Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Course detailYear 1

Core modules:

Clinical Sciences and Clinical Skills for Advanced Practitioners (1)

You will study the theoretical principles required to carry out effective diagnosis, assessment and management of undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions in addition to pre-diagnosed conditions related to the respiratory, ear, nose and throat, cardiovascular, skin, mental health and neuro-muscular systems. You will have explore how to generate differential diagnoses in addition to making informed collaborative decisions about the management of your patient’s presentation. You will develop your knowledge, understanding and competence in the context of your clinical practice. You will be assessed via coursework and an OSCE examination. To support and assess you through the module, you will require an appropriately qualified clinical educator and currently be working in clinical practice.

Contemporary Advanced Practice

You will explore the four pillars of advanced practice (clinical practice, leadership, facilitation of learning and evidence of research and development). The module will challenge you to identify how healthcare policy impacts on your area of advanced clinical practice and develop your knowledge and skills in each of the four pillars. You will be assessed through coursework.

Year 2

Core module:

Clinical Sciences and Clinical Skills for Advanced Practitioners (2)

You will study the theoretical principles required to carry out effective diagnosis, assessment and management of undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions in addition to pre-diagnosed conditions of the blood, gastrointestinal, renal, endocrine, mental health, neurological and reproductive systems. You will explore how to generate differential diagnoses in addition to making informed collaborative decisions about the management of your patient’s presentation. You will develop knowledge, understanding and competence in the context of your clinical practice. You will be assessed through coursework and an OSCE examination. To support and assess you through the module, you will require an appropriately qualified clinical educator and currently be working in clinical practice.

Plus one of the following:

This is a compulsory module for all students who are able to register as an Independent Prescriber with their professional body.

Independent and Supplementary Prescribing

This module helps to prepare you to be an Independent and Supplementary Prescriber. You will explore the relevant law, ethics, policy, evidence -based and practice components of prescribing. You will be assessed through coursework, an examination in pharmacology and numeracy, in practice by your medical mentor, as well as complete an in-class test which will be assessed on a pass/refer/fail basis.

Professional groups unable to register as an Independent prescriber will undertake Person and Practice Development.

Personal and Practice Development

You will be provided with the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and understanding of an area of interest to support your continuing professional development needs. Informed by robust evidence based, you will have the flexibility to apply and reflect your individual personal and/or practice development learning needs expanding your knowledge and abilities within your practice. You will be assessed through coursework.

Year 3

Core module:

Project (Health Related)

This module provides the opportunity to develop a working project proposal related to your course outcomes or place of work, facilitated with learning materials and procedural guidance made available electronically. In addition you will attend lectures and have access to supervision with a subject specialist or researcher in the field. You will be assessed through submission of coursework in the form of a project.

Teaching and assessment

Learning and teaching is delivered through lectures, group work, practical experience lectures, and completion of on-line workbooks.Student-centred learning is used where appropriate and peer review and support is an integral part of the learning process.

In relation to the research skills and knowledge, you will be required to produce a dissertation in the final module of the course. You will be supported by a supervisor allocated to you at the beginning of the dissertation module (this may utilise a group supervision model).There is an emphasis on student-centred learning throughout the course.

The taught modules are designed to embed transferable skills and to allow you to progressively increase your knowledge, skills and confidence in professional in specialist aspects of advanced practice and masters level research methods.

All modules are supported by the University’s virtual learning environment, Unilearn.The development of on-line delivery and material, is a key component of the teaching and learning strategy in this course.

Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course.

Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results.Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.