Renal Medicine MSc
Validated by University of South Wales
Our 2 year part-time MSc in Renal Medicine aims to equip healthcare professionals to confidently and effectively deal with renal afflictions by providing them with advanced skills and specialist knowledge in this field. This includes a professional project in the second year, focused on a topic of interest within the field.
The role of the kidneys in maintaining overall health is vital, and renal diseases can significantly impact patient’s wellbeing and quality of life. In order to optimise patient outcomes and deliver accurate diagnosis and effective management of kidney-related disorders, thorough knowledge of renal medicine is crucial for healthcare professionals.
Our Renal Medicine Master's has been approved by the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom (RCP), enabling graduates of this programme to receive CPD points as accredited by the RCP.
Next intake: March 2025Key Facts
Our renal master's improves your management of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. Our renal MSc is completely flexible, allowing you to fit your studies around your family, work, and lifestyle commitments.
The renal master's has a clinical focus and our teaching is scenario-based, based on extensive research with primary care practitioners. By incorporating the most recent developments in renal medicine, we ensure that our curriculum is highly relevant for front-line healthcare professionals.
You will have the opportunity in your second year to refine essential research skills as you complete a professional project, that is relevant to your practice in renal medicine.
On successful completion of this renal master's, you’ll be able to:
- Confidently diagnose and treat patients with kidney disease symptoms
- Make use of your new knowledge and skills to help prevent or slow the progression of chronic kidney disease and to ensure timely referral to secondary care
- From a primary care standpoint, assist in the treatment of dialysis and transplant patients
- Consolidate your knowledge to provide the best possible patient care and service outcomes
Faculty
Programme Leader - Dr. Richard Smith, FRCP, PhD.
Dr Richard Smith
Current post: Consultant Nephrologist and Clinical Director for Research, East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust.
Richard Smith, Consultant Nephrologist and Clinical Director for Research at East...
Tutor - Dr. Ahad Qayyum
Current post: Renowned Consultant Nephrologist & currently serves as Medical Director & Chief of Nephrology at one of the largest trust hospital of Asia and Pakistan i.e. Bahria Town International...
Validating partner
University of South Wales
The University of South Wales (USW) is a modern, industry focused University located in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd in South Wales, UK. It was rated best in the UK for the Health Professions in the Guardian University Guide 2020 and, in the latest Complete University Guide 2022, is in the top 10 in the UK for Health Studies. USW is one of Britain’s largest and most exciting new universities attracting a cosmopolitan mix of students from across the globe.
Accreditors and Endorsers
UEMS - European Union of Medical Specialists
This postgraduate course has also been accredited by the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS)
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.
Postgraduate Diploma courses
In order to be eligible for our Postgraduate Diploma courses you need to hold a medical degree or undergraduate degree in a health related science and be working within the field that you wish to study, as the course is designed to further your knowledge within your chosen subject and is not designed to introduce these as new topic areas.
We have two intakes a year in March and September. Click the following link for the up to date application deadlines and module dates: Module Dates.
The Action Taker Discount offers savings based on your programme: £150 off for PGCert and £250 off for PGDip/2-year MSc programmes. To qualify, 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. The Action Taker Discount will be applied to your final payment. To take advantage, act quickly after acceptance to secure your savings.
Next intake: March 2025 Key Facts
Programme Leader - Dr. Richard Smith, FRCP, PhD.
Dr Richard Smith
Current post: Consultant Nephrologist and Clinical Director for Research, East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust.
Richard Smith, Consultant Nephrologist and Clinical Director for Research at East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust is the Programme Leader for our Renal Medicine Postgraduate Diploma. Richard has:
- 28 years of teaching experience including at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, Cardiff University, the University of Bristol and now, the University of South Wales.
