Diabetes Practice (MSc) (part time distance learning) (2 years)

Why study this course

Find out more about the MSc in Diabetes Practice from Cardiff University

The MSc Diabetes Practice aims to equip healthcare professionals, who have a special interest in diabetes, with an advanced clinical knowledge of diabetes and diabetes-related issues as they present in practice.

Up-to-date, clinically focused teaching

Through engaging case studies that use evidence synthesis to evaluate clinical innovations within diabetes care, providing an applicable clinical context to the learning materials.

Future developments

Learn about strategies aimed at considering how best to deal with future advances in technology, therapy, and management in this fast-moving field.

Flexible e-learning programme

Supports a community of practice, allowing students to engage in debate and discussion with peers and the faculty of experts, as well as using reflection on their own clinical practice as a learning tool.

Research skills

Gain valuable research skills to address clinically meaningful questions applicable to your field of practice.

The MSc Diabetes Practice aims to equip healthcare professionals, who have a special interest in diabetes, with an advanced clinical knowledge of diabetes and diabetes-related issues as they present in practice. It aims to do this by providing up-to-date clinical information with treatment and referral guidelines for those living with diabetes and experiencing diabetic complications seen in practice. The programme supports graduates to deliver novel, transformational approaches to improve the quality of care for people living with or at risk of developing diabetes, from theoretical and patient-based care to population-based care. By studying on this programme, you will be equipped to support health teams to create system wide change with vast improvements in outcomes. It provides an educational experience that fulfils the needs of healthcare services in supporting the development of outstanding care for the future within the field of diabetology, allowing responsive transformational changes to be made and evaluated, promoting continued improvement. This is increasingly important in a sector of heath care that is seeing rapid technological and therapeutic changes.

The programme will help you to assess where current gaps lie in the care that is delivered from a systems perspective in an integrated way, and you will be supported in reaching the correct diagnosis and management, addressing unmet clinical needs and improving patient outcomes.

The aim of the programme is to:

Provide a comprehensive programme of diabetes education for healthcare professionals.
Establish a stimulating environment for research, teaching and learning about diabetes to develop critical thinkers who are able to synthesise evidence to reflect innovatively and lead on the prevention, reduction of impact, assessment and management of this condition.
Deliver truly up-to-date teaching in the field of diabetes treatment, research, technology and therapeutics
Conceptualise those living with long-term conditions as individuals requiring differing approaches to care which may focus on symptom management rather than cure and use robust evidence to support self-management and social prescribing among other more long-term condition management interventions.
Develop practitioners with life-long, adult learning principles to transform health care responding to the needs of people living with or likely to develop diabetes and their families, providing role models for their peers.
Develop leadership and evaluation skills in the delivery of care.
Encourage a culture for training of healthcare professionals by the development of a network of experienced clinical teachers.

The course is a development of the Cardiff University Diabetes Research Unit which has an international reputation for teaching and research in diabetes. It seeks to encourage critical thinking and improve the understanding of diabetes and diabetes related topics. You will be equipped not only with current factual knowledge, but will also have the opportunity to learn about strategies aimed at considering how best to deal with future advances in therapy and management.

Where you'll study

School of Medicine

We are of the largest medical schools in UK, committed to the pursuit of improved human health through education and research.

Get in touch
+44 (0)29 2068 7214
University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN

Admissions criteria

In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.

With your online application you will need to provide:

A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant area such as medicine, or an allied healthcare subject or an equivalent international degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
A reference from your employer to evidence that you have two years full time equivalent experience and are currently working currently work with people who have diabetes or are at risk of developing diabetes. References should be signed, dated and less than six months old at the time you submit your application.

If you do not have a degree in a relevant area, your application may be considered on the basis of at least two years relevant professional experience. Please provide additional evidence to support your application such as signed and dated employer references.

Application Deadline

We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications normally close at the end of August but may close sooner if all places are filled.

Selection process

We will review your application and if you meet all of the entry requirements, we will make you an offer.

Find out more about English language requirements.

Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.

Criminal convictions

You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

access to computers or devices that can store images
use of internet and communication tools/devices
curfews
freedom of movement
contact with people related to Cardiff University.

Course structure

This is a master’s level programme taught part-time over 2 years:

Stage T1

This stage lasts for 18 months and consists of six 20-credit modules totalling 120 credits, at Level 7, , each lasting 8 weeks. You will have the option of choosing topics within some of the modules that are aligned to your learning and clinical needs.Students who have successfully completed Stage T1 will be eligible for the Postgraduate Diploma award should they exit at this stage.

Stage T2

This stage lasts 28 weeks and consists of the 60 credit dissertation module at Level 7, during which students complete a dissertation in a special interest area of their choice negotiated with the programme faculty and supervisor.

