Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare
Further your skills and broaden your opportunities in cardiovascular and respiratory healthcare.
Award titles
MSc
Duration: 1 year FT / 2 years PT
(including PG Cert and PG Dip)
Postgraduate Certificate
Duration: 9 months part-time
(standalone course)
Postgraduate Diploma
Duration: 9 months FT / 21 months PT
(including PG Cert)
Overview
Our degrees in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare are designed for people from a wide range of healthcare backgrounds, including:
- healthcare scientists
- nurses
- physiotherapists
- advanced practitioners
It will take you through a programme of learning to deepen your knowledge and skills in cardiovascular and respiratory healthcare, enabling you to enhance your career in your chosen field.
The multidisciplinary lecturers will draw on their clinical and research experience at national and international level to facilitate your learning.
You will have the opportunity to discuss new technologies for the prevention, diagnosis and management of ill-health and their impact on the delivery of person-centred healthcare.
The course is flexible and modular, and available as a full- or part-time MSc, delivered over one or two years.
It is delivered through a combination of face-to-face and distance learning.
Study programme
This course is made up of three progressional levels (PG Cert, PG Dip and MSc).
You can apply to any level in the first instance. Read more about how this works under 'Choosing your course' in the how to apply section.
The Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma are made up of core and optional taught modules.
The MSc is made up of the certificate, diploma and an extensive research project.
Streams
There are four study streams available. MSc students will receive a different award based upon the stream chosen and modules studied.
- General stream
This programme offers you unique insights into developments in cardiovascular and respiratory healthcare and how to apply them to personalise healthcare decisions"
Dr Jillian Riley
Module Lead
MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare
- Cardiovascular Care stream
MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Cardiovascular Care)
- Nursing stream
MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Nursing)
- Respiratory Care stream
MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Respiratory Care)
Meet our students
Hear from current National Heart and Lung Institute students and graduates on their website.
Structure
Modules shown are for the current academic year, and are subject to change depending on your year of entry.
Structure
MSc
Core modules
You take all of the core modules below:
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare: Core Science
Provides an overview of cardiovascular and respiratory wellbeing, covering:
- cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology
- the epidemiology of cardiovascular and respiratory disease
- the concepts of health and well-being and physiological changes associated with haemorrhage
- immobility and bed rest
Reflections and Evaluation of Clinical Practice
Provides a broad understanding of the practice of cardiovascular and respiratory healthcare, an opportunity to observe clinical practice and reflect on the reality of health service provision.
Study Design
Covers the principles and practice of quantitative and qualitative research, and key issues in critically evaluating methodology. Provides a strong foundation for conducting your own research.
Optional modules
You choose four modules from the list below:
- Cardiovascular Health: Prevention and Rehabilitation
- Clinical Examination and History Taking
- Heart Failure: Prevention and Management
- Innovation In Management of Cardiovascular Disease: Acute and Community
- Managing The Care of Children And Adults With Cystic Fibrosis
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation And Community Respiratory Care
- Quality In Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare With E-Health
- Respiratory Failure And Respiratory Support
Research project
You complete an extensive research project assessed by a written dissertation and oral presentation.
The research project can be undertaken in a variety of settings. It will be supervised by a member of the faculty at Imperial.
Your supervisor will provide guidance and support for developing the research question, design of the project and data collection, thesis writing and oral presentation.
We offer four types of project:
- Primary research using quantitative or qualitative methods
- Systematic review or qualitative synthesis of the literature
- An analysis of data from research databases or registries
- Clinical service improvement
Postgraduate Certificate
Core modules
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare: Core Science
Provides an overview of cardiovascular and respiratory wellbeing, covering:
- cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology
- the epidemiology of cardiovascular and respiratory disease
- the concepts of health and well-being and physiological changes associated with haemorrhage
- immobility and bed rest
Optional modules
You choose two modules from the list below:
- Cardiovascular Health: Prevention and Rehabilitation
- Clinical Examination and History Taking
- Heart Failure: Prevention and Management
- Innovation In Management of Cardiovascular Disease: Acute and Community
- Managing The Care of Children And Adults With Cystic Fibrosis
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation And Community Respiratory Care
- Quality In Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare With E-Health
- Respiratory Failure And Respiratory Support
Postgraduate Diploma
Core modules
Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare: Core Science
Provides an overview of cardiovascular and respiratory wellbeing, covering:
- cardiovascular and respiratory anatomy and physiology
- the epidemiology of cardiovascular and respiratory disease
- the concepts of health and wellbeing and physiological changes associated with haemorrhage
- immobility and bed rest
Study Design
Covers the principles and practice of quantitative and qualitative research, and key issues in critically evaluating methodology. Provides a strong foundation for conducting your own research.
Optional modules
You choose four modules from the list below:
- Cardiovascular Health: Prevention and Rehabilitation
- Clinical Examination and History Taking
- Heart Failure: Prevention and Management
- Innovation In Management of Cardiovascular Disease: Acute and Community
- Managing The Care of Children And Adults With Cystic Fibrosis
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation And Community Respiratory Care
- Quality In Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare With E-Health
- Respiratory Failure And Respiratory Support
Teaching and assessment
Teaching
- Blended learning
- Case-based learning
- E-learning
- Journal clubs
- Lectures
- Reflection on clinical practice
- Seminars
- Small group teaching
- Tutorials
Assessment
- Assessed journal club
- Oral presentations
- Practical examination
- Research project thesis and oral presentation (MSc students only)
- Written case study reports
- Written examination
E-learning
- Game-based online activities: Patient Journeys will be included in most specialist optional modules: using theoretically derived case studies and students trial decision-making theory in practice.
- Online chapters including: filmed lectures, animated diagrams, quizzes, voice overs, collated resources, discussion boards, reflective logs and case studies.
