Acute Care (Professional Practice) - BSc (Hons) / PgCert / PgDip / MSc
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
The Professional Practice Course is flexible, practice-led, responsive and aims to foster excellence. This course will develop knowledgeable, critical thinking, proactive, professional practitioners who are fit to meet the changing demands of modern healthcare provision in the global arena....
- Level Top-Up Pathways
- Study mode Part Time
- Award BSc (Hons) / PgCert / PgDip / MSc
- Start date September 2025, January 2026
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City South
This course is:
Overview
The Professional Practice Course is flexible, practice-led, responsive and aims to foster excellence. This course will develop knowledgeable, critical thinking, proactive, professional practitioners who are fit to meet the changing demands of modern healthcare provision in the global arena.
The Professional Practice Course consists of a selection of modules that can be studied on their own or as part of an BSc/BSc (Hons) undergraduate or PG Cert/PG dip/ MSc postgraduate award. For help in deciding which modules to study or your outcome award please contact our Professional Navigators on navigator@bcu.ac.uk or potential Route Lead.
What's covered in this course?
This group of flexible acute care awards will help you to enhance your care of adults who experience acute health deterioration, and help you to take your professional knowledge in the field of acute care, one step further.
The awards will help you to respond to some of the challenges of today’s increasingly complex patient population, improving your confidence and ability to formulate effective patient centred decisions. You will gain enhanced skills in the early recognition of acute health deterioration and develop your knowledge of evidence-based approaches to the effective management of acute deterioration.
Once the two core modules are studied (RAPID and Management of Acute Deterioration), you will be able to access a range of optional modules that help you to get the bespoke learning experience that you need, relevant to your clinical environment.
This course will help you to gain confidence in both assessment and clinical decision making during acute episodes of acute health deterioration. The acute care courses can be studied by any registered healthcare professional with 6 months or more experience of caring for adults who experience acute health deterioration.
I had a very good experience on this course and felt very supported by my module lead. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience as the modules I completed were delivered exceptionally. The course content was very relevant. There were many resources available and good guidance on how to access more. I thoroughly enjoyed studying at this level, I have learnt a lot and felt very supported by academic staff.
Harsimran Rai
Why Choose Us?
- Clinically focussed content that addresses the challenges of the increasingly older and more complex patient population.
- An opportunity to develop your confidence and skills specifically in the recognition and management of acutely ill adults
- A strong focus on current issues in acute care, and the practical application of knowledge
- Each module has a bespoke Moodle virtual learning environment to support your continued learning off campus
- A big choice of optional modules allows you to build a bespoke learning experience, most appropriate to your career plans.
- Ongoing support from university staff to facilitate your development as a learner.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.
Award: BSc (Hons) / PgCert / PgDip / MSc
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- up to 5 years (part time) or 2 years (full time)
- £860 per 20 credit module
Award: BSc (Hons) / PgCert / PgDip / MSc
Starting: Jan 2026
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- up to 5 years (part time) or 2 years (full time)
- £860 per 20 credit module
International students
Sorry, this course is not available to International students.
Entry requirements
Level 6 study
For entry onto the BSc/ BSc (Hons) students must have a relevant Diploma In Higher Education or 240 credits of which at least 120 credits are at level 5.
Students who have a Dip HE or equivalent but do not have any previous BCU credits will need to complete three modules at Level 6.
For entry onto the Graduate Certificate award, students must have a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent or a 60 credit Level 6 award in an appropriate subject area.
Level 7 study
For entry into the Post Graduate Certificate/Post Graduate Diploma/MSc award students must have a relevant bachelor’s degree or equivalent or a 60 credit Level 6 award in an appropriate subject area. Applicants with evidence of successfully completed Level 6 study within the preceding 2 years.
Where appropriate and on an induvial basis students may be required to undertake a pre-course assessment to enable the course team to support students study skills. We will use this to navigate your appropriate pathway assessment.
