Advancing Diabetes Care MSc - Module / MSc / PgDip

Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry. Switch to 2024/25 Entry

This programme is a collaboration between Birmingham City University and the University Hospitals Birmingham Diabetes Team. This is an online course with the option of bespoke flying faculty delivery available for international partners....

  • Level Postgraduate Taught
  • Study mode Distance Learning
  • Award Module / MSc / PgDip
  • Start date September 2025, January 2026, April 2026
  • Fees View course fees

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

This programme is a collaboration between Birmingham City University and the University Hospitals Birmingham Diabetes Team. This is an online course with the option of bespoke flying faculty delivery available for international partners.

This innovative programme is designed to help you gain a greater understanding of the complexities of living with diabetes and how best to support and enable effective individualised self-management. It is suitable for healthcare professionals including GPs, hospital-based doctors, specialist nurses and practice nurses, midwives, dietitians, podiatrists, pharmacists, psychologists and other roles in many healthcare sectors.

You will develop a wide range of skills, learn about new and emerging evidence and gain critical understanding in diabetes care. You will acquire knowledge to develop and improve clinical practice in the care of people living with diabetes across the age span. You will take an evidence-based holistic approach to the provision and delivery of individualised diabetes care.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

This programme has been designed in collaboration with clinical colleagues and blends theoretical approaches with practicalities of service development and person-centred care approaches. The international dimension of diabetes and application of culturally appropriate diabetes care in different environments and resources underpins this programme. Through different modules, you will explore your employment situation, recognise the potential for excellence in practice-led care, extend and enhance your employability and career progression. You will also identify ways in which you can improve your practice and services in order to pioneer new interdisciplinary service developments.

The programme will enable practitioners working in various aspects of care, with people either at risk of or living with diabetes, to develop knowledge and skills in diabetes care. You will develop analytical skills through interactive online learning opportunities, so that you are able to critically examine practices within the context of the legislative and professional frameworks of your own country.

Accredited By

This course is accredited by:

  • University Hospitals Birmingham

Why Choose Us?

  • This brand new course has been developed to meet the needs of interdisciplinary healthcare practitioners working in partnership with people living with diabetes
  • This course aims to address the global increase in the number of people both at risk of developing diabetes and living with diabetes, and the developments in care needed to support these people
  • The course has a global perspective, using our knowledge and experience of working with international partners

OPEN DAY

Join us for a Virtual Open Event where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, meet our subject academics and learn more about postgraduate finance, all from the comfort of your own home.

Next Event: 5 February 2025

Book your place

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

Applicants must hold current professional registration with a UK regulatory body (NMC, HCPC, GMC).

In addition, applicants must normally meet one of the following requirements:

  • Have studied to BSc Hons or equivalent, ideally to include a Research Methods module
  • Have a minimum of two years in your area of clinical practice and a first degree or evidence of recent professionally related study at diploma or degree level
  • Have completed degree-level study within the last five years or the Birmingham City University module Essential Academic Skills to be completed prior to starting the programme.

Completion of Non-Medical Prescribing at level 7 can be recognised through prior learning (RPL) into the programme.

Applying with international qualifications

See below for further information on applying as an international student.

If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: Module

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 16 weeks
  • £860 per 20 credit module

Award: Module

Starting: Jan 2026

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 16 weeks
  • £860 per 20 credit module

Award: Module

Starting: Apr 2026

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 16 weeks
  • £860 per 20 credit module

Award: MSc

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 3 years
  • £860 per 20 credit module

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 1 year
  • £5,160
  • Distance Learning
  • 2 years
  • £860 per 20 credit module

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award:

Starting: Jan 2026

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 16 weeks
  • TBC

Award: Module

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 16 weeks
  • TBC

Award: Module

Starting: Apr 2026

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 16 weeks
  • TBC

Award: MSc

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 3 years
  • TBC

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Distance Learning
  • 1 year
  • £5,160
  • Distance Learning
  • 2 years
  • TBC

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms. 

Printing 

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment. 

Field trips 

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees. 

Access to Microsoft Office 365 

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation. 

Key software 

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research. 

Key subscriptions 

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library. 

Excess printing (optional) 

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet. 

