Overview
The online Clinical Research Delivery course is aimed at experienced healthcare practitioners from any healthcare profession who wish to develop the research networks, capabilities and confidence needed to lead and support clinical research delivery.
The Clinical Research Delivery course focusses on the practical elements of clinical research for those who wish to develop the skills and confidence needed to lead and support clinical research delivery. This course enables you to take part in clinical research in your area of interest, as part of existing research studies, whilst being supported under the supervision and mentorship of a senior researcher.
Applicants may be from any registered healthcare discipline, such as nursing, midwifery, medicine, pharmacy, and the allied health care professions (including healthcare scientists), or have worked in a relevant role with equivalent experience of clinical research for at least two years (e.g. clinical trials manager, clinical research practitioners, university postdoctoral researcher).
The course will ensure graduates are able to meet the capabilities outlined in the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Academy of Medical Royal College’s (AoMRC) Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework. King’s College London is one of only four universities nationwide approved by NIHR to deliver a course which allows students to meet the national Framework.
Key benefits
- You will be studying at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, a world-leading centre for applied and allied healthcare, clinical research and education, with an exceptional research profile.
- The course is delivered online by distance learning. With support from your employer, this can fit around your work schedule.
- Course material is developed and delivered by experienced multi- disciplinary researchers on contemporary issues in the conduct and utilisation of health, clinical and social care research.
- You will undertake practical research experiences during your studies to give you direct experience of the capabilities you will need to lead clinical research in everyday clinical settings.
- Benefit from our links with the King’s Health Partners (KHP) academic health sciences centre.
Course essentials
This online distance-learning course has been designed to flexibility support you to develop the ability to lead and support clinical research.
In alignment with the NIHR research Capabilities in Practice identified in the NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework, the course can be taken in stages to develop your chosen career path.
- PG Cert stage (year 1, 60 credits): This stage will help you to develop an in-depth understanding of the clinical research ecosystem, and to manage the steps involved in data collection within a networked clinical research study.
- PG Dip stage (year 2, 60 credits): This stage will help you to identify and evaluate the key processes of research (including what must happen before a research study can begin), and to understand other stages within a networked clinical research study.
- Masters stage (year 3, 60 credits): You will complete your learning by undertaking a Master’s dissertation on a clinical research delivery topic.
By the end of the course you will have direct experience that will give you the confidence to take part in and lead research activity at a local level.
If you apply for the PG Cert in the first instance, you can then decide later to apply to transfer to the PG Dip, then on to a full MSc qualification if you wish. If you apply to the full MSc at the outset, it is also possible to apply to transfer your studies to the PG Cert or PG Dip later if you decide to do so.
As part of the NIHR-AoMRC Clinician Researcher Credentials Framework, applicants with experience in clinical research delivery can also join the PG Dip and MSc courses with Advanced Standing. This allows you to join a later stage of the course, which means you can complete your studies in a shorter period of time.
The purpose of this taught programme is to develop students’ knowledge and research skills to enhance their current and future careers in supporting, delivering and integrating research into clinical practice, and fostering evidence-based practice.
Key Information
Course type:
Single honours
Delivery mode:
Online
Study mode:
Distance Learning
Duration:
PG Cert one year part time, PG Dip two years part-time, MSc three years part-time
Credit value:
UK 180/ECTS 90
Application status:
Open
Start date:
September 2026
Administrative bodies
Regulating body
Application closing date guidance
We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed. We may need to request further information from you during the application process.
- Our first application deadline is 11 May 2026 (23:59 UK time). · The final application deadline for applicants seeking NIHR Insight Programme funding is 30 April 2026 (23:59 UK time)
- The final application deadline for applicants seeking a Mental Health Mission Scholarship is 1 June 2026 (23:59 UK time) · The final application deadline for applicants seeking NIHR Credentials Framework bursary is 1 July 2026 (23:59 UK time).
- The final application deadline (for applicants not seeking funding) is on 25 August 2025 (23:59 UK time)
After the first application deadline, if the programme becomes full before the final deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications.