Fees and funding

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £15,800
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £35,700
  • PGDip (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £12,600
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £28,600
  • PGDip (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £6,300
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £14,300
  • PGCert (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £6,300
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £14,300
  • PGCert (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £3,150
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £7,150

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The course fees include all the tuition, technical support and examinations required for the course. All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review. Courses lasting more than one year may be subject to incremental rises per annum. For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Additional expenses

The University permits applicants with comparable previous experience to submit an application for consideration of AP(E)L Accreditation Prior (Experiential) Learning. The maximum AP(E)L is 15 credits to a PGCert, 45 credits to a PGDip and 60 credits to a MSc.

If your AP(E)L application is successful, the University charges £30 for every 15 credits of AP(E)L. The overall tuition fee is adjusted and then the administrative charge is applied.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

For the latest scholarship and bursary information please visit the fees and funding page .

The Catherine Chisholm scholarship is applicable to students from selected countries for this course. Find out more details on the scholarship page .

The University of Manchester is proud to offer six fully-funded scholarships to Women from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand or Timor-Leste completing specific master's courses in STEM subjects. Please visit the STEM scholarship page for more information.

Course unit details:
Decision Support Systems

Course unit fact file
Unit code IIDS61402
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This unit focuses on patient data and clinical knowledge and how they are used to inform clinical decision making using computational methods. Students learn about the different forms of healthcare knowledge and decision making; how knowledge can be represented in computable form; and the design and evaluation of decision support systems. The module will also consider clinical decision support (CDS) systems in a wider perspective, studying methodological and technological challenges involved in integrating decision support into clinical practice.

Aims

The unit aims to introduce students to fundamentals of clinical decision support systems: underlying theories of decision making; knowledge acquisition and modelling; different types of decision support; and approaches to evaluation.

Learning outcomes

  

Category of outcome

Students should be able to;

A. Knowledge and understanding

 

LO1: The nature of clinical of decision making and decision science (e.g. statistical decision theory, psychological decision theories, shared decision making) to develop CDS systems.

LO2: The types of CDS including alerts, prompts, reminders, computerized clinical guidelines including their strengths and weaknesses.

LO3: The acquisition and modelling of knowledge for computational purposes

LO4: The application of CDS to support individuals and/or populations.

LO5: Performance aspects and designs for the evaluation of CDS systems

B. Intellectual skills

 

LO6: Critically reviewing published literature on CDS systems

LO7: Critically assessing proposals for evaluations of CDS systems

LO8: Describing and assessing biases in the evaluations of CDS systems

LO9: Developing a proposal for the evaluation of a CDS system

C. Practical skills

 

LO10: Developing CDS strategies to support quality and patient safety

LO11: Critically evaluating a CDS implementation at an organisation or in other scenarios

LO12: Assessing risk for CDS systems

D. Transferable skills and personal qualities

 

LO13: Working collaboratively within a team

LO14: Presenting ideas and work in a verbal and written format

LO15: Self-reflecting on the learning and how it can be applied in the work-place

 

Teaching and learning methods

This unit will delivered in a blended format: e-Learning preparation material will impart basic and core knowledge whilst the face-to-face lectures and open discussions will introduce concrete examples and encourage attendees to draw upon their own reading and experience. Group, problem based learning will show a deeper understanding of the area and encourage collaborative working. Example case-studies will be drawn from University of Manchester (HeRC) and University College London research-driven projects and current NHS projects. The F2F teaching will be delivered as 1 x three day block of workshops covering a key section

Assessment methods

 

Assessment Methods

Weighting (%)

Group Presentation

20%
Computer Practical 20%

Report

60%

 

Feedback methods

Formative assessment and feedback to students is a key feature of the on-line learning materials for this unit. 

Regular presentation of results to tutor and staff to elicit feedback and develop ideas/work.

Study hours

Independent study hours
Independent study 150

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Niels Peek Unit coordinator

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