Healthcare and Biomedical Education

Entry requirements

Applicants for the HBE PgCert will normally meet the following entry requirements:

• Hold a degree in a subject relevant to medical, healthcare or biomedicine with a minimum second-class degree (2.ii) or pass (MBBS);
  
  
• Not registered for a qualification of City St George’s, University of London or other institution of equivalent standing during their enrolment on the course;
  
  
• Are actively involved in a substantive educational role that may include teaching or learner support, instructional design, assessment, and/or curriculum development in a practice or university setting during enrolment on the course. This is normally equivalent to 2 days of education-focused activity per week (pro rata). Educational activities to meet this entry requirement must be for undergraduate or postgraduate students enrolled on a higher education course and should not include clinical supervision or other post-registration continuing professional development teaching hours. At least 50% of these teaching hours must be specifically for City St George’s, University of London students;
  
  
• If relevant, have completed Foundation Year training (FY1 and FY2);
  
  
• Evidence proficiency via the International English language Testing System (IELTS) or Pearson’s English Language test within 2 years prior to admission. Applicants must achieve an overall score for IELTS of 6.5 (with at least 6.5 in writing and 6.0 in other 3 components) or an overall score for Pearson’s of 59 (with at least 59 in writing and at least 51 in other 3 components);
  
  
• Either, Category 1, City St George’s, University of London employees who need or wish to obtain the PgCert HBE qualification. As university employees, postdoctoral researchers are included in this category and are eligible to apply, but subject to the approval of the grant holder/Principal Investigator for whom they are working, and only if consistent with the terms of the funding body;
  
  
• Or, Category 2, employed to teach City St George's, University of London students but are not employed by the University, most notably Clinical Teaching Fellows (CTFs) and those appointed under other Clinical Education Fellowships who meet the minimum entry criteria in relation to their educational role;
  
  
• Or, Category 3, practice educators who teach City St George's, University of London students, hold a City St George’s, University of London honorary contract and meet the teaching criteria as stated above;

Your application (including your personal statement for the course) should clearly state how you meet the employment and teaching criteria. Applicants who do not meet stated teaching and employment criteria will not normally be admitted to the course. Admission to the course is normally very competitive.

Please note that because of the prioritisation of applicants during the admissions process we may not confirm an offer of a place until the advertised admissions window closes.

Course structure

You will complete the following three modules to achieve the required 60 credits for the award of Postgraduate Certificate over a 12-month period.

Teaching and learning

Teaching is undertaken through intensive teaching blocks rather than on a regular weekly or bi-weekly basis. The 7 teaching blocks are normally 1 to 2 days in length depending on the module. The total number of days of teaching for the course is 9.5 days over the 12-month enrolment in addition to induction. 

We use a blended approach to the delivery of the course with, normally, one day onsite and one day online. In both face-to-face and online teaching we use a combination of lecture, individual self-directed and peer-to-peer learning activities. In addition, between teaching blocks you will receive focused individual tutorial support.

See our Provisional Timetable for the 2024-25 academic year (PDF). Please note dates and mode of delivery may alter prior to the commencement of the course. The timetable is provided as guidance of the typical timeline and requirements of the course.

Application timeline

The application timeline for Healthcare and Biomedical Education runs later than some of our other programmes to allow applicants to secure their professional positions before applying.

How to apply

Before beginning your application please check the entry criteria of the course to ensure you meet the required standards.

Guidance on submitting an application can be found on our how to apply webpage.

Access our online application system

Select the relevant application link and create an account:

• Applications for 2024 entry are now closed. Register interest to be notified when applications open for 2025.

