Curriculum

Our online Metabolic Medicine Postgraduate Certificate allows you to study for just six months and is a part-time, distance-learning course. The course is worth 60 credits and comprises three modules of 20 credits, each running over a period of six weeks.

Year 1

Module aims:

  • To enable participants to critically analyse the underlying mechanisms and contributing factors in the development of different types of diabetes.
  • To equip participants with advanced skills in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of diabetes mellitus, considering individual patient characteristics and evidence-based guidelines.
  • To promote a multidisciplinary approach to diabetes care, fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals for comprehensive patient support.

Content summary:
This module provides an in-depth exploration of diabetes mellitus, encompassing type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. Weekly topics will include:

  • Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes
  • Lifestyle Management in Diabetes
  • Pharmacotherapy for Diabetes
  • Complications and Comorbidities of Diabetes
  • Diabetes in Special Populations
  • Technological Advances in Diabetes

Learning outcomes:

  1. Critically evaluate the evidence relating to the diagnosis, treatment and management of diabetes, applying a systematic understanding of these principles to a variety of settings.
  2. Critically implement evidence-based strategies into a range of scenarios within current clinical practice, to support and inform the prevention, detection and management of diabetes.

Module aims:

  • To develop a deep understanding of the pathophysiology, behavioural factors, and health consequences of obesity in diverse patient populations.
  • To equip participants with the skills to assess, diagnose, and manage obesity, utilising a patient-centred and compassionate approach.
  • To foster interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing obesity, promoting continuity of care and long-term patient success.

Content summary:
This modules delves into the complexities of obesity as a metabolic disorder and a significant risk factor for various health conditions, topics covered within this module include:

  • Pathophysiology of Obesity and Appetite
  • Epidemiology and Morbidity of Obesity
  • Behavioural Interventions in Obesity
  • Pharmacological Interventions
  • Bariatric Interventions

Learning outcomes:

  1. Critically apply a systematic understanding of the pathophysiology, behavioural factors, and health consequences of obesity, as well as specialist theoretical and methodological approaches to practice, when applied to diverse patient populations.
  2. Critically evaluate the evidence base for various weight management interventions, including dietary, exercise, and behavioural approaches and apply this knowledge to clinical practice, optimising patient health and well-being.

Module aims:

  • To enable participants to investigate and evaluate the diverse factors contributing to hypertension development and its impact on cardiovascular health.
  • To equip participants with the skills to implement evidence-based guidelines for hypertension diagnosis, monitoring, and management.
  • To promote interdisciplinary collaboration in hypertension care, enhancing treatment adherence and patient outcomes.

Content summary:
With a focus on the assessment, diagnosis and management of hypertension, a common yet critical component of metabolic medicine, topics covered on this module include:

  • Pathophysiology and Risk Factors
  • Evaluation and Diagnosis of Hypertension
  • Non-Pharmacological Management
  • Pharmacological Treatment of Hypertension
  • Hypertension in Special Populations
  • Hypertensive Emergencies and Complications

Learning outcomes:

  1. Critically evaluate the evidence relating to different diagnostic approaches and classification systems for hypertension, ensuring accurate assessment and appropriate management.
  2. Critically evaluate the pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for blood pressure control in diverse patient populations, and implement personalised hypertension management plans that would consider individual patient characteristics, comorbidities, and potential drug interactions.

Course Fees & Payment Options

Course Fees

  • Deposit for 1st September 2025: £425
  • Total Course Fees (UK & International) for 1st September 2025: £2,550 ††

Payment Options

  • Option 1: Upfront payment in full (discount available).
  • Option 2: Interest-free monthly payments throughout the course.

Payment Plan Breakdown

Postgraduate Certificate
Deposit5 Monthly Payments
£425 £425

Total payments: £2,550

Additional Financing

Spread the cost with Lendwise, who offer financing options for up to 8 years. ††††

† Deposits are non-refundable
†† Prices are subject to review following each intake
†††† Subject to eligibility criteria.

Entry requirements

Since our courses are conducted entirely online, they are accessible to both UK and international registered healthcare professionals.

Applicants will typically hold a first degree or equivalent (including international qualifications) in a relevant professional healthcare field, such as a medical or nursing degree.

