Queen's University Belfast

Palliative Care PgDip

Queen's University BelfastBelfast, United Kingdom

Course overview

The Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care was developed to provide a way to address the training needs of social workers involved in delivering care to people living with life-limiting or life-threatening illness and supporting informal caregivers both pre and post bereavement. This course will be of interest to qualified social workers who are either working in generalist or specialist palliative care with adults. It may also be of interest to social workers learning or physical disability with adults, primary care, mental health, community mental health team for older people, older peoples’ services, hospital social work posts or hard to reach populations (i.e. prison service, homelessness or addiction services) or who have people with palliative care needs on their caseload.

Online delivery will enable social workers across different countries, service user groups and settings, to apply. The Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Care is aligned to the Specialist Award in Social Work via the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC), meeting all nine requirements. This programme will not be suitable for sponsored visa students to attend.

It is an online part time programme and international students may study this in their home countries. Please note that intake for this programme is every two years, with September 2027 being the next intake.

Key highlights

  • Aligned to NISCC Specialist Award in Social Work, meeting all nine requirements
  • Designed for qualified social workers in generalist or specialist palliative care
  • Covers supporting informal caregivers both before and after bereavement
  • Focuses on care for people with life-limiting or life-threatening illness
  • Delivered online, so international students can study from home countries

Entry requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 — 6.5 IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is require

Scholarships

  • International Postgraduate Taught Scholarship

    Year one award of between £2000 and £5000.

    Up to £2,000
  • The Burdett Trust MSc Nursing Scholarships

    For Home Students: Tuition fees £7,665 Stipend £10,250. For International Students: Tuition fees £24,295 Stipend £17,000

  • Vice Chancellor’s International Attainment Scholarship - Postgraduate Taught

    Value: 50% of tuition fees paid for up to a maximum of two years.

    Up to 50% of fees

Careers this course leads to

  • Palliative care social worker
  • Hospice social worker
  • Hospital social worker
  • Bereavement support social worker
  • Older people's services social worker

Cost of study

UK/Home: £5,133 (NI/ROI), £6,933 (GB) | International: £15,333

Admission

Applications are made through AHZ at no cost. Share your transcripts, English test scores and personal statement, and your AHZ Counsellor will review your profile, submit your application to Queen's University Belfast, and guide you through interview, offer, CAS and visa — right up to enrolment.

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