Healthcare Leadership

PGDip

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Part time 2 - 4 years
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Overview

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    QS World University Rankings (2024)

  • Lancaster University is top 10 in The Complete University Guide 2025

Introduction

The Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Leadership is for clinicians at any stage of their careers who are interested in developing and proving their commitment to:

  • improving patient experience and service delivery
  • demonstrating caring, compassionate, authentic leadership
  • developing leadership capacity to achieve medical and organisational impact

The programme is designed to develop your knowledge, understanding and skills in line with the Medical Leadership Competency Framework. It will enhance your leadership capabilities and equip you with the skills necessary to drive meaningful change within the healthcare sector.

Enrolling in the Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Leadership offers numerous benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal development within the healthcare sector. The programme’s flexible structure allows you to balance your studies with your demanding schedule, completing the programme over two to four years.

By focusing on practical application, the coursework directly relates to your role, enabling you to make immediate, impactful changes in your organisation. You will gain advanced skills in leadership, strategic thinking, change management, and innovation, all tailored to the unique challenges of healthcare. The customisable learning pathway lets you choose modules that align with your career goals, from compassionate leadership to digital innovation. Additionally, the programme provides a strong foundation for further academic pursuits, such as doctoral studies, and prepares you for disseminating your practice through publications and conferences. With support from specialist tutors and a dedicated learning coach, you will have the guidance needed to succeed and lead effectively in the healthcare environment.

Programme outcomes

If you’re considering taking your learning further, this programme can lead to a Master's (MSc) in Healthcare Leadership, with a specialism in your chosen area of study, such as sustainability, innovation and improvement, and organisation development. The master's itself lays a solid foundation for doctoral studies, preparing you to share your insights through publications and conferences and helping you gain recognition in your field.

Programme delivery

The Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Leadership is structured with maximum flexibility and choice, perfect for fitting into your busy life. The course is delivered through distance learning, allowing you to study from anywhere at your own pace over two to four years. This means you can seamlessly balance your studies with work, family, or other commitments.

Although the course is primarily online, students who can visit the campus have the opportunity to engage in additional activities offered by the Management School, such as masterclasses and networking events. These sessions provide a chance to deepen your learning and connect with peers and industry professionals.

You'll benefit from the support of module tutors who are specialists in their fields, ensuring you receive expert guidance and insights. Additionally, each student is assigned a learning coach to provide personalised support and advice throughout the course. This combination of specialist tutors and dedicated learning coaches ensures that you have the resources and support you need to succeed in your studies and apply your learning effectively in your workplace.

During your programme, you will have the opportunity to tailor your learning by selecting from a portfolio that includes modules such as Compassionate and Inclusive Leadership, Financial Decision-Making, Managing Projects, Sustainability and Ethics, Leading Digital Innovation and Change, Managing Professional Development, and Advanced Coaching and Mentoring.

Assessment

The programme is assessed through various coursework methods that relate directly to your workplace and role, ensuring that your learning is practical and applicable. There are no exams or theoretical case studies. Instead, you will create your own key projects and areas of focus tailored to your professional context and goals.

Assessments include reports and presentations, posters, plans, portfolios and projects. You will engage in both individual and collaborative assignments, allowing you to apply your knowledge and skills in real-world scenarios. This approach ensures that all your work is directly relevant to your career, providing immediate benefits to both you and your organisation.

We look forward to supporting you on your journey through this postgraduate diploma. This programme will equip you with the tools and knowledge to become an effective leader and drive positive change within the healthcare sector.

Programme duration

This programme will take two to four years to complete, depending upon your personalised timeline.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

A first degree or equivalent professional qualification.

We will also consider applicants with non-standard qualifications, please contact us for information.

Applicants will usually have at least three years of experience in a role which allows for the scope for you to apply your learning in the workplace.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English language requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

Pre-master’s programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master’s pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master’s degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Course structure

Detailed module information for this postgraduate programme will follow shortly. However, if you have any questions please contact the department.

Fees and funding

The total fee for the programme is £6,240, with the option to pay per module

£1040 per 20-credit module (UK and international)

General fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

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Important Information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2025/2026 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

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We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

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