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Healthcare Operational Management (MSc) (2022 Entry)

About this taught graduate course

Course overview

This course has been designed to fulfil the specific needs of graduates interested in a management or leadership role within the complex health service sector. Healthcare organisations share many commonalities with production facilities, including the need for efficient process flow, change management, and quality standards.  

You will explore the principles, approaches, strategies and techniques to understand, model, analyse and manage complex healthcare systems. You will also learn to measure efficiency and improve effectiveness and productivity, without compromising quality or safety. Ultimately, you will gain the essential knowledge to manage the integration of people, systems, and technologies to ensure the delivery of consistent, high quality, person centric care.  

The course is suitable for graduates from a broad range of academic disciplines across technical, scientific, medical, management, and social sciences. Strong quantitative skills will be required.


General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

2:i undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a range of disciplines across technical, medical, scientific, management and social sciences.

Candidates with a UK 2:ii (or equivalent) may be accepted upon demonstration of relevant professional experience.


English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements. This course requires the following:

  • Band A
  • IELTS overall score of 6.5, minimum component scores not below 6.0

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.


Additional requirements

Candidates with professional experience should include their CV with their application.

Core modules

  • Leading Change in Healthcare
  • Quality and Productivity in Health Service Systems
  • Operational Management and Clinical Systems Improvement
  • Introduction to Health Informatics
  • Electronic Healthcare Records
  • Epidemiology and Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement
  • Introduction to Health Economics
  • Resource Management in Health Service Quality

Read the module descriptions for this course on WMG's website.


Teaching

This course has two components – a taught component accounting for two thirds of your time and effort, and a research component (dissertation) accounting for one-third. 

For the taught component, we blend lectures with seminars, syndicate exercises, simulations, and case studies. Each module is delivered intensively over one full week or two half weeks, and classes are deliberately kept small to encourage interaction. Larger scale lectures are delivered for some modules and are backed up by seminar and syndicate activities. 

Our module leaders have extensive industry experience. Guest speakers from the healthcare sector also contribute regularly, bringing real-world insight into your learning experience.


Class sizes

Overall this course can accommodate up to 25 students.


Typical contact hours

Our courses are modular in structure, with modules generally being taught in intensive one-week blocks from Monday to Friday, 9.00am - 6.00pm. Some modules will be taught over two half weeks or more, and occasionally you may be required to attend weekend sessions.

In addition to the taught component, you will have online pre-module preparation, and a substantial Post Module Assignment (PMA) following each module.

Each module accounts for 150 hours of learning time, divided between pre-work, in-module time, and post module assessment.


Assessment

At the end of each module, you will be given a Post Module Assignment (PMA) based on the learning objectives of that module. This is a piece of assessed written work which should take around 110 hours to complete. Most modules also have some in-module assessed work.

For the research component, each student undertakes a major individual project, which will develop your research and analytical skills and enable you to specialise. This project accounts for 33% of your overall credits and is submitted in the form of a dissertation of approximately 20,000 words.


Reading lists

Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page.


Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, compulsory and optional, and you have been allocated to your lectures, seminars and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you and you will be able to choose your optional modules when you join us.

Your career

Healthcare is a dynamic sector with ever-increasing demands worldwide. There is a constant need for experts with the knowledge, skills and expertise to manage and drive innovation, implement change and improve quality and efficiency in healthcare services.

As a graduate of the MSc in Healthcare Operational Management, you will have a broad range of career opportunities open to you within managerial or organisational leadership roles. With additional experience, you would expect to progress into a key executive role in the healthcare sector, which would involve leading and overseeing programmes, service transformation and policy.


Helping you find the right career

Our department has a dedicated professionally qualified Senior Careers Consultant offering impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:

  • Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
  • WMG Future Fest
  • Options in Engineering sector event
  • Careers for experienced hires
  • Careers in Cyber Security
  • Careers in healthcare
  • Careers in project management

WMG at Warwick

Having forged strong links with global companies through 42 years of collaborative research and development, we really understand the global market you’ll be operating in, and have designed our programmes to match.

Find out more about us on our website


Our courses

Our Postgraduate Research degrees


Visiting WMG

There are a number of different ways to visit the University of Warwick throughout the year. We host bespoke PG visits, where you can talk directly with your chosen department and explore our campus through a personalised tour. WMG also organises events for prospective students including a weekly Live Chat so you can connect directly with the department to speak with staff and students from WMG. For more about university wide open days and tours, visit our Postgraduate Visits page.

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

WMG Excellence Scholarships

WMG funding opportunities

WMG will be awarding over £1million in scholarships and bursaries to students commencing study on our full-time MSc programmes

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Find out how to apply to us, ask your questions, and find out more.

Taught course applications

Here is our checklist on how to apply for taught postgraduate courses at Warwick.

Application advice from WMG

Please see the WMG department web pages for specific application advice and information.

After you’ve applied

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Admissions statement

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Postgraduate fairs

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in the UK. These events give you the chance to learn about our Master's and PhD study routes, and the wider context of postgraduate study.

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Departmental events

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