Advancing Practice MSc (previously MSc Advanced, Social & Health Care Studies)
You can currently achieve the following Masters degrees on this programme:
- Advancing Practice (Advanced Clinical Practice)
- Advancing Practice (Managing and Leading in Health and Social Care)
- Advancing Practice (Teacher in Health and Social Care)
- Advancing Practice (Changing Health Behaviours)
- Advancing Practice (Diet Therapy)
- Advancing Practice (Dynamics of Domestic Violence)
- Advancing Practice (Long Term Conditions)
Or a ‘generic’ Advancing Practice MSc
This dynamic and multi-faceted area is stimulating and fascinating to study at postgraduate level. This interdisciplinary course develops a critical appreciation of health and social care within a contemporary, social, political, economic and cultural context.
With modules such as Advanced Adult Health Assessment and Leading and Managing people, this MSc will have something to help you in your career.
The course is modular and as such can be studied either full or part-time. It will appeal if you are providing or interested in care and health in the statutory, voluntary or private sectors.
Health and social care practitioners from all professions will find this a programme which will help them to enhance their practice and advance into new roles.
The Advanced Clinical Practice award, which includes Advanced Adult Health Assessment and Non-medical Prescribing, will be particularly of interest to nurses and other health professionals advancing their practice into new areas. The Non-medical prescribing module is validated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health Professions Council.
The Teacher in Health and Social Care award will be of interest to any health professional interested in advancing into education and it is a recordable NMC qualification, if you are a nurse, midwife or health visitor.
Within the MSc there are specialist post graduate certificates and diplomas (follow the link for Awards) if you don’t wish to complete the whole MSc.
To get off to the best start on your MSc module, come to our Induction Day.
NB
Please note that our module and award menu has changed recently.
In addition MASH4001 will now only run once a year.
- The programme is open to professionals and non-professionals as well as those in practice and not in practice.
- Applicants should hold an honours degree preferably in a subject associated with health, social care or social welfare.
- If you don’t have a degree we are always open to discuss equivalents. Ask us for our admission policy.
- Some modules and awards may require specific entry criteria. This is especially so if they are associated with awards from a regulatory body such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council or Health Professions Council. Details are on the module flyers.
- Students may be asked to an informal interview, depending on their application information.
- All students are asked to supply an academic reference. Preferably from an academic who has taught you in the last few years. If this is not possible, a professional reference is required.
International Students
The programme is open to International Students who are interested in learning about health care delivery in a Western Context. However the programme emphasises the application of knowledge to individual practice and students will be assisted in applying new knowledge to their own cultural context. The programme uses enquiry based and experiential learning and depends on students taking part in discussions, group and independent learning.
All International student for whom English is not their first language are required to achieve IELTS 6.5 or equivalency (University of Worcester admission criteria) Students may be required to undertake Language preparation prior to course commencement.
Not all modules or all awards will run every year.
Worcester Business School management modules- BUSM 4151, 4152, 4162
Dissertation- MASH4012 4013 4014
*Mandatory modules
Module choice: All students must undertake a total of 9 modules.
This must include MASH4001, MASH4002 and one of the Dissertation modules.
Further modules are in planning and may be added during the year. The university can offer a range of other modules in this MSc if there is sufficient demand, including in the areas of public health, leading and managing and social welfare.
Employers may be interested in MASH4008 and MASH4007 which are group negotiated learning modules. These offer the opportunity for employers to have bespoke modules designed to meet their own needs.
To enquire about any of the above, contact the Administrator Debbie Sabbato at d.sabbato@worc.ac.uk
The teaching and learning strategies will develop your knowledge, academic and transferable skills and student autonomy.
Your experience will include seminars, presentations, lectures, small group work and independent study with tutorial support.
A number of modules will include on-line learning using the virtual learning environment Blackboard blended with attendance at university. The Sexual Health module is completely on-line.
