Gain a solid grounding in the quantitative methods used in health, medical and social sciences research
Year of entry: 2025 (September)
Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.
Upcoming eventsDevelop the skills you need to undertake analytical research in the fields of healthcare, medicine or social sciences.
The course gives you the chance to get hands-on with real datasets, as well as getting to grips with the theory behind the practice.
This course is very flexible, with some of the modules available as distance learning options, making it a great choice for those who wish to work alongside furthering their studies.
By the time you finish, you'll be ready to carry out statistical analyses using appropriate software on real data sets. You will also have the skills to present statistical work in a report format.
6th in the UK for research power with over 92% of our research rated as world-leading (4*) for impact (Times Higher Education ranking of the latest REF results, 2021)
Our experts help improve human health and prevent illness through the analysis and delivery of leading research.
The course is organised to give you a solid foundation in health research methods, with either a focus in applied statistics or a more general overview of health research methodology.
It will provide you with opportunities to develop your knowledge in the field and build your applied statistical skills, knowledge of health research methodology, and scientific writing skills.
If you take the option modules focused on statistics, you'll learn how to use the statistical packages, SPSS and STATA, and carry out complex analyses on ordinary as well as hierarchical and clustered data.
If you choose a range of methods modules you will gain the skills to be able to, for example, carry out systematic reviews including a meta-analysis, write a protocol for a randomised controlled trial, carry an economic analysis, or gain further insight into epidemiological study designs. These are skills that will enhance your ability to carry out and evaluate research in your workplace.
You will study four option modules. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course. For further information please get in touch.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.
| Study mode | UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time (1 year) | £5,610 | £12,960 |
| Part-time (2 years) This is the year 1 fee. Fees for future years are subject to confirmation. |
£2,805 | £6,480 |
Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.
For courses which are longer than one year, the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.
UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.
There are unlikely to be significant extra costs for this course; all reading materials are provided in the library or within the VLE. It's not compulsory to buy your own textbooks, but if you want to we estimate that this will cost about £100.
As a student at the University, you'll be able to purchase the STATA software at a discounted price.
Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.
We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.
You'll learn through a variety of different methods throughout the course, including lectures, workshops, practical computer lab sessions and small group tutorials.
You can also take a number of distance-learning modules.
The compulsory modules are designed to enable you to learn at your own pace. Regardless of your background, you will be supported throughout the course with different media, such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) tools, blogs, email contact and face-to-face meetings.
You will have access to computer labs mainly based within the Department of Health Sciences.
This course is based in the Department of Health Sciences, located on Campus West. The vast majority of teaching takes place in Alcuin College, with some locations on Campus West also being used.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.
We use a variety of different assessment methods throughout this course. These include both closed- and open-book exams, reports and protocol writing. You'll find yourself undertaking the tasks that a real quantitative health researcher would, and the assessments aim to replicate those skills.
Many of our students are already in their chosen field of work when they begin this course. However, it provides practical skills in appraising literature and evolving evidence-based practices enabling you to progress your career in health, social and medical fields.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate degree | 2:2 or equivalent with the ability to demonstrate that you have the necessary knowledge of and interest in a relevant area of health sciences. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and we follow the University’s Equal Opportunities policy. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic and Indicator) | 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 7, minimum of 6 in each component |
| Duolingo | 120, minimum 105 in all other components |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components |
| Skills for English | B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component |
| PTE Academic | 61, minimum 55 in each component |
| TOEFL | 87, minimum 21 in each component |
| Trinity ISE III | Merit in all components |
For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
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