End of Life Studies MSc/PgDip/PgCert: Online distance learning
Around the world there is growing interest in end of life care, assisted dying, and the cultural values that surround death and bereavement. This postgraduate programme will offer you new and critical perspectives on end of life practice and policy, palliative care, cultural representations of death and dying, and related ethical questions.
- Online distance learning
- Academic contact: marian.krawczyk@glasgow.ac.uk
- Teaching start: January, April or September
- Online
- MSc: 18-24 months full-time: 3-6 years part-time
- PgDip: 12 months full-time; Up to 48 months part‑time
- PgCert: 8-12 months full-time; Up to 24 months part‑time
Why this programme
MSc End of Life Studies - University of Glasgow Online Programme- We will examine new theories, key concepts and a variety of research methods relating to end of life issues.
- As the global population ages and grows, so too does the number of deaths in the world each year. We explore new patterns of ageing and dying, and the implications of these for policy and practice.
- We will examine the specific challenges of delivering optimal end of life care in the global context, examining diverse models of care, their implementation in differing cultural settings and the global spread of palliative care approaches.
- We will explore some of the diverse cultural beliefs surrounding what makes a ‘good death’ and consider global attempts to improve end of life care.
- We consider the expanding debate surrounding the legalisation of assisted dying, and examine the implications for policy and practice in different settings.
- Designed for and delivered on the FutureLearn platform.
- 10 weeks
- £599
- 50 CPD / 10 Academic Credits
- Entry points in September and April
Try a free taster course
Enrol on End of Life Care: Challenges and Innovation to get an introduction to the subject and studying here at the University of Glasgow.
Online 10-Credit Microcredential: End of Life Challenges and Palliative Care
On this 10-week fully-online Microcredential, you’ll be introduced to new critical perspectives from within the social sciences, humanities, and clinical disciplines.
Taking an interdisciplinary approach that encourages new ways of thinking, you’ll gain the tools to reflect on your own professional and personal encounters with dying, death, and grief.
Supported by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh; their Fellows and Members will receive 50 CPD credits upon completion. You will also receive 10 postgraduate-level academic credits and a Higher Education Achievement Record from the University of Glasgow, which can be used towards a Masters level qualification in End of Life Studies.
For more information, see www.futurelearn.com.
Programme structure
You will take six core courses, each with 20 credits and a final 60 credit dissertation project to complete the MSc programme.
The programme also has exit points available for PgCert (60 credits) and PgDip (120 credits), up to a maximum period of four years of study.
Core courses
September - December
January - April
April - July
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours
to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw
or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.
Career prospects
The programme is extremely well fitted to the needs of people already engaged in some way in matters relating to death, dying, bereavement, palliative care, and end of life care: as well as those who seek to move into these fields. We envisage a rich online learning community on the degree, made up not only of practitioners, but also social activists, those working in artistic and cultural media, as well as people pursuing their own personal development on a matter of pressing human interest.
Graduates are likely to find employment in:
- Non-government organisations concerned with end of life care policy, service design and management.
- International health organisations, particularly those with a focus on ageing and end of life care.
- Government agencies and departments that take responsibility for end of life care strategies and provision.
- Creative industries that focus on matters of death and dying in film, literature, public engagement, exhibitions and installations.
- Emerging new professional groups: such as Death Doulas and other end of life practitioners.
Find out more about careers paths and opportunities.
Fees & funding
Tuition fees for 2025-26
MSc
- Home/EU/International: £15,000 (£1,667 per 20 credits)
PgDip
- Home/EU/International: £10,000 (£1,667 per 20 credits)
PgCert
- Home/EU/International: £5,000 (£1,667 per 20 credits)
Please note that these tuition fees apply to the following entry dates:
- September 2025
- January 2026
- April 2026
Tuition fees for January and April 2025 entry:
MSc
- Home/EU/International: £14,300 (£1,589 per 20 credits)
PgDip
- Home/EU/International: £9,533 (£1,589 per 20 credits)
PgCert
- Home/EU/International: £4,767 (£1,589 per 20 credits)
Additional fees
- Fee for re-assessment of a dissertation (PGT programme): £370
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: £350
- Registration/exam only fee: £170
Funding opportunities
UK Study Online Scholarship
The UK Study Online scholarship is open to UK, EU and international students taking online undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Please see UK Study Online for more details.
Postgraduate Loans for Welsh Students
If you are a Welsh student looking to study a postgraduate programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a Welsh University.
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
For more information visit Student Finance Wales
Alumni Discount
In response to the current unprecedented economic climate, the University is offering a 20% discount on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni, commencing study in Academic session 2025/26. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, International Summer School programme or the Erasmus Programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online programmes. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships.
