content:
Curriculum design in complex systems
Strategic alignment and mapping for coherence
Leading curriculum change
Inclusive curriculum development
Macro policy and workforce influences
Stakeholder collaboration
Quality assurance and enhancement
The role and responsibilities of the curriculum leader
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
This module prepares and enables you to embed research and innovation as a core component of your practice and engage in projects that address priorities and seek to transform lives.
It explores the role of research and innovation in healthcare practice and will provide you with an in-depth insight into a range of designs and methods that are used when undertaking such projects.
The practicalities of proposing, implementing and undertaking successful projects is explored and you will be supported to create your own research and innovation plan for practice.
Indicative content:
Health innovation and research - principles and priorities
The research cycle:
Research paradigms and methodology
Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research
Service evaluation: applying research design and methods
Literature based reviews
Formulating research/evaluation questions
Ethics and governance
Public and service user and carer (social care) involvement and co-production
Funding and support
Project management
Research impact:
Dissemination and knowledge exchange (for example writing for publication)
Enhancement of career opportunities in research
Elective modules
This module introduces students to leadership within health and social care, focusing on developing self-awareness and reflective practice. Students will explore leadership and management theories, assess their leadership style using diagnostic tools, and create a development plan aligned with personal and organisational goals.
Module Content
You’ll study topics such as:
Key leadership and management theories in health and social care
Leadership challenges and strategies in professional practice
Understanding followership and its role in effective leadership
Self-assessment using leadership diagnostic tools
Personal leadership reflection and development planning
Ethical, inclusive, and values-based leadership
This module enables you to explore and apply advanced knowledge, skills, and values related to workplace learning, with a focus on supporting learners or colleagues experiencing professional difficulties. You will critically examine mentoring, coaching, and supervision models and their use across diverse, inter-professional settings. Emphasis is placed on the value of early, constructive support for individuals, teams, professions, and organisations.
Through engagement with evidence-based frameworks, you will develop strategies to support learners in difficulty, using a range of communication and support approaches. You will also reflect on your own development needs and create a personalised action plan. By the end of the module, you will be equipped with the insight and tools to foster an inclusive learning culture and support others through challenges.
Indicative content
Mentoring, coaching and supervision models
Inter-professional working
Supporting learners in difficulty
Communication strategies
Personal reflection
Evidence base evaluation
This module enables you to explore the pedagogical foundations of simulation-based education in health and social care. You will examine how experiential learning, scenario design, and structured debriefing techniques can enhance learner development, support reflective practice, and build critical thinking. You are encouraged to apply inclusive and psychologically safe approaches when designing simulation activities that mirror real-world challenges and promote service improvement.
Throughout the module, you will critically reflect on the role of simulation in advancing quality assurance, patient safety, and educator development. You will consider the responsibilities of the simulation educator and how to lead and facilitate meaningful simulation experiences that engage diverse learners.
Indicative content
Pedagogical foundations of simulation-based education
Simulation and quality improvement
Patient and service user safety
Inclusive simulation practice
Role of the simulation educator
Structured debriefing models
Scenario design and learning alignment
Leadership and facilitation in simulation
This module provides you with an understanding of the standards and competencies required to successfully undertake the role of the Professional Midwifery and Nurse Advocate (PMA/PNA). The PMA/PNA model links leadership and supervisory work with staff personal development, with the aim of impacting quality improvement and enhancement initiatives.
The module will focus on the four functions of the Advocating for Education and Quality and Improvement (A-EQUIP) Model which are:
• Clinical Supervision (Restorative)
• Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Control (Normative)
• Personal Action for Quality Improvement
• Education and Development (Formative)
You’ll study topics such as:
• National and local policies informing the role of the supervisor/Professional Midwifery/Nurse Advocate within the context of national and local governance policies.
• Background and the development of the A-EQUIP model leading to a working knowledge of the model for resilient practice.
• Articulation of models of supervision within the PMA/PNA role and how clinical supervision supports staff to reflect and consider their practice in relation to these models. Formative, normative and restorative supervision practice.
• A range of supervisory approaches and methods including facilitation, coaching, motivational interviewing, assertiveness, reflection, debriefing, advocacy, and managing challenging conversations.
• The therapeutic and compassionate skills communication skills, parallel processes as applied to supervisory frameworks for understanding and managing the supervisory relationship.
• Leadership and change management models, incorporating challenges that organisations and individual leaders encounter in the organisation.
• Leadership and critical thinking skills which underpin the setting up and development of a successful PMA/PNA relationship, including setting ground rules, negotiating, and working in partnership.
• Approaches to change management and quality improvement through evidence-based practice to ensure people experience safe, compassionate, person-centred care including the concept of advocacy.
• Ethical issues for PMA/PNA facilitating change management and mentorship which may affect the process for example, conflict of interest, maintaining professional boundaries, and performance management.
• Leadership techniques and processes for change management, collaborative working and leadership of teams and groups.
• Establishing PMA/PNA roles and frameworks for on-going development of to secure team building and participation.
• Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion within organisational cultures and organisational dynamics.
Final year
Compulsory modules
This module focuses upon independent research for students working towards a full Award at Master's Level, in their chosen programme.
Students are allocated a designated supervisor to support them in undertaking an independent exploration of an appropriate project relevant to their professional practice. Students may conduct either primary or secondary research to explore complex and impactful themes, contributing to professional practice through dissemination and informed recommendations.
Module Content:
Relevant content will vary according to the student’s chosen research methodology; however common elements include exploration of:
Background and context of chosen theme, contextualising the Research Question
Individual Research Question design using recognised tools
Select and justify chosen methodology
Gain approval for Ethical and Research Governance for professional practice, from the University and any organisation in relation to data.
Data analysis, management, and security
Collate, Synthesise and evaluate evidence
Explore the impact and create recommendations for practice and research dissemination
Future careers
The PGDip in Health and Social Care Leadership enhances your leadership by providing improved self-awareness, new perspectives and skills development to support your career progression. The programme is highly valued by professionals and employers, and aligned with the newly developed NHS England Management and Leadership Framework.
You’ll gain the language and confidence to step into more senior roles, such as:
- department head roles
- system leadership
Graduates use their learning as a stepping stone to career advancement and further study – including the MSc in Health and Social Care Leadership. They contribute to leadership across health and social care systems nationally and internationally, with some having published their work.
Equipment and facilities
This distance-learning course is taught online, so you’ll need regular access to a PC, laptop or Mac with internet connectivity, and the digital literacy to engage with Microsoft Teams and Blackboard.
You’ll have access to a wide range of resources you can revisit anytime, including:
- our Blackboard virtual learning platform
- live-streamed lessons
- student community apps
- interactive platforms
- collaboration tools
- recorded materials
- diagnostic tools
- media content
International students are welcome and can access all resources remotely, ensuring a fully inclusive and connected learning experience regardless of where you are.
Where will I study?
You study this course online from any location
Entry requirements
All students
Normally, a first degree, professional qualification in a related health care subject, and 2 years post qualification experience.
International students require an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each skill area.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £10,940 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £3,650 per year.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £11,150 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.
Scholarships and financial support
Find information on scholarships, bursaries and postgraduate student loans.
International scholarships up to £3000 ›
Alumni scholarships up to £2000 ›
Postgraduate loans for UK students ›
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Health and Social Care (PDF, 277.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
