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level: masters top_up: false international: false clearing: false full_time: false part_time: true start_month: February, September location: Waterside

Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

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Key Facts

  • Level

    Master'sPG MSc

  • Duration

    3 - 5 years Part-time

  • Starting

    February, September

  • UK Fees 25/26 >

    PGCert: £2,830
    PGDip: £5,660
    MSc (Top Up): £2,830
    MSc: Year 1 £2,830, Year 2 £2,830, Year 3 £2,830*

  • Location >

    Waterside

Updated 16/12/2024

Open Days

Updated 16/12/2024

Get in touch

For questions regarding study and admissions please contact us:

UK STUDENTS ENQUIRIES

study@northampton.ac.uk
0300 303 2772

Overview

The University of Northampton’s MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice course aims to equip healthcare professionals with advanced clinical skills and knowledge needed to lead and develop complex evidence-based clinical decisions, whilst enhancing service delivery and improving health outcomes within Practice. Linked to the four pillars of ‘Advanced Practice’; clinical, education, leadership and research; students studying for their masters in advanced clinical practice will also benefit from learning with specialists from a range of healthcare settings, whilst ensuring patient safety and ethical practice.

Programme accredited by NHSE Centre of Advancing Practice

Advanced Clinical Practice MSc
Advanced Clinical Practice Top-Up MSc
Clinical Practice PGCert
Clinical Practice PGDip
Apprenticeship route

Highlights

  • Accredited Programme with Centre of Advancing Practice
  • Work-based learning
  • Inter-professional learning
  • Professional body recordable prescribing qualification
Aerial view of University of Northampton, Waterside campus featuring multiple modern buildings, a river, and surrounding greenery and open fields. Car parks and residential areas are visible in the background.

Waterside campus has everything students needs from: Learning Hub featuring 24/7 library, Creative Hub, on-site shop, restaurant, cafes and food outlets, multi-faith chaplaincy, student village hall, Students' Union and more. With only a short walk over the bridge into the town centre.

Internal view of the Learning Hub, showing barriers towards elevators and in the background the student information desk. There is a large clock on the wall. A person is walking through the spacious lobby.

The Learning Hub and Student Information Desk would be a student's first point of call when needing support.

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Our library covers three floors of the Learning Hub, with IT rich learning environments, including silent and group study spaces, physical books. Don't forget there are plenty more resources available online!

University of Northampton Student Information Desk area with digital screens, staff computers, and a sign reading

The Student Information Desk is the first place a student should go if they need any help. Here the team can direct you to academic support, mental health support, financial support, IT support, and more.

Spacious modern building lobby, the Learning Hub, with high ceilings, circular ceiling panels, staircase, and staff and students working at yellow seating areas.

The Learning Hub is where every student will go for library support and classes, as well as food outlets and social events.

External view of the Learning Hub, with large windows and vertical pillars housing, adjacent to a green lawn with benches and an outdoor seating area with an umbrella.

The Learning Hub also has lots of outdoor space for meeting with friends or finding some silent time between classes.

External view of the Learning Hub at the University of Northampton. The building features large glass windows, metal panelling, and pavements.

The Learning Hub is the biggest building on campus, home to our Student Information Desk, 24/7 library, teaching spaces, cafes, and more.

External view of Senate building at the University of Northampton, which is a modern building with cream features and grey roads surrounding it.

The big and spacious modern Senate building has various types of learning spaces, teaching rooms, our Bloomberg suite, Morley Room lecture hall, and cafes.

Entry Requirements

  1. Applicants must hold an appropriate healthcare or bachelor’s degree with honours.
  2. Current professional body registration (UK registered).
  3. Employment within a relevant health and social care-related environment.
  4. Applicants must have a minimum of 3 years of experience in practice.

  • Nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and pharmacists with current professional body registrations are encouraged to apply.

    Students who do not have a relevant Bachelor 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. Evidence of recent level 6 study is required.

