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Queen's University Belfast

Professional & Clinical Practice - Advanced

Overview
This taught Masters programme nurtures talented and innovative professional practitioners, placing practice at the forefront. The course is delivered through the five specialist pathways long associated with the School of Nursing & Midwifery, enabling students from differing professional backgrounds to review their own practice and share balanced and critical findings that contribute towards improving the quality and efficiency of health and social care provision on a global level.

We work closely with our local Healthcare providers to design bespoke clinical experiences for our Masters students. Each student will undertake 225 hours' clinical experience in a setting relevant to their studies to allow them to develop their ideas to completion. Students work within regional centres of excellence, and many develop contacts and friendships that continue throughout their careers.

Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice highlights
With approximately 3,500 students, the School has one of the most extensive portfolios of programmes of any nursing and midwifery school in the UK or Ireland.

Student Experience
•All students will undertake 6 modules, which are delivered through a range of blended learning strategies, plus a period of clinical practice. A proportion of the content is delivered through on-line methods, which supports the philosophy of the programme, that it is open to local, national and international applicants. Students complete an agreed range of optional and specialist modules, generating new ideas for improvements in practice. Then, through their dissertation, they have an opportunity to critically review in greater detail innovative or emerging areas of their professional work.

Learning and Teaching
Learning opportunities associated with this course are outlined below:
At Queen's, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

On the MSc in Advanced Professional and Clinical Practice we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners.

Teaching is across a combination of morning, evening and afternoon classes with some modules being taught entirely online.

Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course include; lectures, practical experiences, E-Learning technologies, Self-directed study and added value qualifications to enhance employability.

Entry requirements

Entrance requirements
Graduate
Applicants must have a professional qualification in Nursing or Midwifery. They shall normally hold a relevant 2.2 Honours degree or above, or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

Applicants with a 3rd Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) will be considered on a case-by-case basis, if they can demonstrate appropriate experience with in-service training, acceptable to the School.

Applicants who do not meet the entry requirements should contact the Programme Co-ordinator for advice.

The University's Recognition of Prior Learning Policy provides guidance on the assessment of experiential learning (RPEL). Please visit http://go.qub.ac.uk/RPLpolicy

International Students
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
•Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
•Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

Duration

2 years full-time.

Teaching Times
Teaching is across a combination of morning, evening and afternoon classes with some modules being taught entirely online.

Number of credits

Career Prospects
Introduction
This Masters programme offers an opportunity for students to develop skills of analytical thinking within a clinical context. Alongside this, the programme facilitates the student's continued professional development. Graduates of this programme progress into management and leadership roles, or continue into a research or education capacity.

Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with our local world-class healthcare providers helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

Further enquiries

Dr Kevin Gormley 
Senior Lecturer (Education)
School of Nursing & Midwifery
Kj.Gormley@qub.ac.uk

Subjects taught

Introduction
Specialist Pathways:
We recognise that students at this level are interested in career advancement. Therefore, we have
developed a wide range of modules; students can choose six modules from these, some of which are specialist modules and require the student to be working in a relevant area of practice. All students must complete one of the compulsory modules and a dissertation.

Leadership and Management
Students completing this pathway will consider leadership and strategic issues in the global delivery of healthcare. Graduates of the programme are able to demonstrate advanced practice in the context of emerging issues and clinical circumstances.

Maternal and Child Health
Students completing this pathway will often come from a Midwifery or Children's Nursing background. Modules offered consider issues such as family-centred health and social care, or developments in
childbirth. Some of these modules are only available to registered midwives.

Acute and Critical Care
Our Acute and Critical Care pathway incorporates issues such as health assessment, as well as the treatment of cardic patients or patients in other acute settings. Taught by professionals who are leaders in their fields, examples are drawn from practice, using current issues to develop new ideas.

Mental Health and the Older Adult
Taught by regional specialists in Dementia Care, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Care of the Older Person, this suite of modules addresses current best practice in the care and treatment of patients with
dementia and other mental health conditions.

Cancer Nursing: Supportive and Palliative Care
Students following this pathway will explore the latest evidence for the care and treatment of cancer patients, including palliative care.

General Optional Modules
Students will combine modules from the specialist pathways above with a selection of general modules, some of which are listed below.

• Law for Healthcare Professionals
• Clinical Inquiry and Applied Practice Based Research
• Pharmacotherapeutics for Practice
• Independent Study Module

Please note that modules are subject to viable numbers, so the modules offered may vary. If you are interested in a subject that is not listed above, please contact the school for advice.

Compulsory Modules
• Applied Research Methods and Statistics in Nursing; OR
• Qualitative Research Methods

All students must undertake a six-week period of Clinical Practice and a Dissertation Module in the second year of the programme. Clinical Practice will be hands-on and will take place within the Northern Ireland Health Service with one of our internationally recognised clinical training partners. This flexible approach to study is designed to meet the needs of students coming from diverse backgrounds and differing speciality areas. The 15,000-word dissertation must be based on a study that contains evidence of critical thinking along with rational and cogent arguments and debate. The study will be based on current thinking and provide evidence of research, knowledge and skills at Masters level.

Assessment method

Students must successfully complete six modules including one compulsory research module and a dissertation. The pass mark for all taught modules and the dissertation is 50 per cent. Each module is assessed by coursework (some modules have a written examination). All students must also successfully complete a clinical placement.