MSc Advanced Practice - Distance Learning
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Science
- Course Length
- 1 year
- Course Start Date
- September 2024
Course Overview
The Advanced Practice (Distance Learning) programme allows you to complete a fully online MSc in Advanced Practice, offering flexibility in when and where you study, and accommodating your existing professional and personal commitments.
The programme reflects national and international benchmarks for advanced level professional practice for the healthcare workforce, while supporting you to build a personalised qualification around your own advanced professional practice needs. The programme and its modules are built around the four pillars of advanced practice (Clinical, Research, Education and Management/ Leadership) to advance your overall level of practice as well as developing you in your specific professional role.
A wide range of optional modules allow you to tailor the programme to the context of your own professional practice, enabling you to achieve optimal professional development.
The overarching philosophy of the Advanced Practice (Distance Learning) programme is that advanced practice is all about reaching a level of practice, rather than a defined professional role. Suitable for all experienced health and care professionals, and open to both national and international applicants, it reflects professional, UK-wide government and international benchmarks for advanced level practice for the health and social care workforces. You will attain the contemporary knowledge and skills for advanced level practice.
Our aim is to help you to develop academic preparedness for an advanced-level professional practice role based on the four pillars of advanced practice – clinical, research, education and management/leadership – and the five key principles: autonomous practice, critical thinking, values-based care, improving practice, and high levels of decision-making and problem-solving. In addition to three core modules on the programme, you can select from a suite of optional modules that are relevant to your area of advanced practice. This allows you to tailor the course to your professional practice needs and across the pillars and principles of advanced practice. The emphasis of learning within each of the four pillars will be dependent on the modules you have selected. In this way, you can build a qualification specific to your individual requirements.
Study and Modules
Structure
The full-time MSc in Advanced Practice (Distance Learning) is a one-year programme. It comprises a combination of core and optional modules. Core modules (totalling 80 credits) are compulsory, while optional modules (totalling 100 credits) are selected by you to develop your personal professional interests and to meet the organisational requirements of your professional role.
Compulsory Modules
Optional A Modules
(Credits: 100)Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
All modules are taught fully online. Asynchronous learning (learning resources and activities which you engage with flexibly, on a day and time that is convenient to you) is supported by focused live seminars and tutorials, which you are expected to attend.
Module organisers are experienced academics with a strong clinical background. Modules are further supported by teams of knowledgeable academics and practitioners with appropriate specialist expertise and the experience to help you to apply your academic learning to practice. The learners on the Advanced Professional Practice programme are also part of the module team, providing valuable multi-professional insight and perspectives to enrich learning.
Comprehensive personal advising and academic support systems are in place to enable you to receive additional support if required and optimise success in your studies.
Each module is assigned a specified number of ‘effort’ hours. This is 200 hours for a 20-credit module and 400 hours for a 40-credit module. The teaching and learning activities timetabled and any practice-based learning and assessment will account for many of the hours, but there is an expectation that you will undertake independent study in each module involving finding, appraising and applying evidence to inform your thinking and academic writing, as well as general notetaking and preparation for assessment. This will not only enhance your learning experience but will also help develop a sound evidence-base to support your academic preparedness for an advanced practice role.
Assessment
A range of assessment methods are used throughout the programme, which have been carefully considered to enable you to demonstrate effectively both the learning outcomes for each module and your progression in relation to the pillars and principles of advanced practice.
Formative and summative assessment strategies across the programme include written assignments, case study analysis and evaluation, group/individual poster/oral presentations, practice assessment documents and portfolios.
Entry Requirements
- Degree Classification
- Bachelors (Hons) degree - 2.2 or equivalent
- Degree Subject
- Health Care subject
- English Foreign Language
We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English or those whose degree was not taught in English. To ensure such students benefit fully from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. We also will require a certain standard to be achieved on the written element of the test. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:
-
IELTS: 7.0 (minimum 6.5 in all component)
-
PTE: 76 (minimum 67 in all components)
All scores must be less than two years old.
Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests.
INTO UEA run pre-sessional English courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk (INTO UEA Norwich).
-
- Intakes
The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
Additional Information or Requirements
ADDITIONAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Current professional registration with a minimum of 2 years post registration practice experience. Must already be qualified as a Nurse, Midwife etc.
You must submit a Memorandum of Understanding at the time of application if you are based in the UK. Your manager will need to confirm that you will be given the time and resources required for the programme.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2024/25 are:
-
UK Students: £9,975 (full time)
-
International Students: £21,200 (full time)
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
We estimate living expenses at £1,023 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see our additional course costs page for information on related costs to this course.
How to Apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
The application deadline for the January 2024 course is 04/12/2023.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
Employability
After the Course
Whether you are looking for promotion or to improve your knowledge and abilities, completing the programme will arm you with the skills you require to support your individual advanced practice needs.
You will be able to demonstrate learning across the pillars and principles of advanced practice. The emphasis of learning within each of the four pillars will be dependent on the modules you have selected. Dependent on your role within practice and the modules selected, there is also potential for application for credentialing with external bodies.
Careers
Completing the MSc Advanced Practice (Distance Learning) will enable you to advance your level of practice across a wide range of healthcare professional roles, demonstrating advanced knowledge and understanding to underpin and inform high-level clinical reasoning and decision-making and supporting aspirations for career development and promotion.