Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Failure

Develop the knowledge and skills required to care for patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure. Learn from highly experienced cardiac specialists. Study at level 6 or level 7 depending on your skills and experience.

Hands with blue gloves on using scissors in a lab

LevelShort courses and CPD

Duration6 months

Start dates9 March 2026

Fee£750

Course codeCID1317

Course summary

This short course is aimed at healthcare professionals currently working with patients affected by coronary heart disease and heart failure, who are looking to develop their knowledge and skills in this area. There are two routes available depending on your experience:

Undergraduate Achievement Certificate in Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Failure (level 6)
Postgraduate Certificate in Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Failure (level 7).

You'll build on the required skills to promote holistic, patient-centred care and the knowledge to develop an effective patient management plan. You'll utilise transferable skills and evidence-based practice for patients with cardiovascular disease, and by the end of the course, you'll have obtained a wider breadth of knowledge in your field.

What you'll study

Topics covered on this course include:

Introduction to cardiovascular disease as a public health concern
The pathophysiology and development of cardiovascular disease in the adult population
The identification and diagnosis of cardiovascular disorders, including stroke, acute coronary syndromes, stable cardiovascular disease, and heart failure
Risk factors of cardiovascular disease
Prevention strategies and lifestyle choices
Health promotion
How to ensure an effective annual review to aid delivery of holistic patient care.

How you'll learn

The course is delivered on campus, with teaching taking place across five days over a time period of five months. A range of teaching strategies will be used and there will be opportunities for critical discussion with peers, independent working, and guided study, to allow depth of knowledge to be developed.

Assessment will in the form of a written assessment at level 6, and a written assessment plus one day or Viva at level 7.

Entry requirements

We usually require applicants to be healthcare professionals. You should be working in a clinical setting where your work involves delivering coronary heart disease and heart failure services.

For entry to the level 7 route, you must have already undertaken a level 6 qualification.

You must confirm the availability of your clinical mentor before you join the course.

Fees and finance support

The employer usually meets course costs – we advise you to speak to your workforce development lead before applying.

We also accept self-funded applicants and encourage anyone wishing to explore their options to contact cpd@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Apply now

Contact the Corporate and Professional Education team for further information about applying for this course by calling 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or emailing cpd@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).