Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £10,940 for the course
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How long will I study?
3 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2026
January 2027
Course summary
- Develop your skills in decision-making, diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical management.
- Study in a vibrant and challenging learning environment.
- Gain the knowledge, skills, competencies and professional behaviours required to function as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner.
This course is aimed at applicants who are training to become an advanced clinical practitioner in a wide variety of healthcare settings. It is intended for experienced healthcare professionals and for those wishing to formalise and develop their role as an advanced clinical practitioner.
Student satisfaction
This course scored 91% for overall student satisfaction in the Postgraduate Taught Student Satisfaction Survey 2025.
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
Learning in multi-professional groups and being taught by a multi-professional teaching team creates a vibrant and challenging learning environment to enhance and extend your knowledge of working in transformational roles such as Advanced Clinical Practice.
You learn through
- practical sessions
- workshops
- seminars
Applied learning
Applied learning is the ethos at the heart of all Sheffield Hallam courses, meaning that you are given the opportunity to put your study into practice.
You'll be taught by professionals who are active in their field - so you'll get cutting edge, industry focused knowledge of your subject. You'll gain real-world skills through placements, workshops and live projects, often getting the opportunity to work with big global brands.
Work experience is also embedded into every year of the course, so you polish your workplace skills alongside building a solid knowledge of your subject. Applied learning means that when you do start work, you can dive in and make things happen.
Course leaders and tutors
Modules studied may differ depending on when you start your course.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Modules studied may differ depending on when you start your course.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
This module will provide registered healthcare professionals with the skills and knowledge to undertake comprehensive physical examination including systematic history taking across a range of patient and client groups. The module emphasises safe, holistic and evidence-based assessment.
Undertaking this module the student will learn to perform a comprehensive, skilled clinical examination of the major body systems in relation to adults. Major topics include Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Neurology, Musculoskeletal and Abdominal systems alongside which students will be introduced to ENT, Breast and Integumentary and Genitourinary assessment. Also included are sessions designed to help the non-specialist practitioner assess distress in Mental Health.
Module Content:
This is a course-long module that provides a framework of analysis, reflection and experiential learning.
Students will explore the challenge of developing as an advanced clinical practitioner whilst evidencing their personal, professional and academic achievement within their field and scope of practice.
Students will use carefully selected pieces of evidence from practice to demonstrate and justify how their own practice has developed to meet the 4 pillars of Advanced Practice (Clinical, Research, Leadership and Education) and the Multi Professional Framework.
This module will address the following issues, pertinent to prescribing as a non-medical practitioner, meeting regulatory requirement that typically include:
- Consultation, Assessment and decision making skills
- Models and frameworks used in prescribing
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
- Prescribing governance
- Ethical and legal issues of prescribing
- Current issues in prescribing
- Evidence based practice
- Professional accountability and responsibility
- Consent & Adherence
- Prescribing In the public health context
- Toxicology
- Leadership in prescribing
- Human factors
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
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You will be able to: |
You will know and understand: |
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Knowledge |
4.4 Critically appraise and synthesise the outcomes of research, evaluation and audit; apply this within your own and others’ practice; act as a bridge between clinical and research practice; promote the use of evidence-based standards, policies and clinical guidelines |
4.4 Critical appraisal techniques and how to apply new knowledge effectively to own and others’ clinical practice; the importance of integrating research into clinical practice; the range of evidence-based standards, policies and clinical guidelines which apply to own and others’ practice |
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Skills |
1.1 Practise with a high level of autonomy and be accountable for your decisions and omissions; work in line with your code of professional conduct, professional standards and scope of practice |
1.1 Local, national policies and procedures within your scope of practice, the professional and regulatory codes of conduct relevant to your advanced clinical practice; the importance of working within boundaries of practice; the range of physical, psychological, pharmacological, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions within your scope of practice |
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1.2 Assess individuals and families using person-centred approaches and a range of assessment methods, for example including history taking, holistic examination, requesting and interpreting diagnostic tests or conducting health and care needs assessments |
1.2 The range of physical, psychological and population based assessment methods used within your area of practice and the application of pathophysiology to underpin assessment and diagnosis |
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1.3 Use multi-agency and inter-professional resources, critical thinking, independent decision-making skills, problem solving skills and professional judgement to formulate and act on potential diagnoses |
1.3 The causes, signs, symptoms and impact of physical and mental health conditions within your scope of practice; how to draw on a diverse range of knowledge and critical thinking in your decision-making to determine evidence- based therapeutic interventions |
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1.6 Initiate and evaluate a range of interventions which may include prescribing of medicines, therapies and care |
1.6 Local and national policies, regulatory frameworks and guidelines for prescribing where appropriate; knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics relative to your scope of practice |
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1.7 Ensure safety of individuals and families through the appropriate management of risk |
1.7 Strategies to mitigate risk |
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1.8 Seek out and apply contemporary, high-quality evidence-based resources and existing and emerging technology as appropriate. |
1.8 The importance of evidence-based practice and technology, such as genomics, to underpin and inform decisions made about care and treatment. |
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Behaviour |
3.6 Establish and exercise your individual scope of practice within legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, procedures and codes of conduct to manage risk and enhance the care experience |
3.6 The range of legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, procedures and codes of conduct that apply to your practice |
Elective modules
This module aims to develop your skills in the critical appraisal of pathophysiology and pharmacology relating to common chronic conditions that may present in your service users alongside their other co-morbidities.
You’ll study topics such as:
Pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
Common chronic conditions and co morbidities
Pathophysiology of chronic conditions
Pharmacology of commonly prescribed drugs
Understanding the effects of polypharmacy
Adverse drug reactions
Clinical Decision Making in relation to Pharmacology
The module is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and enables pharmacists to apply for annotation as Independent Prescribers. The module equips pharmacists with the knowledge and skills to prescribe safely and effectively within their clinical area. Designed for pharmacists working in different settings who are ready to extend their professional practice.
The students will develop deeper clinical understanding, evidence-based decision-making, and communication skills. Applying critical analysis and reflective practice are some key competencies embedded across the module design. Topics include medical conditions relevant to prescribing, assessment and diagnostic skills, principles of safe prescribing, and understanding of professional roles and boundaries. All learning outcomes are mapped to the national RPS prescribing framework and the PSRB stipulated learning outcomes. Healthcare organizations will benefit from a pharmacist workforce with prescribing skills in line with the long-term healthcare plan to enhance patient access. Entry requirements and course standards are set by the GPhC.
Year 2
Compulsory modules
This module explores the geopolitical and sociological drivers for advancing practice. It examines the context in which advanced practice is developing using the macro/ meso/micro framework
Module content
- The implications and impact of wider government policy on advanced practice e.g. Darzi and the 10 year health plan
- The importance of power, authority, hegemony and jurisdiction
- Regulation, governance, and the organisation of health care
- Metacognition, complex decision-making and managing risk
- Developing leadership in advanced practice
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.
This module prepares and enables you to embed research and innovation as a core component of your practice and engage in projects that address priorities and seek to transform lives.
It explores the role of research and innovation in healthcare practice and will provide you with an in-depth insight into a range of designs and methods that are used when undertaking such projects.
The practicalities of proposing, implementing and undertaking successful projects is explored and you will be supported to create your own research and innovation plan for practice.
Indicative content:
Health innovation and research - principles and priorities
The research cycle:
Research paradigms and methodology
Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research
Service evaluation: applying research design and methods
Literature based reviews
Formulating research/evaluation questions
Ethics and governance
Public and service user and carer (social care) involvement and co-production
Funding and support
Project management
Research impact:
Dissemination and knowledge exchange (for example writing for publication)
Enhancement of career opportunities in research
Elective modules
This module enables students to develop and demonstrate the advanced knowledge, skills, and professional behaviours required to conduct comprehensive diagnostic mental health assessments, formulate biopsychosocial understandings, and implement recovery-oriented treatment plans within complex clinical environments.
Learning is structured around the following interrelated themes:
Advanced diagnostic assessment
Biopsychosocial and trauma-informed formulation
Recovery-oriented treatment planning
Ethical and legal frameworks in practice
Risk assessment and management
Therapeutic and interprofessional communication
Leadership in collaborative and person-centred care
Clinical reasoning and decision-making in uncertainty
The module integrates academic and work-based learning, enabling students to apply theoretical and evidence-based frameworks directly to clinical practice.
Through critical engagement with supervision, reflection, and feedback, students will consolidate the principles of advanced mental health practice and demonstrate the ability to apply and transfer these principles across diverse service contexts.
