About your MSc medical education course
Studying a masters in medical education online will give you the flexibility to develop your career around your other commitments and allow you to combine your passions for health and education. This course is ideal if you're a registered professional working in the healthcare sector and are engaged in teaching or learning as part of your professional role.
You'll gain an excellent foundation of the learning and teaching methods specific to healthcare and prepare yourself to become an educational leader of the future in healthcare. This online distance learning course will develop and enhance your teaching practice, from motivating learning to designing effective learning resources, which you can apply directly to your role.
Course highlights
- The research project provides you with an opportunity to address a problem within your practice or fill a gap in your knowledge
- Select your optional module based on it being an area of specific interest or relevance to your existing role
- Professional accreditation – our MSc is accredited by the Higher Education Academy (HEA)
- The course is aligned to the UK Professional Standards Framework for Higher Education which gives you the option to gain Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
How you'll study
This course is studied 100% online
Study this course over 2 years
Start in January or September
30th April 2024
Fees: £8,200
Professional accreditation
Course overview
Designed to reflect the current trends and practices in health professions education, the MSc in medical education is aligned to the UK Professional Standards Framework for Higher Education, allowing you to apply for Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
This course will provide opportunities for you to engage with key principles and philosophies of teaching and learning, which you can apply in your specific professional context. You'll be supported through this process through a range of activities and formative assessments, complemented by individual tutorials with educational supervisors that encourage personal reflection and goal setting, to develop you as an independent learner.
Further to this you'll be given the opportunity to develop specialist skills in healthcare education relating to your field, culminating in a research project in an area of your choice. This will allow you to explore research methodologies of your choosing, and develop essential research skills.
You'll have direct access to a Faculty filled with healthcare professionals and medical educators, who have a wealth of experience in delivering healthcare education, and will support you in addressing an authentic research problem.
Practising what we preach, you'll be introduced to and experiment with a wide range of active learning techniques. Reflecting this approach, you'll demonstrate your learning through a series of non-traditional assessments.
Studying alongside fellow students with medical competence like GPs, junior doctors, consultants, nurses, dentists, midwives, paramedics and other allied health professionals, discussion and inter-professional learning are key to the vibrancy of this course, enriching your student experience.
This course can also be taken as a PG Cert with the option of topping up to a full Masters course.
Modules
Principles of Medical and Healthcare Education
This module will introduce you to some of the key principles within medical and healthcare education. Encouraging you to reflect upon your own experiences, both as a learner and as an educator. You’ll develop and enhance your own teaching practices, exploring principles, incorporating critical analysis of relevant literature. You'll address practical aspects of teaching, from motivating learners through to designing effective learning resources to enhance your teaching strategies and we'll provide guidance on planning, delivering and reflecting on teaching sessions to maximise the quality of your learning experience.
Philosophies of Medical and Healthcare Education
During this module you’ll engage with fundamental questions concerning the aims, values and outcomes of education, within your sphere of practice. You'll be encouraged to reflect on your role within the educational process and how your personal aims and values might influence your practice. You'll explore incidences of when policy and practice are misaligned and the practical implications of this within your field, drawing on your understanding of educational theory to propose solutions.
Postgraduate Research Design
This module will give you the tools you need in order to identify and plan research to address a real world problem within your practice, or address a gap in your existing knowledge within your field. It is designed for participants from across the School of Medicine which is reflected in the diverse content including: evaluating literature, designing research questions, systematic review procedures, qualitative and quantitative research methods and data analysis, issues of rigour and ethical considerations in research.
Postgraduate Research Project
As a central component of the Masters award, the major project provides you with the opportunity to address a suitable research problem or gap in your knowledge within your practice. Through synthesis of your learning from previous modules, you'll be able to plan a research project, including the selection of appropriate methods of data collection and analysis, execute the design, and communicate your findings in a suitable manner.
Optional Modules
You will need to select one optional module
Specialist Techniques for Medical and Healthcare Education (Optional)
You’ll develop specialist techniques required for your role in medical and healthcare education. You'll have the opportunity to explore 5 techniques (of ten offered) that you believe will benefit your practice. You'll be encouraged to reflect on how you might use these techniques to address identified areas for development in your practice and benefit your students' learning.
Global Leadership (Optional)
Businesses, whether private, public or third sector, operate in a world facing a range of urgent global issues. You’ll examine the fitness of businesses and individuals to tackle such issues, based on the Global Leadership model developed by lecturers at ARU. You’ll cover effective decision making, adoption of a global approach, creation of a new business paradigm and creation of a contemporary mission. You’ll also consider the related concept of mis-leadership, which looks at how leaders have often failed to achieve the optimum outcomes for those they lead.
Advancing Professional Decision Making (Optional)
This module will help advance your decision making skills through critical reflection. You'll need to be able to utilise practical decision making skills within an area of professional knowledge and to develop strategies to facilitate the implementation of the outcomes of the decision making process into practice, either as an individual or within a team/organisation. Management of change and service development are seen as core elements of the module, together with the enhancement of professional judgement and leadership.
Modules are subject to change and availability.
Assessment
Assessment methods vary according to module selection, but will include written essays, teaching observations, research proposals, educational portfolios and research reports.
Meet your tutors
Dr Rahul Pathak
Course Leader Postgraduate Medical and Healthcare Education
Rahul is the course leader for our PG Cert and MSc in Medical and Healthcare Education and a member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Rahul graduated with a degree in medicine from King George Medical University India in 1993. He worked in the Department of Surgery in a hospital in India, and then moved to South E Africa where he worked in the Department of Forensic Pathology.
He completed postgraduate qualification in forensic science from University of Strathclyde Glasgow.
