Advanced Clinical Practitioner MSc

Attendance mode

Entry year

Duration: 3 years; 3 years
Start date: September; September
Location: City Campus; City Campus

Suitable for UKUK applications.

Overview

The Advanced Clinical Practitioner programme at the University of Bradford offers students the opportunity to apply knowledge to a range of clinical and professional situations through reflection and practice experience, supported by an experienced clinical supervisor.

It develops skills designed to meet the challenges of delivering and advancing quality healthcare within a global context.

Learning and teaching is designed to equip students with skills in using a range of information, data, tools and techniques to improve the quality of patient care and health outcomes and demonstrate impact and value.

The programme is intended to:

provide a flexible educational framework that is vocationally relevant, which meets your professional development needs, as well as the organisational needs of employers
provide opportunities for inter-professional teaching and learning to share the knowledge, skills and experience common to a range of different health and social care disciplines
stimulate you to become a self-directed learner who is motivated to sustain and advance your own continuous professional learning
develop your clinical skills, knowledge and critical understanding to an advanced level, applicable to your own field of practice including complex problem-solving and risk assessment.
prepare you to become an autonomous practitioner, to work in advanced and specialist roles with high levels of accountability
develop you as a practitioner who will innovate, promote evidence-informed practice and improve service user outcomes
develop you as a critically reflective, competent leader who acts as a role model and manages service development towards effective, sustainable, inclusive, fair and ethically sensitive service provision

It develops skills designed to meet the challenges of delivering and advancing quality healthcare within a global context.

The programme is intended to:

provide a flexible educational framework that is vocationally relevant, which meets your professional development needs, as well as the organisational needs of employers
provide opportunities for inter-professional teaching and learning to share the knowledge, skills and experience common to a range of different health and social care disciplines
stimulate you to become a self-directed learner who is motivated to sustain and advance your own continuous professional learning
develop your clinical skills, knowledge and critical understanding to an advanced level, applicable to your own field of practice including complex problem-solving and risk assessment.
prepare you to become an autonomous practitioner, to work in advanced and specialist roles with high levels of accountability
develop you as a practitioner who will innovate, promote evidence-informed practice and improve service user outcomes
develop you as a critically reflective, competent leader who acts as a role model and manages service development towards effective, sustainable, inclusive, fair and ethically sensitive service provision

Professional accreditation

The MSc programme is accredited by HEE. This accreditation allows graduates achieving an MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner award to apply for the HEE Digital 'Advanced' badge.

Entry requirements

Professional admission requirements

Current registration with the appropriate UK professional body as a member of the following professions eligible (HEE 2021) to undertake independent prescribing:
- pharmacists
- physiotherapists
- podiatrists
- paramedics
- nurses
- midwives
At least two years experience working in your professional role (three years for paramedics)
An identified workplace supervisor who must have a recognised qualification and at least three years post-qualification experience as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in any of the above professions, or, a medical practitioner/doctor
Evidence of contracted working arrangements (paid or voluntary) with the named clinical supervisor for the duration of the MSc programme, for a minimum of two days per week, including University of Bradford attendance for the first two years of the programme

Professional admission requirements

Current registration with the appropriate UK professional body as a member of the following professions eligible (HEE 2021) to undertake independent prescribing:
- pharmacists
- physiotherapists
- podiatrists
- paramedics
- nurses
- midwives
At least two years experience working in your professional role (three years for paramedics)
An identified workplace supervisor who must have a recognised qualification and at least three years post-qualification experience as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in any of the above professions, or, a medical practitioner/doctor
Evidence of contracted working arrangements (paid or voluntary) with the named clinical supervisor for the duration of the MSc programme, for a minimum of two days per week, including University of Bradford attendance for the first two years of the programme

English language requirements: GCSE English Language Grade 4 (or IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no sub-test less than 5.5) or equivalent.

English language requirements: GCSE English Language Grade 4 (or IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no sub-test less than 5.5) or equivalent.

Your learning journey

All module information is for 2026/7 entry and is subject to change.

First year

Core

Advanced Physical Assessment and Clinical Decision Making Skills (Level 7)

To provide students with an understanding of the theory, concepts, skills, practice, and management of the consultation process. Students will acquire advanced knowledge and expertise to undertake a comprehensive clinical history and skilled physical assessment. Students will develop the in-depth knowledge and understanding of the evidence base that underpins clinical decision making and critically explore the interprofessional context of care delivery and professional boundaries, within advanced practice

Leadership for Advanced Practitioners

To provide students with the opportunity to explore and critically analyse the role of the advanced practitioner as a leader and role model. To provide students with the opportunity to develop skills in leading innovation and change whilst understanding the challenges facing service delivery.

Prescribing for Healthcare Professionals (Level 7)

1. Prepare nurses, midwives and relevant allied health professionals to prescribe as independent and supplementary prescribers; prepare diagnostic radiographers to prescribe as supplementary prescribers.

2. Allow experienced healthcare practitioners to enhance their knowledge and gain critical awareness of contemporary issues in order to become safe, competent and effective prescribers, within current legal and professional guidelines.

3. Enable practitioners to continue to advance prescribing practice.

Service Evaluation and Improvement in Clinical Practice

To develop and critically utilise advanced knowledge and skills to undertake a project relevant to a health/ social care setting.

Optional

Minor Illness and Minor Injury

To develop understanding and depth of knowledge related to a range of minor illnesses and injuries, across the lifespan, in a range of settings.

To consider the nature of one's own role in providing a proactive service within an Urgent Care setting to contribute to the general population's health management.

To develop a greater level of competence and autonomy within the individual's own practice area when dealing with minor illness and minor injuries including knowledge and understanding of clinical care/urgent care referral pathways.