The module contributes directly to the development of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours expected of advanced clinical practitioners, generating evidence for the e-portfolio and supporting progression towards independent, high-level professional practice.
MODULE AIM;
For students to acquire the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary to initiate, collaborate on and lead advanced clinical practice, and develop this practice through education and research.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO Ref | Learning Outcome |
1 | To critically evaluate the theory and practice of advanced intervention in mental health. |
2 | To demonstrate a critical understanding of the clinical management of complex or unpredictable clinical situations. |
3 | To critically appraise psychologically and occupationally informed strategies and approaches to care. |
4 | To critically appraise research, quality improvement methods and methods of evaluation. |
INDICATIVE CONTENT;
Leading care and treatment planning;
Strengths-based occupational, environmental, and social interventions;
Psychologically-informed interventions;
Prescribing and collaboratively managing interventions in complex situations;
Lead on collaboratively evaluating interventions;
Leadership, resilience, effective relationships, role clarity;
Quality improvement techniques;
Clinical supervision;
Advancing knowledge, understanding and expertise.
Developing critical thinking, complex decision making and clinical confidence.
This module will enable you to critically appraise positive risk taking, legislation, safeguarding and advocate for reasonable adjustments to meet the needs and wishes of people with learning disabilities, ensuring equality and inclusion and meet the capabilities 14-17 of Domain D, Advanced Practice Credential specification.
Indicative content:
Key legislation, regulations and policies that underpin the protection of people with learning disabilities and/or autism.
Key legislation relevant to mental capacity, deprivation of liberty, equality, and human rights.
Law, ethics and safeguarding, including equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Discrimination, stigma, and unconscious bias.
Risk assessment applied to protected characteristics.
Evaluate the links between risk-taking and responsibility, empowerment, and social inclusion, considering the needs and abilities of people with learning disabilities and /or Autism.
Legislation, regulations, and policies that underpin equality, diversity, and human rights.
The aim of this module is to allow you to evaluate the normal and abnormal appearances of chest radiographs and formulate an interpretation of the findings and their relation to the patient pathway, with a particular emphasis on the acute and emergency setting
INDICATIVE CONTENT
A prior knowledge of the anatomy of the thorax is expected. The indicative module contents include:
- Development of a systematic approach to chest image interpretation
- The significance, availability, and use of clinical information
- Components and communication of an autonomous opinion
- Chest radiograph appearances of:
- Normal appearances / normal variants
- Acute respiratory conditions
- Common chronic lung disease
- Collapse, consolidation, and infection
- Respiratory and cardiac failure
- Trauma
- Malignancy
- Position of lines, tubes, and drains
- Common interventions and alternative imaging techniques relating to the chest.
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
| You will be able to: | You will know and understand: | |
Knowledge | 2.2 Assess own learning needs and engage in self-directed learning to maximise potential to lead and transform care and services | 2.2 Your role, responsibility and motivation to manage your own learning; the range of tools and techniques that can be used to direct own learning, set goals and evaluate learning |
| 2.3 Work collaboratively to identify and meet the learning and development needs of health or care professionals; support practice education; act as a role model and mentor | 2.3 The application of teaching and learning theories and models in health and care; how to identify learning needs; organisational and professional roles and responsibilities in relation to life-long learning | |
| 2.4 Advocate and contribute to the development of an organisational culture that supports life-long learning and development, evidence-based practice and succession planning. | 2.4 The importance and impact of organisational culture in learning and development; techniques to influence organisational culture. | |
Skills | 1.1 Practise with a high level of autonomy and be accountable for your decisions and omissions; work in line with your code of professional conduct, professional standards and scope of practice | 1.1 Local, national policies and procedures within your scope of practice, the professional and regulatory codes of conduct relevant to your advanced clinical practice; the importance of working within boundaries of practice; the range of physical, psychological, pharmacological, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions within your scope of practice |
| 1.2 Assess individuals and families using person-centred approaches and a range of assessment methods, for example including history taking, holistic examination, requesting and interpreting diagnostic tests or conducting health and care needs assessments | 1.2 The range of physical, psychological and population based assessment methods used within your area of practice and the application of pathophysiology to underpin assessment and diagnosis | |