Personal stationery and study materials (optional) 

Based on the past experience of our students, you might find it helpful to set aside about £30 for each year of your studies for your personal stationery and study materials. 

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Personal statement

You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.

If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.

Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.

Course in Depth

Core Modules

For the PG Dip:

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 70 credits):

For the MSc:

In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 110 or 130 credits):

To complete the MSc a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 40 or 60 credits):

*a student must successfully complete one of the CORE MSc dissertation modules. The choice of this will be dependent on the optional modules taken.

Optional Modules

Course Structure

To complete a Postgraduate Diploma you will need 120 credits including all core modules, except the dissertation.

To complete the MSc you will need to complete 180 credits. 70 credits of optional modules are required to gain the 180 credits needed for the MSc.

How you will be taught

This is an online course. Bespoke face-to-face teaching will also be available for international students.

University Hospitals Birmingham
University Hospitals Birmingham

This programme is a collaboration between Birmingham City University and the University Hospitals Birmingham Diabetes Team.

Employability

Employability

diabetes employabilityThe international dimension of diabetes and application of culturally appropriate diabetes care in different environments and resources underpins this programme. The modules will allow you to explore your employment situation, recognise the potential for excellence in practice-led care, extend and enhance your employability and career progression and identify ways in which you can improve your practice and services and pioneer new interdisciplinary service developments.

By undertaking the core modules and then tailoring your programme with a choice of bespoke optional modules you can tailor your MSc to best suit your individual and service lead needs. This facilitates you creating your MSc to best fit your service, your personal development and expands your employability upon completion.  Your MSc will advance your diabetes clinical practice and research skills to enable you to deliver sophisticated person-centred diabetes care whilst embracing new and emerging evidence into your daily practice.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Facilities & Staff

Our Advanced Diabetes Care course is delivered through the an online learning resource, with online study materials to guide you through the appropriate topics, as well as providing links to other resources. You will also need textbooks, and a full reading list is provided with each module syllabus.

Although it is taught by distance learning, you will still have regular contact with your module tutor by email or telephone. We also offer optional periodic seminar talks where you can meet the course team, along with your fellow students.

Bespoke taught modules can be taught internationally by Flying Faculty. Get in touch with the course leader Anne Phillips to find out more:

Our staff

Professor Anne Phillips

Professor in Diabetes Care

Anne Phillips is a Queens Nurse and a National Teaching Fellow with the Higher Education Academy. After a career in specialist and community diabetes nursing in London and Yorkshire, Anne previously worked with colleagues at the University of York and established a countrywide and international collaborative curriculum for Health Professionals in...

More about Anne

Professor Wasim Hanif

Visting Professor and Medical Director for MSc in Advancing Diabetes Care

Professor Wasim Hanif is a Consultant Physician at University Hospital Birmingham and is also a Visiting Professor of Diabetes and Endocrinology her at Birmingham City University.

More about Wasim

Professor Theresa Smyth

Honorary Visiting Professor in Diabetes Care

Theresa is Nurse Consultant in Diabetes at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and an Honorary Visiting Professor in Diabetes Care at Birmingham City University. She co-leads and teaches on post-registration, BSc and MSc, courses on diabetes.

More about Theresa

Martha Stewart

Senior Lecturer and Deputy Programme Lead, Diabetes Care

Martha began her career pathway as a secondary school teacher in Zimbabwe, where she was born. After moving to the UK in 1999, she embarked on her nurse training with Nottingham University and qualified as an Adult nurse in 2002. Martha joined Birmingham City University in October 2020 as a part-time senior lecturer in diabetes care, whilst...

More about Martha

Jayne Robbie

Course Lead and senior lecturer in diabetes and vascular disease

Jayne qualified as a podiatrist from Brighton Polytechnic in 1987 and has had a varied career in primary and secondary care working extensively as a diabetes specialist in multi-professional teams as well as having experience managing a large primary care podiatry unit.

More about Jayne

Tahira Bashir

Senior Lecturer in Diabetes Care

Tahira qualified with a BSc (Honours) in Applied Human Nutrition, Dietetics, Registered Dietitian (RD). She has been working within the speciality of diabetes, weight management, BAME Health and education for over 25 years.

More about Tahira