Delivery format
Online and in person
Advanced Clinical Practice MSc / PGDip / PGCert
- Start dateSeptember, JanuaryDurationPart-time
- AwardMaster of Science / Postgraduate Diploma / Postgraduate Certificate
- Entry requirements2:2 Honours degree in your clinical field of practice
- Fees£3,634 (part-time)
Page contents
Page contents
Course overview
Preparing you to take the next step, advance your clinical practice to lead and transform patient care.
Develop skills in health assessment, clinical reasoning, and judgment, while preparing yourself to take on a leading role in service delivery through research-informed clinical practice.
Course Structure
This course will run over 3 years in a part-time mode. While the exact content may change, here’s what you can expect to study throughout this programme and the routes you can take.
This modular course is designed to provide you with the necessary clinical, leadership and management, education and research skills and knowledge to become an accredited Advanced Clinical Practitioner. You'll positively impact health outcomes for the patients and their families within your locality.
Course highlights
What makes this course different?
Invaluable to your career progression, this course will enable you to lead and transform service delivery through research-informed clinical practice. From the outset you'll be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself within your professional role, essential for advancing your clinical practice.We'll support registered practitioners in the UK to develop the practical knowledge and theoretical understanding required to undertake advanced clinical practice roles across the healthcare sector.
- Experience teaching from world-leading academics, practioners and researchers.
- Flexible mode of delivery to suit both your and your employer’s needs through a blend of online and on-campus delivery.
- Invaluable to your career progression, this programme enables you to lead and transform service delivery through research-informed clinical practice.
- Opportunity to work collaboratively in a multi-professional learner environment with experienced practitioers from a range of clinical specialties and practice area.
Transform patient care by developing your skills even further through two different routes, prescribing and research.
Tailor your degree to what you want to achieve.
- 1st
choice for leading graduate employers
Our programme is accredited by the Centre for Advancing Practice.
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.
Course delivery
This clinically focused course integrates core modules, including Advanced Physical Health Assessment, Advanced Clinical Decision Making, and The Reflective Advanced Practitioner, with the opportunity to undertake the independent prescribing route in year two or alternatively, a clinical/research route. Within both routes, there is the opportunity to choose a specialty specific module to meet your individual work-based requirements.
- Teaching styles - lectures, eLectures, small group tutorials, presentations, peer group learning, self-study.
- Assessment - essays, oral presentations, exams and clinical Objective Structured Clinical Examinations.
- Dissertation - substantial piece of research that will be linked to leading change in your field of practice.
- Research project - supervised by an academic within the department and supported by a series of online resources. You'll be expected to maintain a portfolio of evidence reflecting your developing competency in the four pillars of advanced clinical practice throughout the course.
Module information
This course consists of five core modules and a variety of optional modules. There is also a dissertation and research project where you can tailor your degree to your specific career needs.
The modules listed for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.
Any optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available, we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.
Year: 1
2025/26 Session
For information on the spread of modules over the duration of the programme please contact your department.
|
Year: 2
2026/27 Session
For information on the spread of modules over the duration of the programme please contact your department
The following must be taken:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Clinical Practice Portfolio (Year 2) | 0 | Full Term |
Optional modules should be selected that will help support the students clinical, research skills or leadership skills specific to their area of work or dissertation. The modules can include any of the following that currently are offered within the School of Nursing see list below under research and clinical route, or from the wider College providing that the student meets the entry criteria for that module and as agreed by programme lead; there is also the opportunity for credits to be transferred via APL from previous modules undertaken at this or a different HEI (under discretion and approval for relevance by programme lead and subject to the RPL regulations).
Prescribing route:
Students who choose to take the prescribing route must complete both of the following modules to obtain 40 credits:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Medicine for Advanced Clinical Practice | 20 | Full Term |
Research and Clinical route:
Students not wishing to become independent prescribers must choose two other modules to obtain a total of 40 credits. The modules can include any of the following that currently are offered within the School of Nursing or wider College providing that the student meets the entry criteria for that module and as agreed by programme lead, or be transferred via APEL from a different HEI (under discretion and approval for relevance by programme lead). There is also the opportunity for credits to be transferred via APL from previous modules undertaken at this or a different HEI (under discretion and approval for relevance by programme lead and subject to the RPL regulations:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Current Issues in Health | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Acute Medicine for Advanced Clinical Practice | 20 | Full Term |
| Chronic Disease Management | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Principles of palliative care for children and young people | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Mixed Methods Research Design | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Qualitative Research Methods | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Supportive and End of Life Care | 20 |
Specialist Negotiated Modules:
20 credits of clinically relevant module in agreement with employer and programme lead e.g.
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Chronic Disease Management | 20 | Semester 1 |
| First Contact | 20 | |
| Principles of palliative care for children and young people | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Supportive and End of Life Care | 20 |
Year: 3
2027/28 Session
For information on the spread of modules over the duration of the programme please contact your department
The following must be taken:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Clinical Practice Portfolio (Year 3) | 0 | Full Term |
| Advanced Practice Research Project | 40 | Full Term |
Students must also take the module 'LM Creating and Applying Evidence'. Please select module 37980 for a February start or module 38783 for an October start:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Creating and Applying Evidence | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Creating and Applying Evidence | 20 | Semester 1 |
Entry requirements
To gain a place at Birmingham you will need to meet our general entry requirements, as well as those specific to your course. Your application will be reviewed by the course’s Admissions Tutor, who will decide whether your application should receive an offer.
- 2:2 Honours degree
You should have a 2:2 Honours degree in your clinical field of practice.
Standard Entry Requirements:
Current registration with one of the statutory regulators of health and care professions i.e. NMC or HCPC or GPhC.
At least 36 months of clinical experience post qualification.
You should normally hold an honours degree in your clinical field of practice. If you do not hold a degree, please contact us before applying to discuss your suitability for the programme
.You'll need to demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development that shows an ability to study at Masters level.
Fees and scholarships
Fees are charged for each year of your studies. Fees for 2025 entry are below, fees will usually increase annually for each year of study.
- £3,634
Part-time
Postgraduate Masters Loan
To help with the cost of studies, this loan is available to all UK students. You can use this loan towards fees, maintenance or other costs at your own discretion. It’s available for all full-time, part-time and distance learning Masters programmes, as long as you don’t already have a Masters qualification (or equivalent).If you’re a student from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can apply for Masters loans from your country’s government.
Scholarships
To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.
Birmingham Masters Scholarships
We want to welcome the brightest talent to our postgraduate community. That’s why our Birmingham Masters Scholarships award £3,000 to more than 300 students each year.
Application process
To apply for a postgraduate programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.
Select whether you are a UK student or an international student for relevant application deadlines.
- 31 August 2025
Application deadline for UK and non-tier 4 applicants. We will close applications as soon as the programme is full. Early applications are encouraged.
We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.
Career opportunities
Our MSc Advanced Clinical Practice degree is ideal for those looking to work in advanced levels of practice within a variety of clinical areas and settings. Our final year students have produced service evaluations in a variety of subjects, including sickle cell anaemia, pain assessment and administration, and the management of co-morbidities.
Careers Network
Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.
Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.