MSc/PgDip/PgCert Advancing Professional Practice
Attendance
Part-time
Attendance depends on the individual modules that you choose and includes distance learning, block and day study.
At a glance
Study on a flexible course designed to meet your professional development needs and career aspirations. You choose the topics or modules that suit your individual requirements and study at a pace that suits you.
Key points
Choose from over 150 modules.
Focus on your area of expertise to gain a specialist award (MSc).
Study at your own pace with up to four units a year.
Gain accreditation for any previous qualifications and learning.
About this course
Continue your professional development as a health and social care professional on this flexible course. You tailor your studies according to your own development needs choose from over 150 modules that help your develop your career. You can choose modules that cover professions, leadership and management, interprofessional learning and research.
Each module you study awards credit towards a postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma or Masters in Advanced Professional Development.
To graduate with an MSc you need to gain 180 level 7 credits. Each module you study will have a credit value and once successfully completed this credit is added to your total. You carry on adding credit until you have achieved your award. Alternatively, you can leave with a postgraduate certificate after you have completed 60 credits or a postgraduate diploma after you have completed 120 credits.
If you study modules that reflect your professional identity and you go on to complete the full MSc, you can graduate with a specialist masters award. The award titles available are
MSc Advancing Professional (Nursing)
MSc Advancing Professional (Leadership)
MSc Advancing Professional (Paediatrics)
MSc Advancing Professional (Vocational Rehabilitation)
MSc Advancing Professional (Social Work)
MSc Advancing Professional (Medicine)
The skills, experience and knowledge you gain enable you to improve your career prospects. You can gain promotions by take increased responsibility or widen your career path and access new roles. It is also an opportunity to develop your professional practice, building on expertise you already possess.
This course is designed to be as flexible as possible allowing you to choose
the amount you want to study depending on your needs
the pace you want to work at, allowing you to meet work, personal and study commitments
from a wide variety of modules, ensuring that what you learn is directly relevant to you
If you would like advice on choosing the right modules for you, a course tutor can work with you to identify the modules and study path best suited. It is also worth enquiring about the possibility of gaining credit from any previous study, to help achieve your qualification more quickly.
Find out more about the advanced professional development framework of modules by visiting our continuing professional development website.
How the framework operates
Once we receive your application, you can meet up with a course tutor. They work with you to find the best modules for your needs. This may be studying an individual module, choosing a selection of modules that enable you to transfer to a course to gain a professional qualification, or to help to identify a clear route through the framework to give you the skills and experience you need to progress your career.
You can decide your pace of study. You may take up to four modules every year. We know how hard it can be to combine demanding work and personal commitments with academic study, so the APP framework allows you to step on and step off at each award level. If you have already carried out some postgraduate level study at another university or in the workplace, you may be able to gain accreditation for your previous experience and learning.
Associated careers
You are able to tailor your learning towards your specific career development needs and aspirations. This is a good way to gain a promotion or alternatively change the course of your career into a different area.
The flexibility and module choice ensure you can develop the skills and knowledge you need to improve your professional practice and career potential.
Course content
You can choose from over 150 modules covering areas including
your profession, for example specialist nursing or physiotherapy modules
leadership
management
professional development
interprofessional development
research
All health and social care professions are covered by this framework.
If you continue onto the full MSc award you need to complete a research methods module and a module with a safeguarding focus. If you choose a masters award with a specialist title, such as MSc Nursing, 60 credits of modules and your dissertation must be related to your specialist area.
Assessment
assignments case studies portfolios presentations
Entry requirements
Entry requirements depend on your module choice. Normally you need a first degree or equivalent.
Some modules may require previous clinical or management experience.
If English is not your first language you need an IELTS score of 6.5 or above.
You must also declare
any disciplinary proceedings taken by earlier employers or educational establishments
any investigation relevant to you under the Children Act 1989 or other associated legislation
Fees
Home and EU students
2013/14 academic year
Typically £1,530 a stage for PgCert, PgDip and MSc stages
Some of the modules on this course may be funded by the Department of Health.
How to apply
Complete the application form available at www.shu.ac.uk/study/form
Contact details
For further information contact the Post-experience and Postgraduate Office, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, Collegiate Crescent Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB. Phone +44 (0)114 225 2373, fax +44 (0)114 225 2394 or e-mail AlliedHealth@shu.ac.uk