Nursing - Advanced Practice Nursing / Midwifery

Course Outline

Our MSc in Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery) programme is designed to prepare nurses and midwives to practice at a higher level of capability in independent, autonomous, and expert practice, that is innovative, flexible, and patient-centred. The programme also prepares students for their role as clinical and professional leaders with a commitment to the dissemination of evidence-based knowledge and the instruction of others.



The clinical learning and preparation for advanced nursing and midwifery practice is addressed on both a theoretical and practice level and includes the required content for registration as a nurse midwife prescriber of medicinal products. The programme seeks to develop the leadership capacity of participants with professional and clinical leadership underpinning the theoretical and clinical aspects of the programme.



This MSc in Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery) is a 2-year programme, approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, involving academic and practice learning and assessment. The programme is designed to recognise relevant prior learning of applicants and includes a number of exit routes for those who have completed learning towards registration as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Midwife Practitioner previously. Our aim, through the delivery of this programme, is to facilitate the needs of the students, whilst promoting excellence in nursing or midwifery practice and leadership.



Placement or Study Abroad Information

Students will continue to practice in their own practice setting. Clinical placement is an essential element of this programme from both a nurse/midwife prescribing of medicinal products perspective and development of advanced nursing practice or advanced midwifery practice perspective and for the most part this is usually facilitated in the student’s own practice area and setting. There are opportunities to identify clinical placements outside of your own practice site as part of an individualised learning plan. Sometimes these can be national and international and should be negotiated with the student’s clinical supervisor, employer and the course coordinator.

Modules

Year 1 (60 credits)

GP6002 Systematic Approach to Assessing and Evaluating Patients (10 credits)

NU5048 Professional, Ethical, Legal and Communication Issues Informing Nurse and Midwife Prescribing and Clinical Practicum (10 credits)

PF5011 Holistic Approach to Prescribing Medicinal Products and Clinical Practicum (10 credits)

MH6014 Advanced Research Methods for Healthcare Professionals (10 credits)

NU6162 Decision Making, and Advanced Practice Professional roles (10 credits)

NU6163 Leadership, Quality Improvement and Governance for Advanced Practice (10 credits)



Year 2 (50 credits)

NU6160 Dissertation for Advanced Practice Nursing (30 credits)

NU6161 Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum (20 credits)

Applicants for the MSc in Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery) must meet the following requirements:

- Have a minimum of a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8, or equivalent) in Nursing or Midwifery or equivalent.

- Hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).

- The candidate must have three years’ recent post registration clinical experience in nursing/midwifery (within the past 5 years) with the equivalent of one-year full-time experience in the specific area of practice.

- Provide evidence of support from an employer and a completed Site Declaration Form Site Declaration Form MSc Advanced Practice Nursing 2022 signed by the Director of Nursing or Midwifery/Public Health/ authorised Nurse or Midwife Manager. This must contain confirmation of a designated medical practitioner mentor and/or Advanced Nurse or Midwife Practitioner mentor who will provide supervision, support and learning opportunities, including opportunities to practice under supervision to gain the required competencies and clinical competence to practice at an advanced level in nursing.

- If required to complete the Nurse/Midwife Prescribing of Medicinal Products part of the programme, provide nomination and confirmation of a designated medical practitioner/mentor (completed Site Self-Declaration Form 2023 MSCANM Medic Prescribing Form, signed by the Medical Practitioner/Mentor) who will provide the student with supervision, support and opportunities including shadowing opportunities to gain the required competencies for nurse/midwife prescribing in their practice area/organisation.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

2 years part-time.

Start Date: 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

This programme will enable students to develop skills and competence in advanced clinical practice, clinical leadership and scholarship. Students who successfully complete this programme will be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse/Midwife Prescriber and a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner or a Registered Advanced Midwife Practitioner with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). This will open career opportunities in expansion of clinical practice in current or future roles as well as in advanced nursing or midwifery practice.