Healthcare Management MSc



Study health and social care at an advanced level, learn alongside students from around the world and enhance your career development

Overview

This innovative course is designed for graduates who have, or aspire to, a management role in health and social care.

The programme will prepare you to work effectively within the complex and rapidly evolving environments of health and social care, and provide the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills within a broad international context.

The programme, delivered by the School of Health and Social Care, will prepare you to work effectively within the complex and rapidly evolving environments of health and social care, and provide the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills within a broad international context.

A particular feature is the opportunity to learn on campus with students from Scotland, across Europe and around the world.

On completion of the programme students already working in healthcare have attained promotion or commenced further study at PhD level.

Others have taken the programme as a stepping stone to healthcare management positions in their home country.

Our MSc in Healthcare Management has a 93% overall student satisfaction score (PTES,2023). 

Typical entry points to this course are in January and September. Please enquire for more information.  

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Mode of Study:

Full-time

(available as part-time)

Duration:

1 year

Start date:

SepJan

Course details

Learning, teaching and assessment methods focus on providing students with engaging and contemporary learning materials that relate to practice and theory and challenge students to take a critical perspective on both. 

While the assessment methods used are varied, they all have direct relevance to the world of work.

Lead academics

The Programme Leader is Mary Abboah-Offei who has a PhD in Palliative care, MSc in Nursing, and a Fellow with the Higher Education Academy. Mary is a nurse by background and her key research area is developing and evaluating complex interventions including person-centred intervention for people living with HIV/AIDS. During her postdoctoral research, Mary worked on global health projects including reviewing national health policies, improving early childhood development, and strengthening health systems in low and middle income countries, with funding from the British Academy and the Medical Research Council, UK. Mary has also lectured in Palliative Care, Quality Improvement & Safety in Health and Social Care, as well as Health and Wellbeing Across the Life Span. Currently, Mary also teaches on the Master of Public Health programme.

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    How you’ll be taught

    This is a full-time course and is split up into three trimesters. You can choose to start in either January or September.

    Duration:

    • September starts: 12 months
    • January starts: 18 months with a three-month break over the summer (after the first taught trimester)

    You’ll learn by a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials, online learning and independent study.

    The modules to be taught on MSc Healthcare Management are changing for the 2024 intake and the modules currently approved for study by students enrolling in 2024 will be:

    • Change Management in Healthcare
    • Clinical Governance and Improvement Practice
    • Effective Leadership in Contemporary Healthcare
    • Exploring Evidence to Improve Practice
    • International Health & Social Care
    • Managing Healthcare Resources
    • Healthcare Management Project.
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    Assessments

    A range of assessments are used for learning. These include: 

    • Critically reflective outlines and essay
    • Examination
    • Learning agreement
    • Project proposal
    • Project
    • Report
    • Financial report
    • Reflective account
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    Work placement

    There are no work placements on this programme. Students are encouraged to attend healthcare management events locally.
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    Facilities

     Our Sighthill campus serves more than 5,000 students and staff of the Schools of Applied Sciences and Health & Social Care. Facilities include our [EN]GAGE sports centre.


Modules

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

Change Management in Healthcare ( HSC11173 )

This module will introduce you to the key drivers for effective change management within a sustainable health and social care context. The module addresses the core themes of leadership and change management, facilitating the consideration of innovative and practical solutions for challenges faced in delivering an effective, sustainable healthcare service. Topics will include: sustainable healthcare, organizational behaviour and culture, leadership and change management theory, implementing and managing change within healthcare services.

Further information

Clinical Governance and Improvement Practice ( NMS11156 )

You will explore relevant policies and models related to clinical governance as well as differentiating between evidence-based practice and clinical effectiveness. You will also examine the different approaches to determining levels of quality in health and social care and ways of developing improvements in practice. Through the module you will also investigate the importance of teamwork in delivering quality person-centred care, the evolution of the principles of clinical governance and the quality improvement agenda at both the UK and international level. Exploration, analysis and synthesis of principles and policies relating to quality assurance, clinical effectiveness, theories and measures, clinical governance; evidence-based practice and the role of clinical guidelines, clinical standards, integrated care pathways and best practice statements, user involvement; monitoring the quality of care, teamwork, accountability and reflective activities which are designed to challenge assumptions and promote learning.

Further information

Effective Leadership in Contemporary Healthcare ( HSC11174 )

The module introduces you to the theories and concepts of strategic leadership and management in contemporary healthcare. You will be introduced to the importance of a shared organizational vision and collaborative working to achieve excellence in healthcare. This module will support you in your professional development as an aspiring leader by analysing your self awareness, interpersonal skills and self management. This module will give you the opportunity to critically appraise the role of the leader and working with others within a healthcare context.The broad areas that this module will cover include: Leadership and management theory, self awareness and reflection, emotional intelligence, mentorship and coaching, team dynamics and team working, partnership working and working in collaboration, influencing and negotiating skills.

Further information

Exploring Evidence to Improve Practice ( NMS11174 )

In this module you will develop a set of skills required by all professionals when exploring a work related problem. The skills you will develop will include how to search and critically examine the literature. You will explore and develop understanding of a range of quantitative and qualitative investigation methods and data collection tools to explore and inform ways of solving workplace issues. You will also develop skills in report writing and presentation of findings and recommendations.