Rahul joined ARU (Cambridge Campus) in 2007 and until Sept 2022 he worked in the School of Life Sciences as a Senior Lecture and Course Leader for postgraduate forensic science.
How you'll study
Our Medical and Healthcare Education MSc is studied 100% online.
You’ll study through Canvas, our world-class online Learning Management System (LMS), which can be accessed from your phone, pc or tablet at home or on the move. Canvas provides instant access to study materials, forums, and support from tutors and classmates, as well as enabling easy submission of your assignments.
On successful completion of your studies you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony on campus. If attending the ceremony in person is not possible then we’ll arrange to have your certificate sent to you.
Supported distance learning
We understand that distance learning is different to traditional campus study and if you’re new to online study you may have concerns or apprehensions about studying your MSc medical education remotely, and that’s natural.
To help put your mind at ease we have a dedicated Distance Learning Support Team to help and support you throughout your time at ARU, starting with your first online induction and staying with you right through to graduation. In addition, you’ll also be supported by specialist module tutors, well experienced in supporting distance learning students.
Once you start your MSc medical education, we encourage the creation of online communities and many of our learners find these connections with others invaluable, helping them to stay motivated, share concerns or make new friendships.
Contact us to talk through any questions or concerns or visit our support page for more information about the support services available.
Be part of the University of the Year
We're proud to be the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year 2023.
The prestigious THE awards honour ’exceptional performance during the 2021-22 academic year, and reflect ARU’s success in delivering high-impact projects during this period, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The award recognises the difference we make in the region and our communities – while also acknowledging the broader impact of our world-leading research, and the contributions our students and graduates make to society.
Accreditation
Advance HE Accredited
Accreditation by Advance HE means that our MSc Medical and Healthcare Education is aligned with the Professional Standards Framework (PSF).
PSF is the standards framework for the teaching and learning sector in the UK. Accreditation is a recognition of quality and indicates a clear commitment to the enhancement of teaching and learning.
Careers
What could a masters in medical education do for my career?
The full MSc in Medical and Healthcare Education not only provides you with the educational training requirements for GP Trainer Associate and GP Trainer (gained at PG Cert level) but also meets the NMC requirements for the professional recordable qualification - Stage 4: Practice Teacher - as well as the opportunity to conduct your own research as part of the major project that culminates to the MSc award. As with the PG Cert, you would have the option to gain Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
What skills will I get from a Medical and Healthcare Education MSc to help my career?
You’ll enhance your CV with a higher-level award that includes both deeper knowledge of the subject and added transferable skills such as the ability to:
- Deliver effective learning lessons
- Reflect critically on the effectiveness of your teaching and professional responsibilities
- Identify and facilitate opportunities for inclusion
- Communicate and present effectively
- Integrate theory with educational practice
- Problem-solve
- Manage research and work-based projects
What can I study after a masters in medical education?
Successful MSc students, who particularly enjoy engaging with the academic environment and who wish to pursue academic careers in lecturing and / or research, may progress to doctoral study at ARU or elsewhere.
Careers Advice Service
Once you become an ARU student you will be able to access our Employability service to help you at whatever stage of your career, whether that’s landing your dream job or the next progression step.
We offer:
- careers advice, including one-to-one online and telephone appointments with our experienced advisers
- help with your CV, job searches, applications and interview preparation
- an online portal packed with useful careers resources
- our Employability Programme, which helps you hone the skills employers say they want in graduates.
Entry requirements
You’ll need a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or primary medical qualification. If you are a non-graduate but have extensive relevant practical and continuing professional development experience you are also encouraged to apply.
You must be a registered practitioner in the field of health or social care and be engaged in facilitating teaching and learning as part of your professional role.
You will need to provide evidence that a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance has been undertaken.
If you have lived outside of the UK for 6 months or more within the last 5 years then you will need to provide a police check from the country/countries previously resided in.
If you are completing placements overseas you will be required to obtain a police check/certificate of good conduct from the relevant country.
If English is not your first language you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 7 (Academic level - with no individual score being lower than 5.5) or equivalent English Language qualification, as recognised by Anglia Ruskin University.
As a distance learner, you'll also need a suitable computer with internet connection, together with sufficient IT competence to make effective use of our online learning management system (LMS) with high-speed internet and email.
Important additional notes
Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements. Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course, please contact us for further information.
Fees & funding
Fees
The full tuition fee for this masters in medical education is £8,200.
The tuition fees you pay each year for the full Medical and Healthcare Education MSc will be £4,100. The course is studied over 2 years.
Approved prior learning may reduce the tuition fees. This will be confirmed once your application has been submitted.
Funding
Your masters in medical education can be fully funded by the new Postgraduate Student Loans now available (subject to eligibility).
We offer payment by instalments, so you can spread the cost of studying with us.
For military students: You can use your ELCs towards this course. Anglia Ruskin University is a recognised ELCAS provider (number 1007). Please contact your Learning Centre for details of ELC, eligibility and how to apply.
For more information on how you fund your studies please see our funding page.
What our students say
I would recommend this course to any fellow nurses or other professionals in the medical field who train others. It’s an affordable course that captures the essence of what you need to know as an educator.
Despite studying online in a different part of the world and a different time zone, this was never apparent. Whenever I needed support and advice it was always swift and very helpful.
For a mature student, distance learning is a match made in heaven. The Learning Management Systems are state of the art and the course tutors are committed to their responsibilities and care about you.
I chose ARU for their recognised global standing, their year-on-year improvements in higher education and partnerships with organisations demonstrated their investment in helping students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Next application deadline:
30th April 2024
