Program Overview

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Introduction to the Palliative Care Program

The Palliative Care: Implementing Best Practice program is designed to address the significant gap in professionals who can lead change and use robust evidence to inform their work in palliative care. This program enables and empowers health and social care professionals, policymakers, and researchers to progress their development, delivery, and evaluation of care that facilitates best practice in palliative care and long-term conditions.

About the Program

The program is delivered 100% online, allowing students to access world-renowned, research-led teaching from anywhere in the world. It is designed specifically for an online audience, using a range of interactive activities to support learning, including discussion forums, webinars, and online lectures.

Key Benefits

• Develop the research and personal skills, attributes, and confidence to apply learning to implement evidence-based palliative care.
• Delivered by some of the world’s leading palliative care experts within the Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre.
• Study for a PGCert, PGDip, or MSc.
• Build a global network of palliative care professionals and connect with like-minded peers.
• Flexible full or part-time study options.

Who is this Program for?

The program is open to individuals working anywhere in the world who work in palliative care or the care of people living with long-term conditions and have a drive to leverage change in services in the field. Palliative care is multidisciplinary, and the program welcomes students from a range of specialties, including health and social care professionals, medical clinicians and GPs, policymakers, researchers, and decision-makers at local, regional, and national levels.

Teaching and Assessment

The program is taught through lectures, small group seminars (both tutor-led and student-led), Q&A seminars with tutors and external experts, one-to-one tutorials, feedback, and support from tutors and other students. Assessment methods include oral presentations, implementation strategies, essays, and a dissertation for the MSc.

Study Routes

The program offers several study routes:

• Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert): Provides the theoretical and practical grounding of contemporary issues in palliative care and long-term conditions.
• Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip): Enhances knowledge and skills acquired in the PGCert modules with more specialist learning in research methods and the application of implementation science.
• Masters (MSc): Consolidates and builds on learning from the modules undertaken as part of the PGCert and PGDip to develop knowledge, skills, and confidence to undertake and deliver a high-quality research project.

Modules

Core themes of equity, patient and public involvement, implementation science, and critical appraisal are integrated across all modules. Some modules can also be studied as standalone courses. Modules include:

• Palliative Care Research and Practice
• Introduction to Implementation Science for Palliative Care and Long-term Conditions
• Global Palliative Care Development
• Research project / Dissertation (MSc)

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have previous training in a health or social care profession, in a science applied to human or organisational behaviour, or have equivalent professional experience. A 2.1 degree or equivalent is required. All applications will be subject to successful completion of an online interview.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English must meet specific English language requirements, including IELTS, PTE Academic, CAE and CPE, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or LangCert B2 Communicator High Pass.

Tuition Fees

Fees listed are for 2026 entry and are reviewed annually. Fees for the program vary by study route and duration:

• PGCert: £4,480 (1 year), £2,240 (2 years)
• PGDip: £8,960 (1 year), £4,480 (2 years)
• MSc: £13,440 (1 year), £6,720 (2 years), £4,480 (3 years)

Career Prospects

This course supports and empowers individuals across a range of professions to develop the knowledge and skills needed to design, deliver, and evaluate care that improves the wellbeing of those with advanced illness and their families. Career paths include Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Nurse Consultant in Palliative Care, Physiotherapy Consultant, and Chief Executive of a Hospice. Pursuing a PhD is also a natural progression for those who seek to deepen their understanding and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field.

Applying

To apply, submit an online application on the University of Hull website. The deadline for applications from international applicants is 10 August 2026, and 17 August for home (UK) applicants.

Further Information

For more details about the program, including funding opportunities and support services, visit the University of Hull website. Professional Development Grants are available for applicants currently employed at hospices in the UK, and further information can be found on the Hospice UK website.