| 1.3 Use multi-agency and inter-professional resources, critical thinking, independent decision-making skills, problem solving skills and professional judgement to formulate and act on potential diagnoses | 1.3 The causes, signs, symptoms and impact of physical and mental health conditions within your scope of practice; how to draw on a diverse range of knowledge and critical thinking in your decision-making to determine evidence- based therapeutic interventions | |
Behaviour | 3.1 Demonstrate the impact of advanced clinical practice within your scope of practice and the wider community | 3.1 Methods and systems to measure impact of advanced clinical practice |
| 3.2 Use your advanced clinical expertise to provide consultancy across professional and service boundaries; drive service development and influence clinical practices to enhance quality productivity and value | 3.2 The implications and applications of epidemiological, demographic, social, political and professional trends and developments appropriate to your clinical practice | |
| 3.5 Identify the need for change; generate practice innovations; act as a role model; lead new practice and service redesign solutions in response to individuals’ feedback and service need | 3.5 Theories, models and techniques which can be deployed across health and social care systems to affect change at individual, team and organisational level | |
| 3.6 Establish and exercise your individual scope of practice within legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, procedures and codes of conduct to manage risk and enhance the care experience | 3.6 The range of legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, procedures and codes of conduct that apply to your practice | |
| 3.7 Identify and manage risk in own and others’ clinical practice; be receptive to challenge and demonstrate the ability to challenge others. | 3.7 The range of evidence-based strategies to manage risk in clinical practice. |
Module Aim
This module will enable you to develop a critical understanding of imaging pathways for a breadth of musculoskeletal pathologies. Using diagnostic images and local and national policies and frameworks, you will develop underpinning knowledge and skills in the identification of normal and abnormal appearances, of the musculoskeletal system.
Understanding your professional role within the patient imaging pathway; you will utilise frameworks that underpin professional practice; ensuring high standards of patient care.
Application of knowledge surrounding diagnostic imaging modalities on an individual case basis is a key focus of the module, recognising professional responsibilities within the MDT.
Module content:
Appendicular and axial skeletal anatomy and imaging appearances (normal and abnormal)
Approaches to diagnostic image interpretation, escalation of findings (expected and unexpected).
Evidence-based decision making.
Patient pathways.
Person-centred care.
Multi-disciplinary working to encompass all 4 pillars of practice.
Legislation ang policy e.g. IRMER (2017), IRR (2017).
M level academic development.
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
K 2.2, 2.4, 4.3, 4.6
S 1.8,
This module equips healthcare professionals with the core knowledge and practical skills needed to assess, manage, and support children and young people across primary and acute care settings. It focuses on recognising and responding to a range of clinical presentations using a bio-psycho-social approach. Emphasis is placed on effective communication, early intervention, clinical decision-making, and appropriate referral. The module also highlights the importance of prevention and collaborative working across disciplines to promote safe, holistic, and person-centred care.
You’ll study topics such as:
Progress and contemporary paediatric healthcare practice
Assessing children and the use of investigations
Paediatric pharmacodynamics
Growth and stages of development
Differences in physiology and altered physiological conditions
Child and Young person's mental health
Safeguarding, health promotion and vaccination
Ethics, best interest and consent
The module aligns to the KSA FCP Roadmap document and will ensure the appropriate competencies are achieved leading to recognition on the HEE Centre for Advancing Practice Directory if the FCP 2 module is also completed. The module is underpinned by the essential personal attributes, the integration of complex clinical reasoning training and patient safety. Learner’s will self-assess against the KSA’s at 3 time points to set development goals and action plans; pre-study, mid-way and completion to submit a final triangulated portfolio. Learning outcomes have been developed from the KSA mapping under the 4 domain headings in relation to advanced musculoskeletal management and will be synchronous across this module and the associated FCP 2 module/work based learning in practice.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
A prior knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the musculoskeletal system is expected. The indicative module contents include:
Personalised care appraoches
- Demonstrate an advanced level of effective, direct, person-centred approach to practice, responding and rapidly adapting the assessment and intervention to the emerging information and the patient’s perspective e.g. enabling individuals to make and prioritise decisions about their care, exploring risks, benefits, and consequences of options on their MSK condition and life, such as paid/unpaid work, including doing nothing.
- Policies, protocols and guidelines within the field of clinical practice, i.e. ACP MSK framework
- Medico-legal issues, responsibility and accountability
- Components and communication of an autonomous opinion
Assessment, investigation and diagnosis
- Advanced clinical examination skills including triage, red & yellow flags, masqueraders, patient centred care & informed consent, listing patients for surgery.
