Everything you need to know...
International/EU: £9,910 for the course
Course summary
- Gain the skills you need to assess acute and critical illness in children.
- Learn supportive, evidence-based and sensitive care techniques.
- Tailor the course to your career, working from your existing clinical position.
- Engage with a range of critical perspectives and research, and develop your own reasoning.
On this distance learning course, you’ll gain the specialist skills and expertise you need to care for acutely and critically unwell children, and support their families. You’ll study everything from disease processes to ethical issues, alongside a dynamic student and academic community. You’ll graduate with enhanced employability and specialist skills.
How you learn
All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.
On this course, you’ll join a vibrant online community, and benefit from range of study approaches not only based on performance, but on learning methods and personal development. Your existing role will inform your study, and vice versa.
You learn through the Virtual Learning Environment. All modules have accompanying Blackboard (Bb) sites that are accessible 24/7, via a PC, laptop, mobile device or tablet.
You learn through
- online learning materials
- discussion boards
- e-activies (including online quizzes) for you to self-assess youyr learning
- online group activities
- webinars
Applied learning
Work placements
Within your current clinical setting you will use the knowledge and skills that you have developed to inform your practice. There is no assessment of clinical practice however you are encouraged to use a Skills Passport to record and reflect on what you have learned and performed in clinical practice.
Live projects
You will have the opportunity to focus on primary research, service evaluation or a critical literature review relevant to your area of practice. The course team strongly believe that learning and assessment activities should develop skills that can be applied in professional practice.
A key example of this is the design of the dissertation module where, as well as the option of a traditional thesis, you can build on the dissertation report to construct an article suitable for publication in a refereed journal.
Networking opportunities
Through your online community, you will have to opportunity to network with likeminded healthcare professionals.
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career in
- acute care settings
- high dependency care settings
- critical care settings
- emergency care settings
Where will I study?
You study this course online from any location
Entry requirements
All students
Academic Qualification
Normally, applicants will hold a first degree or professional qualification which is recognised in the UK in a related health care subject. A first degree in a relevant subject, for example: BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child)
Other formally certified qualifications
Equivalent, international academic and/or professional qualifications will be accepted. Applicants will be considered on other relevant evidence which may include for example documented evidence of recent CPD activity, innovative practice, practice leadership, service development, research projects and/or publications. Such evidence must be clearly described in any application
Level of English language capability
Where English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.5 is required, with a minimum of 6.0 in writing and no individual element below 5.5.
Relevant work or work-related experience
Typically a minimum of 12 months clinical working experience is required.
Applicants must usually have a minimum of 12 months full time (or equivalent part time) experience and normally be working in a professional role and caring for children and families within the acute or critical care setting.
Please note there may be additional pre-requisites for some modules please see individual module descriptors.
Applicants will be motivated and prepared to study independently and autonomously. They must be prepared to embrace the challenges of Masters level study including online distance learning, have access to a reliable internet connection to support engagement and have sound IT skills.
The programme is intellectually challenging and applicants should be prepared to actively contribute to discussion and debate; critically reflect upon own and others’ practice and; explore and evaluate the evidence base underpinning their chosen course of study.
Use of Prior Credit (RPL): prior certificated credit or prior experiential credit may be used within the programme in the following ways:
Through the University's recognition of prior learning (RPL) process it may be possible for applicants to be exempt from some modules of the programme.
There is opportunity for students who have already studied and been awarded the PG cert in Acute and Critical Care of the Child to RPL this course towards the MSc Acute and Critical Care of the Child.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page. You can also watch a video guide on how to apply.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Modules
Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change. When selecting electives, your choices will be subject to the core requirements of the course. As a result, selections may be limited to a choice between one of two or more specified electives in some instances.
Year 1
Module | Credits | Assessment |
---|---|---|
Module: Recognition, Management And Support Of The Acutely Ill Child And Their Family (Distance Learning) | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module | Credits | Assessment |
---|---|---|
Module: Critical Care Of The Child | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Enhancing Practice In Child, Adolescent And Family Mental Health | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Evidencing Your Cpd | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Evidencing Your Cpd | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Interprofessional Education For Quality Enhancement (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Practical |
Module: Leadership In Practice (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Learning And Teaching For Practice | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Loss, Grief And Bereavement | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Planning Service Improvement (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Year 2
Module | Credits | Assessment |
---|---|---|
Module: Researching For Practice (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module | Credits | Assessment |
---|---|---|
Module: Early Intervention In Child, Adolescent And Family Mental Health | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Evaluating Service Improvement (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Evidencing Your Cpd | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Evidencing Your Cpd | Credits: 30 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Interprofessional Education For Quality Enhancement (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Practical |
Module: Leadership In Practice (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Loss, Grief And Bereavement | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Module: Planning Service Improvement (Distance Learning) | Credits: 15 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Final year
Module | Credits | Assessment |
---|---|---|
Module: Dissertation 60 Credits | Credits: 60 |
Assessment:
Coursework |
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2023/24 is £9,910 for the course. For part-time study the fee will be calculated pro-rata each year based on the number of credits studied (£830 for 15 credits or £1,655 for 30 credits).
† If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting full-time study in 2023/24 is £9,910 for the course. For distance learning study the fee will be calculated pro-rata each year based on the number of credits studied (£830 for 15 credits or £1,655 for 30 credits).

Postgraduate student loans
Up to £11,222 available for Home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Health and social care management courses (PDF, 190.8KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.