This programme has been developed to enable healthcare and allied professionals, and intercalating medical students, to engage with both theoretical and practice elements in the study of Palliative and End of Life Care at master's Level.
This course will encourage you to consider how good practice can be achieved across a number of different practice settings and apply learning to your own practice area. This programme is rooted in the core elements of good practice, engaging clinical, academic, organisational, political and international perspectives on the current and future challenges for Palliative and End of Life Care.
You will be prepared and provided with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop into, and engage in senior clinical and/or leadership roles within regional, national and international contexts.
Your learning experiences will promote improvements in the care delivered to patients and families, enhance support provided to colleagues, enable effective team working within and across professions and sectors, and highlight the pressures of organisation structures and resources on service delivery.
Work-based learning placements within specialist palliative care settings will provide you with the opportunity to contextualise learning within the programme. You will also undertake advanced communication skills training, delivered by internationally renowned experts, and is designed to develop and enhance skills to address challenges frequently encountered in practice.
Several of our modules are also available as individual Continued Professional Development (CPD) courses, for the improvement of your knowledge and skills within your career.
The programme is led by an academic lead and a clinical lead from the School, supported by input from specialist clinicians, senior academics and an international faculty.
The course is designed for all healthcare and allied professionals who support patients with life limiting illness (gerontology, respiratory, oncology, cardiology), including doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists, you will develop critical understanding of the evidence that underpins the practice and development of Palliative and End of Life Care services.
Discover what you'll learn, what you'll study, and how you'll be taught and assessed.
You will learn the core competencies for managing end of life care that are identified following the Shape of Training recommendations and subsequent guidance for Core Medical Trainees and Specialist Trainees in General Practice/Paediatrics/Elderly Medicine/General Internal Medicine.
You will be given the opportunity to critically examine the evidence base and develop and enhance your knowledge for practice in the care of patients, and their families, at the end of life.
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| ADVANCED PRACTICE IN PALLIATIVE CARE (MDSC160) | 30 |
| Optional modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| APPLIED ETHICS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE I (MDSC400) | 30 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
In Semester two you will be able to develop your research skills, enabling you to develop a critical awareness of the processes required for successful planning and delivery of research.
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
In Semester three you will undertake and submit a research project.
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
| RESEARCH PROJECT (MDSC406) | 60 |
Programme details and modules listed are illustrative only and subject to change.
This course uses a blended approach to learning, involving a combination of classroom, practice and online-based activities. The range of educational strategies are used to facilitate learning, including structured reading, experiential learning, formal presentation, clinical observation, reflective practice, student presentation, group discussion and structured critical review.
You will be assessed through a combination of presentations, coursework and the final research project.
We have a distinctive approach to education, the Liverpool Curriculum Framework, which focuses on research-connected teaching, active learning, and authentic assessment to ensure our students graduate as digitally fluent and confident global citizens.
The Liverpool Curriculum framework sets out our distinctive approach to education. Our teaching staff support our students to develop academic knowledge, skills, and understanding alongside our graduate attributes:
Our curriculum is characterised by the three Liverpool Hallmarks:
All this is underpinned by our core value of inclusivity and commitment to providing a curriculum that is accessible to all students.
Studying with us means you can tailor your degree to suit you. Here's what is available on this course.
You can study some of the modules on this course as standalone CPD (Continuing Professional Development) modules. Contact us using the buttons at the bottom of the course page to find out more.
Intercalation allows you take a break from your medical degree, usually after year 3 or 4, and study an additional qualification. Most intercalating students choose to study a master's degree. This gives you the opportunity to explore a subject of interest at an advanced level and acquire new skills and knowledge that will enhance and/or complement your medical degree.
This course is delivered by the School of Medicine, you’ll be taught by enthusiastic, approachable staff who are all active researchers and/or practising clinicians. As part of the School of Medicine you will benefit from close links with other schools and research institutes within both the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and wider University to create exciting interdisciplinary opportunities for research and learning.
From arrival to alumni, we’re with you all the way:
The faculty is amazing and encouraging. The subject is outstanding, providing several research opportunities. We get to see how what we learn in class is applied in the real world.
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This course will prepare you with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop into, and engage in senior clinical and leadership roles, promoting improvements in the care delivered to patients and families, supporting colleagues and ensuring effective team working within and across professions and sectors, whilst understanding the pressures of organisation structures and resources on service delivery.
For clinicians who complete the course, the programme maps directly onto relevant postgraduate training curricula and will directly enhance the career and employment prospects of clinicians in training. The programme will also support the current and future careers of clinicians in other related areas of medicine and allied health professionals.
For intercalating medical students, successful completion of the master’s degree will support competitive applications in the UK Foundation Programme through the additional tariff gained by a level 7 qualification. Career development (through a competitive advantage in Academic Foundation posts) will also be supported by completion of the programme.