Students who have successfully completed Stage T2 will be eligible for the MSc award.

Students may leave the course with a Postgraduate Certificate, after successfully completing 60 credits, only where these include the award of credit for three ‘required’ modules from stage T1.

Each module can also be studied on a stand-alone CPD basis to allow greater flexibility of learning tailored to individual learning requirements.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2024/25 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2024.

Year one

Taught Component

Module 1: Research and Evidence Based Healthcare in Diabetes

This module will allow you to have a robust appreciation of research, innovation, audit and service evaluation and will furnish you with the ability to challenge the evidence and to address clinically meaningful questions applicable to your clinical practice.

Module 2: Principles of Diabetes and Promoting Self-Management

This module introduces the subject field within its daily clinical context. The module provides the opportunity for you to gain a comprehensive understanding of the classification, presentation and diagnosis of diabetes, 'pre-diabetes' and disorders of glucose metabolism and to evaluate the implications of these diagnoses. You will be invited to explore diagnostic tests, clinical management plans, the pathophysiology, aetiology and risk factors of diabetes and the complementary roles of healthcare professionals, other professional and patients. Special consideration will also be given to structured self-management programmes, lifestyle and weight management, diabetes remission and exploring psychological approaches.

This module invites you to evaluate ways of managing those with long-term conditions and you will be able to consider relatively new approaches to management using co-creation and co-production, shared decision making, self-management and social prescribing.

Module 3: Therapeutics in Diabetes

This module provides the opportunity for you to appraise past and current therapies in the management of people with diabetes. This will include a range of pharmaceutical / therapeutic agents, oral and injectable therapies, risk modification interventions with attention to cardiovascular outcomes, obesity management and surgery. The module will also explore emerging therapies relevant to the management of diabetes. Critical appraisal of research evidence is an important part of the studies for this module, to inform and support the ways in which health care professionals engage in clinical and/or lifestyle management for people with diabetes.

Module 4: Assessment and Management of Diabetes Complications and Cardiovascular Disease

This module provides the opportunity for you explore the prevention, recognition and management of complications in diabetes. You will be invited to evaluate current evidence base standards and recommendations of care in diabetes. You will also be able to explore approaches applied to screening for microvascular and macrovascular complications in diabetes with additional focus upon cardiovascular disease, and formulate evidence-based management for a range of clinical scenarios. This will support your ability to introduce early preventative and management options to support those living with diabetes and the delivery of personalised care packages.

Core modules for year one

Module title	Module code	Credits
Research an Evidence-based Healthcare in Diabetes	MET939	20 credits
Principles of Diabetes and Promoting Self-Management	MET940	20 credits
Therapeutics in Diabetes	MET941	20 credits
Assessment and Management of Diabetes Complications and Cardiovascular Disease	MET942	20 credits

Year two

The optional modules allow you to focus on specific groups of individuals who may require differing prevention strategies, diagnosis and/or management approaches. Students may choose two from the following options:

Option 1: Special Considerations in Type 1 Diabetes

This module provides the opportunity to evaluate the current evidence based standards and clinical practice recommendations in Type 1 diabetes. You will explore special circumstances and formulate management plans for a range of clinical scenarios including transitional care, eating disorders, and gastroparesis. You will also evaluate the evidence for technology in diabetes and develop strategies for application in clinical practice.

Option 2: Diabetes in Pregnancy

The module aims to develop clinicians able to evaluate current evidence based standards to formulate clinical management, to the highest standards, for pre-existing diabetes pre-conception, during pregnancy and post-partum, as well as assessing and managing gestational diabetes during and after pregnancy. The module also develops your evaluation skills in the delivery of holistic diabetes care to women before, during and after pregnancies

Option 3: Diabetic Foot Disease

Diabetic foot disease has significant impact on both the individual and within the community. The module aims to enable students distinguish the contributing pathologies of diabetic foot disease and develop strategies for screening for diabetic foot disease. Students will explore strategies for evaluating and treating peripheral vascular disease, neuropathic foot disease and formulate management approaches for wound care and infections. Another key focus will be the creation of local clinical practice guidelines for the recognition and management of diabetic foot conditions.

Option 4: Management of Diabetes in the Acute Hospital Setting

The module aims to enable students to recognise, evaluate and manage diabetes in acute illness circumstances during in-hospital admission. Students will explore and critique current standards and recommendations of care, the evidence base and inter-professional roles in diabetes care in order to design, develop and justify local clinical practice guidelines and decisions.

Option 5: Diabetes Care in the Elderly

The module aims to enable students to recognise and evaluate the complex considerations for diabetes care in the elderly. This will entail learning how to distinguish between functional categories of older individuals with diabetes, evaluate special circumstances for the elderly and implications for therapeutic interventions. Students will explore current standards and recommendations of care in diabetes, local clinical practice guidelines and formulate strategies for individualising patient care including the management of end of life care in diabetes.

