Health Sciences - Advancing Practice

The School of Health Sciences aims to provide quality education for both the current and future healthcare workforce thereby improving the experience for people and their families who may now, and in the future, require help from Allied Health Professionals (AHPs).



We provide programmes of study and research opportunities by a diversity of means.This course offers Continual Professional Development (CPD) for AHPs and Clinical Physiologists.



The School’s innovative and highly reputable CPD provision responds to the needs of all stages of the UK and Ireland’s AHP career frameworks. Our postgraduate programme enables AHPs to focus on their chosen specialism (diagnostic radiography, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, speech and language therapy, therapeutic radiography, dietetics and the course also caters for clinical physiology).



The content of the course is directly relevant to AHPs working in an ever-developing workforce. The material is produced and delivered by teaching staff, national and international experts in the subject areas.



The masters programme has been produced with clearly identified, efficient, processes for applicants to engage with short courses, and to facilitate students to move on to award programmes, using flexible but clear module opportunities to build up to the Postgraduate Certificate/Postgraduate Diploma/Masters awards.



The part-time MSc programme is normally six semesters completed over 2-4 academic years. However students may opt to exit with a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credit points) after 1-2 years or a Postgraduate Diploma (120 points) after 2-3 years. In order to facilitate student attendance many of the modules involve on average 3-6 days attendance per module, these may be delivered in one block or in two shorter blocks of attendance during the semester. Some modules may require longer attendance due to professional body requirements and/or HCPC regulations. Each module coordinator will be able to advise on the expected attendance. Several modules are taught through the online environment and where these modules do not require attendance, students are expected to regularly participate in the online learning environment.

To view subjects taught on this course, please click on "Course Web Page".

Applicants must:

(a) have gained

(i) an Honours or non-Honours degree from a University of th United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland or from a recognized national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which is recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or

(ii) an equivalent standard in a Postgraduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate or an approved alternative qualification; and

(iii) where applicable be eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and

(iv) normally, currently in relevant employment or have access to the appropriate patient/client group, as approved by the course committee.



(b) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE

grade C or equivalent) and for non-native English speakers, IELTS 7.0 (with no contributing band at less than 6.5) or, as an alternative to (a) (i) or (a) (ii) and/or (b)



(c) in exceptional circumstances, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subjectspecific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.



English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.



Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Start Date: September 2025

Career options

Participation in the postgraduate framework may enhance the opportunities for AHPs within the health service and beyond. The development of the programme was as a direct consequence of the need for profession-specific and interdisciplinary modules to facilitate AHPs in their career progression.



Participation in the postgraduate activity will provide the development opportunity for AHPs to progress to doctoral level activity.