Adult Critical 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
- 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?
You'll learn more about assessing, planning, delivering and evaluating the specialist care of patients undergoing interventions and treatment for a variety of critical conditions, and educating and supporting these patients, relatives and fellow colleagues. The course will enable you to develop higher levels of judgment and decision making, and develop your understanding and expertise in your clinical areas using reflection and critical analysis.
Why Choose Us?
- The course is designed to be relevant to all health care professionals working in level two and level three areas.
- Our dedicated, committed staff are experts in their field; the course leader is a University lecturer with substantial clinical experience in critical care.
- There's a strong focus on current issues within the speciality and emphasis on the practical side with competencies.
- Continued support from staff both academically and practically whilst in university and on placement
- Each module has an associated "Moodle" based website which contains all module documentation, handouts, links to key documents and supplementary articles of interest.
- The course will equip you with the life-long learning skills, promoting the ability to learn independently after the course has finished.
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
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 structure
You can choose to study this programme as a complete pathway award or as a standalone module, dependent on your individual need and the needs of your organisation. All programmes offer a convenient part-time format to fit around home and work commitments
Pathway awards in Adult Critical Care can lead to:
- Module only Professional Practice Level 6
- Module only Professional Practice Level 7
- BSc Professional Practice
- BSc (Hons) Professional Practice
- Grad Cert Professional Practice
- PG Cert Professional Practice
- PG Dip Professional Practice
- MSc Professional Practice
How to apply
Complete the online application form via the link above, including the name of the pathway or module you are enrolling onto.
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 (Adult Critical Care)
This module aims to enhance your knowledge base of applied anatomy and physiology, in relation to body systems and explore the pathophysiological processes that may affect these systems. This module aims to provide you with the skills, in-depth applied physiology, and knowledge required to apply safe high quality bedside care to the critically ill patient and their family. The focus of the module is to provide opportunities for you to interpret the significance of altered pathophysiological mechanisms, pathophysiology of critical illness and its implications will be explored within the context of patient assessment and interpretation of clinical symptoms.
The ‘Core Concepts in Nursing the Critical Ill Adult’ module is one of two core modules of the Adult Critical Care Pathway. Completion of the core 60-credits at level 6, will enable you to achieve a named award in Adult Critical Care and result in you achieving a standardised and transferable critical care post registration academic award (CC3N, 2015). The module content has been aligned to the National Standards for Critical Care Nurse Education (CC3N, 2016), the National Competency Framework for Registered Nurses in Adult Critical Care (CC3N, 2015) and the General Provision of Intensive Care standards (FICM, 2022).
Year 2 Pathway Award (BSc Only) – Exit Award: BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (Adult Critical 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 40 credits from ‘Appendix A. List of Additional Optional Modules’ * 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 (Adult Critical Care)
This module aims to enhance your knowledge base of applied anatomy and physiology, in relation to body systems and explore the pathophysiological processes that may affect these systems. This module aims to provide you with the skills, in-depth applied physiology, and knowledge required to apply safe high quality bedside care to the critically ill patient and their family. The focus of the module is to provide opportunities for you to interpret the significance of altered pathophysiological mechanisms, pathophysiology of critical illness and its implications will be explored within the context of patient assessment and interpretation of clinical symptoms.
The ‘Core Concepts in Nursing the Critical Ill Adult’ module is one of two core modules of the Adult Critical Care Pathway. Completion of the core 60-credits at level 7, will enable you to achieve a named award in Adult Critical Care and result in you achieving a standardised and transferable critical care post registration academic award (CC3N, 2015). The module content has been aligned to the National Standards for Critical Care Nurse Education (CC3N, 2016), the National Competency Framework for Registered Nurses in Adult Critical Care (CC3N, 2015) and the General Provision of Intensive Care standards (FICM, 2022).
Year 2 Pathway Award - Exit Award: PG Dip Professional Practice (Adult Critical Care)
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.
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 MSc programmes to satisfy their individual learning needs, whilst contributing to their area of study.
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from ‘Appendix A. List of Additional Optional Modules’ * 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.
MSc
Year 3 Pathway Award – Exit Award: MSc Professional Practice (Adult Critical 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 boot camp, 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
Chris Carter
Senior Lecturer
Chris is a Senior Lecturer, an experienced critical care nurse and leader and during the first wave of the Covid-19 was seconded as Matron for Critical Care in a London Hospital.
More about ChrisEnquiries
Enquiries
For any enquiries about this course please contact the course leader, Lorraine Marsons on:
- Tel: +44 (0)121 331 6106
- Email: lorraine.marsons@bcu.ac.uk
Course Enquiries
For any enquiries about this course please contact the course leader, Chris Carter, on:
- Email: Chris.Carter@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