Course Content (All Pathways)
The MSc Advanced Practice in Healthcare programme contains 3 academic awards:
Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Healthcare – comprising:
- 60 credits in any combination of core or optional taught modules/micro-credentials.
Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Practice in Healthcare – 120 credits, comprising:
- 60 credits of core modules/micro-credentials (60 credits), as follows:
- Decision Making in Practice
- Evidence Based Practice
- Applied Research Methods and Design
- 60 credits in any combination of optional taught modules/micro-credentials (see full list below).
Master of Science in Advanced Practice in Healthcare – 180 credits, comprising:
- 60 credits of core modules/micro-credentials (60 credits)
- Decision Making in Practice
- Evidence Based Practice
- Applied Research Methods and Design
- 60 credits in any combination of other taught modules/micro-credentials, plus
- 60 credits of core Master’s project modules:
- Project & Career Planning (20 credits)
- Project (40 credits)
In addition, specialist named pathways are available in the PgDip and MSc awards, for students who choose to pursue specific healthcare specialist areas. These pathways have additional restrictions on the modules that must be completed. All pathways include the 3 core modules; the remaining 60 credits of modules are then drawn from a more limited selection of available options, to reflect the clinical/professional specialism in the named pathway.
- For the Audiology and Dental Technology pathways, students who wish to obtain the named award must complete all the modules specified in the pathway as shown below – there are no options.
- For the Dietetics, Complex Lower Limb and Speech & Language Therapy pathways, students must select 60 credits from the modules available within the named pathway.
Specialist named awards are not available for the Postgraduate Certificate – students enrolling for the PgCert will be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Healthcare.
Core Modules
Decision Making in Practice (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to enable students to utilise a knowledge and understanding of the theoretical literature on judgement, decision making, competence and expertise alongside practice based and patient/service factors to examine decision making related to clinical practice and service provision.
Evidence Based Practice (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to provide students with the skills and knowledge required to design and undertake a systematic critical review of published information to inform evidence-based developments in practice.
Applied Research Methods & Design (20 credits)
The aim of the module is to enable students to develop their research skills in order to apply principles of evidence-based practice, and design and carry out robust research projects.
Project and Career Planning (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to enable students to design and develop an advanced specialist project in their discipline to enhance their own and/or others’ learning, work, or practice, and to evaluate their own knowledge, skills, interests and ambitions to create their own personal career development plan.
Project (40 credits)
The aim of this module is to enable students to work independently to investigate an area in their discipline relevant to their own learning, work, or practice, and to present and discuss their findings, demonstrating a systematic understanding and critical awareness of their discipline and area of professional practice. We offer a broad range of project types including traditional empirical research projects, enterprise/innovation projects (e.g., business planning or consultancy), or product/intervention design. Students can also complete the project as a placement/professional practice development project, focused on developing and demonstrating a specific set of professional knowledge, skills and competencies and their application in practice.
Optional Modules
All optional modules are worth 20 credits:
Advanced Practice Educator
The module aims to critically explore the theoretical basis for learning through practice, to develop your professional competence as a practice educator, and to allow you to design and develop an innovative education activity.
Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
The module aims to equip students to critically evaluate their individual learning requirements in relation to a specified and justified area of practice that involves the requirement to resolve high level, complex, practice scenarios, and structure an approach to their own learning to satisfy specified learning outcomes.
If you opt for this module, you will identify, plan and manage a change or development within your area of professional practice by designing a project to be carried out in the workplace. You will identify and develop your own learning outcomes, and these act as steps within a project plan. The projects encourage professional and personal growth in relation to the four pillars of advanced practice, whilst also having a direct positive impact on the service/area of practice. You will have both a University and a work-based supervisor to support and guide you during the module, and the module project plans provide a template for future quality improvement projects.
Further Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
Students can complete this module after they have completed the Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace module. The module adopts a similar approach and further advances practice by requiring students to develop an aspect or level of practice distinct from that previously undertaken.
Facilitating Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice
The module aims to critically explore the theoretical basis for interprofessional learning, education and collaborative practice, develop professional competence as an interprofessional learning facilitator or practice educator, and allow you to design and develop an innovative education resource or activity.
Genetics and Genomics in Healthcare
The module aim is to enable the student to provide a contemporary view of the role of Genetics and Genomics in health and disease.