To prevent duplication of study, a student that has previously completed a Level 6 module or pathway award within the last 5 years cannot access the equivalent pathway award at Level 7.
Recognition of Prior Learning – RPL
If students have gained Level 6 or 7 credits either at Birmingham City University or elsewhere in the last 5 years, it may be possible to use them towards an award. The amount of RPL is stipulated by the regulations that apply at the time of enrolment.
Access
Diploma HE in nursing or equivalent appropriate for level 6 study
EU/International students
IELTs of 6 with no element below 5.5.
Course in Depth
Degree (Level 6)
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 120 credits):
Year 1 Pathway Award - Exit Award: Grad Cert / BSc Professional Practice (Acute Care)
This is one of two modules you can choose to study at level six which focus on enhancing care of adults who experience acute health deterioration. This module offers the opportunity to strengthen your ability to recognise, assess and interpret physiological indicators of acute deterioration. It aims to help you confidently recognise early signs of physiological deterioration and articulate your concern effectively, to others.
This is one of two modules you can choose to study at level six which focus on enhancing care of adults who experience acute health deterioration. This module offers the opportunity to strengthen your ability to respond early and effectively to acute deterioration. It aims to help you identify appropriate clinical interventions that will have positive impact on health outcomes.
Year 2 Pathway Award (BSc Only) – Exit Award: BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (Acute Care)
This module is for all healthcare practitioners if you want to enhance your understanding of evidence based practice to help improve your patient/client/service-user care. The aims of the module are to develop both your understanding of the importance of best evidence in practice, and your ability to locate, evaluate, and use best evidence in developing aspects of practice.
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from this list of additional optional modules* for Year 1 and an additional 40 credits for Year 2.
*Any appropriate module (relevant to Pathway / Speciality) from University / Faculty portfolio as agreed with the Pathway Leader.
Modules run subject to appropriate student numbers to ensure the best student experience. It may therefore be necessary to suspend a particular entry point for a module. If this happens, any applications will be transferred to the next start date for the course.
Postgraduate (Level 7)
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):
Year 1 Pathway Award – Exit Award: PG Cert Professional Practice (Acute Care)
This is one of two modules you can choose to study at level seven which focus on enhancing care of adults who experience acute health deterioration. This module offers the opportunity to strengthen your ability to recognise, assess and interpret physiological indicators of acute deterioration. It aims to help you confidently recognise early signs of physiological deterioration and articulate your concern effectively, to others.
This is one of two modules you can choose to study at level seven which focus on enhancing care of adults who experience acute health deterioration. This module offers the opportunity to strengthen your ability to respond early and effectively to acute deterioration. It aims to help you identify appropriate clinical interventions that will have positive impact on health outcomes.
Year 2 Pathway Award - Exit Award: PG Dip Professional Practice (Acute Care)
This module specifically addresses the broader programme aims related to “pursuing excellence” and “practice-led, knowledge applied” through a flexible provision that encourages students to develop their research ideas, enabling those on various Health and Social Work MSc programmes to satisfy their individual learning needs, whilst contributing to their area of study. The module develops students’ skills to become research-minded practitioners.
This module explicitly addresses students’ personal and/or professional development with a view to enhancing competence for service improvement in a rapidly changing health and healthcare environment. Through a flexible provision, students are inspired to reflect critically upon their individual learning needs as well as their organisations’ practices, to appraise and apply concepts from the literature on leadership, to issues of relevance for their role, organisation and overall programme of study.
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 40 credits from ‘this list of additional optional modules* for Year 1 and Year 2.
*Any appropriate module (relevant to Pathway / Speciality) from University / Faculty portfolio as agreed with the Pathway Leader.
Modules run subject to appropriate student numbers to ensure the best student experience. It may therefore be necessary to suspend a particular entry point for a module. If this happens, any applications will be transferred to the next start date for the course.