- Demonstrate an advanced level of accurate and efficient selection of inquiry strategies, based on early recognition and correct interpretation of relevant complex clinical cues e.g. gather, synthesise, and appraise from various sources, sometimes incomplete or ambiguous information relating to current and past history, their activities, any injuries, falls, frailty, multimorbidity, or other determinants of health and wellbeing and characteristics of MSK conditions (pain, stiffness, deformity, weakness, sensory loss, and impact on tasks and occupation etc.).
- Justifying the selection, ordering and interpretations of a range of diagnostic investigations including Xray, MRI, blood tests
- The role of alternative imaging and testing modalities
- The significance, availability, and use of clinical information to guide clinical reasoning and decision making, including onward referral of patients within your clinical field
- Musculoskeletal radiographic findings of the normal skeleton, anatomical variants, injuries, pathological and developmental skeletal conditions (common non-trauma)
Condition Management, interventions and prevention
- Understanding the principals of pharmacological intervention of patients within own scope of practice • Evaluate findings from written formal reports, diagnostic imaging and tests with other clinical information to deliver an optimal management pathway
Service and professional development
- Multi-disciplinary team working.
- Evidence based practice
- Utilising evidence relevant to practice
- Diagnostic utility of tests, validity, reliability, specificity, sensitivity etc
For those studying on the apprenticeship route, the following KSB’s will be met through study of this module
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You will be able to: |
You will know and understand: |
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Knowledge |
4.1 Engage in research activity; develop and apply evidence-based strategies that are evaluated to enhance the quality, safety, productivity and value for money of health and care |
4.1 National and international quality standards; the effect of policy on health and social care |
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4.4 Critically appraise and synthesise the outcomes of research, evaluation and audit; apply this within your own and others’ practice; act as a bridge between clinical and research practice; promote the use of evidence-based standards, policies and clinical guidelines |
4.4 Critical appraisal techniques and how to apply new knowledge effectively to own and others’ clinical practice; the importance of integrating research into clinical practice; the range of evidence-based standards, policies and clinical guidelines which apply to own and others’ practice |
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Skills |
1.1 Practise with a high level of autonomy and be accountable for your decisions and omissions; work in line with your code of professional conduct, professional standards and scope of practice |
1.1 Local, national policies and procedures within your scope of practice, the professional and regulatory codes of conduct relevant to your advanced clinical practice; the importance of working within boundaries of practice; the range of physical, psychological, pharmacological, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions within your scope of practice |
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1.3 Use multi-agency and inter-professional resources, critical thinking, independent decision-making skills, problem solving skills and professional judgement to formulate and act on potential diagnoses |
1.3 The causes, signs, symptoms and impact of physical and mental health conditions within your scope of practice; how to draw on a diverse range of knowledge and critical thinking in your decision-making to determine evidence- based therapeutic interventions |
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1.5 Use expertise in clinical reasoning to plan and manage day to day, complex and unpredictable episodes of care; evaluate events to improve future care and service delivery; discharge or refer appropriately to other services |
1.5 How to plan and manage a defined episode of care within your area of clinical practice, which may include admission, referral or discharge, to other services; methods and techniques to evaluate interventions and how to use the outcomes to instigate service development |
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1.6 Initiate and evaluate a range of interventions which may include prescribing of medicines, therapies and care |
1.6 Local and national policies, regulatory frameworks and guidelines for prescribing where appropriate; knowledge of pharmacotherapeutics relative to your scope of practice |
The aim of this module is to facilitate you in the development of complex reasoning and decision-making skills in advanced musculoskeletal practice. This will include the development of personalised care approaches with advanced interpersonal abilities, holistic and critical assessment, investigation and diagnostic skills to offer client focused prevention, intervention and management of complex conditions. You will develop many personal attributes that underpin the 14 capabilities of the KSA’s detailed in the HEE FCP roadmap to practice with particular focus on critical evaluation of evidence based practice, service and personal development.
This module will prepare you to complete a comprehensive frailty assessment competently and safely. You will develop the knowledge skills and behaviours to enable to assess the frail older adult, plan, evaluate and deliver their care.
Allowing you to recognise the complications inherent in this patient group and apply clinical reasoning to the formulation of management plans. Alongside giving you knowledge and ability to recognise frailty syndromes.
Indicative content includes:
Approach to the history taking and examination of the frail older adult.