To develop enhanced skills to critique relevant clinical care pathways in a way that will change and enhance clinical practice.

Applied Pathophysiology and Pharmacology in Acute and Long Term Conditions for Advanced Practitioners

To develop and evaluate knowledge of general principles of pathophysiology and pharmacology that can be applied to your area of specialist practice, and to develop and evaluate knowledge of common conditions that may co-exist with conditions of your specialist area. To synthesise theory and knowledge in pathophysiology and pharmacology to critically appraise the assessment and management of patients within your area of specialist practice.

Trauma Informed Maternity Care

To develop the practice of midwives providing trauma informed midwifery care through understanding the physiology of and causes of trauma, methods to support and preserve physical and psychosocial wellbeing, recognising vicarious trauma experienced by health professionals and strategies to optimise the approaches that can inform service delivery.

Learners will evaluate and critically appraise evidence-based models of understanding, research and policy which influence care, exploring innovative solutions to barriers to deliver best practice.

All module information is for 2026/7 entry and is subject to change.

First year

Core

Advanced Physical Assessment and Clinical Decision Making Skills (Level 7)

Leadership for Advanced Practitioners

Prescribing for Healthcare Professionals (Level 7)

3. Enable practitioners to continue to advance prescribing practice.

Service Evaluation and Improvement in Clinical Practice

To develop and critically utilise advanced knowledge and skills to undertake a project relevant to a health/ social care setting.

Optional

Minor Illness and Minor Injury

To develop understanding and depth of knowledge related to a range of minor illnesses and injuries, across the lifespan, in a range of settings.

To consider the nature of one's own role in providing a proactive service within an Urgent Care setting to contribute to the general population's health management.

To develop enhanced skills to critique relevant clinical care pathways in a way that will change and enhance clinical practice.

Applied Pathophysiology and Pharmacology in Acute and Long Term Conditions for Advanced Practitioners

Trauma Informed Maternity Care

Learners will evaluate and critically appraise evidence-based models of understanding, research and policy which influence care, exploring innovative solutions to barriers to deliver best practice.

Teaching, learning and assessment

Whilst following this programme of study, you will engage with learning through a range of teaching methods. These methods will be dependent on modules studied, however student-centred approaches to learning are a feature of the modules and you will be expected to take responsibility for your learning as you develop your academic skills.

There are a number of approaches to the manner in which modules are delivered and these include block attendance, study day attendance, distance learning and blended learning. When devising your study plan with your academic advisor, you will be informed regarding which delivery methods are utilised for which module.

The aims of the teaching and learning strategies have been designed so that you will be given the opportunity to develop theoretical understanding, research informed knowledge and critical thinking to develop a range of skills appropriate to your professional field, your organisation and workplace setting. You will also develop your skills and knowledge of research and application to your practice area.

Your course of study will expose you to a range of different teaching, learning and assessment strategies required to achieve the learning outcomes.

Teaching, learning and assessment

Your course of study will expose you to a range of different teaching, learning and assessment strategies required to achieve the learning outcomes.

Fees, finance and scholarships

Tuition fee

These fees are for entry during the 2026-2027 academic year (September 2026 - August 2027).

10 credits: £642
20 credits: £1284
30 credits: £1926
40 credits: £2568
Dissertation: £2782

Tuition fee

These fees are for entry during the 2027-2028 academic year (September 2027 - August 2028).

10 credits: £658
20 credits: £1316
30 credits: £1974
40 credits: £2632
Dissertation: £2852

Additional course costs

While there are no compulsory additional costs associated with this course, there may be general additional costs that you may incur as a student. A list of the sort of costs you might expect can be found on our fees and finance section.

Funding your studies

It can be hard to know what financial help is available to you as a student.

Further information about the variety of options that can help fund your studies and maximise the money available to you is available on our funding your studies section.

Scholarships

Every year we award numerous non-repayable scholarships to UK, EU and international students on the basis of academic excellence, personal circumstances or economic hardship. For full details, visit our scholarships section.

Career prospects

Experienced Healthcare practitioners now have the opportunity to take on challenging roles, working across professional, organisational and system boundaries to meet diverse patient needs.

Healthcare practitioners working in an Advanced Clinical Practitioner role are often at the forefront of innovative practice and as such are expected to undertake master’s level education.

The programme is designed to develop the skills in complex reasoning, critical thinking and analysis required to undertake these roles.

Students that complete the full MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner programme will be eligible to apply for the HEE Digital ‘Advanced’ badge.

Those who exit the programme prior to completion of the full MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner programme will not be eligible for the Digital ‘Advanced’ badge.

Career opportunities

The University is committed to helping students develop and enhance employability and this is an integral part of many programmes. Specialist support is available throughout the course from Career and Employability Services including help to find part-time work while studying, placements, vacation work and graduate vacancies. Students are encouraged to access this support at an early stage and to use the extensive resources on the careers section.

Support for your studies

At Bradford, we’re committed to supporting your success, well-being and future ambitions. We’re here to provide everything you need to make the most of your time with us, ensuring you not only excel in your studies, but also step confidently into the world of graduate employment. In addition to the support you receive from your academic tutors, our Student Support Services are here for you throughout your journey - before, during, and after your studies.

Got a question?

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Terms and conditions of study

The University has a set of terms and conditions for all students accepting an offer to study on a course here at Bradford. This is called The Student Contract. This document sets out the Terms and Conditions which apply when you accept an offer of a place on a programme of study at the University of Bradford.

View our Student Contract for further details.

Transparency statement

Information about this programme and its modules has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publication, but changes may occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of teaching. Any change which impacts the terms and conditions of an applicant’s offer will be communicated to them.