MSc
Year 3 Pathway Award – Exit Award: MSc Professional Practice (Acute Care)
Option 1
This triple module forms the final bridge between the award of a Postgraduate Diploma and a Health MSc related to a named award. It provides the student with the opportunity to complete a piece of work around a chosen topic in order to demonstrate competence in the planning, execution, analysis and evaluation of a Research Project, a Systematic Review or Project Management. It involves 600 hours of study. The focus is on facilitating the student's independent, critical study in their academic discipline or area of professional practice. It will also serve those who wish to embark on Doctoral studies in the future.
Option 2
This double module provides the student with the opportunity to complete a piece of work around a chosen topic in order to demonstrate competence in the planning, execution, analysis and evaluation of a Research Project, a Systematic Review or Project Management. It involves 400 hours of study. The focus is on facilitating the student's independent, critical study in their academic discipline or area of professional practice. It will also serve those who wish to embark on Doctoral studies in the future.
This module seeks to support people new to academic publishing in developing an article for publication. Writing for Academic Publication is a cross between a module and a bootcamp, providing the space, time, support and guidance to develop ideas and data into a draft article ready for submission. Taking a hands on and nurturing approach, the module will demystify the academic publication process, develop your confidence and hone your skills in writing for publication. The module is well-suited to those taking their first steps in academic publishing, whether academic staff, doctoral researchers, Master’s students or CPD students.
Modules run subject to appropriate student numbers to ensure the best student experience. It may therefore be necessary to suspend a particular entry point for a module. If this happens, any applications will be transferred to the next start date for the course.
Download course specification
Download nowFacilities & Staff
Our Facilities
Our Nursing and Midwifery courses are based at our City South campus in leafy Edgbaston.
We’ve spent £41million expanding our facilities at City South. These facilities offer hands-on practical experience, replicating the spaces you will come across in professional practice.
In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that you learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. Alongside physical spaces such as a mock operating theatre and wards, we also make use of online and virtual technology, such as our virtual ward and virtual case creator.
See more of our skills facilities at City South
Centre for Skills and Simulation
The Centre for Skills and Simulation offers a range of different spaces which replicate situations that you will encounter in practice. These include hospital wards, an operating theatre and a home environment room.
Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. The hospital wards can be adapted from low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.
The home environment room is the perfect space for teaching communications skills and allows us to simulate a community setting for our students. It is particularly useful for mental health nurses, learning disability nurses and midwives.
Simulation Manikins
We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and simulation babies (SIM babies) which are anatomically correct manikins used for teaching specific techniques such as advanced adult and paediatric life support skills, acute and high dependency clinical skills, first aid and communication skills. The manikins contain software which replicates real symptoms, and can manipulate indicators such as blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM man can even ‘talk’ to the students as they are treating him, to add another dimension to learning.
Computer Facilities
The Seacole building has two open-access IT Suites which offer PCs, printers, photocopiers and scanners. There is also an IT Helpdesk for quick and easy help with your computing or internet issues.
Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:
- Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
- Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
- Microsoft Office software
- Research and statistical software
- Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
In addition to desktop PCs, we also offer a laptop loan facility, allowing students to borrow a laptop for up to six hours while on campus.
Our staff
Claire Perkins
Senior Lecturer
Claire trained as an undergraduate registered nurse in multiple hospitals in London 1993-6. Subsequent clinical registered nursing roles in A & E and multiple HDU’s and ITU’s across the West Midlands, including a Senior Sister post in critical care at University Hospital Birmingham. During a post-registration intensive care course (ENB 100) in...
More about ClaireEnquiries
Course Enquiries
For all course enquiries please contact the Acute Care Pathway Leader, Claire Perkins on:
- Email: Claire.Perkins@bcu.ac.uk
International Enquiries
If you are an international student please contact the international office for more information on entry requirements:
- Tel: +44 (0)121 331 5389
- Email: international.enquiries@bcu.ac.uk
Professional Navigator
The Professional Practice Programme consists of a selection of modules that can be studied on their own or as part of an award. For help in deciding which modules to study or your outcome award please contact our Professional Navigators on navigator@bcu.ac.uk