Leadership and Management in Healthcare
This module aims to critically examine leadership and management theory and practice while supporting students as they lead and manage change at the advanced practitioner level in a contemporary healthcare organisation.
Research and Practice in Stroke
The aim of this module is to enable students to extend their current knowledge and understanding to a higher level in the fields of Prehospital, Acute, Rehabilitation and Life After Stroke Care and practice and to be able to incorporate their postgraduate academic learning in the workplace through a research lens.
Specialist Pathway Modules
Pathway Information and Specific Modules:
Audiology
Students completing the Audiology specialist pathway must complete the following 3 modules, in addition to the core modules above. No other optional modules are available in this pathway.
Balance Disorders and Rehabilitation
This module aims to equip participants with essential knowledge to understand the principles behind common tests used in vestibular assessment and the clinical management of balance disorders.
Paediatric Hearing Impairment
This module aims to equip participants with essential knowledge to understand the rationale behind various hearing tests and audiological habilitation methods designed for children of various ages.
Advanced Diagnostic Audiology and Rehabilitation
This module aims to equip participants with knowledge and practical skills in advanced audiological techniques, to provide assessment and audiological rehabilitation options for adults.
Complex Lower Limb
Students completing the Complex Lower Limb specialist pathway must complete 60 credits of optional modules, selected from the list below.
Specialist clinical modules:
Sports Biomechanics and Injury Management
The module aims to formulate and appreciate the role of key biomechanical concepts and functional performance analysis in sports injury, the prevention of injury, coaching and research. To develop an understanding of theoretical and practical applications of specific methods of management in the sports patient.
Science of Footwear
The module aims to formulate and appreciate the role and theoretical understanding of footwear design incorporating key biomechanical and functional concepts. To develop an understanding of theoretical and practical applications and assessment of footwear for the management of different patient groups.
Cross-disciplinary modules (described in more detail under Optional Modules above):
- Advanced Practice Educator
- Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
- Further Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
- Facilitating Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice
- Genetics and Genomics in Healthcare
- Leadership and Management in Healthcare
- Research and Practice in Stroke
Dental Technology
Students completing the Dental Technology specialist pathway must complete the following 3 modules, in addition to the core modules above. No other optional modules are available in this pathway.
Leadership and Management in Healthcare
This module aims to critically examine leadership and management theory and practice while supporting students as they lead and manage change at the advanced practitioner level in a contemporary healthcare organisation.
Advanced Dental Technology Techniques 1
This module will enable students to advance an identified area or skill set within their current discipline area, through academic evaluation, professional discussion, advanced practical cases, self-evaluation, and critical reflection.
Advanced Dental Technology Techniques 2
This module will enable students to advance an identified area or skill set that is either within or beyond their current discipline area, through academic evaluation, professional discussion, advanced practical cases, self-evaluation, and critical reflection.
Dietetics
Students completing the Dietetics specialist pathway must complete 60 credits of optional modules, selected from the list below.
Specialist clinical modules:
Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics
The module is designed to enable the student to gain understanding of gene-diet interactions at multiple levels. To equip the students with information on the sources of genetic advances as part of their continued development.
Nutrition and the Older Adult
To enable the practitioner to critically review the nutritional care of an aging population and synthesize a holistic and integrated approach to practice and influence changes in practice, which is evidence based, innovative, practical and effective.
Cross-disciplinary modules (described in more detail under Optional Modules above):
- Advanced Practice Educator
- Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
- Further Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
- Facilitating Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice
- Genetics and Genomics in Healthcare
- Leadership and Management in Healthcare
- Research and Practice in Stroke
Speech and Language Therapy
Students completing the Speech and Language Therapy specialist pathway must complete 60 credits of optional modules, selected from the list below.
Specialist clinical modules:
Paediatric Hearing Impairment
This module aims to equip participants with essential knowledge to understand the rationale behind various hearing tests and audiological habilitation methods designed for children of various ages.
Assessing and Analysing Cleft Palate Speech
This module aims to provide students with an overview of speech development in cleft palate +/- lip and velopharyngeal dysfunction, and the ways in which this might differ from typical speech development. Develop students’ knowledge of a range of theoretical approaches to the study of speech processing in cleft palate +/- lip and velopharyngeal dysfunction. Develop students’ knowledge of instrumental and perceptual techniques for the analysis of speech production in cleft palate +/- lip and velopharyngeal dysfunction. Develop students’ skills in the perceptual phonetic analysis of cleft palate speech.