Registered healthcare professionals without these recognised qualifications will be considered on an individual basis and a wide range of prior experience may be taken into account. In some cases, applicants may be asked to submit a piece of work for assessment in order to confirm that they are able to work comfortably at postgraduate level, and demonstrate the requisite clinical and professional knowledge.

Documents Required

  • A copy of your updated CV including your address and date of birth.
  • A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate.
  • The name and email address of someone who is able to provide a reference, this can be a work colleague, employer or former tutor.
  • A detailed personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the course.
  • A copy of your proof of English competency (see below).

English Language Requirements Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.

If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. The University of South Wales run a number of English Language Programmes at the Centre for International English to prepare you for your academic studies. You can also contact our admissions team on admissions@diploma-msc.com for more information on the qualifications we accept.

Should you have already successfully completed the 1 year Postgraduate Diploma and wish to convert to the MSc and complete only the second year of the programme this is possible. Please contact our admissions department admissions@diploma-msc.com to find out more.

Faculty

Partners

University of South Wales
University of South Wales

Frequently Asked Questions

For a full list of our FAQs visit our FAQs page.

As each Medical Council has their own rules/regulations with regard to Postgraduate study we recommend that you contact your local Medical Council with regard to recognition.

Upon completion of the course the University would invite you to a graduation ceremony and provide your certificate which makes no reference to the fact that the course was studied online and is therefore typically recognised the same as any other UK University qualification.

Rest assured, the overall Postgraduate Diploma carries a total of 1,200 CPD points, with the MSc an additional 600 CPD points, and all official certifications are issued directly by the University.

When you study one of our programmes you may be surprised to find that there are no lectures or seminars. Your learning will be self-directed meaning that rather than being told information you find it for yourself (with tutor guidance and support). We do this via a series of clinically rich scenarios which your tutor will post on our academic forum which you and your classmates will research, respond to and discuss.

You will be assessed through the Academic Forum, Reflective Journal and Assignments. Learning will be carried out using our online learning platform: Moodle.

You can study whenever and wherever you want - our programmes are totally flexible to fit around your other work and life commitments.

The course is specifically designed so that part of your study is the application of theory to practice in your day job.

We typically suggest that students aim to log into the Moodle platform daily. We recommend a "little and often" approach for reading, reflection and/or posting. High achieving students will typically spend 1-2 hours dedicated to their studies a day; 10 hours per week is sufficient time to spend on the platform.

Those who cannot dedicate more time than once/twice per week may struggle with the demands of this postgraduate programme.

Yes, everything is done entirely online through our learning platform, Moodle. You do not need to attend the University.

All of our courses are delivered in English, so proficiency in the English language is essential for success. If English is not your first language, we require proof of competency as part of your application. We accept the following as proof of English Language skills:

We Accept a Range of English Language Qualifications
While IELTS and TOEFL are among the most commonly used English tests, we understand that students come from diverse backgrounds — and we’re happy to work with you to accept a wide range of other recognised English language qualifications.

We accept IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Our most commonly accepted test, IELTS is globally recognised and widely used for university admissions.

We accept TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Another widely accepted test, TOEFL assesses your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in an academic setting.

We accept English Medium of Instruction (EMI) Letters
Many of our international students provide an EMI (English Medium Instruction) letter from their previous institution. This letter should confirm that you were taught in the medium of English. It is a popular and widely accepted form of proof, especially if you have completed prior academic studies in English.

Our University partners Requirements
The University of South Wales and The University of Wolverhampton accept an overall score of 6.0 (minimum of 5.5 for each band) and The University of Buckingham accepts an overall score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 for each band).

Our Flexible Instalment Plan is designed to offer ultimate flexibility to pay for your programme. You have the choice of two payment options:

Make an Upfront Payment in Full: For those who prefer to settle their fees upfront, you can pay the full amount at the beginning of your programme.

Interest-Free Payments: Alternatively, you can choose to spread your payments out with interest-free instalments every other month for the duration of your course.

These options are separate from our existing lending partners, which you can explore further on our programme pages. We believe that education should be accessible to all, and our Flexible Instalment Plan is just one of the ways we are committed to supporting you in your academic journey.

