Integrated Palliative & End of Life Care MSc
Join a programme for frontline healthcare staff which enables you to deliver palliative and end-of-life care, engages you in research-led service improvements, and immerses you in an interactive virtual community of fictional patients.
Closed to applications. We will no longer be accepting applications for this programme.
Overview
| Course length: | 1 year full-time 2.25-4.5 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Start dates: | February 2026 |
| Location: | Edge Hill University or Terence Burgess Education Centre (Southport) or Online study |
| Example offers: | 2:2 or above (or equivalent) in a health or social care related subject View full entry criteria |
| Subject(s): | Health and Social Care |
| Faculty: | Health, Social Care and Medicine |
| Department: | Medical School |
This programme is designed to make palliative and end-of-life care real, meaningful and accessible for all frontline clinical staff. The programme is suitable for nurses (community, hospital, nursing home, hospice), health and social care practitioners, allied health professionals, paramedics and doctors (GPs, specialist doctors and doctors in training). You will gain enhanced knowledge, confidence and competence in assessing the palliative and end-of-life care needs of patients and their families, with a particular focus on transforming end-of-life communication and the psychology of spiritual care and positive emotion. The impact in different disease trajectories will be explored, looking for similarities and differences and seeing how these might be managed. In addition, you will learn how to manage symptoms and address concerns arising across the four domains of holistic care (physical, psychological, spiritual and social), consider the ethical and legal aspects of care, and undertake an advanced practice project, underpinned by a detailed understanding of clinical education research.
What you'll study
The course introduces you to the philosophy, principles and national drivers of palliative care, assessment and symptom management.
You will study the trajectories of end-of-life care in a variety of diseases and conditions, examine holistic care from a physical, psychological, spiritual and social perspective, and gain skills and knowledge in both supporting family carers and providing bereavement support.
In addition, you will focus on the delivery of palliative care through enhanced communication skills, future advance care planning and the management of complex medicines. You will also discover major debates in clinical education research and lead, implement and evaluate a service improvement project within a health and social care setting.
Two additional, optional modules will be selected from the wider faculty portfolio.
You will select two 20 credit optional modules, negotiated with the course leader, chosen from the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine’s professional development portfolio.
For more information about each module, including the dates and times of module sessions, please see our Continuing Professional Development Modules for Health and Social Care Practitioners pages.
How you'll study
The three core modules are delivered at the Terence Burgess Education Centre in Southport. Attendance will be an interactive hybrid of face-to-face and remote online study, for typically one half-day per week for each module, with an additional full introductory day at the start of each module and a further full revision day at the end. The remaining modules are delivered at Edge Hill University and contact hours will vary depending on your module choice.
Blended learning is encouraged as part of the learning process and includes a substantial amount of material available via our virtual learning environment.
As part of these online activities, you will be exposed to a variety of end-of-life care challenges faced by the residents of a virtual community of families. You will be expected to contribute to web-based discussions with your peers about the relevant care required by members of this virtual interactive community.
How you'll be assessed
Assessment methods vary according to the demands of each module and include written assignments, designing a teaching pack, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), portfolios, seminar presentations and work-based learning projects.
Who will be teaching you
You will be taught by specialist palliative care and palliative medicine staff who have experience working in a specialist palliative care unit and across healthcare settings. The expertise of the programme team will be supplemented by guest lecturers who have specialist interests in end of life care.
Entry criteria
Entry requirements (2025 / 2026)
The normal minimum requirement is a degree equivalent to UK first-class or second-class honours (2:2 or above) in a health or social care related subject. Other subjects may be considered subject to a successful interview. You must be currently working in a healthcare setting.
If you have a minimum of five years’ experience working within health and social care and are able to demonstrate evidence of relevant continuous professional development, you may be able to access the course without a degree, subject to a successful interview.
How to apply
Closed to applications. We will no longer be accepting applications for this programme.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
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Facilities
Terence Burgess Education Centre, the location for the three core modules on the course, is a purpose-built teaching hub based at Queenscourt Hospice in Southport. It is equipped with audio-visual facilities and a small palliative care reference library. The library contains a variety of books, journals and videos relevant to palliative care.
Other modules will be delivered at Edge Hill University where the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine offers outstanding facilities for the education and training of health and social care professionals. The contemporary teaching and learning resources include leading edge clinical skills facilities, an 860-seat lecture theatre, and a variety of teaching rooms and social learning spaces.
Where you'll study
Finance
Tuition fees
UK Part-Time
Typically £51 per credit
for the course
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students joining postgraduate courses at Edge Hill University.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please see our EU student finance page for further details.
Your future career
Upon successful completion of the programme you will have the knowledge required to provide effective support to patients, their families and other health professionals in managing end-of-life care.
The course is designed to enhance your employability through developing your critical care skills and leadership qualities and encouraging you to explore new ways of working within health and social settings. You will gain experience of raising awareness of the holistic and existential issues facing patients and their loved ones and develop the skills to deal with challenging communication.
You will also be expected to demonstrate knowledge across disciplines, being both attuned to cultural diversity and aware of your professional responsibilities and limitations.