    Please note that for NURM114, additional PSRB criteria apply for studying this module.

    For further information regarding the award and its associated modules, please contact Laura Elliott, Programme Lead, via advancedpractice@northampton.ac.uk

Course Content

  • 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, 2017).

    The University of Northampton’s Advanced Clinical Practice MSc course, studied part-time, is designed systematically using a modular approach that 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. Programme design ensures that the four pillars of advanced practice are developed and met by the end of the programme.

    Our MSc ACP programme 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 Practitioner award consists of six compulsory modules (180 credits) which include:

    • Advanced Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (NURM080) – 40 credits
    • Diagnostic Reasoning for Practice (NURM081) –  20 credits
    • Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (NURM114) – 40 credits
    • Educating and Influencing Others in Healthcare (NURM079) – 20 credits
    • Advanced Professional Projects (NURM110) – 40 credits
    • Research Dissemination (NURM144) – 20 credits

    The PGCert in Clinical Practice requires you to complete Advanced Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (NURM080) andDiagnostic Reasoning for Practice (NURM081).

    The PGDip in Clinical Practice requires you to complete Advanced Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (NURM080) and Diagnostic Reasoning for Practice (NURM081), Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (NURM114) andEducating and Influencing Others in Healthcare (NURM079).

    Supervisor

    Clinical supervision throughout the programme is recommended to support development.  Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice 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:

  • Centre for Advancing Practice accreditation

    This advanced nurse practitioner course is accredited by the Centre of Advancing Practice. NHS 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.

    Please be aware that accreditation with the Centre of Advancing Practice is only available to those students who have successfully completed the full Masters award, and not those who exit with a PG Diploma or PG Certificate.

Fees and Funding

2025/26 Tuition Fees

Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 25/26 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

  • UK – Part Time: £920 per 20 Credit Module
  • UK – Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Practice: (60 Credits) £2,830 (1 Year)
  • UK – Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Practice: (120 Credits) £5,660 (2 Years)
  • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Top Up): (60 Credits) £2,830 (1 Year)
  • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Full Award – 180 Credits): Year 1 (60 Credits) £2,830, Year 2 (60 Credits) £2,830* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 25/26), Year 3 (60 Credits) £2,830* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 26/27). The fees quoted assumes students will be studying 60 credits each academic year from the outset over three years. However, the amount students will actually be charged each academic year will be depend on the amount of modules studied.
  • 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

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

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

    For more information about possible funding options, please visit our Fees and Funding pages.

  • Fees quoted relate to study in the Academic Year 24/25 only and may be subject to inflationary increases in future years.

    • UK – Part Time: £920 per 20 Credit Module
    • UK – Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Practice: (60 Credits) £2,760 (1 Year)
    • UK – Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Practice: (120 Credits) £5,520 (2 Years)
    • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Top Up): (60 Credits) £2,760 (1 Year)
    • UK – MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Full Award – 180 Credits): Year 1 (60 Credits) £2,760, Year 2 (60 Credits) £2,760* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 25/26), Year 3 (60 Credits) £2,760* (*may be subject to inflationary increase in 26/27). The fees quoted assumes students will be studying 60 credits each academic year from the outset over three years. However, the amount students will actually be charged each academic year will be depend on the amount of modules studied.
    • 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

Staff

Laura Elliott, Senior Lecturer in Practice Development - Nursing

Senior Lecturer in Practice Development - Nursing
Faculty of Health, Education and Society

Laura Elliott
Placeholder image for Jonathan Mounsey, Senior Lecturer in Nursing

Senior Lecturer in Nursing
Faculty of Health, Education and Society

Jonathan Mounsey
Julie Holloway, Senior Lecturer - Primary Healthcare

Senior Lecturer - Primary Healthcare
Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

Julie Holloway

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.

Facilities

The Learning Hub is at the heart of the campus and home to the student information desk.

Learning Hub

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