Acute and atypical presentations
Frailty syndromes
Trauma in the Frail older adult
Care planning and end of life decision making
This module will develop knowledge and understanding of Domains B and C of the Credential Specification. Exploring health, wellbeing, personalised care, and support. Analysing factors that may have a negative impact, promoting and advocating for collaborative, informed person-centred care, including critical appraisal of services supporting from birth to death.
Addressing
•Requirement for advocation. Capability - 4 HEE - 1.5, 1.7, 1.8. KSB – B1-6, V1, 2.1,3.2, 3.3,
•Health equality and inequality, reasonable adjustments. Capability – 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13 HEE – 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 2.7,1.10, 1.11, 2.7. KSB – 1.1 – 1.8, 2.1 – 2.4, B1 – 6, V1
•Development of advance knowledge and clinical expertise in positive behaviour support. Capability – 6 HEE – 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 1.10. KSB – 1.1 – 1.8, 2.1 – 2.4, B1 – 6, V1
•Importance of working across systems ensuring wellbeing and independence. Capability – 11 HEE – 1.4, 1.5, 1.7. KSB – 1.1 – 1.8, 2.1 – 2.4,3.1 – 3.7, B1 – 6, V1
•Consideration and understanding the impact of relationships, sexuality, and sexual health. Capability – 12 HEE – 1.4, 1.5. KSB – 1.1 – 1.8, 2.1 – 2.4, B1 – 6, V1
This module is designed for practitioners to develop the underlying cognitive and practical skills required for safe and effective application of injection treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. It will develop non-medical clinicians with regulatory body and employer support with advanced neuromusculoskeletal pathophysiology knowledge, assessment skills and expert clinical reasoning to identify safe patient selection and application of peripheral intra- and peri-articular injection therapy. It will also develop critical thinking in the evaluation of injection therapy practice.
Module content:
Safe execution of an injection/ aspiration
Awareness of governance for injection and injectables
Clinical reasoning and incorporation of the evidence base for injection therapy
Patient centred care and use of injection therapy
Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics of injectables
Risk Assessment
This module introduces students to leadership within health and social care, focusing on developing self-awareness and reflective practice. Students will explore leadership and management theories, assess their leadership style using diagnostic tools, and create a development plan aligned with personal and organisational goals.
Module Content
You’ll study topics such as:
Key leadership and management theories in health and social care
Leadership challenges and strategies in professional practice
Understanding followership and its role in effective leadership
Self-assessment using leadership diagnostic tools
Personal leadership reflection and development planning
Ethical, inclusive, and values-based leadership
This module aims to facilitate your reflection and critical appraisal of underpinning theories of learning, teaching and assessment of adults that enables the design, delivery and evaluation of education. The emphasis is on exploring how educational concepts and theories are implemented and how they impact on your professional practice in the health and social care setting.
Indicative content
Lesson planning and evaluation
Theories of adult learning and teaching in higher education
Teaching strategies
Assessment and feedback
Learner support
M level academic writing
Engagement with the HEA UKPSF and other professional body requirements as appropriate.
This module will provide you with a systematic and comprehensive understanding of clinical assessment, clinical reasoning and holistic management of primary care/unscheduled care presentations.
The module will challenge you as an autonomous advanced practitioner to critically reflect upon your current practice and synthesise the knowledge gained from the module to develop, extend and improve your advanced practice working within a primary or unscheduled care environment.
The module builds upon a prior knowledge of sound understanding of normal anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. Emphasis will be placed upon the integration of knowledge, clinical assessment and consultation skills into a competent and holistic patient consultation and management.
You’ll study topics such as:
Advanced clinical assessment, history taking and management in relation to acute/same day conditions presenting in primary care
CVS, respiratory, abdominal, CNS, MSK, head and ENT, ophthalmic, genito-urinary, men’s health, women’s health, child health, mental health, and dermatology
This module will provide you with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the advanced level skills required for managing complex clinical situations in the primary care context.
It will enable you to carry out an advanced clinical assessment, and form a management plan, for individuals presenting with same day/acute conditions in the primary care context.
