Advanced Clinical Practice PgCert, PgDip and MSc

Are you an experienced allied health professional? Do you predominantly have an interest in rehabilitation where your remit crosses boundaries of usual clinical specialities? Do you want to develop your expertise as a clinician but also as an educator, researcher and leader?

If so this ACP pathway may be for you. This part-time programme will enhance your clinical knowledge and develop your research skills to enable you to critically reflect on your practice in various areas of rehabilitation, thereby optimising your clinical practice and enhancing service delivery.

Additionally, through exploration of links between research, theory, policy and practice, you will become an effective leader, educator and advanced practitioner.

At Brunel, we understand the challenges of fitting study around work and family life. For this reason, we have designed this course to be flexible, so that it can fit around your current commitments. The full master's course can be studied 3 years part-time starting in September.

If you don’t want to commit to part-time study of the entire master's, you can develop your educational portfolio over a longer period of time by undertaking staged study that leads to the award of Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) after one year of study, Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) after two years of study and full Masters (MSc) after three years of study.

Please note that it is important you apply for the stage you will be studying in that year, i.e. to study for the PgDip you must have already completed the PgCert and you only apply for the staged MSc once you have completed the PgDip.

Each stage can be studied 1 year part-time starting in September. You could even just take one or more CPPD modules for your professional development and return to complete your course at a later date.

Induction 18th and 19th September 2024 online.

You will benefit from a course designed to incorporate a multidisciplinary perspective, necessary for leading in today’s global health care systems. You will study key modules in clinical leadership, learning and teaching, evidence-based practice and research.

Clinical oriented modules will include a bespoke mix selected from our Advanced Clinical Practice named specialist pathways in Cardiovascular Health, Critical Care, Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Neurological Rehabilitation, and Pelvic Health.

This will give you the opportunity to select modules that directly relate to your area of current and future practice.

Year 1 example module selection below is for someone who works in neuro ICU (note this will be discussed with you in advance.

This course can be studied 3 years part-time or 1 year (staged study) part-time, starting in September.

Following successful completion of this course, you’ll be fully prepared for a leadership role as an advanced practitioner in your relevant clinical profession (e.g. nursing, occupational therapy or physiotherapy) or can move into a variety of senior positions within a range of healthcare settings.

There are an increasing number of advance clinical practice roles and this master's will give you the relevant knowledge and skills to step into these positions. Potential roles you could assume include Advance Clinical Practitioner or Case Manager.

This programme is ideal for senior clinicians, clinical leads, managers, and research academics who are looking to develop and improve the care and experience of patients and their families, along with service provision.

All applicants must have a pre-registration degree in relevant allied health profession and the following of relevant experience as a minimum:

1. Students currently working in the UK - At least 1 year of post qualification clinical work experience in the specialism they have applied for. Typically this should be work experience from a ‘Band 6’ level role.
2. Students currently working outside of the UK – At least 2 years post qualification clinical work experience, ideally including at least 1 year in the specialism you have applied for.

You must have met the minimum work experience requirement at the point you apply for the programme. For example, if you submit your application in February 2023, you must have 2 years experience by February 2023 (depending on whether you are working in or outside the UK). This is to make sure that you will definitely have enough experience when you join the course. This does not include internships as they are supervised and therefore technically still part of your training. You should aim to provide documented evidence of your clinical work experience. All applicants should include a detailed CV as part of their application. Applicants who are working outside of the UK should could include letters of recommendations and/or confirmation of employment (we appreciate that what you can provide will vary from one person to another and be dependent on your specific background and employer, so please aim to provide as much documentary evidence when you apply).

• IELTS: 7 (min 6.5 in all areas)
• Pearson: 64 (59 in all subscores)
• BrunELT: 68% (63% in all areas)
• TOEFL: 98 (min 23 in all areas)

UK Staged Master £3,850 per stage.

International Staged Master £7,870 per stage.

The course uses a range of flexible and engaging approaches to assessment. You'll be assessed through exams, critical essays, portfolios, oral presentations, and your dissertation.

The choice of the specific type of assessment will be appropriate to the intended learning outcomes of the taught modules. The assessment strategies will balance the need to demonstrate knowledge and competencies with more in-depth and critical approaches to learning. Such assessment approaches will include examinations, presentations of relevant clinical case scenarios, and coursework, which will take the form of critical assessment of literature and research, critical essays, and the development of the selected portfolio of learning.

Finally, the dissertation provides demonstration of an ability to synthesise and critically evaluate current research underpinning clinical practice, and to develop and undertake relevant research as well as its dissemination.