MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Advanced Clinical Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship)
- Course type
- Apprenticeship
- Course qualification
- MSc
Course summary
What is the fee?
For all course options, see fees and funding
Where will I study?
School of Health and Society
How long will I study?
Two and a half year
Overview
The Advanced Clinical Practitioner Master's Degree Apprenticeship is an accredited programme. It is a programme for experienced clinicians who wish to advance their professional practice to independently manage holistic episodes of physical and mental healthcare in various settings. Working across traditional health and social care boundaries, Advanced Clinical Practitioners combine expert clinical skills with research, education and leadership to facilitate change in patient and service outcomes.
This course is aligned with the HEE Multi-professional framework for Advanced Clinical practice (2017). It uses a work-based learning approach to develop the higher level skills that will lead to advanced clinical practitioner status and enhance your career prospects. You will be required to be supported in clinical practice by experienced Advanced Clinical Practitioners / Consultants, Medical Consultants, specialist registrars or General Practitioners. You will be taught by experts in the field including specialist consultants, lecturers, advanced clinical practitioners, pharmacists and radiographers. You will develop advanced clinical skills in our brand new simulation suites with our award-winning human simulators.
The following pathways are offered:
- Generic
- Critical Care
- Primary Care
- Mental Health
Speciality accreditation, e.g. FICM, is supported during the programme.
This is for you if...
You are from a regulated professional health or social care background.
You are a registered health professional (nurses, midwives and allied health professionals).
You have been working in the appropriate clinical context for a minimum of two years.
You must have a minimum of 5 years post qualification experience on application.
How you'll learn
Future careers
On completion of this course, you will be eligible for a advanced clinical practitioner role in your own specialist field such as midwifery, emergency medicine, critical care, mental health, acute medicine or surgery, and primary care.
Whilst many advanced clinical practitioners remain in post, some have chosen to become non-medical consultants, and hold leadership roles within Clinical Practice. Upon completion of the course some students may also wish to progress onto a PhD or Professional Doctorate.
Modules
We currently offer a Critical Care option, Mental Health option, Primary Care and Community option and a Generic, Critical Care is accredited with FICM.
We are proud to be an accredited training site for Advanced Critical Care Trainees.
Advanced Critical Care Practitioners ( ACCPs) are clinical professionals responsible for patients care during their critical care admission. They are highly experienced and educated practitioners who have developed their skills and theoretical knowledge to a very high standard. They are empowered to make high-level clinical decisions to ensure that patients receive timely. personal and effective care.
ACCPs come from a mixture of healthcare backgrounds but must be registered by a professional governing body (HCPC, NMC, GPhC).
ACCPs must complete a programme leading to an appropriate Postgraduate Masters degree with a Higher Education Institution. Teaching within hospitals is overseen by a Local Clinical Lead (LCL) who holds an honorary appointment with the HEI and is responsible to the HEI for the delivery of the clinical components of training. They are supported in practice with membership of the Faculty of Intensive care Medicine (FICM) further information can be obtained here https://www.ficm.ac.uk/careersworkforce/accps
For further course information please contact Nicola Parkin N.C.Parkin@salford.ac.uk Programme Lead
​​​​​​All apprentices are enrolled on to the full MSc programme (Advanced Clinical Practice – 180 credits). This will require 2.5 years of study.
Year 1
Clinical Examination and Diagnostics
This module introduces the concepts and context of advanced practice and enhances students' current knowledge and skills to enable the development of core and bespoke advanced practice competencies.
Biological Sciences in Advanced Practice
The aim of this module is to provide the theoretical underpinning and practice base to enable healthcare professionals to undertake an advanced clinical examination. Leading to diagnosis from undifferentiated presenting complaints, both core and bespoke skills of advanced practice competencies are developed.
Contextualising Advanced Practice (Optional)
This module provides a framework enabling you to consolidate generic competencies of advanced clinical practice; critically reflect upon your development in the context of your professional role; develop leadership skills to identify and manage risk appropriately; use research and audit skills to lead service improvement in your clinical practice.
You will critically examine your personal job description in conjunction with the national multi-professional framework for Advanced Clinical Practice which incorporates the fours pillars of Advanced Clinical Practice: Clinical Practice, Leadership and Management, Education, Research.
