• Postgraduate

Advanced Clinical Practice MSc

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Overview

Overview

Take the next step in your career as a healthcare professional by becoming an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP).

This course aims to develop your advanced practice skills and knowledge to a higher level. It will enable you to combine expert clinical skills with research, education and clinical leadership; specific to your clinical specialism.  

You will establish a clear professional identity, be able to identify areas of improvement and take leadership over research-based projects built to improve patient experiences.    

You will be able to study while you work and apply your learning under the guidance of your named supervisor in the workplace.

This multi-professional Masters level award has been designed to meet the national degree apprenticeship standard and the Multi-professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice in England (NHS 2017) (pdf file, 734.87 kb).

There is also an Advanced Clinical Practitioner degree apprenticeship version of this course.

Location

You have the option of studying at our Reading or West London campus. Please select your preferred location below when applying. If you want to bring in recognition of prior learning may have to travel between the two campus sites due to having a modified curriculum.

A team of nurses

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Locations this course is taught at:
Berkshire Institute for Health
West London Campus (also offered in Reading)
Why study Advanced Clinical Practice with us?

Why study Advanced Clinical Practice with us?

A collage of students

What our students say…

Since starting at UWL, the Reading campus has developed and we've got the simulation centre to develop our practical skills. I have friends for life from this course.

Andrew Haydon
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A statistic stating that the University of West London has been ranked 30th overall in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2025
Industry focused teaching
This course has simulation centres in London and Reading
Lifelong careers support from the UWL Careers Service.
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

This course is taught at Level 7 (Masters) and is designed to build on your learning. Some of the course modules are also offered as stand-alone CPDs, see our Continuing Professional Development (CPD) page to find out more. 

The Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) four pillars form overarching themes:

Clinical Practice 

You will be introduced to a systematic approach to real world case studies of increasing complexity, drawn from your own professional practice, as well as those provided by the academic team. As a developing ACP you will be taught advanced clinical examination and reasoning skills. You will work with complex patient presentations.

We use simulation techniques to recreate realistic situations, which will facilitate the application, development and rehearsal of your skills and knowledge for safe and effective patient care, at an advanced level. This will enable you to develop originality in problem solving and act autonomously in planning and implementing treatment and care. The continued practice of clinical skills within simulated scenarios enables you to contextualise and apply your learning.

Leadership 

You will work autonomously within the healthcare multi-professional team. You will develop skills that enable critical appraisal of leadership theory and its application to improve the patient experience.

Education

You will begin by gaining insight into your own educational needs and complete the course confident in your leadership and education of others. Education of others will include service users and carers. 

Research

You will be introduced to the critical use of evidence, develop skills to apply these to practice and conclude with producing high quality evidence that demonstrates the impact of ACP on improving patient outcomes.

Compulsory modules

  • The Building Blocks of Transforming Your Professional Role

    This module aims to establish baseline critical appraisal skills. You will develop expertise and competence to use new skills to improve your contribution to service delivery.

    During this module there will also be a focus on developing your academic writing style and skills.

  • History Taking and Physical Assessment

    On this clinically focused module you will gain the advanced knowledge and skills you need in order to conduct a systematic assessment of complex health and social care needs. You will also develop your ability to formulate differential diagnoses.

  • Independent and Supplementary Prescribing

    The module will explore the underpinning principles and concepts related to prescribing:

    • Consultation, decision-making and therapy including referral 
    • Influences on and psychology of prescribing 
    • Prescribing in a team context 
    • Clinical pharmacology, including the effects on co-morbidity 
    • Evidence-based practice and clinical governance in relation to prescribing 
    • Legal, policy and ethical aspects 
    • Professional accountability and responsibility 
    • Prescribing in the public health content 
    • Physiology, pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutic relations to: 
    • Nervous system 
    • Cardiovascular system 
    • Respiratory system 
    • Renal system
    • Gastrointestinal system
    • Endocrine system 
    • Integumentary system 
    • Immunology

    The assessment for this module is:

    1. Folder of evidence 50%
    2. Reflective Case Study 50%
    3. Written exam (multiple choice and short answer questions) – course requirement
    4. Structured Clinical Examination in Practice (SCEP) - course requirement
    5. Drug Calculation Exam - course requirement

    You must pass all 5 elements in order to pass the course overall, plus satisfactory completion of the 26 study days and 90 hours supervised time in practice. 
     

Compulsory modules

  • Diagnostic Reasoning

    This module focuses on the two pillars of Clinical Practice, and Leadership, and builds on the knowledge and skills introduced in Advanced History taking and Physical Examination with Clinical Reasoning (or equivalent).

    The module will enable the ACP student to lead the management of a patient presentation. The student will increase their range and understanding of complex patient presentations and use adjuncts to assist their diagnostic reasoning. This will include an understanding of a wide range of clinical tests – not only being able to interpret these tests but identifying the tests that will be diagnostic.

    Teaching and learning will be case and problem-based and content will include: Haematology; Biochemistry; Immunology; Screening tools; Radiology; Diagnostic formation.   

  • Leadership Strategies to Improve the Patient Experience

    This module uses the NHS Leadership Academy’s Leadership Framework to help you to develop and practice strategies that will improve the way you lead in your workplace.

    You will participate in a workshop facilitated with actors from The Common Air Project (CAP) using participatory behaviour change methodology known as ‘Interactive Theatre’ (IT).

     

  • Implementing Improvement in Advanced Clinical Practice

    This module is equivalent to a dissertation seen in many other Masters degrees. The focus is on the critical application of research, education and leadership knowledge and behaviours to undertake an evidence-based improvement project that is relevant to ACP and has an impact on ACP and patient experience.

