Advanced Clinical Practice

Entry requirements

New entrants to Advanced Clinical Practice:

To become an Advanced Clinical Practitioner, the following points should normally be met and you must be in a role that has employer support for clinical placement and time to attend the course with a clinical supervisor/mentor in practice.

• Hold current first level Professional Registration with a relevant regulatory body.
• Entry requirement includes first degree and minimum of 3 years’ relevant experience in clinical practice.
• Recognised post within a healthcare organisation and the post listed within workforce plan and business need.
• Confirmed defined / protected Advanced Clinical Practice role for the trainee to be moved into on successful completion of the programme.
• Appropriately named clinical supervisor to support the trainee during the programme of training.
• Commitment to providing protected learning time for the trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner during the MSc and this is equivalent to:
  • One day a week in University (or equivalent) reading, writing and other academic activities.
  • One day a week protected time for supported clinical practice (or equivalent)

Applicants without a first degree:

Universities have a separate policy for applicants who do not hold a first degree at 2:2 but have substantial and relevant clinical or prior study experience.

Existing Practitioners:

Existing Practitioners who are currently working in an Advanced Clinical Practice role and do not have a MSc level of education have options to either complete the Masters or continue in the role and update in-line with their CPD requirements.

There are arrangements for existing Practitioners who do not have a full Masters degree.They have the option to complete the degree and to do this they would need to be in a relevant Advanced Clinical Practice post and supported by their organisation.

Employers:

All organisations supporting staff to undertake an Advanced Clinical Practice course will need to ensure as part of their workforce plans the role of Advanced Clinical Practitioner is embedded within their organisation structures. Once the trainee is a qualified Advanced Clinical Practitioner, there will need to be on-going support from the Trust.

Application Requirements:

You are required to provide as part of the application process two references;

• A professional reference from your current employer
• A recent academic reference (if you not have access to a recent academic reference two professional references will be adequate)

Guidance on what a reference should include can be found here.

You are also required to provide as part of your application an up-to-date CV.

If your application and aforementioned documentation are satisfactory you will be invited to an informal interview.

Months of entry

March, September

Course content

Please note, all course information including entry requirements relates to the 2022/23 academic year.

The MSc Advanced Clinical Practice is a programme for multi-professional groups which aims to meet the contemporary challenges of advanced clinical practice. On successful completion of this programme you will be a recognised Advanced Clinical Practitioner (HEWM, 2015) with an expert knowledge base, complex decision-making skills and clinical competencies for expanded autonomous scope of practice, the characteristics of which are shaped by the context in which you practice.

The MSc Advanced Clinical Practice pathway offers a broad range of contemporary options for prospective students and reflects the University mission statement in learning and teaching to deliver high quality education with an emphasis on interprofessional and multi-professional learning opportunities.

There are 3 formal progression points:

• Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Decision Making (60 Credits)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Advancing Clinical Practice (120 Credits)
• MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (180 Credits)

Information for international students

This programme is available to international students working in the UK. As an international student, you should have appropriate professional registration and meet the following NMC IELTS criteria.

Fees and funding

For information related to fees and funding, please visit the individual course page on the Keele University website.