Interventions for Cleft Palate Speech and Service Provision
The module aims to develop students’ knowledge of a range of evidence-based therapy approaches for the treatment of cleft palate speech. Develop students’ knowledge of instrumental therapy approaches for the treatment of cleft palate speech. Provide students with strategies for selecting therapy approaches and evaluating therapy. Introduce students to the principles of practice-based evidence. Develop students’ understanding of other aspects of care provided by the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Develop students’ understanding of the place of cleft speech therapy in the wider context of the NHS and other healthcare providers. Introduce students to key issues of ethics and clinical governance that apply to the care of individuals with cleft palate speech.
Multilingualism in Practice: Speech, Language and Communication Needs
This module aims to facilitate the exploration of current knowledge and understanding of bi- and multilingualism and application of these concepts, frameworks and perspectives to enhance practice when working with children and/or adults with speech, language and/or communication needs. In doing so, learners will develop an advanced ability to synthesise information from a range of sources and recognise their own role in affecting change to ensure effective, equitable and person-centred practices.
Cross-disciplinary modules (described in more detail under Optional Modules above):
- Advanced Practice Educator
- Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
- Further Advancing Personal Skills and Practice in the Workplace
- Facilitating Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice
- Genetics and Genomics in Healthcare
- Leadership and Management in Healthcare
- Research and Practice in Stroke
Learning & Teaching
A well-balanced mix of theory and practice is delivered via a range of teaching methods across the programme, including:
- Live learning activities – e.g., lectures, seminars, workshops, facilitated group work, etc. Most live learning activities will take place via Microsoft Teams or similar digital systems. All our core modules are available for online study without a requirement to travel to campus.
- Some of our specialist Audiology, Complex Lower Limb and Speech & Language Therapy modules may involve you attending on-campus to use our specialist clinical or practical facilities. Where this is an integral part of the module, such activities are normally scheduled into a single day or block of contact days, to minimise the number of journeys that you will need to make to our campus.
- Asynchronous learning activities that students complete in their own time – e.g., pre-recorded video mini-lectures, flipped learning activities, e-lessons, discussion boards, preparation tasks for seminars, etc.
- Scheduled academic support – e.g., academic skills sessions, subject-based tutorials, assessment workshops, research supervision. Again, for this programme these will normally be delivered online.
- Situated learning – many students on this programme are studying part-time alongside a professional career in healthcare. Most of our modules provide the opportunity to situate learning in the student’s own work/practice setting – applying principles to examples from their own practice and demonstrating this through their assessment responses.
- In the Advancing Personal Skills & Practice in the Workplace module, students develop and apply interventions or service improvements to advance their own professional practice and that of others, in doing so demonstrating many or all of the pillars of Advanced Practice.
A typical 20-credit taught module will have approximately 40-45 hours of associated scheduled teaching activities, in a combination of the above approaches. Alongside these scheduled activities, you’ll undertake your own independent learning – such as reading and research to prepare for seminars or assessments, unsupervised group work with fellow students, engaging with academic skills support, data collection for individual projects, etc.
Students on this programme will have opportunities to work together innovatively and collaboratively across disciplines by sharing their knowledge and skills, which will be beneficial for the students in terms of their engagement and experience.
The Master’s project also allows this flexibility as students typically undertake their project in their place of work.
All students will be allocated a personal tutor who will offer academic and pastoral support and guidance on pathway specific and option modules to select to meet their individual learning needs.
Assessment
Our programme and modules are designed to offer opportunities for formative tasks and feedback to help build confidence and develop your ability to evaluate your own progress. We use authentic assessment tasks which enable you to apply your knowledge and skills to scenarios, activities and settings commonly encountered in professional practice. Assessments are applied to the four pillars of advanced practice. The assessments are devised to have real life application to subject specific areas, and many modules have outcomes which will aid dissemination of learning in the workplace e.g., infographics, presentations.
The programme includes a range of assessment methods, including:
- Professional portfolios
- Presentations (oral, poster and/or infographic)
- Reflections on professional practice and development
- Reports
- Case studies
The programme contains no unseen written examinations.