We currently offer two discounts: the Early Bird Discount and the Action Taker Discount. The Early Bird discount allows you to save up to £500 or more, available only to self-funders and is a limited-time offer that runs for the entirety of November for the March cohort or the entirety of May for the September cohort. Our Action Taker Discount allows you to save up to £150 off for PGCert and £250 off for PGDip/2-year MSc programmes. To qualify for Action Takers, you must pay the deposit within 7 days of acceptance. This discount is not available during February and August and not available in combination with the Early Bird Discount.

For Early Bird Discounts, the discount is visible if your application and acceptance are completed within the required timeframe. For Action Taker Discounts, it will reflect once conditions are met.

Who is this course for?

Our metabolic medicine course is designed for healthcare professionals who have an interest in clinical biochemistry, or are involved in the care and management of patients with metabolic disorders, including:

  • GPs
  • Nurses
  • Pharmacists
  • Clinical Biochemists
  • Sports Scientists
  • Dieticians

As an international online education platform, we cater to a global audience, and with no international surcharges, we aim to make learning accessible for all.

Assessment Methods

This programme emphasises learning through active participation in case-based discussions, reflection, and real-life scenarios. Students engage with clinical cases that mirror everyday practice, fostering problem-solving and evidence-based application from the very beginning.

Across the modules, assessments are integrated with learning. Each week, you will work through two to three clinical cases, discussing and reflecting on them with peers under the guidance of an expert tutor. These discussions form the core of your learning and are also the basis for your assessments.

Our innovative teaching methods are designed to help you translate this learning into real-world clinical practice. You'll need to regularly log in to participate in discussions, ideally on a daily basis, and commit approximately two hours per day to your studies. Our dedicated Student Support Team is available to assist with any challenges you may encounter, from navigating our online platform to managing deadlines.

How Foundational Knowledge is Developed

The programme is structured so that foundational knowledge is introduced through carefully designed clinical cases. Each case is crafted to highlight essential concepts and progressively deepen your understanding as you apply critical thinking and evidence-based analysis. This hands-on approach ensures that you are not only acquiring theoretical knowledge but also learning how to apply it in a practical, clinical setting.

This programme is suited for professionals who thrive in an online, discussion-based learning environment. Please note that this course focuses on interactive, applied learning through peer collaboration and case discussions. You will be fully supported, encouraged and led through the programme to success and graduation!

Students are required to critically analyse clinically focused case-based scenarios, discussion threads and weekly questions posed by their tutors via the Academic Forum (an online discussion board) and designed to meet the module learning outcomes. Here, students make their own researched and referenced contributions and interact with the tutor and their fellow students. There is no didactic teaching, instead, students are posed questions and prompted to search the literature, read it critically and respond. Engagement is encouraged by the tutor prompting students to respond and the use of automated activity monitoring software.

At the end of each module, the tutor allocates marks to each student based on a marking rubric. The rubric takes into account the following elements:

· Promptness and initiative
· Delivery of post (spelling and grammar)
· The relevance of post and referencing
· Expression within the post

The group activity is designed to stimulate and test the students’ ability to work as a team in taking the subject area forward. A group task is set, the group elects a leader using the online forum (designed to put leadership skills into practice) and the leader allocates tasks to group members.

The leader is responsible for managing, collating and submitting the activity (online) at the end of the module. The tutor provides formative guidance part way through the module and marks the assessment at the end.
Examples of individual activities might include either a written assignment, poster, blog or social media project.

All students must complete the same assignment for each module that is predetermined by the programme Leader before the modules commence. Students are not provided with an option to choose.

Case problems in the form of a one-hour timed examination with multiple-choice ‘single best answer’ questions directly test the reasoning and knowledge objectives of the module. The online examination is marked automatically.

The online reflective journal is a learning portfolio that requires the students to record and critically reflect on their learning. Reflection is an important aspect of the programme as the professionals will be able to spend time considering how their practice compares to the themes being discussed in the module. The tutor provides regular feedback to the student and marks it at the end of the module.

Reflective practice is a requirement for healthcare professionals for both professional re-validation and professional development.