You’ll study topics such as:
Difficult presentations within primary care
Complex clinical decision-making
Clinical reasoning
Polypharmacy
Pain management
Palliative care
Neurodiversity
This module explores how health and care professionals can support people living with long-term conditions in today’s changing healthcare landscape. It focuses on person-centred, community-based, and digitally enabled models of care, drawing on public health principles and the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan. You will examine how technology, remote monitoring, and data can help predict and manage health needs while also considering the challenges of delivering safe, equitable, and compassionate care in an increasingly digital world.
You’ll study topics such as:
Changing models of long-term condition management across health and community settings
Understanding the complexity of multimorbidity and its impact on individuals and carers
The role of digital technologies, remote monitoring, and data analytics in supporting care
Public health and prevention approaches, including health inequalities and policy influences
Reflective and evidence-based decision-making in integrated and digitally enhanced practice
Guest sessions with public health and digital transformation experts exploring real-world innovations and challenges
The module aims to develop your critical reasoning and decision making, when assessing and managing the clinical needs of the acutely unwell patient. Equipping students with the knowledge and skills required to deliver up to date, evidenced based care including critically evaluating the relevant underpinning evidence and practice.
INDICATIVE CONTENT
Covers the recognition and immediate management of a range of common conditions – including:
Systematic approach in the medically ill patient
Cardiac emergencies
Hypotensive presentations
Metabolic Emergencies
Respiratory emergencies
Neurological emergencies
Paediatric emergencies
Consideration of end of life and acute illness planning
Level 7 minor injury management modules focus on developing advanced skills in the assessment, diagnosis, and management of minor injuries for healthcare professionals.
Learners gain expertise in autonomous clinical decision-making, evidence-based practice, and holistic patient care for undifferentiated minor injuries.
Module content.
Minor injuries including upper and lower limb fractures and soft tissue injuries. Advanced assessment, consultation skills and management planning relevant for minor injury type presentations.
Example of Specialist skills :include digital nerve blocks, local anaesthetic, suturing, wound management and Xray interpretation pertinent to minor injury presentations.
Content includes eye and ear, nose throat (ENT) minor complaint presentations.
Final year
Compulsory modules
This module focuses upon independent research for students working towards a full Award at Master’s Level, in their chosen programme.
Students are allocated a designated supervisor to support them in undertaking an independent exploration of an appropriate project relevant to their professional practice. Students may conduct either primary or secondary research to explore complex and impactful themes, contributing to professional practice through dissemination and informed recommendations.
Module Content:
Relevant content will vary according to the student’s chosen research methodology; however common elements include exploration of:
Background and context of chosen theme, contextualising the Research Question
Individual Research Question design using recognised tools
Select and justify chosen methodology
Gain approval for Ethical and Research Governance for professional practice, from the University and any organisation in relation to data.
Data analysis, management, and security
Collate, synthesise and evaluate evidence
Explore the impact and create recommendations for practice and research dissemination
Future careers
This course prepares you for a career as an advanced clinical practitioner in
- emergency departments
- specialist paramedics (emergency and urgent care)
- trainee pharmacist
- complex mental health needs in prison
- chartered physiotherapist
Successful completion of this course will prepare you to seek an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) post or if already employed as a trainee ACP, to formalise this post with a nationally recognised academic qualification.
Equipment and facilities
Oxford Medical Simulation - Virtual Reality software
Where will I study?
You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
Collegiate campus
Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.
Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities
Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEntry requirements
All students
Normally an honours degree recognised in the UK, 2.2 or above in a related health care subject. If the applicant does not hold a first degree, they will be required to submit a piece of written work with their application demonstrating their ability to write to level 6 standard. If you do not meet the entry criteria please contact the course leader in advance of applying.
You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more
3 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) experience in an appropriate field of practice.
You must be currently employed in a suitable practice setting and have an available supervisor who is able to undertake supervised clinical assessments.
A pre-agreement form is to be completed by the clinical manager, which confirms that the student will have an identified clinical supervisor. Applicants must provide written evidence in the form of a pre-course learning agreement that all parties,sponsoring managers, clinical mentors and students, are actively committed to supporting an advanced practice role.
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in all skills, or a recognised equivalent.
Additional information for EU/International students
This course is not open to international students who require a student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a student visa, email our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £10,940 for the course. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time. Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2026/27 is £3,650 per year.
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.
Scholarships and financial support
Find information on scholarships, bursaries and postgraduate student loans.
International scholarships up to £3000 ›
Alumni scholarships up to £2000 ›
Postgraduate loans for UK students ›
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Health and Social Care (PDF, 277.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
