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MSc|Postgraduate Taught

Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice

Entry year
2024/25
Entry requirements
2.2
Duration
16 months (Full-time)
3 years (Part-time)
Places available
30 (Full Time)
30 (Part Time)

This 16 month taught Masters programme nurtures talented and innovative professional practitioners, placing practice at the forefront. The programme is delivered through ten specialist pathways, enabling students from different professional backgrounds to review and update their practice and benefit from shared learning and then contribute to improving the quality and effectiveness of health and social care provision globally.

This programme produces exceptional practitioners who have:
• Skills necessary to promote and enhance innovative and emerging practice
• Intellectual and transferable skills necessary in positions of leadership
• Skills enabling the review and application of contemporary evidence to practice

The programme and pathways will appeal to practitioners working in a wide range of practice areas who are committed to their own personal and professional development. Graduates of this programme move into senior practice roles, management and leadership positions, or progress onto a career in research or education.

The specialist pathways are:

MSc (Critical and Acute Care)
MSc (Cancer Nursing: Supportive and Palliative Care)
MSc (Leadership and Management)
MSc (Mental Health Care)
MSc (Care of Older People)
MSc (Midwifery Care)
MSc (Care of Children & Young People)
MSc (Intellectual Disabilities)
MSc (Practice Education)
MSc (Maternal and Family Health)

Admission to a specialist pathway may require applicants to have current or recent practice experience in the related area. The Programme Co-ordinator will provide individual advice on module choices at enrolment.

The programme is offered on a full-time basis only and combines face-to-face teaching with online delivery.

We work closely with our local Healthcare providers to design bespoke clinical experiences for our Masters students. Each student will undertake 225 hours' clinical experience in a setting relevant to their studies to allow them to develop their ideas to completion. Students undertake clinical placements within regional centres of excellence, and many develop contacts and friendships that continue throughout their careers.

There is an additional fee for placements, this is currently £4000 but may be subject to change for the academic year 2024-25.

The programme lasts 16 months, during which time students complete 6 specialist nursing or midwifery modules, a clinical placement and a dissertation.

Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice highlights

Career Development

This course will appeal to registered nurses, midwives and other professionals working in a wide variety of areas who are thinking about their personal development and career progression.

This programme enables the development of exceptional practitioners who have the skills necessary to promote and sustain innovative and emerging practice. Graduates of the programme go on to positions of leadership or research and teaching careers.

Student Experience

Students from different professional backgrounds come together on this programme and share expertise, review their own practice and share balanced and critical findings that contribute towards the improvement of the quality and efficiency of delivery of healthcare on a global scale.

Students on this programme undertake a clinical practice placement with one of our internationally-recognised practice partners. Placements are carefully designed for each individual to optimise their experience and learning outcomes.

Further Study Opportunities

Graduates from this programme can progress to PhD research opportunities within the School of Nursing and Midwifery. Our research team are engaged in high quality, impactful cross-disciplinary work which advances health and social care provision around the globe.

Student Testimonials

Course Structure

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Advanced Professional Practice Specialist Pathways:

The pathways have been developed recognising that students are committed to personal and professional development. We have developed ten pathways and supporting modules, some of which require the student to be working in a relevant area of practice. To graduate with the MSc in Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice with a specialist pathway, students must complete one of the compulsory research modules, two pathway-specific modules, three optional modules and a dissertation.

Pathway 01: Leadership and Management

The leadership and management pathway offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in leading and managing services across health, social care and independent sectors. The pathway modules focus on leadership and management theories and models and their practical application to the transformation and delivery of care and support in the context of multi-agency collaboration and service design and delivery.

Pathway 02: Midwifery Care

The midwifery care pathway, open to Registered Midwives or those eligible for registration as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Council offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in the contemporary advances and developments in midwifery care and support. The pathway develops the knowledge of midwives to enable the provision of infant, women, and birthing people centred care, and the support of their families. The pathway modules focus on advances and developments in midwifery practice and the provision of evidence based, safe, effective care within maternity services and in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration.
Many of these modules are only available to registered midwives.