Postgraduate Access Scholarship
The University of Glasgow is pleased to be offering Postgraduate Access Scholarships to support Home students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University. Applications are particularly welcomed from applicants who met any of our widening participation criteria, or equivalent, at undergraduate level. The value of each scholarship is £4,000 and they are for students undertaking a one or two year Taught Masters programme. For two year Taught Masters programmes, the scholarship is available in year one only.
Postgraduate Student Loan (NI)
If you are a Northern Irish student looking to study a taught Masters programme* in Glasgow then you can apply for a student loan in exactly the same way as you would for a University in Northern Ireland.
Northern Irish students are able to apply for non-means-tested tuition fee loans of up to £5,500, to help with the costs of funding.
For more information visit www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/types-of-finance/postgraduate .
* does not apply to Erasmus Mundus programmes
The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
Entry requirements
2.1 Hons (or non-UK equivalent) in Social Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, Psychology, Death, Dying, Bereavement, Cultural Studies and Criticism, Mortuary Science, Funeral Studies and other Allied Health Professions.
Diplomas or certificates in any of the following may be accepted instead of academic qualifications and in complement with lower academic qualifications: Funeral Directors, Midwives, Doulas, Funeral Celebrants, Spiritual Care in Health Contexts, Grief Counselling, Loss and Bereavement Expertise, Palliative and Hospice Care, Compassionate Communities, Community Development, Voluntary Action and Organisations, Social Care, Social Enterprise. We may also accept applicants with relevant and substantial professional and/or industry experience even if they do not necessarily hold a relevant qualification.
Please include a 500 word personal statement detailing your relevant background and/or industry experience. You should state why you have applied for this programme and how your background/interests make you a good fit for the course.
English language requirements
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)
- 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
- IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme
TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)
- 90 overall with Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements, this includes TOEFL mybest.
Pearsons PTE Academic
- 59 with minimum 59 in all subtests
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)
- 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Oxford English Test
- 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
LanguageCert Academic SELT
- 70 overall with no subtest less than 60
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Password Skills Plus
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
Trinity College Tests
- Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEII Distinction with Distinction in all sub-tests
- Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of start date. Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test.
University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses
- Tests are accepted for 2 years following date of successful completion.
Alternatives to English Language qualification
- Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
- Undergraduate 2+2 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years.
For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:
- direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
- essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
- flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.
For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:
We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:
- Heriot Watt
- Kingston Upon Thames
- Middlesex University
- Manchester University
- Reading University
- Edinburgh University
- ST Andrews University
- UCL
- Durham.
For further information about English language requirements, please contact the Recruitment and International Office using our enquiry form
How to apply
To apply for a postgraduate taught degree you must apply online. We cannot accept applications any other way.
Please check you meet the Entry requirements for this programme before you begin your application.
Documents
As part of your online application, you also need to submit the following supporting documents:
- A copy (or copies) of your official degree certificate(s) (if you have already completed your degree)
- A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained
- Official English translations of the certificate(s) and transcript(s)
- One reference letter on headed paper
- Evidence of your English language ability (if your first language is not English)
- Any additional documents required for this programme (see Entry requirements for this programme)
- A copy of the photo page of your passport (Non-EU students only)
You have 42 days to submit your application once you begin the process.
You may save and return to your application as many times as you wish to update information, complete sections or upload supporting documents such as your final transcript or your language test.
For more information about submitting documents or other topics related to applying to a postgraduate taught programme, see how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
Guidance notes for using the online application
These notes are intended to help you complete the online application form accurately; they are also available within the help section of the online application form.
If you experience any difficulties accessing the online application, see Application System Help.
- Name and Date of birth: must appear exactly as they do on your passport. Please take time to check the spelling and lay-out.
- Contact Details: Correspondence address. All contact relevant to your application will be sent to this address including the offer letter(s). If your address changes, please contact us as soon as possible.
- Choice of course: Please select carefully the course you want to study. As your application will be sent to the admissions committee for each course you select it is important to consider at this stage why you are interested in the course and that it is reflected in your application.
- Proposed date of entry: Please state your preferred start date including the month and the year. Taught masters degrees tend to begin in September. Research degrees may start in any month.
- Education and Qualifications: Please complete this section as fully as possible indicating any relevant Higher Education qualifications starting with the most recent. Complete the name of the Institution (s) as it appears on the degree certificate or transcript.
- English Language Proficiency: Please state the date of any English language test taken (or to be taken) and the award date (or expected award date if known).
- Employment and Experience: Please complete this section as fully as possible with all employments relevant to your course. Additional details may be attached in your personal statement/proposal where appropriate.
Reference: Please provide one reference. This should typically be an academic reference but in cases where this is not possible then a reference from a current employer may be accepted instead. Certain programmes, such as the MBA programme, may also accept an employer reference. If you already have a copy of a reference on letter headed paper then please upload this to your application. If you do not already have a reference to upload then please enter your referee’s name and contact details on the online application and we will contact your referee directly.
Application deadlines
- Applications for this online programme will be accepted up until it starts.