MSc Clinical Practice
- Programme director
- Ann Robinson
- Programme length
- Full-time: 12 months, Part-time: 24 months
- Programme start date
- September 2013
Offered as part of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.
Designed to prepare you academically and professionally to advance practice through research, management and practice development.
Programme overview
The Clinical Practice programme has been specifically designed to prepare you both academically and professionally to advance practice through research, management and practice development.
It aims to enhance your ability to develop and utilise critical, analytical and reflective skills within academic and practice environments, thus enabling you to be innovative in practice and make judgements based on evidence. This programme encourages greater confidence and involvement in wider debates within the healthcare arena.
Each student is supported by a pathway leader who is a member of the academic staff with expertise in their specific field and who acts as a personal tutor.
The following pathways are available:
• Cancer Care
• Palliative Care
• Midwifery
• Advanced Practice
There is also a non-endorsed route to facilitate the needs of those working in a range of clinical settings.
Entry requirements
Minimum of two years’ professional practice including recent experience in your specific area of practice.
English language requirements
IELTS minimum overall: 7.0
IELTS minimum by component:
7.0
Fees and funding
All fees are subject to increase or review for subsequent academic years. Please note that not all visa routes permit part-time study and overseas students entering the UK on a Tier 4 visa will not be permitted to study on a part-time basis.
| Programme name | Study mode | Start date | UK/EU fees | Overseas fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc Clinical Practice | Full-time | Sept 2013 | £8,530 | £12,130 |
| MSc Clinical Practice | Part-time | Sept 2013 | £4,265 | £6,065 |
| MSc Advanced Practice | Full-time | Sept 2013 | £8,530 | £12,130 |
| MSc Advanced Practice | Part-time | Sept 2013 | £4,265 | £6,065 |
| MSc Cancer Care | Full-time | Sept 2013 | £8,530 | £12,130 |
| MSc Cancer Care | Part-time | Sept 2013 | £4,265 | £6,065 |
| MSc Midwifery | Full-time | Sept 2013 | £8,530 | £12,130 |
| MSc Midwifery | Part-time | Sept 2013 | £4,265 | £6,065 |
| MSc Palliative Care | Full-time | Sept 2013 | £8,530 | £12,130 |
| MSc Palliative Care | Part-time | Sept 2013 | £4,265 | £6,065 |
Programme content
Core Compulsory Modules
Innovating Clinical Practice
The aim of this module is to explore and critically analyse contemporary practice issues in the context of healthcare policy and delivery, including direction and strategic planning. It will help students to analyse and evaluate the factors which influence contemporary healthcare policy, focusing on the impact these may have in relation to practice delivery and patient outcomes. In addition, it will help students to articulate how collaborative multi-professional working can help develop innovative strategies for practice development.
Complex Health Assessment
The aim of this module is to engender autonomous learning and understanding regarding health assessment, from a multi-professional and multi-agency perspective in health and social care domains. It enables students to demonstrate an awareness of holistic and systematic assessment with ongoing debate and reformulation. In addition, it supports students to identify advanced concepts underlying theoretical assessment frameworks, using a range of assessment methods to communicate results to support judgements about potential interventions
Leadership and Innovation
This module invites students to critically review their assumptions about leadership and management, and to reflect on their own and their organisation’s leadership practices. This will be achieved through exploring and analysing key leadership and management issues in health and social care, with the emphasis on challenging and debating contemporary theory and practice.
Research Design and Methodology
The overall aim of this module is to enable students to critically appraise a range of research designs and methodologies for health and social care practice and education. It will help students to explore and examine the nature of the research enterprise and its relationship to the natural and social sciences, including health, education and/or social care. It will also help develop a critical understanding of the range of theoretical, methodological and ethical issues associated with the study of health, education and social care. It will include an examination of the convention of dividing research into qualitative and quantitative approaches and their relationship to evidence-based policy and practice, the measurement of clinical effectiveness and evaluation of educational practices.
Programme Structure and Modules
To accommodate the complexities arising in the fields of health and social care, the structure of the programme is aligned with those that fall under the Framework for Professional Development in Health and Social Care which sits within the University of Surrey Credit and Transfer Scheme. This is based on the notion of credits being awarded for different levels of achievement, with a specified quantity needed at each level in order to achieve an award. For the awards offered within this framework, the following are relevant:
| Postgraduate Certificate | 60 credits at Level M |
| Postgraduate Diploma | 120 credits at Level M |
| MSc | 180 credits at Level M |
A student may include no more than 30 credits at HE3 within the Postgraduate Diploma/MSc award.
This structure has been designed with the flexibility to accommodate the changing face of practice while also maintaining the academic integrity of the awards.