Non-medical Prescribing (Optional)
This module has been integrated into the programme to enable those registered health professionals who will be able to prescribe as part of their Advanced Practice role. The module prepares the practitioner to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost-effectively. In order to undertake the module, it is essential there is additional learning time in practice in order to meet the required practice hours.
This is split into two 15 credit modules: Theory and Practice.
Please refer to the NMP requirements to see whether your professional body is eligible for this module.
Year 2
Project Management
This module helps you develop the skills needed in developing practice and policy. This module will develop your skills in different project management methodologies and methods of inquiry, enabling you to construct a business in relation to service improvement.
Reasoning in Clinical Practice
(pathways within this module: Mental health; Primary Care; Critical Care)
Knowledge and skills related to client management and advanced clinical reasoning will be developed alongside justification for differential diagnoses, investigations and treatments.
Practitioner Competence
The skills required to complete a portfolio of high-quality evidence of achievement of the elements of advanced practice will be developed throughout this module.
Apprenticeship Assessment
National Advanced Clinical Practice Apprenticeship standard, which includes a 'Change Management' presentation and Open Book exam - this is a mandatory module for all ACP Apprentices.
Please note that exact modules and content offered may vary in order to keep content current and, for courses that offer optional modules, may depend on the number of students selecting particular options. When accepting your offer of a place to study on a programme with optional modules, you should be aware that optional modules may not all run each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you can undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.
Entry requirements
English language and Maths at grade C/grade 4 or above; or Key Skills level 2 in Maths and English. Certificates need to be available at interview and be checked by HR prior to shortlisting. If candidates do not have their certificates they should bring evidence of having applied to the appropriate Exam Board for replacements.
Evidence of these must accompany your application.
- You will be a graduate in health and/or social care, with a first degree at 2:2 or above or successful APL (as per below).
- and be working in an area that will support and facilitate the development of advanced practice. There is a requirement for you to have access to relevant and sufficient clinical patient/client case-load for the duration of the course.
- As part of the requirements for admission to clinical modules, you must identify and have the agreement of a service manager and clinical expert mentor/assessor to facilitate access to the case load.
- The mentor/assessor will provide practical training, supervision and ongoing formative assessment via a log of clinical cases. All students on this course are registered or regulated health and social care professionals who are accessing the clinical training within their own work-place.
Accreditation of Prior Learning
- We welcome applications from students with alternative qualifications and/or significant relevant experience, subject to approval through a process of Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).
- The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process could help you to make your work and life experience count. The APL process can be used for entry onto courses or to give you exemptions from parts of your course.
- Two forms of APL may be used for entry: the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) or the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
- Please note: The entry criteria below are related to entry onto this course in the 2026/27 academic year.
Application Deadlines
Please be aware of the application deadline below. If an application hasn’t been received by this date, consideration will be given for the next available intake.
September 2026 – Friday 31st July 2026
Standard entry requirements
GCSE
English language and Maths at grade C/grade 4 or above; or Key Skills level 2 in Maths and English. Level 2 equivalents such as functional or key skills can be accepted.
If you do not hold level 2 Maths and/or English, please email the Apprenticeship Services Unit to discuss your options.
Fees and funding
The total cost of this apprenticeship is £12,000. The cost of the apprenticeship will be covered by your employer and/or the government. You will need to cover the cost of any study materials plus travel to and from campus if required.
Additional costs
APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING
The apprenticeship levy was introduced in April 2017 and requires all employers operating in the UK, with a pay bill of over £3 million each year to invest in apprenticeships.
Funding for the apprenticeship levy is only available to employers in England.
The funding policy supports the changes to the way apprenticeships in England are paid for, underpinned by the apprenticeship levy of 0.5% of the annual pay bill for companies paying over £3 million per year.
There is also a co-investment model for companies who will not be paying into the levy. The government will cover 95% of the cost of the apprenticeship and the employer will only have to contribute the remaining 5%. Once payments have been declared to HMRC, employers will now have access to a digital apprenticeship account from which they will be able to access funding to pay for apprenticeship training.
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You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.