Pathway 03: Critical and Acute Care

The critical and acute care pathway offers students an opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in the assessment, care and support of patients in critical and acute care services, including respiratory, cardiac, anaesthetics, HDU and ITU settings. The range of pathway modules focus on the assessment and management of patients in critical and acute care environments and the delivery of safe and effective care and support in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration
Students completing this pathway must be an NMC registered Adult Nurse, or eligible to join the NMC register as an Adult Nurse. Some modules require experience in specific areas of practice.

Pathway 04: Mental Health Care

The mental health care pathway offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in contemporary advances and developments in mental health practice to enable the delivery of empathic, holistic assessment and care of patients experiencing mental ill-health and the support of their families and carers. The pathway modules focus on advances and developments in mental health care and treatment and delivery of safe and effective mental healthcare services in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration.

Pathway 05: Cancer Nursing: Supportive and Palliative Care

The cancer pathway offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in the specialist knowledge and skills required to deliver contemporary, holistic, high-quality evidence-based care for patients with cancer and the support of families and carers. The pathway modules focus on biomedical aspects of cancer and holistic care and the design and delivery of cancer services through strategic leadership in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration.

Pathway 06: Care of Older People

The care of older people pathway offers students an opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in contemporary advances and developments in the care and support of older people. The pathway modules focus on the assessment and management of older people across primary, secondary and tertiary care, frailty and rehabilitation, and health and wellbeing in later life in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration.

Pathway 10: Maternal and Family Health

The maternal and family health pathway, is open to Registered Nurses and Midwives and other Healthcare Professionals; offering students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in the contemporary advances and developments related to maternal and family health, well-being and care. The pathway develops the knowledge of professionals to enable them to engage in the provision of effective, evidence-based maternal care within the wider context of families and communities, by focusing on the implementation of interdisciplinary team collaborations.

Pathway 07: Intellectual Disabilities

The intellectual disabilities pathway offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in the contemporary advances and developments in intellectual disability practice to enable the delivery of empathic, holistic assessment and care for people with intellectual disabilities and the support of their families and carers. The pathway modules focus on advances and developments in intellectual disability care and support and delivery of safe and effective services in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration.

Pathway 08: Care of Children & Young People

The children and young people pathway offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in the contemporary advances and developments in the care and support of children and young people in the delivery of empathic, holistic care of patients and the support of their families and carers. The pathway modules focus on advances and developments in the care and support of children and the delivery of safe and effective care and services for children and young people in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration.

Pathway 09: Practice Education

The practice education pathway offers students the opportunity to develop their knowledge, critical thinking and skills in contemporary theories and models of practice education to enable the delivery of clinical interventions to meet the needs of patients in a range of care settings. The pathway modules focus on education research, theories, models, assessments, skills teaching and evaluation to support the delivery of safe and effective skills sharing and clinical interventions in the context of inter-disciplinary team collaboration and person-centred care.

Research Modules and Dissertation

All students must undertake at least one of these modules:
Applied Research Methods and Statistics in Nursing; OR
Qualitative Research Methods

All students must undertake a 15,000-word dissertation, focusing evidence of critical appraisal, analysis and thinking to support rational and cogent arguments and practice discussion at Master’s level.

Specialist Optional Modules

Students will combine modules from the specialist pathways above with a selection of general modules, some of which are listed below.

• Clinical Inquiry and Applied Practice Based Research
• Pharmacotherapeutics for Practice
• Independent Study Module

Please note that modules are subject to viable numbers, so the modules offered may vary. If you are interested in a subject that is not listed above, please contact the school for advice.

People teaching you

Academic Lead for Continuing Academic Development and Postgraduate Courses

School of Nursing & Midwifery
m.j.brown@qub.ac.uk

Contact Teaching Hours

Medium Group Teaching

9 (hours maximum)
hours of classes per week.