1. Once you have created an account complete the application form and upload any relevant documents. You can save a partly completed form and return to it later. Please make sure you complete all sections. Please make sure that the information you provide is accurate, including the options you select in menus. Your application must include the following information and relevant documents:

   • Your employment history, including your job title and employer for the job held at the start of the course in October
   • Proof of your undergraduate qualification or equivalent (e.g. copy of degree certificate or transcript)
   • Proof of your employment (e.g. in form of reference from or on behalf of your employer/line manager, role offer letter). This should be if possible redacted to exclude salary or other personal information
   • Proof of required teaching responsibilities if not stated in proof of employment as above (e.g. this can be in the form of a written reference from or on behalf of your employer/line manager)
   • Proof of funding and full contact details for the person who should be invoiced for fees, if not self-funding for applicants who are not employed by St George’s, University of London (e.g. details are likely to include name, email and purchase order number)

   Applications that do not include this information will not be referred to the Admissions Tutor until this information is provided and this will delay a decision on your application.

2. Add pgadmissions@sgul.ac.uk to your address book to ensure you do not miss any important emails from us.
3. When you have checked that your application is complete and accurate, click ‘submit’.

You can track your application through your online account.

Fees and funding

From 2022, we no longer operate a full and reduced fee structure. All applicants meeting the course entry criteria related to employment and teaching responsibilities will pay a single, subsidised fee of £1,700. The information on this admissions page regarding fees supersedes any outdated fee information provided from other sources. 

If the course is a requirement for your academic probation or as part of a Clinical Teaching Fellowship then you should declare this in your application. In these cases, the university or NHS Trust will normally pay your fees for the course.

If an alternative funder is not stated as part of your application, you will be invoiced by the university as a self-funding student.

Additional costs

On successful achievement of Fellowship recognition, applicants employed by non-Advance HE members are normally eligible for a one-off recognition fee of £220 payable directly to Advance HE if they wish to claim the Fellowship (FHEA) recognition. This is normally the case for those who apply for the course under Category 2 or only hold an honorary contract from a university. This is a condition of Advance HE accreditation policy and is in addition to the course fee.

For more information, see our fees and funding pages.

Healthcare & Biomedical Education (PgCert HBE) Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply for the PgCert HBE?

We are open to applications from three categories of applicants:

Category 1 applicants are City St George's employees teaching healthcare or science subjects who need or wish to obtain the PgCert HBE qualification. This includes staff who are required to undertake the course as part of their probation.

Category 2 applicants are those primarily teaching City St George's students who are not employed by the University, most notably Clinical Teaching Fellows (CTFs) or those holding Clinical Education Fellowships with substantive teaching responsibilities.

Category 3 applicants are clinical or practice educators who teach City St George's students, hold a City St George's honorary contract and meet the teaching criteria stated above. 

Places on the course are limited and priority during admissions will be given to Category 1 applicants.

In addition to these employment requirements, applicants must also meet the other entry criteria for the course including teaching role requirements.

I am currently on the Foundation Programme. Can I apply for the course?

No. We do not accept applications from FY1 and FY2 doctors due to the teaching hours requirements for the course and expected clinical focus of the Foundation Programme. We invite you to apply for the course at a later stage in your medical training.

If you are due to complete your Foundation Programme before the course commences in October you are eligible to apply as long as you meet or will meet the other entry criteria for the course.

I am a postdoctoral researcher. Can I apply for the course?

Yes. As university employees, postdoctoral researchers are included in this category and are eligible to apply, but subject to the approval of the grant holder/Principal Investigator for whom they are working, and only if consistent with the terms of the funding body.

Do I need to already have a teaching or learning support role to apply for the course?

Yes. The course is a practice-oriented qualification and all the assessments require you to develop and reflect on the teaching and assessment that you will be undertaking during the year. You will also complete an assessed observation of your practice as an educator.

All applicants are required to evidence in their application and personal statement a substantive teaching and/or learning support role when making an application. For applicants in Category 2 or Category 3 this is normally equivalent to 2 days of education-focussed activity per week (pro rata). Educational activities to meet this entry requirement must be for undergraduate or postgraduate students enrolled on a higher education course and should not include clinical supervision or other post-registration continuing professional development teaching hours. At least 50% of these teaching hours must be specifically for City St George's. 

The course team are not able to arrange teaching opportunities for applicants to enable them to fulfil the teaching hours requirement. Further opportunities for contributing to skills or PBL teaching and assessment (e.g. OSCEs, SBAs, SAQs) at City St George’s may be advertised to participants at the beginning of the course.

