Advanced Clinical Practice (Degree Apprenticeship) - MSc

Through evolving professional roles, practitioners are increasingly encouraged to develop advanced clinical skills, critical thinking and problem solving which enables them to meet the changing needs of patients through the development of new, accessible approaches to care and service delivery. This innovative course is accredited by Higher Education England’s Centre for Advancing Practice and designed to inform, enhance and develop practitioners’ advancing clinical roles, incorporating the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical practice; leadership and management; education; and research (HEE, 2017).

As an apprentice, you will be supported within the University setting as well as your own organisation to build on existing professional skills, knowledge and experience in order to develop the advanced skill set required of an autonomous practitioner, whilst meeting the complexity of modern healthcare challenges.  Provision of opportunities to investigate, critically appraise and understand the evidence base for practice will develop your critical awareness, in order to further improve and advance practice through strategic development, leadership, education and innovation.  You will have a minimum of 20% ‘off the job’ learning time, with the majority of learning taking place in the workplace. You will be required to identify a clinical supervisor who will be able to support you throughout the course.  Completion of the apprenticeship gateway criteria will enable you to undertake the End Point Assessment (EPA).

We are committed to providing excellent, innovative, learning, teaching and assessment experiences. We use technology to enhance your learning, through lectures, seminars, skills, simulation and virtual learning. Engagement of employers, practice partners and service users in all areas of learning, teaching and assessment is integral to our approach. Our evidence based curriculum will empower you to develop and maintain high quality, safe and effective interdisciplinary advanced clinical practice provision. 

Completion of this Masters course and successful integration of the advanced practice capabilities into the workplace provides you with the foundation for further career and academic development and progression, such as the attainment of Consultant Practitioner status and further doctoral studies.

Entry requirements

• Current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
• 3 years post-registration clinical experience will be required.  This experience needs to be related to the clinical environment within which you will be working at an advanced practice level
• Evidence of study at level 6 in relevant subject area gained within the previous 5 years
• Be employed in a role (for at least 30 hours a week) where there is an agreement from the employing organisation that the applicant will be supported and developed to work at an advanced practice level.  This will include the need to allow protected learning time for both attendance at University and additional time for practice learning
• Identification of a clinical supervisor
• Achievement of English and Mathematics qualification at Level 2 (evidence will be required prior to commencement)

Consideration may be given for applicants with significant clinical experience who have not completed a first degree, or applicants whose academic level 6 credits were awarded more than 5 years prior to applying to complete the course. Candidates will be required to complete pre-offer work for assessment by the course team to deem suitability for entry onto the course.

Qualifications and clinical experience that are not listed will be considered on an individual basis. 

Recruitment of apprentices onto the course will be done in collaboration with the applicant, employer and the university. 

All applicants will be interviewed.