Overview
Palliative care is about improving the quality of life of people with life-limiting illness and their families. Explore the clinical, social, psychosocial and ethical issues around caring for people with palliative care needs alongside experts at the Cicely Saunders Institute, in partnership with St. Christopher’s Hospice.
This is a muti-disciplinary and multi-professional course. Our focus is on training health, care and research leaders of the future to improve palliative care for adults and children. We strive for excellence to improve care and reduce inequalities, ensuring that the changing needs of global populations are met across health and social care from childhood to the oldest. There is a strong focus on research and evidence-based practice in our programme.
You’ll be studying with palliative care practitioners and researchers at the renowned Cicely Saunders Institute. The course is run in partnership with St Christopher's Hospice, which was founded by Dame Cicely Saunders in 1967 and is widely recognised as the first modern hospice.
We have students from a wide range of backgrounds, including doctors, nurses, chaplains, social workers, physiotherapists and health and social care researchers. Medical students in their 3rd or 4th year can also join our intercalated programme. Our course is enriched by a mix of home and international students, facilitating learning from best practice from across the world. The course is open to those with a relevant degree and work experience.
Take a look at our Fees sections for information about tuition fees and available scholarships, e.g. Funded MSc in Palliative Care (2 Part-Time Places available) and the PG Cert Palliative Care Studentships for UK Hospice Staff 2026-27. If you’re currently employed at a hospice in the UK, you may be eligible for a professional development grant via Hospice UK.
Check out our online MSc on Health and Care Strategies for Ageing Populations.
Key benefits
- Study at a world-leading centre for palliative care.
- Learn from our leading researchers and clinical staff on the latest evidence in palliative care.
- Be immersed in a vibrant community of students from all over the world and different professional backgrounds.
- Take advantage of flexible options for study including full time or part time, in person or online.
- Conduct your MSc research project under expert supervision with the potential to get published.
It was a great privilege to pursue the MSc in Palliative Care at the Cicely Saunders Institute King’s College London. This international course gave me the opportunity to learn from world experts in palliative care. The modular approach enabled me to continue in my work in Uganda, and put best practice into action. This was the perfect blend!
Course essentials
The MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert will develop your competence and confidence in caring for adults and children with advanced disease and supporting their families.
The programme enables participants to develop the skills to critically evaluate evidence on the effectiveness, appropriateness and acceptability of existing interventions and services, both medical and psychosocial.
You’ll be taught by a wide range of people including academics and clinical and global leaders in palliative care.
Course content
In addition to the core module on research methods and statistics, you can tailor your course through optional modules, e.g. on symptom management, service development or psychosocial issues.
If you are studying the full MSc, you can choose your research project from a list of existing topics, or you may want to explore an idea of your own. We’ll match you up with a supervisor who is an expert in your area of interest.
The course is structured in two-week teaching blocks, with a total of 30–35 hours of teaching per module over the two weeks. Outside of this teaching time, you will work independently on assignments and reading.
Course aims
- Our Palliative Care programme aims to improve competence and confidence to care for adults and children with advanced disease, and for their families.
- The programme enables participants to develop the skills to critically evaluate evidence of the effectiveness, appropriateness and acceptability of existing interventions and services, both medical and psychosocial.
- You will develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the many clinical, social, psychosocial, and ethical issues which surround palliative care, and how to assess and deal with them.
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.
This programme is offered in person or via distance learning:
In Person (Full-time/Part-time) – MSc, PGDip and PGCert
The final application deadlines for this programme are:
- Overseas (international) fee status: 25 July 2026 (23:59 UK time)
- Home fee status: 25 August 2026 (23:59 UK time)
If the programme becomes full before the final application deadlines stated above, we will close the programme to further applications. Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.
Distance Learning (Full-time/Part-time) – MSc Only
- The final application deadline is on 25 August 2026 (23:59 UK time)
If the programme becomes full before the final application deadline stated above, we will close the programme to further applications. Please note, you will not be eligible for an application fee refund if we are unable to process further offers because places are filled and we close the course before the final application deadline.