Assessment
Assessments are designed to help you develop your skills and knowledge as well as helping you to develop postgraduate level skills in critique and analysis. We will provide you with feedback throughout your course. Methods are mostly of a written nature, including essays, reports and personal independent project(s). However, there are some oral presentations and seminars, online. In addition some assessments are practical and competency based, requiring the construction of portfolios. Some modules have enquiry based assessments.
Time Commitment
The course can be taken full time (in up to 2 years) or part time ( in up to 6 years). Most modules are run during the day in a variety of different formats, some are half days and some full days. Modules usually occupy about 6 days but in some modules some of these days are replaced by online or independent learning. Most modules (but not all) are run over a 15 week period.
- A total of 9 modules (180 CAT points)including:
- The 2 mandatory modules
- A dissertation of 2,3, or 4 modules
- 3, 4 or 5 optional modules (depending on the size of your dissertation)
- To achieve an MSc in a particular subject area your optional modules must include the following:
- For Teacher: MASH4045, MASH4046, MASH4047
- For Long Term Conditions : MASH4025
- For Clinical Practice: MASH4020, MASH4021
- For Managing and Leading: MASH4100, MASH4101
- For Diet Therapy: NUTH4011, NUTH4012, NUTH4013
- For Changing Health Behaviours: MPSY4060, MPSY4061, MPSY4062
- For Dynamics of Domestic Violence: MDVM4001, MDVM4002, 4003 MDVM4001
- A minimum of 2 specialist award modules (Teaching, Long Term Conditions, Managing and Leading, Clinical Practice*)
- Your dissertation should be in your subject area
*The Clinical Practice MSc includes both Health Assessment (MASH4020) and Non medical prescribing (MASH4021)
You can also achieve Postgraduate Certificates (PGC) and Postgraduate Diplomas (PGD) in Health Assessment, Non-Medical Prescribing, Teacher in Health and Social Care and Long Term Conditions. E.G. Advancing Practice Postgraduate Certificate (Health Assessment)
Just achieve two modules in these subjects and MASH4001 for the PGC. (3 modules/60 CAT points)
Or two modules in the subject, MASH4001 and MASH4002 and two other modules for the PGD. (6 modules/120)
Example Pathway One:
Year One:
MASH4001 - Challenging and Enhancing Service Delivery, MASH4002 - Research Methods in Health and Social Care.
Year Two:
MASH4020 - Advanced Adult Health Assessment (double module)
Year Three:
MASH4021 - Non-medical prescribing (double module)
Year Four:
MASH4013 - Dissertation (triple module)
Award: MSc Advancing Practice (Clinical Practice)
Challenging and Enhancing Service Delivery
Mandatory – should normally be undertaken before other MASH modules.
This module seeks to provide a springboard and a context for all the other modules in the MSc degree. It should normally be completed before embarking on any of our other modules. It enables the student to practice the skills of critical analysis, argument and reflection applying them to the most contemporary ideas and practices of their own discipline at the level of the MSc. With its emphasis on searching the literature and learning to read it critically, it enables the student to develop the kind of skills required for level 7 study and the political and philosophical awareness to critique their own discipline.
The kind of content explored may include:
- Politics and practice – the UK context
- Interprofessional working
- Client centred approaches to care delivery
- Managing information
- Evaluating and auditing service delivery
- Culturally competent health and social welfare services
- Evidence based practice
- Innovating change
- Clinical governance
However this will vary according to the needs of the group and the contemporary situation. The aim is to use the topics to work independently, with tutor support to apply critique and analysis to explore the background to current ideas.
The module takes a blended learning approach with the tutor as facilitator and utilises the virtual learning environment Blackboard for a WebCt for a large part of the module delivery.
Assessment: One 4,000 word essay.
Research Methods
This module develops students’ knowledge of research methodology and research design, building upon undergraduate work. Students will explore the philosophy, theory and practice of research in their own discipline and professional practice (where this is applicable). Students will explore the application of selected qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate questions about health, social welfare and care services.
Assessment: A critical analysis of a self chosen research methodology and a critical analysis of a self chosen data collection method or method of analysis or results presentation; each of 2500 words.
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Or e-mail: admissions@worc.ac.uk