How long does it take to complete the certificate? Can I complete it in a shorter period of time?

The course has one intake and commences in October of each academic year. If you complete the three modules within the normal schedule with no interruptions to study or extensions you will normally complete the course within a 12-month period.

In line with university regulations relating to the minimum length of the course, you cannot complete the PgCert HBE in a shorter period of time than stated in the course specification.

I applied for the course several weeks ago but have not received an outcome. When will I know if I have a place?

There are limited places on the course and therefore the admissions process is very competitive. We also prioritise applications from Category 1 during admissions. As a result, we normally do not finalise places until after the closing date for applications in September. You will be notified if you have been offered a place shortly after the deadline and asked to confirm if you wish to take up this place.

Am I eligible for a reduced fee?

We do not operate a full and reduced fee structure. All applicants meeting the course entry criteria related to employment and teaching responsibilities will pay a single, subsidised fee of for the HBE PgCert. as stated on the fees tab.

I am employed by City St George’s. Will the university pay my fees?

Yes, as long as your application is fully supported by your line-manager, the university will pay your fees.

Is the course accredited?

The course is accredited by Advance HE and successful completion of the course and evidencing of your practice in relation to the Professional Standards Framework (2023) will entitle you to recognition as a Fellow of Advance HE.

If you are employed by a non-Advance HE member, you will normally need to pay an additional fee directly to Advance HE to register your Fellowship. This fee is currently £220 and is not included in the PgCert course fee. Most universities in the UK are members of Advance HE while NHS Trusts are not Advance HE members.

Upon successful completion of the course and ratification by the Board of Examiners in November each year, you will be registered by the course team on the Advance HE database of completers. At this stage you will be asked to confirm your current employer. If you are liable for this additional accreditation fee you will be invoiced directly by Advance HE.

What are the dates for the intensive teaching blocks?

Teaching is undertaken in intensive blocks rather than on a regular weekly or bi-weekly basis. Dates for the next academic year are normally published in July/August. Induction and pre-course reading will be provided from October. The 7 teaching blocks are normally 1 to 2 days in length depending on the module. The total number of days of teaching for the course is 9.5 days over the 12-month enrolment in addition to induction.

We use a blended approach to the delivery of teaching blocks with, normally, one day onsite and one day online. In both face-to-face and online teaching we use a combination of lecture, individual self-directed and peer-to-peer learning activities.

How is the course assessed?

Subject to approval during reaccreditation, the modules are assessed as follows:

• Module 1 is assessed by a 700-word statement of your teaching approach and a 2000-word reflective essay based on the collection and analysis of student evaluation data for a recent period of teaching.
• Module 2 is assessed by three assessments: a virtual poster and 10-minute oral presentation, an assessed teaching observation in practice and one 1500-word reflective essays on assessment and feedback practice.
• Module 3 is assessed by a 700-word revised statement of your teaching approach and a 2000-word small-scale project proposal for an enquiry into teaching and learning.

The course is assessed as Pass/Fail and all assessments must be passed to pass the course.

What is the time commitment for the course?

The PgCert HBE hours include attendance and/or completion of teaching blocks for the three modules, completion of the teaching observation, engagement with your allocated PgCert HBE tutor and preparation of assessments. You are also expected to complete formative assessments and contribute to peer discussion and peer feedback activities as part of the course.

Module 2 is the longest module and is undertaken in the Spring term. This can often clash with other commitments and you are strongly advised to work with your tutor and your line manager to plan your completion of the course.

Can I contact someone about the course if I need more information?

If the information on the course application page and this Frequently Asked Questions document has not answered your question please email your query to Dr Saranne Weller, HBE PgCert Course Director.

Course director

Dr Saranne Weller

Reader in Higher Education Practice and Development

Saranne Weller is Reader in Higher Education Practice and Development and has been Course Director of the Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare and Biomedical Education since October 2018. She brings to the course 23 years’ experience in the design and delivery of education development including short courses and postgraduate taught provision for early career educators. She is the author of the textbook Academic Practice: Developing as Professional in Higher Education (2nd edition) (Sage, 2019).