We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry. In the meantime, you can view our 2025/26 courses.
Healthcare is a vital area of study. By enhancing well-being, preventing disease, improving diagnoses, developing new therapies and advancing clinical practice, we can tackle the demands of complex and chronic health conditions.
The University of Reading enjoys international recognition for its expertise in many health and biomedical areas that are making essential contributions to our healthcare-related degree courses. We have a well-established network of clinical partners hosted on campus and regionally, including the Royal Berkshire Hospital and Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, and together we have established the Thames Valley Clinical Trials Unit to help deliver impactful clinical outcomes from our scientific discoveries.
You can choose to study healthcare from a variety of perspectives, including psychology, clinical language sciences, biological sciences, chemistry, food and pharmacy. Depending on which programme you select, you will be encouraged to improve our understanding of disease, develop new treatments, investigate the process of emotion, understand language, or study the relationship between the brain and the environment.
You’ll learn from experts in their fields who work collaboratively with other University departments and beyond.
Our graduates have gone on to work for employers such as the NHS, GP practices, community services and the private sector, while others go on to pursue PhD studies.
Advanced Clinical Education and Prescribing
The Reading School of Pharmacy's department of Postgraduate Advanced Clinical Education (PACE) aims to provide postgraduate programmes that respond to the current and emerging needs of healthcare professionals. Our current programmes address the needs of foundation and advanced practitioners including taught inter-professional programmes, independent prescribing, distance learning and workplace-based learning. We are accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council and Nursing and Midwifery Council, and also have Royal Pharmaceutical Society Foundation School status.
Short courses
We offer educational training modules aimed at healthcare professionals for their professional development. That can be studied as part of one of our programmes (see above) or as standalone modules or short courses:
Looking for postgraduate research opportunities?
Come to Reading for your PhD or professional doctorate and join a talented and diverse community of fellow researchers working to improve lives across the globe.
Full Time: 12 months | Part Time: 24 months
Full Time: 12 months
Part Time: 3 months | Other: Start dates: usually September, February and May
PGCert Reflective Practice for Prescribers
Part Time: 3 months | Other: Start dates: usually September, February and May
PGCert Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (non-clinical)
Part Time: 12 months
PGCert Independent Prescribing for Pharmacists
Part Time: 6 months | Other: Courses start in September and January
PGCert-GradCert Independent Prescribing for Nurses (Levels 6 and 7)
Part Time: 6 months | Other: Courses start in September and January
PGCert Independent Prescribing for Allied Health Professionals
Part Time: 6 months | Other: Courses start in September and January
Full Time: 24 months
Full Time: 12 months
Part Time: 36 months | Other: 18 months if applying for the PGDip modules only and already have a comparable PGCert
Other: Part Time: 14-16 months
Full Time: 2 Years
Flexible CPD Advancing Healthcare Practice (Modular/PGDip/MSc)
Flexible: 36-72 months | Other: or with prior learning typically 9-12 months
Full Time: 12 months
Our facilities
I wanted to learn the most up-to-date science from the people who knew the most about it. My lecturers at Reading were also world-class researchers, which meant they were passionate about what they were teaching, and knew how to feed my childhood passion. There was a lightbulb moment in my first year that really drove home that I’d made the right decision. I was sitting in a genetics lecture and I saw how such small things could determine an entire life. What I was studying was complex, fast moving, but vitally important.
