How to apply

Overview

The details

Course: Advanced Clinical Practice

Start date: October 2025

Study mode: Part-time

Duration: 2 - 6 years

Location: Colchester Campus

Based in: Health and Social Care (School of)

We understand that you may not have the time to do a full-time degree, so our CPD pathways allow you to study flexibly, in the way that best suits you. The structure, mode of delivery and level of support allow you to progress towards a qualification at Masters level. We also offer an apprenticeship pathway at Masters level.

Our MSc Advanced Clinical Practice is designed for health care professionals in primary, secondary and tertiary settings who wish to advance their knowledge-base and clinical skills. Irrespective of your clinical speciality, you will become actively involved in the advancement of practice which will be recognised within the degree award.

Advanced Clinical Practice is an evolving process in which new skills are continuously being developed and refined in response to the needs of clients. The NHS Plan seeks to challenge traditional role boundaries and recognises that professionals of all clinical disciplines have the potential to develop advanced clinical skills to support the client from referral to discharge.

By the end of your time with us you will be able to:

Pioneer new roles which are responsive to changing health needs
Act in a leadership role for other team members and other professionals in the development of their practice
Demonstrate expert judgement in the assessment and management of specific client groups
Demonstrate a critical awareness of factors that influence service provision and use innovative problem solving skills to effect best use of resources

The School of Health and Social Care is proud to work closely with our Service User Reference Group (SURG). SURG is made up of service users, carers, and volunteers who generously share their first-hand experiences of health and social care. We work collaboratively with SURG to design our courses to ensure that we truly are putting the needs of patients and clients at the heart of what we do. SURG members support the delivery of our teaching sessions and research activity, which means you'll benefit from an insight into their lived experiences of living with a diagnosis, health condition, or circumstance. You'll find that not only does your clinical knowledge expand, but your empathy, compassion and ability to advocate develops also.

Professional, statutory and regulatory bodies

We are committed to embedding the NHS Constitution Values (which are strongly reflected in our University values) into everything we do. They define the behaviours and expectations of all our staff and students underpinning the work we do in the university, clinical arena and other workplaces.

We understand that not all of our students and staff are employed within the NHS but these values uphold the underlying principles of excellent care as a standard, and as such we expect that anyone who cares for others will aspire to uphold these values.

For us, involving not only our students, but service users, experts by experience, carers and NHS/non NHS professionals in the creation and delivery of all programmes is vital.

Professional accreditation

Accredited by the Centre of Advancing Practice.

Why we're great.

Develop your knowledge base and clinical skills with a flexible, part-time CPD pathway
Challenge traditional boundaries – gain the skills and recognition in advancing clinical practice
Work alongside experts in your field and benefit from their wide range of clinical and academic experience

Our expert staff

With us, you benefit from the expertise of staff from a wide range of clinical and academic backgrounds. This means that you gain a well-rounded education that is research-led and clinically relevant. Where we feel you will benefit, we bring in additional specialists direct from the field.

We are delighted to be the first department in the University to have obtained the Athena Swan Silver Award for gender equality. This award recognises initiatives we have in place such as our mentorship system, our additional promotion of flexible work and study options, and our work to recognise the barriers to opportunity for BAME and LGBT members of our community.

Specialist facilities

The School of Health and Social Care is located at two sites; in the Kimmy Eldridge building on the Colchester campus and in the Gateway Building on the Southend campus.

As one of our CPD students, you may be taking modules at either campus or online to suit your needs, which means that you can access facilities across both campuses as required.

Entry requirements

UK entry requirements

A relevant professional qualification and current registration with the relevant UK professional body.
A good first degree in a relevant subject or relevant professional experience and qualifications that demonstrate ability to study at level seven.
Currently employed in a relevant field of practice.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.

English language requirements

English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English: IELTS 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each component.

Other English language qualifications may be acceptable so please contact us for further details. If we accept the English component of an international qualification then it will be included in the information given about the academic levels listed above. Please note that date restrictions may apply to some English language qualifications.

If you are an international student requiring a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK please see our immigration webpages for the latest Home Office guidance on English language qualifications.

If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.

Additional Notes

The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.

Structure

Course structure

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.

Please contact cpd@essex.ac.uk so that we can arrange to discuss and agree your pathway options and course structure.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components and modules explained

Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

100

The department or school the module will be taught by.

In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.

The module number.

The UK academic level of the module.

A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course.

A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules.

A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.

The term the module will be taught in.

AU: Autumn term
SP: Spring term
SU: Summer term
FY: Full year
AP: Autumn and Spring terms
PS: Spring and Summer terms
AS: Autumn and Summer terms

COMPONENT 01: CORE WITH OPTIONS

Consultation and Assessment

(30 CREDITS)

Health care practitioners are increasingly working outside their traditional boundaries of practice. There is recognition that effective health practitioners are skilled clinicians who enhance the patient experience by bridging gaps in service provision. The quality and safety of patient care is dependent on clinical staff being adequately prepared for that role. This programme has been designed for experienced nurses and allied health professionals working in clinical settings.

View Consultation and Assessment on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 02: CORE WITH OPTIONS

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 03: CORE WITH OPTIONS

(30 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 04: CORE

Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation

(15 CREDITS)

This module provides you with a range of techniques for collecting, analysing and interpreting data. It combines a theoretical and a practical approach to enable you to understand the collection and analysis process. At the end of the module, you will be able to design and pilot data collection instruments, conduct quantitative and qualitative data analysis using appropriate computer software, and interpret statistical and qualitative research findings. Find out more about this module at https://www.essex.ac.uk/short-courses/hs908/7/data-collection-analysis-and-interpretation

View Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 05: CORE

Literature Review and Critical Appraisal

(15 CREDITS)

This module provides you with an advanced understanding of the research study designs commonly used in health research. It combines a theoretical and a practical approach to enable you to search for, obtain, and understand the research literature, and provides you with the critical skills to analyse and synthesize material into a literature review.

View Literature Review and Critical Appraisal on our Module Directory

COMPONENT 06: CORE WITH OPTIONS

(40 CREDITS)

COMPONENT 07: CORE WITH OPTIONS

(20 CREDITS)

Fees and funding

Home/UK fee

TBC

This is a modular study course and fees will be charged per module.

Health and Social Care CPD Funding Information

International fee

TBC

This is a modular study course and fees will be charged per module.

Health and Social Care CPD Funding Information

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Masters fees and funding information

Research (e.g. PhD) fees and funding information

What's next

We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff

If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing tours@essex.ac.uk and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.

Take a look at our guide to making your application.

Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)

We recognise the importance of your previous academic learning and professional experience, and you can use both to gain credit value towards the specific programme you are interested in, known as Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning or APEL.

APEL is dependent on many factors. If you are interested in this option please email us at cpd@essex.ac.uk before you apply. It is necessary to highlight any prior learning before you apply as the modules you wish to study may be dependent on this. For further information on our AP(E)L procedure, please review the University's Quality Enhancement information.

Please note: there is an administration fee for the APEL process request. More information can be found in our fees document on our funding page

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Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

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View from Square 2 outside the Rab Butler Building looking towards Square 3

If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

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The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.