Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Course Content

• Course Details

  Advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) enhance capacity and capability within teams by supporting existing and more established roles. They improve clinical continuity, provide more patient-focused care, enhance the inter-professional team and help to provide safe, accessible and high-quality care for patients (HEE).

  Our MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice course is designed in a systematic manner using a modular approach which enables it to be flexible enough to respond to the needs of stakeholders whilst recognising that students studying this programme will also be employed within practice settings.

  Our MSc ACP suite of programmes will be delivered by a range of teaching methods such as core lectures, group work, online activities, use of case studies and clinical simulation to compliment and enhance work-based learning objectives. Shared learning with other professionals will be a focus of this course and you will be encouraged to develop a critical, evaluative approach to the knowledge embedding the four pillars of advanced clinical practice.

  The full MSc Advanced Clinical Practice award consists of five compulsory modules (180 credits) which include:

  • NURM080 Advanced Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (40 credits)
  • NURM081 Diagnostic Reasoning for Practice (20 credits)
  • NURM114 Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (40 credits)
  • NURM079 Educating and Influencing Others in Healthcare (20 credits)
  • OTHM010 Professional Project (60 credits)

  The PGCert requires you to complete NURM080 and NURM081 (60 credits)

  The PGDip requires you to complete NURM080, NURM081, NURM114 and NURM079 (120 credits)

  Supervisor

  Students will be required to identify a suitable clinical supervisor for work-based learning modules (NURM080 and NURM114) to supervise and sign off clinical practice skills prior to enrolment.

  For further information on the above awards or its associated modules, please contact the team on advancedpractice@northampton.ac.uk

  Modules

  Module information can be found on the Award Map:

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice
  • MSc Advanced Clinical Practice
  • MSc Advanced Clinical Practice Top-Up
  • MSc Advanced Clinical Practice Degree Apprenticeship

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• Entry Requirements

  Admissions to the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice enables all nurse, midwife and SCPHN registrants OR Allied Health Professionals registered with the HCPC (including NHS, Self-employed or non-NHS employed registrants) to apply for entry to the programme.

  Admission to the programme is dependent on the following minimum criteria:

  • The applicant must be an NMC or HCPC registered for 3 years prior to applying to the programme.
  • Have employer support and protected learning time.
  • A current Disclosure and Barring Services check had been undertaken (for NURM114).

  The Admissions Policy for MSc Advanced Clinical Practice courses is in accordance with the University’s admissions for students, Equality and Diversity policies. It seeks to select the students from diverse educational and social backgrounds who can benefit from and motivation to complete the programme.

  The programme welcomes applications from those from a variety of educational qualifications and will consider on merit applicants with no formal qualifications.

  All applicants need to have:

  • An appropriate healthcare or bachelor’s degree with honours.
  • Must be employed within a health and social care related environment and be a UK registered healthcare professional

  or

  • Those without a relevant bachelor’s degree must satisfy the University that by virtue of their professional standing, qualification and/or training that they are fit to register for, and to benefit them from, their proposed programme of study.

  As per the University of Northampton Academic Regulations where an applicant for admission to a programme is unable to present evidence relating to the general entry requirements, they may be considered for ‘special admission’. In such cases the Special Admissions Policy must be followed, which identifies principles governing the admission of associate students. In these circumstances applicants will be referred to the programme leader to discuss suitability for ‘special admission’.

  How to apply

  All applicants must be currently registered with a professional body (NMC/HCPC) and been registered for a minimum of 3 years.

  To apply, both you and your manager need to complete the WBL agreement form and submit the form with your online application. You are also required to present your manager with the WBL manager letter along with the WBL Agreement form for their approval. You can find these documents on the postgraduate application guidance page.

  You can find information about how to apply for this course on the Health CPD application page.

  A current DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check will be required to access the Programme.

  For further information regarding this advanced clinical practitioner masters and it associated modules please contact Julie Holloway, Programme Lead, on advancedpractice@northampton.ac.uk

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• Fees and Funding

  2023/24 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 23/24 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK – Part Time: £890 per 20 Credit Module
  • UK – Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice: (60 Credits) £2,670 (1 Year)
  • UK – Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice: (120 Credits) £5,340 (2 Years)
  • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Top Up): (60 Credits) £2,670 (1 Year)
  • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Full Award – 180 Credits): Year 1 (60 Credits) £2,670, Year 2 (60 Credits) £2,670* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 24/25), Year 3 (60 Credits) £2,670* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 25/26)
  • UK – MSc ACP Degree Apprenticeship – can be fully, or part, funded by the apprenticeship levy. Employers can contact the apprenticeship team for further information via apprenticeships@northampton.ac.uk

  2022/23 Tuition Fees

  Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 22/23 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK – Part Time: £850 per 20 Credit Module
  • UK – Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Practice: (60 Credits) £2,550 (1 Year)
  • UK – Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice: (120 Credits) £5,100 (2 Years)
  • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Top Up): (60 Credits) £2,550 (1 Year)
  • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Full Award – 180 Credits): Year 1 (60 Credits) £2,550, Year 2 (60 Credits) £2550* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 23/24), Year 3 (60 Credits) £2,550* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 24/25)
  • UK – MSc ACP Degree Apprenticeship – can be fully, or part, funded by the apprenticeship levy. Employers can contact the apprenticeship team for further information via apprenticeships@northampton.ac.uk

  Postgraduate Loans

  If you are starting a postgraduate master’s course in 2021/22 you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Loan through Student Finance England.

  Scholarships and Bursaries

  For information on the scholarships available to you, please see our scholarships page.

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• Professional Body

  Centre for Advancing Practice accreditation

  This advanced nurse practitioner course is accredited by the Centre of Advancing Practice. Health Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice has been established to standardise post-registration education by accrediting advanced practice courses that achieve the standards outlined in the multi-professional Advanced Practice Framework.

  Practitioners who have completed accredited education programmes will be eligible to be listed on the Centre’s Advanced Practice Directory.

  Programme accreditation from the Centre for Advancing Practice will bring a new level of consistency to the workforce and help showcase advanced practice within health and social care.

  

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Further Study Opportunities

There is opportunity for those who wish to continue educational study and work at academic Level 8 on completion of the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice award, to register for the Doctor of Professional Practice or a PhD which are also offered at the University of Northampton.