We carefully plan our assessment schedule to avoid excessive bunching of similar types of assessment, and realistic deadlines. Every assessment includes a detailed briefing and clearly defined marking criteria, which have been developed and tested in partnership with students.
Employability & Careers
The programme is closely aligned to professional standards and competencies, including the
Professional Framework for Enhanced, Advanced and Consultant clinical practice in Wales (HEIW 2023), and relevant professional development frameworks from clinical specialisms and professional associations.
Our module assessments directly relate to future employment or work-related tasks, or more generally to the advancement of the subject and profession, and your own aspirations. This will enable you to develop and demonstrate the application of your knowledge and skills to real-world professional situations.
By studying this programme, you will be able to lead and contribute to developments in your profession and organisation through a more pro-active, critical and reflective approach: acting as an agent of change, a leader and advocate of your profession and for high quality healthcare.
Career development planning & work-based learning opportunities
In the Project & Career Planning module, you will engage in reflective self-evaluation of your knowledge, skills, and experiences, benchmarking these against relevant disciplinary standards/competency frameworks. We’ll support you to evaluate your current strengths and prioritise areas for improvement relevant to your own career goals and ambitions.
In the Project module, you can select one of a variety of project types (empirical research, consultancy, enterprise/innovation, or product/intervention design), For many part-time students, this involves working directly on a topic relevant to your organisation, workplace and aligned to your professional practice.
You can also elect to complete an industry placement/work-based learning project, focusing on developing your skills and competencies in a complex professional context. For this programme, this is an approach best suited to full-time students on the Audiology pathway who may not have a current professional practice role. If you select this type of project you will need to obtain a suitable placement (minimum duration: 200 hours, maximum duration 6 months). We’ll support you to find and obtain an appropriate work-based learning experience using our network of industry contacts.
We cannot guarantee a placement opportunity for every student, and it is likely that many placement opportunities will involve some kind of competitive recruitment process.
Entry Requirements & How to Apply
Applicants should hold an honours degree in a discipline relating to their proposed area of study. However, candidates with other relevant qualifications will be considered.
Applicants must normally be able to demonstrate a minimum of 2 years recent and relevant experience in an appropriate setting. The applied nature of the course and the emphasis on critical reflection and the development of advanced practice require candidates to have relevant experience on which they can reflect and develop their studies.
Entry Requirements for specific pathways:
- Dental Technology – An honours degree in a discipline related to their proposed area of study at 2:2 and above, or a Bachelor of Dental Surgery. Candidates based in the UK should be registered with the General Dental Council as either a Dentist or a Dental care Professional. Students based internationally must be registered with an equivalent registering body.
- Dietetics – candidates should be registered Dieticians with the Health and Care Professions Council.
- Speech and Language Therapy – candidates should be registered Speech and Language Therapists with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Selection Procedure:
Candidates will be considered by the course director and at least one other member of the course team and may be invited to interview. At this stage there will be discussion about the potential areas that the candidate wishes to study as well as consideration of developmental needs.
International Applicants
All pathways except for Dental Technology: Students whose first language is not English will need to provide evidence of fluency to at least an academic IELTS 7.0 standard with no sub-score lower than 6.5 or equivalent, which is a requirement for the Health & Care Professions Council.
Dental Technology pathway only: Students whose first language is not English will need to provide evidence of fluency to at least an academic IELTS 6.5 standard with no sub-score lower than 6.0 or equivalent, which is a requirement for the Health & Care Professions Council.
For full details about how to apply and English Language qualifications please visit the
International pages on the website.
How to Apply:
Applications for this course should be made direct to the University via our
self-service system. For further information please visit our How to Apply pages at
www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/howtoapply.
If you are interested in using credit from another institution, or have obtained qualifications and/or experience to study for a course at Cardiff Met, you can find further information on this as well as information on how to apply on the
RPL page.
Additional Information
Tuition Fees and Financial Support:
For up to date information on tuition fees and the financial support that may be available. Please refer to
www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/fees.
Part-time fees:
Charges are per Single Module unless specified:
Undergraduate = 10 Credits; Postgraduate = 20 Credits
For information on modules to be studied part time please contact the programme leader.
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