PGCert in Healthcare Systems Safety at University of Oxford

Programme overview

A part-time postgraduate certificate giving healthcare staff the skills to make care safer and more reliable through systems approaches. It covers human factors, ergonomics, systems analysis and design and implementing change.

Duration: 12 months part time | Intake: 1 October 2027 | Study mode: part-time | Location: Oxford, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

Students learn to diagnose systems safety problems from multiple data sources, design human-centred, technology-enabled solutions and develop implementation strategies for lasting change at team, department and organisational levels.

Career pathways

Safety and quality leads in the NHS and other health systems, human factors and patient safety specialists, safety-focused digital health and AI implementation roles, clinical governance and risk leads, healthcare policy consultants and academic roles.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

A first-class or strong upper second-class UK undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in medicine, nursing, allied health, psychology, engineering, human factors/ergonomics, health management, computer science, public health or related fields. USA applicants: minimum GPA normally 3.5/4.0. Applicants should work in a healthcare organisation or expect to by enrolment, with likely at least 2 years of post-qualification experience in a health setting and evidence of engagement with safety, improvement or governance responsibilities. English language (higher level): IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with at least 7.0 in each component; C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 191 overall with at least 185 per component; Oxford Test of English Advanced 165 overall with at least 155 per component; TOEFL iBT 110 overall (Listening 22, Reading 24, Speaking 25, Writing 24), although TOEFL iBT taken from 21 January 2026 is not accepted pending review. Tests must be taken no more than two years before the course starts. No GRE or GMAT required. Application deadline for 2027-28 entry: 12:00 midday UK time, 1 December 2026.

Intake: 1 October 2027

Duration: 12 months part-time

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