MSc MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship)
Course Overview
Our MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship) is designed to support the development of professionals that will perfectly match the current and future needs of your organisation. You can offer structured on-the-job training and an internationally recognised qualification in advanced clinical practice, helping you to attract the best new talent and retain valued staff through career progression. Integrating study into the normal working week will allow your apprentices to put their new skills and understanding into practice immediately, benefitting your organisation without delay.Advanced clinical practitioners are experienced clinicians who demonstrate expertise in their scope of practice. They manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end, providing care and treatment from the time an individual first presents through to the end of the episode, which may include admission, referral, discharge or care at home. With expert support from our knowledgeable and supportive staff, your apprentices will learn to combine expert clinical skills with research, education and clinical leadership within their scope of practice. We’ll guide them as they learn to work innovatively on a one-to-one basis with individuals, as well as part of a wider team. Working together with your organisation, we’ll support them as they gain experience working as part of the wider health and social care team and across traditional professional boundaries in health and social care. Your apprentices will spend most of their time in the workplace, with a minimum of six hours per week being devoted to off-the-job training and university learning, which is usually facilitated on a day-release basis.
Our dedicated team will support your apprentices as they develop the knowledge, skills, behaviours and values required as an advanced clinical practitioner. They will be encouraged to gain the confidence needed to work with a high-level of autonomy, and make decisions about how people should be cared for in complex and unpredictable situation. They will gain experience in using person-centred approaches to taking an individual’s detailed history and examining body systems to aid diagnosis. They will also explore clinical tests and assessments, learn to initiate and evaluate a range of interventions, including prescribing medicines, therapies and care, and gain expertise in care planning. Throughout the course, we’ll guide them as they build a portfolio of evidence representing the projects and tasks they have completed while working as part of your team.
If you’re looking for postgraduate-level training in this subject area but don’t work for an employer who is offering apprenticeships, please see our related courses section for details of study opportunities that don’t require current employment.
Highlights
- When apprentices successfully complete the end point assessment for this course, they will receive a Degree Apprenticeship Certificate from the relevant awarding body, and be awarded an academic degree – the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice from the University of Bolton.
- Face-to-face sessions and one-to-one support are offered by our dedicated staff team who offer a wide range of professional experience, industry knowledge, clinical expertise and academic credentials.
- We’ll support your apprentices to develop sought-after skills such as background research, critical reasoning and problem-solving, as well as professional communication, time management, teamwork, and lifelong learning.
- During the final stage of the course, your apprentice will undertake a substantial work-based research project, the nature of which will be identified and developed through consultation between your organisation and the university. As well as offering your apprentice valuable experience, this live project can offer you genuine insight into potential opportunities or improvements that can benefit your organisation.
Key Features
- We’ll support your apprentices as they learn to carry out the full range of duties required of an advanced clinical practitioner in relation to individuals’ physical and mental healthcare in acute, primary, urgent and emergency settings (including hospitals, general practice, individuals’ homes, schools and prisons, and in the public, independent, private and charity sectors).
- This integrated degree apprenticeship skilfully combines study in our vibrant higher education environment with practical and focused work-based learning and experience in your organisation.
- Course materials are available online, allowing your apprentices to prepare work in advance and make the most of the highly interactive in-class tuition.
- Our approach to teaching and learning is ‘student-centred’ so we’ll work with your apprentices on an individual basis, providing tailored help and support throughout their studies.
- By studying alongside apprentices from other health and care specialisms, your apprentices can benefit from a wider range of knowledge and experience that supports cross-disciplinary thinking.
- Quarterly and annual reviews, where each apprentice, their workplace mentor and a member of our team meet to assess your apprentice’s progress, promote continuing conversation between your workplace and the university. This helps to ensure the success of your apprentices and maximise the value of their studies to your organisation.
Entry Requirements
- Applicants are normally expected to have successfully completed an honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and have appropriate work experience.
- Applicants should also have an appropriate professional qualification/registration relevant to their area of practice (for example, as an allied health professional, healthcare scientist, nurse, pharmacist, or public health professional). Any professional registration must be current.
- Applicants must have at least four years of clinical experience since qualifying.
- Applicants will be required to attend an interview and may be asked to provide a portfolio of work/evidence in support of their application. This may include undertaking preliminary assessments set by the University to enable us to assess their current academic ability and personal suitability for the course.
- An applicant must possess GCSEs in English and Mathematics at grade 4-9 (or grade C or above) or hold an equivalent such as Functional Skills Level 2 in Literacy and Numeracy. If an applicant has yet to achieve these qualifications, then with their employer's support, they can complete suitable equivalents locally or with assistance from the University. Please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for a list of acceptable GCSE equivalents, further information and support.
- We'll consider applications where appropriate work experience can be demonstrated in lieu of, or in addition to, the published academic qualifications in line with the University’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) procedures.
- The University of Bolton recognises prior learning, whether gained through academic credit and qualifications or through professional and employment experience. Previous learning may be used towards meeting the entry requirements for this programme or for exemption from part of this programme. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make a claim for recognition of prior learning, and each claim will be considered in accordance with the University’s policy and regulations for the recognition of prior learning.
- Qualifications gained outside England and Wales will be assessed on an individual basis.
- Admission to this programme is only available to applicants who meet ESFA eligibility criteria, including the following: 1) They are employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week in a role relevant to the apprenticeship. 2) They have the right to live and work in the UK. 3) Their employer is willing to sponsor them to spend a minimum of six hours per week of their time in off-the-job training, including attending the University (times and dates to be determined) for the duration of their course. Please note that an apprentice cannot be self-employed. ESFA eligibility criteria may change so please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for up-to-date information.