Our campus Career Studio is a space for students and graduates to drop into and talk to a career coach. Career coaches are highly trained to help no matter what stage you are at in your career planning. You can access support to find and apply for full-time and part-time roles, placements, internships and graduate schemes. You will also find the help you need if you have a start-up idea or want to create a business plan. You can explore the world of work, prepare for job interviews, and access careers events and workshops. The Career Studio is open Monday to Friday from 10am-5pm, simply drop in at a time that works for you.
We develop our programmes with employers in mind. You will be supported to enhance your long-term employment prospects as you learn. We do this by exposing you to professionals, a variety of sectors and supporting you to work collaboratively with others to develop transferable skills. You are equipped with a clearer view of what to focus on in your area of interest, and to reflect on your studies. Our digital employability tools give you a tech-enhanced curriculum experience and make it easy for you to prepare for the world of work. You can use tools like the Handshake platform to connect with employers and message the Career Studio 24/7.
You can start building good professional networks by attending events and employability activities. Our events are designed to develop your skills and expose you to many different employers, as well as to help you make contacts in your field. We help you improve your confidence when speaking to employers and give you access to unique opportunities. Our networking events also boost your understanding of the competencies and skills that employers are looking for in their recruitment process, giving you a competitive edge.
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Full-time place, per year - £11,700
Part-time place, per year - £3,900
Full-time place, per year - £28,300
Part-time place, per year - £9,434
Fees stated are for the 2025-26 academic year.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching and assessment, operating facilities such as libraries, IT equipment, and access to academic and personal support.
You can pay your tuition fees in instalments.
All or part of your tuition fees can be funded by external sponsorship.
International applicants who accept an offer of a place will need to pay a tuition fee deposit.
If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan worth up to £12,167 to help with course fees and living costs. Learn more about paying for your studies.
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any course-related costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this course.
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition and living expenses.
If you’re a University of Liverpool graduate starting this master’s degree with us, you could be eligible to receive a loyalty discount of up to £2,500 off your master’s tuition fees.
If you’re a UK student, either born in or with strong family connections to Merseyside, you could be eligible to apply for a fee discount of up to £4,500. You’ll need to demonstrate an active interest in global, community and environmental issues to be considered.
If you’re a UK University of Liverpool graduate joining a master’s degree with us, you could be eligible to receive £3,000 off your tuition fees. You must have graduated in the last two years and received a widening access scholarship during your undergraduate studies.
Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.
The qualifications and exam results you'll need to apply for this course.
| Qualification | Details |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate entry requirements |
|
| International qualifications |
If you hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, but don’t meet our entry requirements, a Pre-Master’s can help you gain a place. This specialist preparation course for postgraduate study is offered on campus at the University of Liverpool International College, in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways. Although there’s no direct Pre-Master’s route to this MSc, completing a Pre-Master’s pathway can guarantee you a place on many other postgraduate courses at The University of Liverpool. |
You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you’re from a majority English speaking country.
We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications.
International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
| Qualification | Details |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 7.0 overall, with no component below 6.5 |
| TOEFL iBT | 100 overall, with minimum scores of listening 21, reading 21, writing 21 and speaking 23. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted. |
| Duolingo English Test | 135 overall, with writing not less than 140, speaking and reading not less than 125, and listening not below 120. For academic year 2025/26 only, we will also accept the production, literacy, comprehension and conversation score set: 130 overall, with no component below 120. |
| Pearson PTE Academic | 69 overall, with no component below 61 |
| LanguageCert Academic | 75 overall, with no skill below 70 |
| PSI Skills for English | C1 Pass in all bands |
| INDIA Standard XII | National Curriculum (CBSE/ISC) - 75% and above in English. Accepted State Boards - 80% and above in English. |
| WAEC | C6 or above |
Do you need to complete a Pre-sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?
The length of Pre-sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.
If you don’t meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests, to determine the length of Pre-sessional English course you require.
Use the table below to check the course length you're likely to require for your current English language ability and see whether the course is available on campus or online.
| Your most recent IELTS score | Pre-sessional English course length | On campus or online |
|---|---|---|
| 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.5 | 6 weeks | On campus |
| 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0 | 10 weeks | On campus and online options available |
| 6.5 overall, with no component below 5.5 | 12 weeks | On campus and online options available |
| 6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5 | 20 weeks | On campus |
| 5.5 overall, with no component below 5.0 | 30 weeks | On campus |
| 5.0 overall, with no more than one component below 5.0, and no component below 4.5 | 40 weeks | On campus |
If you’ve completed an alternative English language test to IELTS, we may be able to use this to assess your English language ability and determine the Pre-sessional English course length you require.
Please see our guide to Pre-sessional English entry requirements for IELTS 7.0 overall, with no component below 6.5, for further details.
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Last updated 29 April 2025 / / Programme terms and conditions