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Infection, Prevention and Control (Professional Practice)

  • Level: Top-Up Pathways
  • Starting: October 2019
  • Study mode: Part Time
  • Location: City South
How to apply
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The Infection Prevention and Control pathway has been designed to broaden your knowledge and understanding within this specialised area of healthcare. You will work with a range of healthcare specialists to improve your practice. This will enable you to function more proficiently in your specialist role by developing a higher level of knowledge and understanding within this specialised healthcare area. You'll learn face-to-face and be able to network with a range of healthcare professionals.

What's covered in the course?

Throughout the programme you are provided with a blended integrated approach learning, where clinical based knowledge is underpinned with theoretical and conceptual principles and delivered by experts within the area.  

The wider issues associated with specialist practice such interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary working, leadership and networking have been integrated into the programme to enable you to manage working across the expansive health and social care sector. 

A core element of the Infection Prevention and Control practice consists of clinical knowledge of applied Microbiology which underpins much of the day to day activity required to keep patients safe from acquiring healthcare associated infection and minimise outbreaks of infection.  The detailed Microbiology that is taught on the course will be delivered by an experienced physiologist and expert in the field and further supported by the inclusion of healthcare epidemiology and surveillance principles. This depth of expertise will enable you to fully understand the complex nature of commonly recognised micro-organisms that are responsible for predominance of healthcare associated infection.  This will give you the confidence to deal with each situation confidently and with a high level of competence.

The learning and assessment strategy will enable you to develop skills that will benefit you throughout your career; such as being able to deliver a presentation confidently, design educational posters for use at conferences, and produce high quality written work and health policies and develop crucial leadership and managerial skills.

Why Choose Us?

  • Dynamic and contemporary curriculum
  • Face to face delivery [taught sessions]
  • Opportunities to network
  • Interdisciplinary approach to learning - practitioners from different health and social care backgrounds
  • Expert clinical and academic input

New £10,609 postgraduate loans

If you are completing the MSc Professional Practice, you may be able to take advantage of the government’s plans to make loans of up to £10,609 available for postgraduate study.

More about postgraduate loans

This course is open to International students

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Course Accreditations

Post Registration Education Provider of the Year Winner

SNTA winner
  • UK/EU students
  • International students

Award:

Starting: Oct 2019

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Part Time
  • TBC
  • £680 per 20-credit module

Award:

Starting: Oct 2019

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Part Time
  • TBC
  • £680 per 20-credit module

If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. 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.

How to apply

Dates for September 2019 are not yet available, for any enquiries about this course please contact the course leader Shirley Kirnon, on:

Entry Requirements

You are required to be already working as an IPC practitioner or within IPC teams having dedicated remits, such decontamination officer, audit or surveillance positions and clinical governance roles.  

Course structure 

You can study this programme as a complete pathway award (full or part-time), 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 Infection, Prevention and Control 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 you are enrolling onto. 

Financial sponsorship

If you will be receiving financial sponsorship, to settle the tuition fees for this course please download and complete the financial support form. Once completed please upload it to your applicant portal.

Professional Practice Routes

Have a look at all of our Professional Practice Healthcare routes available

Professional Practice Routes

Degree (Level 6)

In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):

Year 1 Pathway Award – Exit Award: Grad Cert / BSc Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Critical Review of Decontamination Methods, Estates and Surveillance
20 credits

The module is designed for infection prevention and control personnel who will as part of their roles have responsibility for overseeing the development, implementation and application of local decontamination policy. The module will enable you to explore and examine the principles of decontamination, legislative and national decontamination guidance frameworks, and consider how new understanding gained will influence local policy development. In addition and closely related is the importance of healthcare facilities: planning, design and maintenance. You will be able to review infection prevention and control service contribution to building design and the functional practicalities within clinical environments that facilitate safe decontamination practice and promote general health and well-being.
Applied Theories of Leadership, Innovation and Change Management
20 credits

The module aims to provide you with a critical awareness of leadership, change management and innovation concepts and theories which can be applied in practice and contribute to personal and professional development of health and social care personnel. You will also learn the importance of collaborative working to achieve high standards of patient care, through the application of leadership and structured change processes. This will enable you to specifically enhance your ability to provide effective leadership which is considered particularly important for practitioners at all levels within health and social care.

