Highlights
Tuition fee
12705 GBP / year
5006 GBP / year
Unknown
Tuition fee
12705 GBP / year
5006 GBP / year
Unknown
Duration
48 months
Duration
48 months
Apply date
Unknown
Unknown
Apply date
Unknown
Unknown
Start date
Unknown
Start date
Unknown
Campus location
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Campus location
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Taught in
English
Taught in
English

About

The Health and Social Care DHSC programme from The Open University UK is an innovative programme of part-time study designed predominantly for health and social care professionals, including registered nurses and social workers, but also other professionals working across health and social care including the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Overview

The Health and Social Care DHSC programme from The Open University UK will also be open to people working as carers, whose role involves them working with the health and social care sector. Informal carers, ‘experts by experience’ advocates and ‘expert patients’ may also make an application to the programme. Applicants whose field of practice is through an informal, rather than paid, role, will need to carefully describe their field of practice and what access arrangements would be needed.

The Doctorate in Health and Social Care (DHSC) programme is located within the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS) and therefore draws on existing research expertise specifically from within the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport (ECYS) and the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care (HWSC). 

How does it work?

The OU does not offer research degrees by distance learning or correspondence. The Professional doctorates are blended-learning part-time research degrees (rather than a distance learning degree or a taught course).

Professional doctorates have a dedicated website for interaction and access to resources.

Career opportunities:

Studying with students on both the EdD and DHSC you will have access to professional researchers across a broad range of education, health and social care fields of practice. This means your study and research will be able to reflect the increasingly multidisciplinary and multi-agency culture of these areas of practice. You will acquire skills in research and enquiry and be able to use these to carry out research that will contribute to professional knowledge and practice. Our doctoral training programme will help you develop transferrable skills that will be invaluable throughout your career.

Programme Structure

Areas of study include:

  • Childhood, Youth and Sport
  • Education, Learning and Development
  • Languages
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Learning Analytics and Learning Design
  • Professional and Digital Learning

Key information

Duration

  • Part-time
    • 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

English
IELTS
6.5

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  • 4.9/5 student rating

Delivered

Blended

Campus Location

  • Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

What students do after studying

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

IELTS
6.5

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Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation
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AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

  • Trusted by 300k learners
  • 98 accuracy using real exam data
  • 4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

  • You can register for a Professional Doctorate from anywhere in the world.
  • Applicants should normally hold, or be expecting to obtain before the start of the degree in October, a Masters Degree in Education or in Health/Social Care, or a related discipline from a UK/EU university or another recognised degree-awarding body. Applicants should also have at least two years of relevant professional experience or, on the DHSC, informal expertise as a carer, expert patient or advocate.
  • In exceptional circumstances, applicants who do not have a masters degree may be able to demonstrate suitability for postgraduate level research in relation to the nature and scope of the proposed work. Publications, written reports or other appropriate evidence of previous research may count as such evidence.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.
  • International

    Non-residents
    12705 GBP / year
    12705 GBP / year
  • Domestic

    Citizens or residents
    5006 GBP / year
    5006 GBP / year

Living costs

Milton Keynes

United Kingdom
848 - 1345 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Health and Social Care.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
07 Oct 2026
Fulbright U.S. Student Program

Read more about eligibility

U.S. government
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
10000 GBP
Deadline
21 Jun 2026
GREAT Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

British Council - Accreditation UK
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
30 Nov 2026
ServiceScape Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

ServiceScape
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3500 USD
Deadline
15 Nov 2026
ACES Scholarships

Read more about eligibility

ACES Education Fund
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
Not specified
Erasmus+ - Grants for study mobility
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

OeAD, Austria's Agency for Education and Internationalisation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
28 Feb 2027
Boustany Astronomy PhD Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Boustany Foundation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
19000 GBP
Deadline
Not specified
Scholarships for PhD Students
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Junhua Li
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
12000 USD
Deadline
16 Aug 2026
Amberscholar Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Amber Student
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
6000 USD
Deadline
16 Aug 2026
Amberscholar Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Amber Scholar
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
4000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2026
The New York Pass® Education Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Go City
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
10000 USD
Deadline
01 Sep 2026
The PhD Prep Fellowship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Admit Lab
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
01 Mar 2027
Voice Talent Online Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

Voice Talent Online
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
5000 USD
Deadline
28 Aug 2026
Women Scholarship for International Students
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

educations.com
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
13 Jul 2026
Dream Chaser Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

Salvado Law
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
31 Oct 2026
$1,500 Annual Video Contest Scholarship
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

IvyPanda
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
22500 GBP
Deadline
Not specified
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship – University Bids

Read more about eligibility

UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
3000 USD
Deadline
31 Dec 2026
Scholarship for students with disabilities
Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Anonymous Hope Fund
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
Not specified
CIAPS Commonwealth Scholarships for Postgraduate Professional Studies

Read more about eligibility

CIAPS 
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
Various benefits
Deadline
31 Dec 2026
Grants of the Leopold Figl Foundation for students with residence in Lower Austria
Need-based

Read more about eligibility

Leopold Figl Foundation
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
30 Jun 2026
$1,500 Annual Students’ Presentation Crafting Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

IvyPanda
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
12000 USD
Deadline
11 Jan 2027
Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme

Read more about eligibility

The Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship Programme
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1000 USD
Deadline
20 May 2026
PlagiarismSearch Essay Contest
Merit-based

Read more about eligibility

PlagiarismSearch
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
1500 USD
Deadline
Not specified
The Annual IELTS from 6 to 9 Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

IELTS from 6 to 9
Location not available
Independent provider
Grant
5000 USD
Deadline
Not specified
“The Hope For Healing” Scholarship

Read more about eligibility

FHE Health
Location not available

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