Study with us

• Personalised learning: We tailor a flexible development and learning programme around your individual needs and the demands of your professional life.
• Outstanding support: Benefit from our experienced supervisory teams to guide your research journey. Your supervisory team will include research experts and clinical advisors and will be created to suit you and your study topic.
• Powerful network: Collaborate with peers, professionals, and academics in the field, building a strong foundation for your research.
• Comprehensive skill development: Become an effective researcher and communicator through workshops, conferences, one to one support and collaborative projects.

Undertaking this programme has the potential to advance your research and career. Graduates are well-positioned for roles in leadership, education, clinical-academic practice, and research, empowered by the advanced skills and expertise gained during their masters’ level education.

We are able to support a wide range of students and provide research supervision across numerous topic areas. The list below is indicative, and other topics are welcomed and can be accommodated.

• Maternal and perinatal health – including midwifery practice, midwifery models, pregnancy and birth, health and wellbeing and mental health.
• Health promotion and health inequalities – including diabetes, weight management, smoking, respiratory and mental health
• Leadership in health and social care
• Workforce issues in health and community care – including nursing, allied health professions, social care, education, training and recruitment
• Mental health – including children, adolescents, lifespan, neurodivergence and nursing
• Trauma and abuse – including domestic violence, survivorship and sexual abuse
• Life course epidemiology – including respiratory, diabetes and global health
• Clinical, rehabilitation and acute care – including intervention design, clinical practice and patient outcomes
• Public health and behavioural sciences.

This Master of Science by Research can be funded by you as an individual or through your employer. You may also be eligible to apply via the NIHR INSIGHT programme. The INSIGHT programme offers funded places, covering stipend and fees, and incorporates academic learning within the clinical environment and opportunity to develop a clinical academic career.

INSIGHT West Midlands (WM) programme provides an NIHR funded opportunity to study a research training course leading to a Masters in one of our regional partner universities. The programme is delivered in collaboration with NHS and local authority partners and is available to newly qualified or early career healthcare, social workers and public health professionals (excluding medical and dental professionals).

As above, we welcome applications from suitably-qualified candidates with their own funding.

Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements

For details on entry requirements please refer to the entry criteria for applicants to MSc/MA by Research.

Applications

Candidates interested in the INSIGHTS programme should complete the INSIGHTS application form. Self-funded candidates should apply via Coventry University’s dedicated application system, please see Making an Application.

All researchers at Coventry University are part of the Doctoral and Researcher College and Centre for Research Capability and Development, which provides support with high-quality training and career development activities.

This programme also offers:

• A structured route to completion: featuring seven portfolio submissions; this approach is ideally suited for professionals in the healthcare industry who are pursuing further education alongside their career commitments.
• Online delivery, encompassing pre-recorded sessions, a curated selection of reading materials, asynchronous tasks for flexible engagement, and live seminars to facilitate community and learning.
• Outstanding support: benefit from our experienced supervisory teams to guide your research journey.
• Powerful network: collaborate with peers, professionals, and academics in the field, building a strong foundation for your research.
• Comprehensive skill development: become an effective researcher and communicator through workshops, conferences, and collaborative projects.

Undertaking this programme has the potential to advance your research and career. Graduates are well-positioned for leadership roles in various sectors, including academia, research, and health and care, empowered by the advanced skills and expertise gained during their doctoral studies.

We are able to support a wide range of students and provide research supervision across numerous topic areas.

• Perinatal health
• Inequalities
• Leadership
• Workforce
• Mental health
• Trauma and abuse
• Life course epidemiology
• Rehabilitation
• Public Health
• Behavioural Sciences

Please review the following links to available supervisors within our Health and Wellbeing research centres and select one who aligns with your research interests and project needs. Ensure to initiate contact with your chosen supervisor prior to application to discuss the alignment of your intended research topic.*

• Centre for Healthcare and Communities
• Centre for Health and Life Sciences
• Centre for Intelligent Healthcare
• Centre for Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Sciences

*Your lead supervisor (Director of Studies) should be from one of our Health and Wellbeing research centres, however, we welcome the inclusion of eligible** subject matter experts from outside of this centre as part of your supervisory team.

For details on entry requirements and the formal application process and forms, please visit our making an application page.

Funding

We welcome applications from suitably qualified self-funded or industry funded applicants. For up to date fees please visit our fees and funding page.

Further information

For more information, please contact the programme lead, Dr Sally Pezaro, Programme Director: Structured PhD in Healthcare Sciences, Research Centre for Healthcare and Communities. 

Join our webinars

To register for our webinars which provide more information about the programme, please contact us.

Find out more about other research PhD opportunities and studentships available at the Centre for Healthcare and Communities.