Program Overview

Type 1 Diabetes Opportunities and Complexities

Overview

Type 1 diabetes is an increasingly common auto-immune condition that affects every age group. The immunology, genetics, environmental factors, and increasing incidence of type 1 diabetes will be critically examined. This course will also examine the knowledge, evidence, and competencies required to work at a higher level of practice to respond to the advancing glycaemic management techniques and developing digital technologies for people with type 1 diabetes.

What's Covered in This Course?

• Care approaches and partnership working with people with type 1 diabetes needs to be designed and delivered in a person-enabling and age-appropriate way.
• Type 1 diabetes is complex and unpredictable and requires person-centred engagement to optimise knowledge and self-management techniques.
• Increasing use of insulin delivery technologies and glycaemic management opportunities will be core to this module.
• Alongside the human factors of living well with type 1 diabetes to promote safety, engagement, psychological support, and enablement are essential when working with people living with the daily challenges of type 1 diabetes.
• Case scenarios and special situations in type 1 diabetes care will be critically examined within this module.

Why Choose This Course?

• This module is delivered as a standalone or as part of the MSc in Advancing Diabetes Care pathway.
• This module aligns with the post-graduate philosophy and is designed to be flexible and practice-led.
• You will have the opportunity to develop skills of enquiry, reflection, and problem-solving.
• You can study this module completely online.
• You will be encouraged to think critically and share practice experiences within an online discussion forum with your fellow students, as well as engaging in both directed and self-directed learning activities.
• You will be an active partner in your own learning and development and, in return, you will receive regular feedback and feed forward aimed at developing your academic skills, and have the opportunity to discuss your progress with the module team.

Fees & How to Apply

UK Students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study.
• The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.
• Award: Module
• Starting: Jan 2026
• Mode: Short Course
• Duration: 200 hours
• Fees: Ł860 per 20 credit module

International Students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study.
• The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.
• Award: Module
• Starting: Jan 2026
• Mode: Short Course
• Duration: 200 hours
• Fees: Ł860 per 20 credit module

Entry Requirements

• This course is suitable for anyone who has a current professional registration from the country of their practice.
• If you are an international student, then you must obtain an IETS Score of 6.0 in all fields.

Course in Depth

Course Structure

• This module is delivered online and contains filmed video vignettes, case studies, student-led work areas, evidence resources, webinars, and guided study approaches with regular access through the learning to your module leader and teaching team.

Indicative Content

• Causes: immunology, genetics, viral, seasonal, environmental, and geographical variations
• Incidence, prevalence, epidemiology
• Insulin delivery and age-appropriate knowledge for insulin replacement
• Gender considerations
• Developing and emerging technologies in insulin delivery and continuous glucose monitoring
• Interpretation of glucose and insulin results, resistance or sensitivity
• Blood glucose experiences and complexities
• Complications of type 1 diabetes
• Disordered eating
• Service user experience and dis-engagement
• Hypoglycaemia management
• Glucose management and teaching people with type 1 diabetes the skills in an age-appropriate way
• Reasonable adjustments
• Inpatient management and primary care management
• Partnership working and enablement across age groups
• Physical activity management
• HbA1c and factors affecting
• Human factors and person-centred care delivery
• Safety netting
• Driving advice
• Legal considerations
• End of life management

Employability

• Career pathways on completion of this programme include higher-level specialist practice, career progression in diabetes care, research development, publication opportunities, and management of developing service opportunities.

Assessment

• Short assignment
• Online Case CGM download weekly series

Facilities & Staff

• This course is delivered through an online learning resource, with online study materials to guide you through the appropriate topics, as well as providing links to other resources.
• You will also need textbooks, and a full reading list is provided with each module syllabus.
• Although it is taught by distance learning, you will still have regular contact with your module tutor by email or telephone.
• We also offer optional periodic seminar talks where you can meet the course team, along with your fellow students.

Our Staff

Martha Stewart

• Senior Lecturer and Programme Lead - MSc Advancing Diabetes Care
• Martha began her career pathway as a secondary school teacher in Zimbabwe, where she was born.
• After moving to the UK in 1999, she embarked on her nurse training with Nottingham University and qualified as an Adult nurse in 2002.
• Martha joined Birmingham City University in October 2020 as a part-time senior lecturer in diabetes care.

Professor Anne Phillips

• Emeritus Professor in Diabetes Care
• Anne Phillips is a Queens Nurse and a National Teaching Fellow with the Higher Education Academy.
• After a career in specialist and community diabetes nursing in London and Yorkshire, Anne previously worked with colleagues at the University of York and established a countrywide and international collaborative curriculum for Health Professionals in diabetes care.