    The four pillars should be reflected in both personal achievement and your impact on ACP. You should reflect both leadership and education in your ability to communicate clearly the need, purpose and impact of the project to the multi-professional team and provide leadership for the project.

    The research focus will be demonstrated through a conceptual understanding and application of implementation science and the method of improvement and the ability to design, collect, analyse and report data demonstrating the outcomes of the project.

Compulsory modules

  • Independence and Autonomy in Advanced Clinical Practice

    The module is designed to help you demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours in the HEE ACP Competence Framework.

    Your portfolio of evidence demonstrating ACP will be critically appraised.

    This module will also build on earlier learning in managing practice change; this will include identifying areas for development; critically appraising the evidence to support this practice change; and implementation and evaluation of this practice change.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You need:

  • an undergraduate degree, or at least 60 credits at Level 6 from a UK-based university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. 
  • GCSE English and Maths (grade 9-4/A*- C) or Level 2 functional skills equivalents.

You also need to be:

  • A registered healthcare practitioner with a relevant professional body (NMC, HCPC*) in the UK and have a minimum of three years post-qualifying experience. *Physiotherapists and Paramedics only registered with the HCPC (pending approval).
  • Working in an appropriate role that will allow you to develop advanced clinical practice skills with an organisation that will support you on the course.

For the ‘Independent and Supplementary Prescribing’ module you must have access to a designated medical practitioner within your organisation, who will contribute to the Structured Clinical Examination in Practice summative assessment. 

You will need a named supervisor (identified by your employer) who will support you in applying, reinforcing and demonstrating the required knowledge, skills and behaviours within the workplace, for the duration of the course.

Shortlisted candidates will attend an interview. This is to ensure you are aware of the commitment needed and have the appropriate support in your workplace to succeed on this course.

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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You can apply for either the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (funded through Health Education England and your employer) or the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice Apprenticeship (funded exclusively by the Apprenticeship levy). Please confirm the correct funding route with your employer or ACP Lead in your organisation before you submit your application.

Fees for this course are currently unavailable. Please check back or visit our fees page for more information.

Funding your studies

You may be eligible for a student loan to cover the cost of tuition fees, or a maintenance loan. 

We help keep your costs down by offering free transport between our London campuses. Our Student Services teams can also offer advice on managing student finances, working while you study, and more. View full details, including conditions and eligibility.

Fees and funding
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You can apply for either the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (funded through Health Education England and your employer) or the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice Apprenticeship (funded exclusively by the Apprenticeship levy). Please confirm the correct funding route with your employer or ACP Lead in your organisation before you submit your application.

Fees for this course are currently unavailable. Please check back or visit our fees page for more information.

Funding your studies

A range of loans, bursaries and scholarships are available to help you fund your studies.

If you are studying a Masters course you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan, this may help contribute towards your course fees and living costs.

Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as disabled students. 

Within the university, we offer a range of scholarships and bursaries. View full details including conditions and eligibility.

Help with funding
Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Pamela Arasen profile photo

Pamela Arasen

I started my career as a registered nurse after completing a Diploma in Nursing at St Bartholomew School of Nursing, City University in 2005. I spent a few years working in Acute Medical/Surgical wards and A&E, and continued my education pathway in a BSc in Cardiorespiratory Care, before moving to Critical Care at West Middlesex University Hospital. I specialised in the Critical Care Outreach Team at King’s College Hospital, after completing my MSc in Advanced Practice in Critical Care in 2015.

In 2018, I was appointed as a Lecturer Practitioner in Intensive Care at UWL teaching on the ITU course. I had a joint appointment at the London Northwest Healthcare Trust as the Lead in Education in Intensive Care Nursing, where I introduced the in-house Intensive Care Adult course with UWL partnership during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the completion of the Academic Professional Apprenticeship,

I currently work as a Senior Lecturer in Advanced Clinical Practice and the Course Lead in the Advanced Clinical Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship (L7) and the MSc in ACP-direct entry (L7).

My special interests are Critical Care, Education and Career Development in Nursing.

I started my career as a registered nurse after completing a Diploma in Nursing at St Bartholomew School of Nursing, City University in 2005. I spent a few years working in Acute Medical/Surgical wards and A&E, and continued my education pathway in a BSc in Cardiorespiratory Care, before moving to Critical Care at West Middlesex University Hospital. I specialised in the Critical Care Outreach Team at King’s College Hospital, after completing my MSc in Advanced Practice in Critical Care in 2015.

In 2018, I was appointed as a Lecturer Practitioner in Intensive Care at UWL teaching on the ITU course. I had a joint appointment at the London Northwest Healthcare Trust as the Lead in Education in Intensive Care Nursing, where I introduced the in-house Intensive Care Adult course with UWL partnership during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the completion of the Academic Professional Apprenticeship,

I currently work as a Senior Lecturer in Advanced Clinical Practice and the Course Lead in the Advanced Clinical Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship (L7) and the MSc in ACP-direct entry (L7).

My special interests are Critical Care, Education and Career Development in Nursing.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

Large team of medical staff standing together smiling

If you're a healthcare professional this award may take you to the next step of becoming an Advanced Clinical Practitioner. By mapping against the national degree apprenticeship standard and the Multi-professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice in England (NHS 2016) (pdf file, 734.87 kb). you should meet the national standards required for the proposed ACP academy.
 
Courses a student can take to specialise or undertake further study:

On successful completion of the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice you may wish to go on to study on one of our professional doctorate or PhD awards. 

How to apply

How to apply

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Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2023 and 2024 - Average of answers to all questions by registered student population. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.