Advanced Clinical Practice (Cardiovascular Health) PgCert, PgDip and MSc

Are you interested in gaining knowledge, practical, leadership and research skills in the area of cardiovascular health? Do you currently work in a clinical or health setting delivering cardiovascular disease prevention strategies or rehabilitative care? Or would you like to do so in the future? This programme aims to enhance an array of career opportunities - whether this be in clinical practice, academic research, leadership or community health and wellbeing.     

This course offers you flexible learning enabling you to simultaneously maintain a professional role in clinical practice or manage other commitments whilst completing your studies. It’s interdisciplinary in nature and delivered by experienced specialist academics in partnership with national and international leaders and clinical specialists from cardiology, nursing, nutrition, exercise and behavioural medicine.

You'll complete a series of clinical observations across key areas of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation. This will give you a thorough understanding of the theory behind the practice. You'll also learn first-hand the practicalities of current service delivery. The research element of the course will provide you with a strong foundation in the practical use of research methods within cardiovascular health and you'll learn how to use research evidence in order to implement best practice within your healthcare setting.

The full master's course can be studied 1 year full-time or 3 years part-time starting in September. If you don’t want to commit to full or 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), Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) and MSc in separate stages. Each stage can be studied 1 year part-time starting in September. You can also study the combined PgDip (PgCert and PgDip) as a 2 year part-time course starting in January. The MSc stage (dissertation) can also be studied 1 year part-time starting in May.

You’ll benefit from a course designed to incorporate a multidisciplinary perspective that fulfils the Advanced Clinical Practice framework as set out by Health Education England. You’ll study key modules in advanced clinical practice, clinical leadership, evidence-based practice and research. Alongside this, your specialist modules will cover the breadth of cardiovascular health, from populations at high multifactorial risk to those with established atherosclerotic disease.

The scientific foundation of this degree is lifestyle change (quitting smoking, diet and physical activity) through behavioural approaches, adult education and health promotion. On graduation you’ll be able to translate theory into real-world clinical practice. Each module consists of a taught component, some are delivered virtually and supported by online learning resources.

You'll also be able to support your study learning portfolio by choosing from a range of optional modules from our Advanced Clinical Practice named specialist pathways; Critical Care, Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, Neurological Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy and Pelvic Health.

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. You can study full-time, part-time or even just take one or more CPPD modules for your professional development and return to complete your course at a later date.

This course can be studied 1 year full-time, 3 years part-time or 1 year (staged study) part-time, starting in September. Or this course can be studied 2 years (PgCert + PgDip) part-time, starting in January. Or this course can be studied 1 year (staged study) part-time, starting in May.

The in-depth understanding of cardiovascular health gained on this course will prepare you for leadership roles within your specialist area. You’ll have acquired the skills and expertise to treat and improve the lives of people with cardiovascular disease.

This programme is ideal for any health professional with a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, for example nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, physical activity specialists, occupational therapists, physician associates, sports scientists, health promotion and public health specialists.

Must have a pre-registration degree in a relevant allied health profession with at least one year of specialist clinical work experience.

UK Staged Master £2,825 per stage.

International Staged Master £6,615 per stage.

You’ll benefit from the expertise of academics across our well-established health sciences department, giving you a truly interdisciplinary perspective on important topics. Many of our academics currently work in the NHS as physiotherapists, nurses and dieticians, so they'll be teaching you up-to-date scientific knowledge and patient-assessment skills.

Our lecturers are active in research and often contribute to the development of professional guidelines, so you know you’re being taught by practising healthcare professionals with a high profile in the sector. You’ll also be able to benefit from studying alongside other healthcare professionals in similar fields, giving you the opportunity to network and share ideas.

Our teaching approaches are diverse and you’ll benefit from lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops.

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.