Course summary

Here’s your chance to be at the heart of innovation and discovery. The Professional Doctorate in Healthcare Science builds on your existing expertise so you can contribute to the latest evidence-based practice in your field. You’ll get to pursue a piece of practical, real-world research for your thesis. The course is delivered online with optional face-to-face contact sessions on campus. The flexible programme means you can tailor it to your own specialism, so it goes hand in hand with your day job. We attract a wide range of clinical practitioners, including doctors, nurses, healthcare scientists and those from allied health professions such as podiatrists and physiotherapists. Students’ projects have ranged from investigating the use of assistive technology to the assessment of the effect of exercise intervention in aging population. You could be delving into health-related data and clinical science, healthy lifestyles, medical devices, diagnostics and other aspects of applied health. Most students choose to carry out the research in their own workplace. You will have access to our specialist facilities on campus as well, including labs for gait analyses and biomechanics, human performance and physiology, sports therapy and strength and conditioning. We have designed a bespoke approach, with opportunities for one-to-one meetings with staff. The course delivery team also emulates the best interdisciplinary professional practice. It means we bring together expertise from across the University. You’ll be supported by our research-active academics, who are producing world-leading research in areas such as clinical biomechanics and health inequalities. Our strong health research portfolio also includes midwifery and nursing, along with innovative work exploring, healthcare and spirituality, and empowering patients. The programme is structured so there are two main entries. You can join us at Level 7 and decide whether to complete a certificate, MRes or the Professional Doctorate. If you already have a Masters qualification, you can go straight onto Level 8. We offer both full-time and part-time options (three years or five years), as well as September and January start dates. The Professional Doctorate is an ideal platform if you’re looking to pursue medical research, build your profile through published research papers or leadership opportunities.