Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Program Overview

Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Overview

The Advanced Clinical Practice MSc course at the University of Chester is designed to prepare Allied Health Professionals, Nurses, Midwives, and Pharmacists to practice as Advanced Clinical Practitioners as defined by Health Education England (2017). The course is accredited with NHS England, ensuring that successful students are recognized as Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) by NHSE and hold an ACP digital pin.

Course Structure

The course is divided into several modules, including:

• Work Based Project Module (Single): This module provides an opportunity for learning to be achieved in the work context, facilitating strategic development within the workplace for the mutual benefit of employer and employee.
• Work Related Professional Skills: This module enables students to apply and develop subject-specific skills and knowledge required for their individual progress.
• Independent Study: This module allows students to critically analyze a topic relevant to their practice area in depth, using an action plan, and to justify strategies for future practice.
• Advancing Independent and Supplementary Prescribing in Practice: This module enables the autonomous professional to attain the competencies as identified by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (2021) Framework for safe effective prescribing practice.
• The Four Pillars of Advanced Practice (Dissertation): This module provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate achievement and critically reflect upon the four pillars of Advanced practice, clinical, leadership, research, and education contextualized to their own clinical practice.
• Core Knowledge for Advanced Level Clinical Practice: This module enables the trainee advanced clinical practitioner to develop the core knowledge required for advanced level clinical practice.
• Advanced Level Consultation and Decision-Making to Formulate Differential Diagnosis 1 and 2: These modules prepare the learner to perform clinical consultations to determine and justify differential diagnosis, ensuring decisions made and care given are evidence-based.
• Transitioning into Advanced Clinical Practice Roles: This module prepares the learner for the final ACP role once formal education is completed.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching will be through lectures, supervised practice, workshops, and simulation-based learning. Assessments include exams, OSCEs, assignments, dissertation, and presentations. Students will experience a variety of teaching and learning methods designed to facilitate the achievement of all learning outcomes at Masters level within a student-centered approach which fosters personal and professional development.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must be employed in a service user-facing clinical role. A signed commitment statement from the student's employer must be in place prior to acceptance on the program. The admission criteria for student entry to the Advanced Clinical Practice MSc program will usually be:

• A current registrant with one of the statutory regulators of health and care professions (NMC, GPhC, HCPC)
• Normally a minimum of 2 years post-registration experience
• Successful completion of degree-level academic modules

All students are required to have a workplace mentor who is currently working within the same or similar clinical practice area. The workplace clinical assessor will usually be a GMC registrant who has experience of teaching and assessing.

Fees and Funding

The tuition fee for Home Students is £3,210 per year (2025/26). Guides to the fees for students who wish to commence postgraduate courses are available to view on the University's Postgraduate Taught Programmes Fees page. The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships.

Location

The course is located at Wheeler, Chester, which is home to most courses within Nursing and Midwifery, Health and Social Care, and Law. The campus features a health and social care simulation suite, an on-site library, and social spaces.

Job Prospects

The course prepares students to practice as Advanced Clinical Practitioners, with career opportunities in various healthcare settings. The University's Careers and Employability service provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences to support students in their future careers.

Related Courses

• Non-medical Prescribing Level 7 40 credits