MSc Clinical Practice
| Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/MSc Clinical Practice | |
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
| Innovating Clinical Practice | 15 |
| Complex Health Assessment | 15 |
| Leadership and Innovation | 15 |
| Optional Module | 15 |
| Potential Exit with PGCert | 60 |
| Research Design and Methodology | 15 |
| Optional Modules | Credits |
| Optional module(s) | 45 |
| Potential Exit with PGDip | 120 |
| Dissertation | 60 |
| Exit with MSc | 180 |
MSc Clinical Practice (Cancer Care)
| Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/MSc Clinical Practice (Cancer Care) | |
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
| Innovating Clinical Practice | 15 |
| Complex Health Assessment | 15 |
| Leadership and Innovation | 15 |
| The Science of Cancer | 15 |
| Potential Exit with PGCert | 60 |
| Research Design and Methodology | 15 |
| Optional Modules | Credits |
| Optional module(s) | 45 |
| Potential Exit with PGDip | 120 |
| Dissertation | 60 |
| Exit with MSc | 180 |
MSc Clinical Practice (Midwifery)
| Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/MSc Clinical Practice (Midwifery) | |
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
| Innovating Clinical Practice | 15 |
| High-Risk Midwifery | 15 |
| Complex Health Assessment | 15 |
| Leadership and Innovation | 15 |
| Potential Exit with PGCert | 60 |
| Research Design and Methodology | 15 |
| Optional Modules | Credits |
| Optional module(s) | 45 |
| Potential Exit with PGDip | 120 |
| Dissertation | 60 |
| Exit with MSc | 180 |
MSc Clinical Practice (Palliative Care)
| Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/MSc Clinical Practice (Palliative Care) | |
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
| Innovating Clinical Practice | 15 |
| Palliative Care Interventions | 15 |
| Complex Health Assessment | 15 |
| Leadership and Innovation | 15 |
| Potential Exit with PGCert | 60 |
| Research Design and Methodology | 15 |
| Optional Modules | Credits |
| Optional module(s) | 45 |
| Potential Exit with PGDip | 120 |
| Dissertation | 60 |
| Exit with MSc | 180 |
MSc Clinical Practice (Advanced Practice)
| Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/MSc Clinical Practice (Advanced Practice) | |
| Compulsory Modules | Credits |
| Innovating Clinical Practice | 15 |
| Concepts of Advanced Practice | 15 |
| Complex Health Assessment | 15 |
| Leadership and Innovation | 15 |
| Potential Exit with PGCert | 60 |
| Research Design and Methodology | 15 |
| Optional Modules | Credits |
| Optional module(s) | 45 |
| Potential Exit with PGDip | 120 |
| Dissertation | 60 |
| Exit with MSc | 180 |
Dissertation
The aim of this module is to undertake a piece of research within an area of interest, adhering to the research process and producing a dissertation to meet University requirements.
Additional compulsory pathway-specific modules
Concepts of Advanced Practice (Advanced Practice)
This module will enable students to explore and analyse the concept of advanced practice in health and social care by using and applying existing theoretical frameworks. It will include an exploration and analysis of the characteristics of advanced practitioners and will assist students to understand the wider policy context for advanced practice. This module will enable learners to develop advanced practice skills through the creation of a personal development plan and an appraisal of an individual’s development as an advanced practitioner.
The Science of Cancer (Cancer Care)
This module explores current advances in knowledge and understanding of the patho-physiology of human cancers at the cellular, molecular and genetic level. The module will explore the epidemiology of cancer, factors that contribute to risk, early diagnosis, staging, and new and innovative treatments. Approaches to prevention and early diagnosis will be covered, as well as the process of metastasis. Integral to the module will be a user perspective, and policy initiatives relevant to the delivery of cancer services will be discussed.
Challenges in Pain Management (Palliative Care)
This module focuses on acute and chronic pain and is suitable for those working in acute and continuing care settings. The theories of pain will be explored and critiqued. The module is multidisciplinary in nature, and a holistic approach to pain assessment, including the emotional, physical and social aspects of pain and suffering, will be discussed. In particular, the management of surgical pain, chronic malignant and non-malignant pain, and the effect of pain on those who have cognitive impairment will be covered.
High-Risk Midwifery (Midwifery)
The aim of this module is to prepare midwives for the unpredictable nature of critical care in a midwifery environment. Women often present with pregnancy-related or pre-existing conditions which may be exacerbated during the childbearing continuum. This module aims to prepare practitioners to assess, monitor, interpret and manage situations rapidly and appropriately.
Self-study hours
150 hours per 15-credit module (30 hours taught)
300 hours per 30-credit module (60 hours taught)
International students
International students should be able to undertake this programme if they have not sought or would be unable to seek registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). This would need to be discussed on an individual basis with the Director of Studies.
Department links
Contact us
For general enquiries
0800 980 3200 or +44 (0)1483 681 681
For admissions enquiries
+44 (0)1483 684 505