- 30 years experience of clinical transplantation with 18 years as a consultant nephrologist at hospitals across the UK
- 28 years experience of clinical trials and academic research, including 42 publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Richard has always been driven by demystifying kidney disease; helping non-specialists become more confident at treating patients with afflicting symptoms. Most kidney problems present first to non-specialists (GPs, diabetologists, emergency medicine, general medicine and general surgery). Unfortunately, training in how to manage these patients is often covered poorly in ‘general’ training programmes. This course aims to equip these clinicians with the knowledge and skills they need to confidently manage patients with kidney disease.
Tutor - Dr. Ahad Qayyum
Current post: Renowned Consultant Nephrologist & currently serves as Medical Director & Chief of Nephrology at one of the largest trust hospital of Asia and Pakistan i.e. Bahria Town International Hospital Lahore.
- Has a distinct honor of holding renal fellowships from both the Royal College Physicians of United Kingdom and College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan.
- Has published extensively with more than 30 research articles in high impact factor medical journals and sits on the editorial board of the Pakistan Journal of Kidney Diseases.
- Nominated renal scholar by the International Society of Nephrology & Kidney Research UK and a member of the South Asian Regional Board and Educational Ambassador Committee of the International Society of Nephrology.
- Certified mentor and supervisor for ACLS and Renal Fellowship by the American Heart Association and College of Physicians and Surgeons respectively
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Why Study a Renal Medicine Master's with Learna
We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.
100% Flexible
Our courses are 100% online. No fixed study times mean you can log in and learn whenever and wherever.
Multidisciplinary - study in a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.
Expert Led
All of our programmes are authored and developed by world leading experts in their field.
Our faculty are selected due to their subject expertise, experience and teaching abilities to ensure the highest standards of educational excellence.
Career Boosting
Get a University Validated postgraduate qualification in just 1 calendar year instead of 2 academic years.
40% of our alumni reported an increase in salary 2 years after studying with us.
Who is this course for?
Our renal medicine courses are specifically designed for healthcare professionals frequently seeing patients displaying symptoms of kidney disease, who aren’t renal specialists.
You should be working as a healthcare professional (HCP), either in the UK or overseas, in a role in general practice, or a secondary care HCP managing patients with systemic diseases that may affect the kidneys.
How Will I Learn?
You'll learn through our flexible, interactive online platform, which allows you to engage with clinical cases, complete assignments, and collaborate with fellow students at times that suit your schedule. There's no fixed timetable—simply log in daily to participate in the week's activities.
Learn through engaging discussion
Our teaching approach is highly interactive, using small groups of 10-20 students to foster a collaborative environment where you can engage in thoughtful discussions and receive guidance from your tutor. You'll have access to learning resources and discussion forums that encourage ongoing interaction and deeper engagement with the material.
Throughout your studies, you'll receive support from a dedicated expert tutor and our Student Support Team, ensuring you have the resources needed to navigate the course successfully.
Curriculum
The renal master's is a two-year course, consisting of eight modules (180 credits) with the first 120 credits deriving from the Postgraduate Diploma. The second year of the master's in renal course starts with an initial 10-week online module that will develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. Students then complete the professional project module, which consists of a 1,500 word proposal and 10,500 word professional project (dissertation).Year 1
Equipping you with the knowledge and skills to be able to confidently diagnose and initiate management of patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Providing you with the knowledge and skills to be able to confidently manage AKI patients and understand when referral to secondary care is appropriate and necessary.
Helping you to confidently manage CKD patients and understand when referral to secondary care is appropriate and necessary.
Giving you a comprehensive understanding of systemic disease on the kidney and how to provide evidence-based care for these complex conditions.
Enabling you to confidently manage general medical and surgical problems in the dialysis and transplant patient from a primary care perspective.
Equipping you with the skills and knowledge to provide patient-centred care that empowers them to access healthcare advice and treatment options pertinent to their circumstances, and helping them to make informed decisions that maximises their quality of life.
Year 2
You will learn in a similar way to how you learned on the postgraduate diploma, however this module runs over 12 weeks.
This module is designed to help students recognise, understand, interpret and apply methods used in healthcare research and critically appraise the various methodologies specific to renal medicine research.
