Overview
- Degree awarded
- Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert)
- Duration
- 9 months
- Entry requirements
-
We require a UK bachelor's degree with a Lower-Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.
When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
In exceptional circumstances candidates who do not have first degree, but who can demonstrate professional competence, may be admitted. - How to apply
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If you would like to study this course 100% online, please check out the Healthcare Ethics and Law online learning page.
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGCert | Y | N | N | Y |
Course overview
- Develop your interest in healthcare ethics and law by taking a flexible and interdisciplinary course.
- Apply bioethical issues to a variety of real-world scenarios.
Open days
These are an opportunity to find out about the course, meet students and staff, and tour the campus and facilities.
If you receive an offer, we will invite you to a visit day where you learn about the School, teaching and learning, study opportunities and student life.
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2025, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
PGCert (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £5,333
International, including EU, students (per annum): £9,833 -
PGCert (part-time distance learning)
UK students (per annum): £4,833
International, including EU, students (per annum): £4,833
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). 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.
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
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 information on available funding, please see fees and funding or search the University's postgraduate funding database .
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- School of Social Sciences Admissions Office
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 161 306 5500
- pg-law@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/law/
- School/Faculty
-
See: School Subjects
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
We require a UK bachelor's degree with a Lower-Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.
When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
In exceptional circumstances candidates who do not have first degree, but who can demonstrate professional competence, may be admitted.English language
Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:
- IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5
- TOEFL IBT 100 with 25 in writing and no further score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall, with 76 in writing and no further score below 70
Pre-Sessional English Courses
We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.
To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:
6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and no more than one sub-skill of 6.0.
10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 or above in each sub-skill
If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.
English language test validity
Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.
Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries
If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students, the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our country-specific information page for guidance on the academic and English language qualifications which may be accepted from your country.
Application and selection
How to apply
If you would like to study this course 100% online, please check out the Healthcare Ethics and Law online learning page.
Advice to applicants
Please note, due to the high volume of applications we receive the course may close before the advertised deadline and as such, early application is advised.
If you meet our entry requirements but we are unable to make you an offer you may be placed on a waiting list. Candidates on a waiting list will receive an offer only if places become available.
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
The PGCert in Healthcare Ethics course allows you to gain knowledge and understanding of ethical theories without the need to complete a full master's course.
You will follow some elements of the taught component of the MA and LLM, but will not be required to write a dissertation. If you successfully complete the PGCert, you may be eligible to transfer to the Diploma, MA or LLM if you meet the transfer requirements and pay the additional fee.
Aims
- Equip you with the highest quality of training in healthcare ethics.
- Highlight the application of moral theory to real-world scenarios, catering to the practical needs of healthcare and/or legal professionals.
- Improve your comprehensive knowledge and firm understanding of ethical theories.
- Provide you with the opportunity to gain the skills needed to apply theory to real world scenarios in a diverse range of contexts.
Coursework and assessment
Assessment of all taught course units is by assessed coursework in the form of essays of 4,000 words per 15 credit course unit and up to 6,000 words for the 30 credit core course unit.
Course unit details
On this course, you are required to successfully complete 60 credits of course units.
The optional 15 credit course units on offer may vary each year due to staff availability.
If you are studying the campus-based certificate, you will complete the 30 credit core units in Philosophical Bioethics in semester one and Research Ethics and Ethics and Genetics course units in semester two, on a full-time basis.
If you are studying the distance learning certificate, you are normally expected to complete the 30 credit core units in Philosophical Bioethics and the 15 credit unit in Ethics and Genetics in Year 1 and Research Ethics in Year 2.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophical Bioethics | CSEP60201 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Research methods and methodologies for bioethics and law | CSEP60022 | 15 | Optional |
| Ethics & Genetics and Genomics | CSEP60192 | 15 | Optional |
| Research Ethics | CSEP60312 | 15 | Optional |
Scholarships and bursaries
The School is offering a number of awards for students applying for master's study. To find out more please visit our master's funding opportunity search page .
What our students say
Facilities
At The University of Manchester Law School, you are supported by the first-class resources you would expect of a top law school.
In addition to the networked study spaces at the Williamson Building, you can access The University of Manchester Library , which houses a substantial collection of law books and periodicals, as well as texts to support all the degrees we offer.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
You will be able to progress within a wide variety of roles in the medical, legal and ethical fields.
Graduates from previous years have, for example, proceeded to specialise in medico-legal practice and academic careers, and the degrees have enhanced the careers of health care professionals.
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .