Healthcare (Professional Practice) - PgCert / PgDip / MA / MSc
Currently viewing course to start in 2023/24 Entry.
The professional practice programme is a flexible, practice led programme that aims to meet your professional development needs in which ever healthcare area you are working in and your current academic level....
- Level Top-Up Pathways
- Study mode Part Time
- Location City South
- Award PgCert / PgDip / MA / MSc
- Start date September 2023, January 2024
- School School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Faculty Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences
Overview
The professional practice programme is a flexible, practice led programme that aims to meet your professional development needs in which ever healthcare area you are working in and your current academic level. It aims to facilitate the development of knowledgeable and proactive solution focused professionals, who are able to apply theory to practice in order to provide and promote best quality care/outcomes in their practice.
What's covered in this course?
The programme offers a range of standalone modules and specialist awards from acute care to tissue viability (see below for a list of routes) to suit your needs. You can study a single module that is relevant to your practice or several to make up a full named award.
A varied range of learning and teaching approaches are used throughout the modules and programme to cater for the wide variety of students who access the programme from across the country. The underlying principle to the learning, teaching and assessment strategies for the Professional Practice Programme is the relationship between theory and practice and making the links to relevant, evidence based and current practice as you progress with your professional development. The programme team are from a range of health care backgrounds and specialists in their own right with continued close links to practice.
Teaching will be both online and face to face, with the face to face teaching at the city South campus.
Why Choose Us?
- Clinically focused content
- An opportunity to examine your practice critically
- A strong focus on current issues and an emphasis on the practical application of knowledge
- Flexible study options – chose to study over one or more academic years
- Each module has a bespoke "Moodle" based website which contains all module documentation, handouts, links to key documents and supplementary articles of interest
- Ongoing support from staff both academically whilst in university to facilitate your development as a learner
- Excellence in delivering high quality standards of flexible and bespoke academic provision for post qualifying practitioners
- Links with healthcare providers
- State-of-the-art facilities.
Studying with us during the Covid-19 pandemic
The University has put in place measures in response to Covid-19 to allow us to safely deliver our courses. Should the impact of the pandemic continue in future years, any additional or alternative arrangements put in place by the University will be in accordance with the latest government public health advice, health and safety legislation, and the terms and conditions of the student contract.
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: PgCert / PgDip / MA / MSc
Starting: Sep 2023
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- up to 5 years (part time) or 2 years (full time)
-
TBC
Award: PgCert / PgDip / MA / MSc
Starting: Jan 2024
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- up to 5 years (part time) or 2 years (full time)
-
TBC
International 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: PgCert / PgDip / MA / MSc
Starting: Sep 2023
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- up to 5 years (part time) or 2 years (full time)
-
TBC
Award: PgCert / PgDip / MA / MSc
Starting: Jan 2024
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Part Time
- up to 5 years (part time) or 2 years (full time)
-
TBC
The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Entry requirements
Level 6 study
A BSc degree is awarded on completion of 300 credits of which at least 60 must be at Level 6 or above. At least 100 of these credits must be studied at BCU for the student to be eligible for a BCU award. Students who have a Dip.HE. or equivalent from BCU will need to complete 60 credits at Level 6 to gain their BSc.
Students who have a Dip HE or equivalent but do not have any previous BCU credits will need to complete at least 100 credits to gain a BSc award. These 100 credits can be achieved by completing five 20 credit modules at Level 6 or by completing three modules at Level 6 plus a 40 credit Level 5 portfolio module. The portfolio module is offered free of charge
Level 7 study
For entry into the Post Graduate Certificate 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 and a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the pathway speciality will also be considered.
Students undertaking modules as standalone rather than as part of an award may do so regardless of number of previous credits as long as they are working in an appropriate area to achieve that module’s learning outcomes and have evidence of successfully completed Level 6 study.
Where appropriate students may be asked to provide a written pre-course assessment set by the subject pathway award leader for assessment in order to allow assessment of the students’ academic ability prior to commencing study.
In order to prevent duplication of study, a student that has previously completed a Level 6 pathway cannot access the equivalent pathway at Level 7.
A student who has completed the Level 6 version of a professional practice module (or similar module from a former programme or from another academic institution) within a preceding 5 year period cannot study the Level 7 version of that module.
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 Healthcare 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.
Applications for this course will open later in 2023, if you have any queries please contact the pathway leader: Alison.Simons@bcu.ac.uk
Course in Depth
Degree (Level 6)
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 40 credits):
Year 1 Pathway Award – Exit Award: Grad Cert / BSc Professional Practice (Healthcare)
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.
Good reasons to study Evidence-Based Practice: Clinical practice does not remain static but changes frequently. As a healthcare practitioner you must be able to justify and rationalise your practice to ensure quality care is provide and maintained. To ensure best practice is sustained you, as a practitioner, need to understand the concepts of evidence based practice and how to apply these concepts to your area of practice.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
Year 2 Pathway Award (BSc (Hons) Only) – Exit Award: BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (Healthcare)
This module is aimed at healthcare practitioners who wish to negotiate learning of a bespoke topic. Under the guidance of facilitators, you will be able to direct your learning and identify relevant learning opportunities that you feel enable you to learn more about a specific field of study.
The subject area within this module is student led with guidance and facilitation from designated academic and practice support. You will identify an area of study that you would like to critically review and evaluate and which promotes your clinical development. A significant proportion of the module is based around negotiation with academic and clinical facilitators to identify extended areas of study and opportunities that are possible to enhance your progression towards completion of the study.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the 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.
Postgraduate (Level 7)
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 40 credits):
Year 1 Pathway Award – Exit Award: PG Cert Professional Practice (Healthcare)
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.
This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
Year 2 Pathway Award - Exit Award: PG Dip Professional Practice (Healthcare)
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 is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course. View standalone module
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 40 credits from the 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.
MSc
Year 3 Pathway Award – Exit Award: MSc Professional Practice (Healthcare)
Option 1
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete the following CORE module (totalling 60 credits):
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
In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete the following CORE module (totalling 40 credits):
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.
In order to complete this route a student must also successfully complete at least 20 credits from the List of Additional Optional Modules*.
*Any appropriate module (relevant to Pathway / Speciality) from University / Faculty portfolio as agreed with the Pathway Leader.
Download course specification
Download nowDegree (Level 6)
Pathway Level
Modules completed
Exit Awards
Postgraduate (Level 7)
Pathway Level
Modules completed
Exit Awards
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
- Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
- Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
- Learn where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
Our School of Nursing and Midwifery is 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
Alison Simons
Senior Lecturer
Alison was a cancer nurse for 18 years looking after patients with a variety of cancer and receiving a variety of treatments. She was the junior sister of a mixed oncology ward within a large teaching hospital. Alison then went on to become a professional development sister responsible for the educational needs of 200 oncology and haematology...
More about AlisonEnquiries
Enquiries
For any enquiries about this course please contact us on:
- Email: Alison.Simons@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