- If English isn’t the applicant's first language, they will also need IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details. - https://www.bolton.ac.uk/international/general-entry-requirements/
- To be eligible for tuition fee funding through the Apprenticeship Levy, candidates should not normally have already completed a qualification at the same level as the proposed apprenticeship, unless that qualification was gained in a completely unrelated discipline.
- Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure. - https://www.bolton.ac.uk/assets/Student-Policy-Zone-2023-24/Fitness-to-Practise-Procedure-2023-24.pdf
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
The MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Integrated Degree Apprenticeship) programme is designed to meet the Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Degree) Level 7 Apprenticeship Standard (ST0564). Developed by employers, this apprenticeship standard underpins a highly relevant qualification and professional development pathway that supports apprentices to achieve the requisite postgraduate knowledge and skills.
What can I do with this qualification?
This Level 7 apprenticeship aims to support the development of the next generation of advanced clinical practitioners. On successful completion of the end point assessment, apprentices will be well prepared to take on demanding roles in acute, primary, urgent and emergency settings (including hospitals, general practice, individuals’ homes, schools and prisons, and in the public, independent, private and charity sectors). Career opportunities may include positions in areas such as primary and intermediate care settings, acute medicine and A&E, geriatric medicine, oncology and mental health.
Graduates who have completed this programme may progress into a wide range of fields, including directors of social enterprise organisations, consultant children’s nurses and advanced practitioners in audiology, mental health, palliative care, podiatry, falls management, cardiovascular, sexual health and substance misuse services. The programme also provides a platform to move into the field of research and complete a PhD.
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
Apprentices will need to be employed by your organisation for a minimum of 30 hours per week. Your organisation will also need to commit to sponsoring apprentices to complete this qualification.
For further information on how your organisation can access funds to support apprentices, please e-mail apprentices@bolton.ac.uk.
Whether you’re an employer, employee or school leaver, please visit our Apprenticeship web page for support and advice regarding apprenticeships.
International Fees
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Apprentices will not be expected to pay tuition fees towards this programme. If your organisation has a wage bill of more than £3 million per annum, then it may be able to fund this apprenticeship through its Apprenticeship Levy contributions. If your organisation does not pay the levy, it will be eligible for government support to fund apprenticeships. This support, called co-investment, covers 95% of the apprenticeship's tuition fees, with your organisation funding the remaining 5% of the fees.
Bursaries
There are no bursaries associated with this programme.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2024-25 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
Please contact the programme leader for details of the application procedure. You can find their name, email address and phone number in the Programme Contacts section of this page.
For support and advice regarding apprenticeships, please visit our Apprenticeship web page.
International Applicants
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Teaching & Assessment
Advanced clinical practice is a multi-faceted discipline, so we use a wide range of teaching and learning methods. These are designed to fully engage apprentices, helping them to develop the skills, knowledge, self-awareness and behaviours that are essential for success in this field. Learning focuses on your workplace environment – your apprentices will spend the majority of their normal working week in practice gaining on-the-job knowledge and experience. They will also be required to devote at least six hours of their time per week to university learning and independent study (classified as off-the-job training).
As well as attending timetabled lectures, tutorials, discussions, demonstrations and computer-aided learning sessions, apprentices will also be expected to allocate significant time to independent and self-directed studies. For example, building a portfolio of evidence, background reading, revisiting practical work, preparing for seminars, working on assignments and revising for exams will support their timetabled learning and develop good habits for lifelong learning. Our friendly and supportive tutors will be here to guide them, and will gladly help them devise an independent study regime focused on their individual development needs. Learning will also be supported by the university's virtual learning environment, Moodle.
Your organisation will need to provide each apprentice with a workplace mentor to support their development. They will also benefit from regular visits from a university tutor. The workplace mentor, university tutor and apprentice will work together to create an individual learning plan.
For the degree element of this programme, we assess each apprentice’s performance through a strategic blend of assignments, practical work assignments, projects, oral presentations (including viva voce) and formal end examinations. Some assessments contribute to their final module marks, while others are designed to help them identify their strengths and weaknesses, and where they need to seek extra support from course tutors.
In addition to the assessments associated with the degree programme, apprentices will undertake the end point assessment (EPA), at the end of the apprenticeship period. Apprentices are also required to develop learning logs/professional development plans and build up a skills portfolio in preparation for the EPA.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Biological Basis of Diseases
- Clinical Examination Skills
- Diagnostics and Therapeutics
- Delivering Leadership and Quality Improvements in Practice
- Non-Medical Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Nurses and Midwives HE7 (26 weeks)
- Non-Medical Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Allied Health Care Professionals (26 weeks)
- Non-Medical Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Pharmacists (26 weeks)
- Portfolio of Clinical Practice 1
- Portfolio of Clinical Practice 2
- End Point Assessment of Clinical Practice
- Acute Medicine
- Geriatric Medicine
- Advanced Physical Skills Assessment in a Mental Health Setting
- Advanced Clinical Practice in Oncology
- Advanced Clinical Practice in Primary Care
- Respiratory
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 47% Practical exams 13% Written exams 40% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 80% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 20% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
Professional Recognition
Currently, ‘advanced practitioner’ is not a restricted title although this issue is being explored by the professional bodies; for example, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health Professions Council.