Teaching Times

Morning / Evening / Afternoon

Learning and Teaching

Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below:

  • Clinical Placement

    Students undertaking this programme will undertake a clinical placement in a clinical environment of their choice, which is tailored to meet the students' requirements. While on placement students will complete a portfolio, and meet defined learning outcomes. Note that students will normally need to have experience in the clinical environment they are placed in, and they will be required to give hands-on care to patients.

  • Learning Environment

    At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

    On the MSc in Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners.

    Teaching is across a combination of morning, evening and afternoon classes with some modules being taught entirely online.

    Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course include; lectures, practical experiences, E-Learning technologies, self-directed study and added value qualifications to enhance employability.

Assessment

Assessments associated with the course are outlined below:

  • Students must successfully complete six modules including one compulsory research module and a dissertation. The pass mark for all taught modules and the dissertation is 50 per cent. Each module is assessed by coursework (some modules have a written examination). All students must also successfully complete a clinical placement.

Facilities

The School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen's has one of the most advanced Clinical Education suites in Europe, with a new state of the art Simulation Centre opened in autumn 2020. This will prepare students for the increasingly challenging and complex realities of modern clinical practice.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/ClinicalEducationCentre/

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Modules

Modules

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study (2023/24). Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year.

  • Year 1

    Core Modules

    Dissertation (60 credits)
    Clinical Practice (0 credits)

    Optional Modules

    Health Assessment (20 credits)

Entrance requirements

Graduate

Applicants must have a professional qualification in Nursing or Midwifery. They shall normally hold a relevant 2.2 Honours degree or above, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

Applicants with a 3rd Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) plus level 7 Post Graduate study will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Students can elect to join a pathway or remain on the general Master’s programme. Admission to a specialist pathway often requires students to be working or have experience in a related area and may be dependent on viable numbers. Further details on the pathways and any professional prerequisites are available under Course Content on the course webpage here https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-taught/advanced-professional-clinical-practice-msc/#course

Applicants who do not meet the entry requirements should contact the Programme Co-ordinator for advice.

Applicants are advised to apply as early as possible and ideally no later than 31st July 2024 for courses which commence in late September. In the event that any programme receives a high number of applications, the University reserves the right to close the application portal. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Application Portal against the programme application page.

International Students

Our country/region pages include information on entry requirements, tuition fees, scholarships, student profiles, upcoming events and contacts for your country/region. Use the dropdown list below for specific information for your country/region.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

  • Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
  • Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

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Careers

Career Prospects

Introduction

This Masters programme offers an opportunity for students to develop skills of analytical thinking within a clinical context. Alongside this, the programme facilitates the student's continued professional development. Graduates of this programme progress into management and leadership roles, or continue into a research or education capacity.

Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with our local world-class healthcare providers helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

Prizes and Awards

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1 £7,300
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2 £7,300
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1 £9,250
EU Other 3 £21,500
International £21,500

1EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

2 EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

3 EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

More information on postgraduate tuition fees.

Additional course costs

In year 1 students must buy a uniform from a QUB uniform supplier (approximate cost £180), a name badge (£10) and a clinical portfolio (£10) from the University.

There is an additional placement charge which is for the provider facilitating the clinical experience. This is collected by QUB Student Finance and is passed on to our placement partners. The placement charge for 2024-25 is £4,000.

Students are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. These costs vary depending on the location and duration of the placements.

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

How do I fund my study?

The Department for the Economy will provide a tuition fee loan of up to £6,500 per NI / EU student for postgraduate study. Tuition fee loan information.

A postgraduate loans system in the UK offers government-backed student loans of up to £11,836 for taught and research Masters courses in all subject areas. Criteria, eligibility, repayment and application information are available on the UK government website.

More information on funding options and financial assistance - please check this link regularly, even after you have submitted an application, as new scholarships may become available to you.

International Scholarships

Information on scholarships for international students, is available at www.qub.ac.uk/Study/international-students/international-scholarships.

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Apply

How to Apply

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Apply now

When to Apply

The deadline for applications is normally 30th June 2021. In the event that any programme receives a high volume of applications, the university reserves the right to close the application portal earlier than 30th June deadline. Notifications to this effect will appear on the Direct Entry Portal (DAP) against the programme application page.

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study.
Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

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