Option 6: Professional Practice (Leadership and Coaching, Quality and Safety)

This module will present a number of principles impacting on the care you deliver and provides you with the opportunity to evaluate one principle in the following areas: leadership and coaching, quality and safety and team working. The leadership content is highly interactive and presents students with the tools, cycles and methods to become leaders who are cognisant of the needs of stakeholders and who can unite teams, work effectively leading and working within teams to undertake innovative, evidence based and sustainable change. The patient safety and quality content identifies drivers that impact on the patient journey across multiple health and social care settings. Content will allow students to focus on real life, clinical scenarios highlighting the importance of the quality and safety agenda in healthcare.

Stage 2 – Masters Dissertation

This consists of a 60 credit (Level 7) dissertation module delivered over 28 weeks. The aim of the dissertation is to enable the student to demonstrate their ability to undertake an audit/service evaluation, quality improvement project, or an extended literature review of an aspect of clinical practice related to diabetes. You will be allocated a supervisor to support you during this period.

Core modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Dissertation	MET949	60 credits

Optional modules for year two

Module title	Module code	Credits
Special considerations in type 1 diabetes	MET943	20 credits
Diabetes in pregnancy	MET944	20 credits
Diabetic Foot Disease	MET945	20 credits
Management of Diabetes in the acute hospital setting	MET946	20 credits
Diabetes care in the elderly	MET947	20 credits
Professional Practice (Leadership and Coaching, Quality and Safety)	MET948	20 credits

The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.

Learning and assessment

How will I be taught?

In the taught stages, you will complete high quality level 7 evidence-based practice assessments, which are directly relevant to your clinical practice, and you will be encouraged and supported to gain knowledge around clinical evaluation and research.

This course will be delivered entirely by online distance learning and therefore you can access it from anywhere within the international healthcare professional community. This also allows for a degree of flexibility of study to suit your individual needs and support will be provided wherever possible with these. The course is delivered via Cardiff University’s virtual learning environment, Learning Central. Teaching will be delivered by a diverse, multi-professional teaching team from within the Cardiff University School of Medicine’s Centre for Medical Education (C4ME). You will actively participate in the learning experience through a series of engaging, relevant e-learning modules. These will include, written materials, web-links, recorded lectures and a varied assessment strategy of online group work and discussions, facilitated by experienced clinicians and educators. You will be educated to a very high standard and the faculty will support you through the transition from an independent thinker and learner to a scholar and researcher. On completion of the programme you will have acquired the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the increasingly the complex and fast-moving field of diabetes prevention and care. Students also receive regular constructive feedback throughout the course, to stimulate their enthusiasm and provide support, thus ensuring that all students will have the opportunity to achieve the learning outcomes. The use of multiple approaches for you to learn will build a community of practice and enhance your collaboration with your peers and the faculty.

How will I be assessed?

The assessments have been chosen to ensure that the learning outcomes are appropriately tested and that the teaching methods leading up to these assessments are suitable. Each module is delivered over 8 weeks and will be assessed by a range of methods. The module assessments are wide ranging to allow you to focus on areas that best suit your learning needs and clinical role. Assignment aims ensure that they are appropriate to your learning needs, area of practice and interest, making them very clinically focused. A reflective portfolio maintained throughout the programme will support re-validation and synthesis of learning to care. There are a variety of formative and summative assessment methods used, such as:

Assignments
Blogs
Multiple choice questions
Group work
Clinical and case-based discussions using live webinars and online discussion boards
Development of guidelines / PowerPoint presentations.

How will I be supported?

A team of academic, administrative, learning technology and library staff are available throughout the year to support students. Each student is allocated a personal tutor and also has access to the module lead tutor for further support whenever the need arises. The module lead oversees the student’s academic performance throughout the module. Students are expected to actively take part in the online schedule of activities offered by the course which will also help them meet other students online. Students are also able to discuss personal issues with their Personal Tutor and there is also a University Student Support Service. The course content is housed on Learning Central, a platform that is designed to deliver a great student experience on-line. Engagement on the learning platform is enhanced by a number of discussion threads from the ‘Coffee Room’ for students to get to know each other, to ‘You Said We Did’ allowing student to freely and constructively comment on how the programme runs, and threads which allow for discussion and debate around interesting topics, formative assessments and to provide forward feedback. Video conferencing and virtual face-to-face tutorials all promote engagement while the nature of the programme, being online, promotes flexibility of study. Formative feedback will be communicated through electronic and written means to support student development and performance. Summative feedback on assessment will be delivered within the timeframe set by the University.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will be able to do as a result of your study at Cardiff University. They will help you to understand what is expected of you.

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme can be found below:

Knowledge & Understanding: