Nursing - Advanced Practice

The MSc in Advanced Nursing Practice is undertaken over two academic years. Via the commissioning process, students are appointed to full-time ANP trainee posts within the HSCTs or GP Federations in Northern Ireland and undertake the course on a part time basis. To achieve the academic award of MSc Advanced Nursing Practice, students must complete 180 credits of academic study at level 7, plus a practice learning component and portfolio.



All students studying for this award must undertake the core compulsory modules Advanced Methods in Research and Development in Health and Social Care (NUR857), Transforming Practice through Person-centred Leadership (NUR878), MSc Project (NUR836) and ANP Portfolio (NUR872).

Students must then undertake 2 additional pathway specific modules depending on which pathway they are on.



Available pathways at UU are:

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Adult Medicine and Older People Care

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Children's Nursing

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Emergency Care

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Primary Care

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Mental Health



Simultaneously students will complete the practice learning component. This is 129 days per year, totaling 258 days over the whole course.



Revalidation

The University regularly ‘refreshes’ courses to make sure they are as up-to-date as possible.



In addition it undertakes formal periodic review of courses in a process called 'revalidation’ to ensure that they continue to meet standards and are current and relevant.



This course will be revalidated in the near future and it is possible that there will be some changes to the course as described in this prospectus.

Year one

• Advanced Methods in Research and Development in Health and Social Care

• Transforming Practice Through Person-Centred Collective Leadership



Optional modules

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Primary Care 1

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Adult Medicine and Older People Care 1

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Children's Nursing 1

• Managing key emergency respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and trauma presentations

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Mental Health 1



Year two

• MSc Project

• Advanced Nursing Practice Portfolio



Optional Moudles

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Primary Care 2

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Children's Nursing 2

• Assessing and Managing People Presenting to Emergency Care with less common conditions

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Adult Medicine and Older People Care 2

• Advanced Nursing Practice in Mental Health 2

• Applicants must hold a degree with at least 2:1 Honours or equivalent or demonstrate their ability to undertake the programme through the accreditation of prior experiential learning.

• Be commissioned by a Health and Social Care Trust, GP Federation, or similar organisation.

• Be working in a clinical area which will facilitate their achievement of the ANP competencies.

• Have live registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in a relevant field of practice

• Have successfully completed a non-medical prescribing / nurse and midwife prescribing (v300) course

• Provide confirmation of an Access NI check within the last three years

• Have agreement of their employing organisation to ensure that appropriate governance arrangements are in place

• Provide confirmation of the availability of an appropriately qualified clinical practice supervisor.



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.

2 years



Requirements for this course are 2 days for academic study (inclusive of classes) and 3 days in clinical practice per week.

Start Date: September 2025

Career options

Students on the MSc Advanced Nursing Practice from Ulster are all already in employment within the Health and Social Care Trusts and GP Federations. Successful completion of this course leads students to the opportunity to apply for advanced nurse practitioner posts with the sponsoring employer. The qualification enables students to develop their practice in a stimulating and fulfilling manner, working in an advanced way to provide a more holistic care experience to benefit both the service and patient. Completion of this course ensures that the student has met the specific requirements of the ANP Framework for NI (DoH 2016) and makes the student an attractive prospect for any health service provider and employer wishing to advance their nursing service.



The unique commissioning arrangement within Northern Ireland means that students undertaking the MSc Advanced Nursing Practice are commissioned by their employer to a Band 7 Advanced Nurisng Practice Trainee post. On successful completion of this course, they are eligible to apply for a Band 8a Advanced Nursing Practitioner post. Graduates of this course are also eligible to apply for PhD study.