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Professional Clinical Practice MSc

The Professional Clinical Practice PG Cert/PG Dip/MSc programme is a part-time, post-registration master’s degree, that can flexibly meet your professional needs, whether you are a registered nurse, midwife or allied health professional.

Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive community. That’s why most of our postgraduate taught students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You will benefit from more regular assessments and feedback, a better study-life balance, and a simplified timetable that provides more time for work, professional development, caring responsibilities, and everything else that's important to you. Our block-taught courses are informed by industry practice, often accredited by professional bodies, and are delivered by passionate and talented academics, who will help you develop the skills to achieve your goals.

Read more about block teaching

Overview

This programme is designed for post registration health care practitioners to develop high-level decision making and leadership skills in complex clinical situations in order to positively impact patient care.

As noted below, one of the key features of this MSc programme is that students are able to ‘step on’ and ‘step off’ the programme at a variety of award stages to take a break before completion of the full MSc over a total of 6 years. Students can study relevant clinical modules and can achieve an exit award relevant to their clinical speciality.

Students on this programme can exit at the following award stages:

  • Students can take just one module on the programme (either 15 or 30 credits) as part of their CPD and exit with a single module called an Institutional Credit Award.
  • Students can undertake 60 credits of modules and exit with a PgCert Professional Clinical Practice award.
  • Students can undertake 120 credits of modules (including x2 core modules) and exit with a PG Dip Professional Clinical Practice award.
  • Students can undertake a total of 180 credits (including x2 core modules) for the full MSc Professional Clinical Practice award.

Key features

  • Flexible exit routes and awards.
  • Explore your clinical speciality in depth.
  • Designed in partnership with local hospital trusts, health care providers and clinical practitioners, ensuring course content remains relevant and in line with current practice.
  • A post registration postgraduate academic qualification will enhance employability and support career progression by providing high-quality health care education.

If you are unsure as to which exit award you wish to aim for and wish to discuss either the MSc, or your module choices and progression, please book an Educational Career Conversation meeting with the Programme Leader Deborah Dowsett. Email ddowsett@dmu.ac.uk to book.

Study opportunities

We offer a number of different clinical and core modules which the students can choose from in order to have the opportunity to explore their clinical speciality in depth.  

Examples of study opportunities

Professional Nurse Advocate

Professional Health Care Practitioner Advocate

Professional Midwifery Advocate

Please contact Professor Tania Hart for more information about the above modules

Tania.hart@dmu.ac.uk

NMC Non-Medical Prescribing (v300)

For Independent/Supplementary Prescribing (V300)/Non - Medical Prescribing (NMP) NMC validated

Please contact the Module Leader Hilary Field if you would like to discuss the specific NMP modules (V300) further at hfield@dmu.ac.uk.

Please note if students are studying more than 60 credits they must undertake two core modules: PCPH 5034 Professionalism and Accountability in Health Care Practice (15c) and SPEC5610 Research Methods for Health Care Professionals (15c).

DMU has been shortlisted for the Postgraduate Award in the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs), as voted for by students.

  • UK
  • EU/International

Duration: One to six years studied part-time only

Start date: October 2024, February 2025 and June 2025

Fees and funding: Those working in the NHS may be eligible for funding through Workforce Development Funding with their employer

Location of study: Part time face to face or online depending upon module choice

Programme leader: Deborah Dowsett pcp.programme@dmu.ac.uk

Apply now

Submit a study-related enquiry

Institution code: D26

Location of study: 
De Montfort University Leicester UK

 

Entry criteria

  • All students must have an effective registration with an appropriate Professional Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) in health care in the UK. This programme is not open to international students
  • Nursing students must have level 1 registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
  • Non-Nursing students must have an effective registration with an appropriate UK Professional statutory regulatory body (PSRB) in health care
  • Students should usually have a minimum of one year’s post-registration experience, normally within a health practice setting 
  • Students should possess BSc (Hons) 2:2 degree award minimum (or equivalent)
  • Where appropriate, recognition of prior learning (RPL) and experience can be accredited.

Non-standard entry criteria

It may be possible for you to access the MSc Professional Clinical Practice Programme  without having an Hons degree. You will essentially need at least 60 credits or equivalent at level 6 plus one of your modules needs to be a level 6 research module.

If you feel you fit the non-standard entry criteria you will need to discuss this more fully with the Programme Leader before you apply.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 overall is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

 

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Pathway exit awards

 

 

Any module (30 credits)

Total credits: 60

PG Cert Professional Clinical Practice (Critical care adult)

Core module 1: Principles of care of the acutely ill adult in the critical care environment(30 credits)

Core module 2: Applied care of the critically ill adult (30 credits)

Total credits: 60

PG Cert Professional Clinical Practice (Emergency care)

Core module 1: Applied trauma and resuscitative care(30 credits)

Core module 2: Applied Emergency Care (30 credits)

Total credits: 60

PG Cert Professional Clinical Practice (Anaesthetic care)

Core module 1: Fundamentals of Anaesthetic care (30 credits)

Core module 2: Enhanced Anaesthetic care (30 credits)

Total credits: 60

PG Cert Professional Clinical Practice (Surgical care)

Core module 1: PCPH 5008 Perioperative Core Generic Skills and Values – Perioperative and Surgical Practice 

Core module 2: PCPH 5151 -Anaesthetic Support and Post Anaesthetic Care Clinical Practice

Total credits: 60

PG Cert Professional Clinical Practice (Neonatal care) 

Core module 1: Neonatal Special and High Dependency Care (30 credits)

Core module 2: Neonatal Intensive care (30 credits)

Total credits: 60

PG Dip Professional Clinical Practice

Any modules that totals 90 credits

plus 

Core module 1: Research Methods in Health Care Practice (15 credits)

Core module 2: Professionalism and accountability in clinical practice (15 credits)

Total credits: 120

MSc Professional Clinical Practice

Any modules that total 90 credits

Core module 1: Research Methods in Health Care Practice (15 credits)

Core module 2: Professionalism and accountability in clinical practice (15 credits)

Core module 3: Service Improvement Project (60 credits)

Total credits: 180

Facilities and features

 
Placements
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Health and Life Sciences facilities

Substantial investment has developed our teaching and learning facilities to help you expand your practical experience and theoretical knowledge beyond the classroom.

The 19th century Hawthorn Building has facilities designed to replicate current practice in health and life sciences, including contemporary analytical chemistry and formulation laboratories, audiology booths and nursing and midwifery clinical skills suites.

Purpose-built clinical skills areas allow you to practice in a safe environment. You will receive guidance and support from staff to ensure that you develop a precise and accurate practical ability in the clinical skills suites.

Library services

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Learning Zone, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

Learning zones

Our Learning Zones and The Greenhouse also provide space for group or individual work and study.

There are 1,600 study places across all library locations, more than 700 computer stations, laptops to borrow, free wi-fi and desktop power outlets.

You can also book rooms with plasma screens, laptops and DVD facilities for group work and presentations, secure an individual study room with adjustable lighting or make use of our assistive technology.

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
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Graduate careers

This programme will equip nurses and allied health professionals from a variety of clinical settings to develop their research, leadership skills and clinical expertise at Masters level and for those wishing to develop their careers to an enhanced level of practice. 

It allows students to either undertake individual modules for CPD study or combine these modules in order to work towards an award.

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