Clinical Exercise Prescription

MSc Clinical Exercise Prescription
Course Details
Delivered through blended learning, you can work full-time and study this MSc degree in Clinical Exercise Prescription. This MSc will provide you with an in-depth and relevant focus on applied and academic clinical exercise prescription for working in allied healthcare.

Overview
Declining quality of life and physical function are afflictions endured by those living with chronic health conditions across the globe. Clinical Exercise Prescription can ease the pain patients deal with.

Safe and effective clinical exercise prescription has proven to have a great impact on those living with chronic health conditions. Treating those individuals is a continuous responsibility for clinical exercise prescription graduates. Physical activity can be used to prevent, treat and manage a range of chronic health conditions after consideration of the target individual's health status, baseline fitness, goals and preferences.

Clinical Exercise Prescription allows us to understand the exercise capacity of the individual and where the benefit lies for each specific case in terms of frequency, intensity, type and time will create the most effective treatment. This clinical exercise prescription course will enable practitioners from allied health professions to prescribe exercise for the purposes of disease prevention and disease management in a safe and scientific manner. Students will engage in an evidence-based, clinically focused online learning experience that is globally relevant to reflect the increasing public health demand for clinical exercise prescription.

The aim of this course is to provide additional upskilling to individuals who are interested in progressing their careers in public health and preventative health domains through clinical exercise prescription.

Graduates from rehabilitation, nursing, dietetics and nutrition, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, sports science and physiology backgrounds should apply. Graduates from other degree courses will be assessed on an individual basis. Those with clinical experience will be prioritised.

Why should I study this course?
Upon graduation from this course, students will have developed their self-awareness and practical/transferable skills to enhance their employment opportunities. In addition, the teaching team will endeavour to assist students searching for suitable employment in the sector nationally and internationally. There will also be the opportunity for some graduates who want to do a PhD to do so in several specialist universities, both in Ireland and overseas.

What will I study during this MSc Clinical Exercise Prescription course?
As a Clinical Exercise Prescription student, you will study the foundational physiology of exercise for health promotion and disease management. You will study a broad range of pathophysiology and develop in-depth knowledge of the biomedical implications of exercise. You will develop the knowledge and skills required to design and deliver safe, evidence-based exercise interventions for specific patient populations. You will learn about the public health challenges that we face globally and the role that exercise can play in preventative management.

You will complete the modules listed below:
• Applied clinical exercise physiology
• Clinical exercise prescription for cardiorespiratory populations
• Clinical exercise prescription across the life-span (paediatrics, geriatrics and pregnancy)
• Clinical exercise prescription for musculoskeletal rehabilitation
• Clinical exercise prescription for special populations (oncology, endocrinology, neurology)
• Psychosocial factors in Clinical Exercise Prescription
• Research Methods in Clinical Exercise
• Dissertation in Clinical Exercise Prescription

You can decide to complete a Post-Graduate Certificate (3 modules), Post-Graduate Diploma (6 modules) or complete the full programme to achieve a Masters award at level 9.

All Higher Education courses undergo a rigorous process of approval. This course is currently going through the approval/ validation process. Course approval/ validation involves external subject experts and academic staff who look at the learning outcomes of the course to ensure it is designed to meet the needs of graduates, employers and industry bodies where relevant.

Delivery Mode
Students will learn through an active and engaging online clinical exercise prescription course. Material will be delivered through a combination of live-webinar classes, tutorials and small group discussion sessions. Appropriate supporting materials will be provided for each session, together with a wider range of web-based learning resources and other student-centred learning opportunities. Practical sessions (remote) will be used to develop expertise with intervention design and delivery through case-based scenario learning and will form the basis of the coursework component. Each module will have a dedicated leader who will engage and support student learning.

Course Structure
This is a blended learning course delivered over three academic semesters with supported webinars held during scheduled weekends. This Masters Programme consists of seven modules. You will complete three modules in semester one, three in semester two and during your final semester you will complete your dissertation.

Each semester has three one-day webinars designed to support you to complete the modules scheduled for that semester. Webinars are generally held on a Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

Attendance at webinars is not mandatory but is encouraged for optimal learning outcomes. Support webinars are delivered with the purpose of introducing the module tutor, setting out the learning outcomes, content, the assessment strategy and expectations for skills/knowledge development for that module.

All of the course material is held on an e-learning portal which is an easy to use online platform specifically designed for online learning programmes. During the induction, students will be introduced to the platform with practical demonstration of how to use the portal and access lessons quickly and easily. To complete this course, students must have a basic knowledge of using a computer and searching the internet for research purposes.

Subjects taught

Year 1
• Applied Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Exercise Prescription for Cardiorespiratory Populations
• Clinical Exercise Prescription Across the Life-Span (Paediatrics, Geriatrics and Pregnancy)
• Clinical Exercise Prescription for Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
• Clinical Exercise Prescription for Special Populations (Oncology, Endocrinology, Neurology)
• Psychosocial Factors in Clinical Exercise Prescription
• Research Methods in Clinical Exercise
• Dissertation in Clinical Exercise Prescription

Entry requirements

Students will be required to have a minimum of a 2:1 (or equivalent) in a related subject discipline. Candidates with a lower degree award (e.g. 2:2) will be considered on a case by case application with an interview. A detailed statement to support your application to the course. You should also submit an up-to-date CV and copies of awards/professional qualifications. All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the use of the English Language.

Application dates

Entry to this course is by direct application to the college.

Application Process
Step 1 - Complete the online booking form.
Step 2 - Applicants will be contacted for confirmation/evidence of meeting the entry criteria and entry will be confirmed.
Step 3 - Confirmation of a place will be given to applicants immediately meeting the criteria.

Please note places on this course are only confirmed once tuition fees have been received.

Students will be registered as a post-graduate degree student with London Metropolitan University.

Duration

3 academic semesters.

Semester 1 runs from 08/10/22 – 07/05/23.

Assessments take place between 23/05/23 – 27/05/23.

Tutorial webinar/seminar held on allocated Saturdays, 10am – 4pm.

Webinars are recorded so you may review at a later stage if you are unable to attend the live sessions.

Semester 3 encompasses the Capstone Project and runs from 03/06/23 – 26/08/23

During this semester, you will work with your supervisor to complete a work-based project. Individual tutorials are generally held at times convenient to both.

Post Course Info

Career prospects
Currently there are limited comprehensive continuous professional development course options for allied health professionals that focus on the specific clinical considerations for exercise and physical activity prescription in special populations.

The aim of this clinical exercise prescription course is to provide additional upskilling to healthcare professionals who have an interest in career progression in public health and preventative health domains (e.g. diabetic nurse, cardiac physiotherapist etc.). Notably, to apply for more senior positions in the Health Service Executive in Ireland MSc level qualification is a requirement for most allied health professions. Additionally, despite the purported benefits of exercise prescription there is a lack of evidence-based guidelines to support practitioners in the application of exercise as a therapeutic modality. It is hoped that this course will promote practitioner engagement in clinical exercise research.

Furthermore, we hope that this pathway will provide a comprehensive transfer option for exercise scientists and physiologists who wish to work in health care settings with clinical populations.

By the end of the course, students will have developed their self-awareness and practical/transferable skills that will enhance their employability. Engagement with the alumni network and events that enable them to meet with employers and applied practitioners will support their ability to progress their careers. There will also be the opportunity for some of these graduates wanting to do a PhD to do so in several specialist universities, both in Ireland and overseas.