Healthcare Management MSc (Armed Forces)

Postgraduate degree

Develop your skills and become a dynamic healthcare leader with our online masters degree. Use your military qualifications for advanced entry.

Key facts about your online degree

How you'll study

This course is studied 100% online

Application deadline

Our next deadline is 27th May 2026

Course length

Study over 1.5 or 2 years

Fees: £3,000–£9,000

Payment plans available

Start dates

Start in January or September

Course overview

Our online Armed Forces Healthcare Management MSc is ideal if you are, or aspire to be, a leader or manager in a health or social care setting. You’ll build on your experience to gain the knowledge, skills and emotional tools to reach your full potential as a manager and drive positive, empathetic organisational change.

Studying 100% online gives you the flexibility to enhance your career and take the next steps in healthcare management alongside your armed forces commitments. In a healthcare sector where organisations such as the World Health Organization and the NHS emphasise strong management competencies, values and principles of care, you’ll learn how healthcare organisations operate in today’s climate.

You’ll develop an advanced understanding of key topics including disaster prevention, change management and ethical decision making, drawing on insights from the business world to support organisational learning and strategic ambitions. Supported by experienced and passionate tutors, you’ll explore the social and other factors that influence managing and leading individuals and teams.

Our masters degree is an approved provider for the Ministry of Defence Learning Credit Scheme (ELCAS). ARU recognises your military training through Accredited Prior Learning (APL), offering advanced entry routes that may reduce the modules you study and the cost of your degree.

Why choose this course?

  • Flexible online course designed to fit around the demands of Military life
  • Enhance your professional practice and make a real difference in your workplace
  • Develop the knowledge and skills to meet today's healthcare challenges, including disaster prevention, change management and ethical decision making
  • Learn from experienced and passionate tutors
  • Use your ELCAS credits towards the course fees with an approved provider for the Ministry of Defence Learning Credit Scheme (ELCAS)
  • Be part of the University of the Year (THE)

What you’ll gain

  • Build the knowledge, skills and emotional tools to reach your full potential as a healthcare manager and lead with empathy
  • Understand how healthcare organisations operate in today’s climate and how to help them achieve their strategic ambitions
  • Develop leadership, management and change management skills to support positive organisational change
  • Explore resilience and prevention of disasters, accountability, and ethical decision-making and its application to practice
  • Engage in shared interprofessional and multidisciplinary learning, including inter-professional and interagency working
  • Critically reflect on your professional practice alongside managers and leaders from health and social care organisations around the world

Next application deadline: 27th May 2026


Course modules and assessments

In order to successfully complete your master's degree you will need to complete 4 core modules and 1 optional module.If you are eligible for an advanced entry route you may not need to complete all of the modules below. Please contact us for more information.

Modules are subject to change and availability.

Modules

How you’ll be assessed

How you’ll be assessed will vary between modules. This is in order to assist you in developing submission evidence for Management and Leadership professional recognition later. Assignments include the production of reports, essays, a portfolio and Major Project.

How you'll study

100% Online study
Dedicated support

Study online and graduate on campus

Our Healthcare Management MSc (Armed Forces) is studied 100% online.

You’ll study through Canvas, our world-class online Learning Management System (LMS), which can be accessed from your phone, PC or tablet at home or on the move. Canvas provides instant access to study materials, forums, and support from tutors and classmates, as well as enabling easy submission of your assignments.

On successful completion of your studies, you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony on campus. If attending the ceremony in person is not possible then we’ll arrange to have your certificate sent to you.


Entry requirements

What you’ll need to start this course

Applicants should ideally have a good first degree or equivalent and be currently working in, or have recently worked within, the arena of Management and Leadership in healthcare.
A professional qualification isn’t a necessity for access to the course, but you must meet the criteria above and demonstrate a strong interest in Management and Leadership.
If English is not your first language, you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.
As a distance learner, you'll also need a suitable computer with internet connection, together with sufficient IT competence to make effective use our online learning management system (LMS) with high-speed internet and email.
For non-graduates, non-traditional entry routes to the course may be possible by clearly demonstrating on your application that your qualifications and experience are equivalent to an Honours degree.
Various entry points are available depending on accreditation against military training. For more information on the options available to you, get in contact with us

Fees and Funding

Fees

The full tuition fee for this course is £9,000.

The tuition fees you pay each year for the full Healthcare Management MSc (Armed Forces) will be £4,500. The course is studied over 2 years.

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) may reduce the tuition fees. This will be confirmed once your application has been submitted. Please note that APL may affect your eligibility for a postgraduate loan.

If you have completed certain Armed Forces qualifications, then you may be eligible for an advanced entry route which would reduce the cost of the course to £3,000. Please contact us for more information.

Funding

Your course can be fully funded by the new Postgraduate Student Loans now available (subject to eligibility).

We offer payment by instalments, so you can spread the cost of studying with us.

You can use your ELCs towards this course. Anglia Ruskin University is a recognised ELCAS provider (number 1007). Please contact your Learning Centre for details of ELC, eligibility and how to apply.

For more information on how you fund your studies please see our funding page.


What our students say

0%
of our Alumni would recommend studying with ARU Distance Learning
0%
found studying via distance learning either ‘very accessible’ or ‘quite accessible’
0%
felt ‘much more confident’ or 'more confident’ at work
2026 Alumni survey with 268 respondents
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I would advise any Military personnel to give distance learning a go. You'll be surprised what you can achieve when you have the right support and access to great resources.
Cat, Armed Forces Alumni
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Studying in later life has been very rewarding. The course recognised the skills that I’ve obtained during my military service to reduce the length of my study.
Guy, Armed Forces Alumni
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I spent the majority of my MBA deployed to Eastern Europe with NATO and the resources remained easy to use and my studies were unaffected. I have gained a widely recognised qualification, whilst developing myself both personally and professionally.
Sean, Armed Forces Alumni
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I have thoroughly enjoyed studying on the well-established degree pathways for RAF Medics and look forward to continuing my academic journey. Acquisition of the degree also increases your potential employability outside of the service.
Danny, Armed Forces Alumni

Awards and recognition

Be part of the University of the Year

We're proud to be the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year 2023. The prestigious THE awards honour ’exceptional performance during the 2021-22 academic year, and reflect ARU’s success in delivering high-impact projects during this period, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The award recognises the difference we make in the region and our communities – while also acknowledging the broader impact of our world-leading research, and the contributions our students and graduates make to society.


Supported distance learning

We understand the need to be flexible when working within the armed forces with changes to location and non-standard working hours as well as your personal commitments and responsibilities. We also understand that distance learning is different to traditional campus study and if you’re new to online study you may have concerns or apprehensions about studying your online psychology degree remotely, and that’s natural.

To help put your mind at ease we have a dedicated Distance Learning Support Team to help and support you throughout your time at ARU, starting with your first online induction and staying with you right through to graduation. In addition, you’ll also be supported by specialist healthcare tutors, well experienced in supporting distance learning students.

Once you start your online Healthcare Management MSc (Armed Forces), we encourage the creation of online communities and many of our learners find these connections with others invaluable, helping them to stay motivated, share concerns or make new friendships.

Contact us to talk through any questions or concerns or visit our support page for more information about the support services available.

Visit our support page to learn more about our support services.
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Careers

Everything you need to know about building your career in the armed forces

Take the next step, apply today

Next application deadline: 27th May 2026

Your future, on your terms. Apply now before the application deadline.