To produce the professional project you will continue to study online, however much of the work is self-directed. You will develop your ability to critically appraise specific areas of clinical, research and/or organisational practice and develop skills in independent research, study and writing for publication.
You will have a dedicated tutor who you will be expected to interact with every week. You will select a specific project and submit a project summary/proposal of approximately 1,200 words.
Once your proposal has been approved you will complete the 10,800 word Professional Project, supervised by your tutor.
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!
Year 1
- Every week students are presented with two/three clinical case-based scenarios that are reflective of every day clinical practice and research.
- Tutors will post a number of questions and prompts to aid students in a formal discussion of each case.
- These discussions are facilitated throughout by your tutor and are then assessed at the end of every module.
For this assessment, students will work on a group assignment and/or an individual assignment.
- Group assignments are designed to hone skills in the multidisciplinary, holistic approach to modern treatments and patient management by requiring group participation in a single piece of work.
- Individual assignments are designed to hone skills in academic career progression through such tasks as reviewing papers, developing scientific posters or abstracts, peer-reviewing, social media activities, patient information leaflets and essays.
The reflective journal is used by students throughout each module to monitor personal progress. This is guided by weekly feedback from your tutor and is graded at the end of every module. The journal typically includes the following:
- Initial expectations and reasons for taking the course.
- Module and/or personal learning objectives.
- Description of events, issues and learning points within current personal practice.
- Change in every day practice due to knowledge gained on each module.
- A description of what has been learned during the module.
- Students are provided with case-based problems in the form of a one-hour timed examination.
- The exam consists of 30 'Single Best Answer' questions.
- Students are required to complete the exam online within the set time.
Year 2
This module runs over an 8 week period and is designed to develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. The module consists of mandatory formative assessment activities to support your learning and development prior to the Professional Project module.
Students will work with their supervisor to submit a professional project proposal for their chosen topic.
Students will deliver an abstract (1000 words) outlining their proposal and, if deemed necessary, develop and submit documentation for the University’s ethical committee approval.
- Students will create a dissertation, the theme of which has been developed in discussion with their tutor.
- Supervision will normally involve direct online support involving planned progress, supporting research activity and reading student work.
- Supervisors and students will agree on a communications plan, which may involve emails or online chats. Some students may employ the use of freely available chat or audio conferencing facilities for live discussion with supervisors.
- Students will have access to online forums where they can develop their research capabilities together.
- All communications with tutors will be logged on the Professional Project forum by the student, and consist of brief summaries of discussion.
Entry requirements
Since our online renal master's course is conducted entirely online, it's 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 or Public Health related 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.
Course Fees
Option 1: Upfront Payment in full. Option 2: Interest free payments every other month for the duration of the course.
| Date | Instalments | Up-Front Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | £840 | £9,440 |
| 1st May 2025 | £840 | |
| 1st July 2025 | £840 | |
| 1st September 2025 | £840 | |
| 1st November 2025 | £840 | |
| 1st January 2026 | £840 | |
| 1st March 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st May 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st July 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st September 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st November 2026 | £733 | |
| 1st January 2027 | £735 |
† Deposits are non-refundable
†† Prices are subject to review following each intake
Option 3: Lower your monthly payments by spreading the cost for between 2 and 8 years with a loan from our lending partner Lendwise*.
*Subject to eligibility criteria.
Learna | Diploma MSc has a partnership with Lendwise which is a leading private student loan provider, to help UK students fund their course fees should they require financing. Lendwise is a UK-based education finance platform through which candidates can fund their postgraduate and professional qualification studies at leading educational institutions.
A Lendwise loan comes with a fixed interest rate for the duration of the loan (between 2 and 8 years) and no early repayment penalties. The interest rate offered will depend on the overall applicant profile and the application process is entirely online.*
*Other sources of funding are available.
Learna | Diploma MSc does not offer financial advice, recommend or endorse any financial product. You should always check the suitability of the product that is of interest to you. If you are in any doubt as to its suitability, we suggest that you seek independent professional advice.
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