Further information

Healthcare Management Project ( NMS11176 )

You will learn how to identify and evaluate evidence in order to improve healthcare systems. By constructing an effective search strategy, you will identify relevant evidence to help address a challenge within your healthcare management practice. For your learning agreement, you will begin by drawing on a range of evidence in order to present a justification for your chosen research question. This will help you define your aims and objectives for the project. You will learn how to conduct an effective search strategy and systematically search for empirical evidence. You will learn how to use critical appraisal tools to enhance evaluation of evidence. Submitting drafts of each activity to your supervisor, will enable you to gain feedback and support your development throughout the process. On completion of critical appraisal of selected evidence, you will utilise your critical analysis skills to develop a synthesis of your findings. Conducting a reflective commentary on the process of conducting an integrative review will enable you to integrate your new academic and professional learning.

Further information

International Health and Social Care ( NMS11766 )

This module aims to provide a learning experience that enables you to develop knowledge and skills essential to critical analysis of international health and social care trends, policies and systems. Such skills are required by healthcare managers and are important for keeping up to date with current, effective healthcare management practices. Within the module you will explore contemporary issues in international health and social care policies and systems. To achieve this, each of the three units you study will start by comparing the differences, for example in health trends, between the four countries of the United Kingdom before contrasting this with other countries. Unit 1 focuses on international trends in health and social care populations. You will be able to self-assess your confidence in relation to the analysis of data relating to the trends, differentiate between international and global health and reflect on key health and social indicators. This draws on research based information and current published data. In unit 2 you will be introduced to health and social care policy and critically reflect on the implementation of international health and social policy by national governments. This includes examination of the role of the European Union but more particularly, the World Health Organisation in addressing global health issues. Unit 3 enables you to build on the previous units through critical analysis of international health and social care systems. Socioeconomic and political drivers to variations in health and social care trends, policies and health care provision will be addressed by considering high and low income countries. Global challenges to health and social care systems are also addressed. Your knowledge and understanding of evidence based healthcare management will be developed through the exploration of the module content, online resources and through discussion with other students. Please note internet access is required to enable you to access module materials, participate in online discussions about contemporary issues in healthcare management and communicate with the team and your peers.

Further information

Managing Healthcare Resources ( HSC11175 )

This module will introduce you to key concepts relating to the management of the delivery of healthcare resources. The module addresses the key national and global policy drivers for healthcare. You will learn how organisational changes are required to manage complexities in healthcare, seeking to improve service delivery. This module will address the impact of change, management of resources and organisational development with support from human resources (HR). Topics covered will include organisational structure; aims, strategy and values; finance; national and global healthcare policy drivers; sustainability of healthcare services, health technology; specialist role in healthcare; managing change; project management; resource management; Human resource contributions-workforce planning; workforce development; performance management; inclusion, diversity, equality.

Further information

* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for Healthcare Management?

The entry requirement for this course is a bachelor’s degree with honours, at a 2:2 or above or equivalent in a subject. Relevant subjects include but are not limited to dentistry, dietetics clinical education, global health, health promotion, health administration or healthcare management, medicine, nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, pharmacology, physiotherapy, clinical psychologist, radiotherapy, podiatry, speech & language therapist, ophthalmologist, anaesthetics, medical laboratory scientists.

Applicants with a lower degree classification and relevant current work experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Current (or recent) health care work-related experience is required of all candidates seeking admission. Ideally applicants should have at least 12 months experience working in a leadership or management role.

As part of your personal statement, you should include the following information to support your application:

  • Evidence of your work experience in healthcare (experience of working at a senior management level of equivalent is required)
  • How have your current or previous studies influenced your decision to study healthcare management?
  • What interests you about the subject area or course? Why do you want to complete this programme?
  • What skills and attributes you have gained from inside and outside of education? For example, are you good at problem solving or have good analytical skills?
  • Do you have a long-term career goal? How will this course help you get there?
  • Do you have any relevant work/volunteer experience, and any other achievements you would like to be taken into consideration?

Can I get admission into Healthcare Management based on my working experience in this sector?

This course has academic entry requirements which are assessed alongside relevant work experience. Full details of any relevant work experience, including references should be submitted with your application and may be considered for entry where the minimum academic entry requirements are below those required.

Usually, unrelated work experience is not considered sufficient for entry without meeting the minimum academic entry requirements. Please contact us with your specific circumstances by submitting an enquiry form above and we will be happy to discuss your options.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the postgraduate admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test.  The English Language requirements for this programme are IELTS (Academic) with an overall score of 6.0 with no individual component score of less than 5.5.  For guidance on the acceptability of other English Language tests please contact pgadmissions@napier.ac.uk

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2024/25 2025/26
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £7,280 £7,650
Overseas and EU £18,800 £19,750
Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.
The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. The discount can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount. For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount. Please read our full T&C here
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Please note:

The discount for Edinburgh Napier alumni can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount.

For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount.

Please read our full T&C here

Careers

What can you do with a healthcare management degree?

By studying healthcare management at Edinburgh Napier University, you will become an innovative leader in healthcare practice, with strong communication and collaboration skills which will enable you to work effectively as a healthcare manager. You will learn how to critically analyse current health and social policy at a local, national and global level and develop your problem-solving skills to influence strategic and organisational decision making in the wider healthcare context.

What does a healthcare manager do?

Health care managers play a crucial role in ensuring the efficient and effective operation of health care departments within primary healthcare and social care settings. They are responsible for planning, coordinating, and overseeing the delivery of health services. This may include managing staff, budgets, and resources to ensure the delivery of safe and effective high-quality patient care.

Future healthcare managers need to be able to integrate theory and practice to be able to work effectively in a highly complex and rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Daily tasks and responsibilities within this role may include:

  • Effective management of self and others
  • Fiscal and budget responsibilities
  • Policy implementation based on available research & evidence
  • Ensuring regulatory compliance
  • Contribute to the delivery of sustainable healthcare
  • Strategic planning of healthcare services

Female patient and nurse talking whilst sitting at a table in a consulting room