This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course

Applied Microbiology, Healthcare Epidemiology and Surveillance
20 credits

The module aims to provide you with the essential knowledge and skills which will contribute to your development of Infection Prevention and Control practice. The indicative content of the module will consist of basic physiology of common micro-organisms types, the immune system and physiological effects of infection in the human host. For those in designated Infection Prevention and Control roles; you will analyse the importance of healthcare epidemiology and surveillance strategies and how these key information systems contribute to the management of communicable disease, healthcare associated infection and wider related issues of commissioning services and antibiotic resistance.

This module is aimed at Healthcare Practitioners specifically working as specialist practitioners within the field of Infection prevention and control.

Year 2 Pathway Award (BSc Only) – Exit Award: BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Using Research Evidence in Practice
20 credits

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

Negotiated Study
20 credits

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

In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the 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.
Optional Module
20 credits

Postgraduate (Level 7)

In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):

Year 1 Pathway Award – Exit Award: PG Cert Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Critical Review of Decontamination Methods, Estates and Surveillance
20 credits

The module is designed for predominately graduate personnel who deal with infection prevention and control as part of their role and implement as well as apply local decontamination policy. The module will guide you through issues pertaining to decontamination, policy development, legislation and national guidance frameworks to facilitate strategic decision-making. In addition and closely related is the importance of healthcare facilities planning, design and maintenance. You will be expected to use case studies to review strategic interventions of infection prevention and control service.
Applied Theories of Leadership, Innovation and Change Management
20 credits

The module aims to provide you with an in-depth understanding of leadership, change management and innovation concepts and theories that can be applied within dynamic and complex health and social care contexts. Leadership is viewed as a vital aspect of personal and professional development. You will learn the importance of applying theory to practice through systematic evaluation, synthesis of key conceptual frameworks, and research. This will enable you to specifically enhance your ability to provide effective leadership which is considered particularly important for practitioners at all levels within health and social care. This module is predominately aimed at graduates.

This module is can also be taken as a standalone credit bearing course

Applied Microbiology, Healthcare Epidemiology and Surveillance
20 credits

The module aims to provide you with a detailed knowledge base that will enable you to apply relevant theory to everyday practice in the field of Infection Prevention and Control. The indicative content of the module consists of microbiological and immunological theory related to the commonest types of healthcare associated infection and emerging resistant strains. You will attain high level skills to assess and manage outbreaks of infection, develop policy and utilise resources with clinical efficiency. The study of healthcare epidemiology and surveillance will enable you to detect, risk assess and manage episodes of communicable disease and healthcare associated infection, as well as providing direction to deal with operational aspects of clinical commissioning and antibiotic stewardship.

Year 2 Pathway Award - Exit Award: PG Dip Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Research: Methods of Enquiry
20 credits

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

Leadership Skills and Project Management for Health
20 credits

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

In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete at least 20 credits from the 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.
Optional Module
20 credits

MSc

Year 3 Pathway Award – Exit Award: MSc Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)

Option 1

In order to complete this route a student must successfully complete the following CORE module (totalling 60 credits):
Research Dissertation
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):
Research Dissertation
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 ‘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.
Optional Module
20 credits

Degree (Level 6)

Pathway Level
Level 6 - Year 1
Modules completed 
Critical Review of Decontamination Methods, Estates and Surveillance (LBR6551)
Applied Theories of Leadership, Innovation and Change Management (LBR6554)
Applied Microbiology, Healthcare Epidemiology and Surveillance (LBR6556)
Exit Awards
Grad Cert/BSc Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Level 6 - Year 2 (BSc (Hons only)
Using Research Evidence in Practice (LBR6553)
Negotiated Study (LBR6547)
Optional Module
BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)

Postgraduate (Level 7)

Pathway Level
Level 7 - Year 1
Modules completed 
Critical Review of Decontamination Methods, Estates and Facilities (LBR7503)
Applied Theories of Leadership, Innovation and Change Management (LBR7505)
Applied Microbiology, Healthcare Epidemiology and Surveillance (LBR7508)
Exit Awards
PG Cert Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Level 7 - Year 2
Leadership Skills and Project Management for Health (LBR7399)
Research: Methods of Enquiry (LBR7339)
Optional Module
PG Dip Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
Level 7 - Year 3
Research Dissertation
MSc Professional Practice (Infection, Prevention and Control)
SNTA winner
Student Nursing Times Award Winner

Post Registration Education Provider of the Year

Download the course specification

Course dates

Please check the course dates to see when your chosen modules are available throughout the year.

Download the 2019/20 course dates

Employability

As the role of the specialist Infection Prevention and Control practitioner develops, completing this programme will enable you realise your full potential in your current role and future aspirations.

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:

Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC)

International students who have a serious interest in studying with us but who perhaps cannot meet the direct entry requirements, academic or English, or who have been out of education for some time, can enter Birmingham City University International College (BCUIC) and begin their degree studies.

BCUIC

BCUIC is part of the global Navitas Group, an internationally recognised education provider, and the partnership allows students to access the University’s facilities and services and move seamlessly through to achieving a Bachelor’s degree from Birmingham City University.

Learn more about BCUIC

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £340 million on new learning facilities.

We boast up-to-date, innovative facilities that simulate the real situations that medical staff may come across.

These resources are essential in offering students a hands-on introduction to health and social care practice. Much of our teaching is carried out within our state-of-the-art, £30m Seacole Building, which houses cutting-edge facilities.

Take a virtual tour of our skills suites at Seacole

In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that students learn using the most up-to-date equipment available. These include the only mock operating theatre in an English university and a cutting-edge radiography virtual clinical training facility, virtual ward and virtual case creator.

Virtual Case Creator

For pre-registration midwives, Virtual Case Creator software contains a range of scenarios to let you experience birthing situations and decide on appropriate interventions in a safe environment.

Hospital Ward

Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. They contain ‘Sim Men’, which are demonstration dummies that develop ailments, allowing you to treat them as you would a real patient and build your confidence in reacting to the changing needs of patients.

The Hospital Ward can be adapted from a low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.

Part of the package is our SIM baby, SIM man and Mega code kid. There are also nursing manikins for fundamental skills teaching and various equipment to support essential skills teaching, such as blood pressure monitoring venepuncture and cannulation equipment.

Skills Practice and Clinical Enhancement facility

The SPACE (Skills Practice And Clinical Enhancement) learning facility lets you further practice the skills taught in class, at your own pace and convenience.

It is fully stocked with the specialist items and equipment needed for procedures such as taking blood pressure, giving an injection, abdominal examination of a pregnant woman and caring for ill babies in an incubator.

Biomedical Laboratories

We have recently installed new laboratory facilities to help you explore understand the scientific principles underpinning many of our courses. The physiology laboratory is equipped to help you learn about the way the human body works by performing investigative experiments. The biomedical science laboratory is undergoing an upgrade over the summer and will allow you to learn about anatomy, cellular processes, immunology and enzymology in a hands-on way that links directly to day-to-day health care.

Simulation Mannequins

We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and Simulation babies (SIM babies) which are leading edge, anatomically correct mannequins 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 SIM men and SIM baby mannequins are complete with software, which is used to replicate real symptoms, and are enhanced by the manipulation of for example blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM Man can also “talk” to the students which adds another dimension to their use in teaching clinical skills and in simulation exercises.

Mary Seacole Library

The Seacole library, based at City South Campus, is one of the UK's largest specialist health education libraries. The state-of-the art facility offers an extensive range of range of information and reference materials set out in a relaxing environment, conducive to studying. There are comfortable seating areas, group study areas, a silent study area and private study rooms.

The Seacole building houses a large open access IT Suite which comprises of 96 PCs, full colour printers, photocopiers and scanners. 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.

The IT Suite offers extended opening hours and is supported by a specialist Open Access Assistant during term time. In addition to the open access PCs within the IT Suite, there are 12 networked student PCs available within Seacole library.

Shirley K

Shirley Kirnon

Senior Lecturer, Infection Prevention and Control

Shirley's professional background is in nursing and she specialises in teaching Infection Prevention and Control, which is a specialism within the health protection strand of Public Health. She is involved in teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, across the various healthcare disciplines.

Course Enquiries

For any enquiries about this course please contact the course leader Shirley Kirnon, on:

International Enquiries

If you are an international student please contact the international office for more information on entry requirements:

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 

Professional Practice Routes

Have a look at all of our Professional Practice Healthcare routes available

Professional Practice Routes

Next: How to apply

UK prospective students:

UK enquiry form

+44 (0)121 331 6295

EU / International prospective students:

International enquiry form

+44 (0)121 331 5389

Already applied?

Contact the admissions team

+44 (0)121 331 6295

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