- Online platform including: introductory videos, self-tests, a primer setting out pre-reading and key concepts and frequently asked questions drop-box for module leader.
Course timetable
All modules are taught using blended learning (a combination of face-to-face and online teaching) to provide flexibility for you to balance your study with work.
The majority of optional modules consist of 30 hours of face-to-face teaching and up to three weeks of distance learning and independent study.
Entry requirements
We welcome students from all over the world and consider all applicants on an individual basis.
For advice on the requirements for the qualifications listed here please contact the Department (details at the bottom of this page).
Admissions
Minimum academic requirement
Our minimum requirement is at least a 2.1 UK Honour's degree in a relevant medical, biomedical or healthcare subject.
For those who do not meet the academic requirements above a special case may be made based on substantial relevant clinical experience.
International qualifications
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications. For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed here are the minimum for entry to the College.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the higher College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
How to apply
All applications for postgraduate taught degrees are made online via Apply.Imperial.
You can submit one application form per year of entry, and usually choose up to two courses.
How to apply
Choosing your course
This course is divided into three progressional levels of study:
- PG Certificate (PG Cert)
- PG Diploma (PG Dip)
- MSc
Each level of study has its own separate entry point; you can apply to any level in the first instance.
Read more about Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MSc degrees
Making an application
All applicants must apply online.
You can usually apply for up to two courses, although your second choice will only be considered if your first-choice application is unsuccessful.
Although courses will remain open until they are filled, applicants for this course are strongly encouraged to apply by 1 August 2018. Early applications allow us to communicate important information around key dates with applicants directly.
If you need a visa to study in the UK, we advise that you apply by 1 July 2018 to ensure that your visa is processed and approved prior to the start of the course.
You will need to upload documents with your applications, which may include transcripts and degree certificates.
Offer holders will need to pay a deposit to secure your place. This will be deducted from the balance of your tuition fees.
For full details on the online application process, or to start your application, please visit the How to Apply section of our website.
ATAS certificate
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Award title
Students graduating with a certificate and/or diploma will be awarded:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare
- Postgraduate Diploma in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare
MSc students will graduate with a different award title based on the specialist optional modules chosen and research project topic.
- MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare for completing the core modules and four specialist optional modules, with at least one specialist optional module from each theme
- MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Cardiovascular Care) for completing the core modules and four specialist optional modules, with three of four specialist optional modules from the cardiovascular and combined themes
- MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Respiratory Care) for completing the core modules and four specialist optional modules, with three out of four specialist optional module modules from the respiratory and combined themes
- MSc Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare (Nursing) for completing the core modules and ‘Quality in Cardiovascular and Respiratory Healthcare with E-health’ and 'Clinical Examination and History Taking', and two specialist optional modules from either cardiovascular or respiratory theme
Tuition fees and funding
The level of tuition fees you pay is based on your fee status, which we assess based on UK government legislation.
For more information on the funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Fees and Funding website.
Tuition fees and funding
Tuition fees (Home and EU students)
| 2018 entry | ||
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Certificate | £5,300 | |
| Postgraduate Diploma | £3,180 | |
| MSc | £2,120 | |
| Tuition fees are listed separately, please read the following text. | ||
This course is divided into three progressional levels of study. Each level results in three separate qualifications (PG Cert, PG Dip and MSc). The tuition fees listed above apply separately to each qualification.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2019 will apply to fees for the academic year 2019–2020.
If you apply to the PG Dip or MSc, please note that you will study the previous levels of the course if you have not already done so. You should therefore add up the tuition fees (i.e. PG Dip fee is the PG Cert fee plus the PG Dip fee). Any payments made in subsequent academic years will have an inflationary increase applied (as described above), but only to the outstanding balance for that year.
Please note, you can’t get a Postgraduate loan from the UK government for a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma, only the MSc is eligible.
Tuition fees (Overseas and Islands students)
| 2018 entry | ||
|---|---|---|
| Postgraduate Certificate | £16,250 | |
| Postgraduate Diploma | £9,750 | |
| MSc | £6,500 | |
| Tuition fees are listed separately, please read the following text. | ||
This course is divided into three progressional levels of study. Each level results in three separate qualifications (PG Cert, PG Dip and MSc). The tuition fees listed above apply separately to each qualification.
Except where otherwise indicated, the fees for students on courses lasting more than one year will increase annually by an amount linked to inflation, including for part-time students on modular programmes. The measure of inflation used will be the Retail Price Index (RPI) value in the April of the calendar year in which the academic session starts e.g. the RPI value in April 2019 will apply to fees for the academic year 2019–2020.
If you apply to the PG Dip or MSc, please note that you will study the previous levels of the course if you have not already done so. You should therefore add up the tuition fees (i.e. PG Dip fee is the PG Cert fee plus the PG Dip fee). Any payments made in subsequent academic years will have an inflationary increase applied (as described above), but only to the outstanding balance for that year.
Please note, you can’t get a Postgraduate loan from the UK government for a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma, only the MSc is eligible.
Postgraduate Master's loan
If you are a Home or EU student who meets certain criteria, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan of up to £10,280 from the UK government. The loan is not means-tested, and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students to support you through your studies. Try our scholarships search tool to see what you might be eligible for.
There are a number of external organisations also offer awards for Imperial students, find out more about non-Imperial scholarships.
Accommodation and living costs
Living costs, including accommodation, are not included in your tuition fees.
You can compare costs across our different accommodation options on our Accommodation website.
A rough guide to what you might expect to spend to live in reasonable comfort in London is available on our Fees and Funding website.
Contact us
Got a question?
Enquiries
Lizzie Lomer
Course Administrator
E: cardioresphealth@imperial.ac.uk
Read more about the NHLI and our research on the National Heart and Lung Institute website.
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