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General Practice Nursing - Module / MSc / PgCert / PgDip

Currently viewing course to start in 2023/24 Entry.

Aimed at Senior and established General Practice Nurses, this MSc course offers General Practice Nurses opportunity to advance their careers through choosing from a variety of general practice focused modules to complete a PG Certificate/ PG Diploma or full MSc qualification....

  • Award Module / MSc / PgCert / PgDip
  • Start date September 2023
  • Fees View course fees
  • School School of Nursing and Midwifery
  • Faculty Faculty of Health, Education and Life Sciences

Overview

Aimed at Senior and established General Practice Nurses, this MSc course offers General Practice Nurses opportunity to advance their careers through choosing from a variety of general practice focused modules to complete a PG Certificate/ PG Diploma or full MSc qualification.

This course is unique in providing General Practice Nurses with options for a variety of career pathways in the primary care setting. Our General Practice Nursing pathway will enable you to be responsive to developments in primary care and to take on leadership roles in this arena.

This course is not open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

The course enables students to choose from a variety of modules to pursue areas of interest or specific career pathways.

Core modules in year 1 include:

  • Challenges to Health and the Impact of Inequalities: A General Practice Population Assessment
  • Quality, Strategy and Policy: Issues in General Practice

Core modules in year 2 include:

  • Research: Methods of Enquiry
  • Leadership Skills and Project Management for Health and Healthcare

A wide range of optional modules are available including Caring for People with Long Term Conditions in the General Practice Setting; Non-Medical Prescribing and a range of other subjects including mental health, wound care, safeguarding.

Why Choose Us?

  • We have extensive academic and clinical experience of offering a programme of primary care general practice focused modules. We have extensive links with local and regional primary care services.
  • You will learn with the post-registration educator of the year 2017 (Student Nursing Times Awards).
  • We have developed a comprehensive General Practice Nursing pathway which is responsive to the needs of General Practice Nurses wanting to develop their careers and meet the needs of the populations they care for.
  • You will have access to an extensive library of books, journals and support staff who will assist you in developing your knowledge and skills.
  • You will be offered personal tutor support and additional personal development services from a professional and committed team of staff.
  • You will have the opportunity to become a member of a community of practice with other students completing the pathway.  This will enable you to share your experiences, share good practice, and reflexively examine your learning.

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.

OPEN DAY

Join us for an on-campus open day where you'll be able to explore our campus and facilities in person. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.

Next Event: Saturday 24 June

Register Your Interest

Entry Requirements

UK students

Registered Nurse (Adult, Child, Mental Health or Learning Disability and 

Employed in General Practice (all students must be working in an appropriate environment in order to fully engage with the chosen modules).

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.

Additionally

In addition, students undertaking clinical subject pathway modules will normally have a minimum of six months post-registration experience for that speciality. 

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

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. View fees for continuing students.

Award: Module

Starting: Sep 2023

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  • Duration
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Award: MSc

Starting: Sep 2023

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: PgCert

Starting: Sep 2023

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

Award: PgDip

Starting: Sep 2023

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees

International students

Sorry, this course is not available to International students.

Access to computer equipment

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms.

Printing

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment.

Field trips

All essential field trips and associated travel costs will be included in your course fees.

Access to Microsoft Office 365

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation.

Key Software

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research.

Key subscriptions

Subscriptions to key journals and websites are available through our library.

Excess printing (optional)

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet.

Books (optional)

All module key texts will be in the University library, but in limited numbers. You may choose to purchase a copy.

Subscriptions (optional)

You may wish to purchase subscriptions to additional journals and websites.

Memberships (optional)

You may wish to join a union or professional body related to this course.

Accommodation and living costs

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

Personal statement

Students are required to submit a personal statement as part of their application for this course.

Your postgraduate personal statement is going to shine a light on your personal experience, academic success, personal skills and any other factors that will support your application for further study.

Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:

Your passion and motivations

Studying a postgraduate course usually means you want to specialise in something. So what’s driving you?

Why this course?

Show that you’ve researched the course offering. What is it about this particular course that appeals to you? Is it the lecturers? The modules? Etc.

What makes you a good postgraduate candidate?

Tutors want to know that you can handle postgraduate study, so show them how your undergraduate experiences or work life has equipped you for a more advanced level of study. Key areas to address are research and group work but this can vary depending on your chosen course.

Relevant academic or work experience

Add anything relevant that relates back to your chosen course and shows how your skills will contribute towards your learning. What extra-curricular activities have you taken part in? What awards have you won? What employment or voluntary experience do you have that has helped you develop transferable skills? How do these specifically relate to the course you are applying for?

You should also mention your future plans and how a postgraduate qualification fits in. Try to look beyond your postgraduate study – do you plan to jump straight into a specific career or follow your studies with a research degree? Lastly, use plain, professional English and, where possible, utilise the language of your chosen industry.

Get more information on writing personal statements.

Course in Depth

Year 1 - PG Cert

Caring for People with Long Term Conditions in the General Practice Setting 20 credits

Challenges to Health and the Impact of Inequalities: A General Practice Population Assessment 20 credits

Quality, Strategy and Policy: Issues in General Practice 20 credits

Year 2 - PG Dip

Leadership Skills and Project Management for Health and Healthcare 20 credits

Research: Methods of Enquiry 20 credits

Year 3 - MSc

Research Dissertation 40 or 60 credits

Download course specification

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Course Structure

You can choose to study this programme as a complete pathway award (full or part-time) 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 General Practice Nursing can lead to:

  • Module only Professional Practice (General Practice Nursing) Level 7
  • PG Cert Professional Practice  (General Practice Nursing)
  • PG Dip Professional Practice  (General Practice Nursing)
  • MSc Professional Practice  (General Practice Nursing)

How you will be taught

The pathway will be taught half a day a week across the academic year. A range of online synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning activities will be facilitated by academic and clinical colleagues with extensive experience in primary care.

Online seminars, group activities, formative presentations, moodle and self-directed work will be adopted to facilitate your learning. Personal tutor support will be provided by a member of the module teams.

Additionally, academic support can be accessed from our Academic Development Department and Centre for Academic Success on a self-referral basis, and from our experienced library colleagues.

Employability

diabetes employabilityGraduates of the course will be able to contribute to the growing responsibilities of primary care services and will develop skills in:

  • Technology-enhanced learning
  • Generalist skills and the ability to respond to local population needs
  • Leadership to open opportunities to take up leadership roles within primary care multi-disciplinary teams
  • Research capabilities to open up opportunities to develop clinical academic careers

Facilities & Staff

Our staff

Sue Shortland

Associate Professor – Primary Care

Sue qualified as a registered nurse in 1984 and a registered midwife in 1986. Sue worked for over 20 years in general practice as a general practice nurse and then as an advanced nurse practitioner and non-medical prescriber. Sue joined Birmingham City University in 2008 as a Senior Lecturer on the MSc Advanced Practice Course whilst also...

More about Sue

Dr Chris Inman

Senior Lecturer

Chris is a registered nurse with about 15 years' post-qualifying experience prior to employment in education at the University of Hull and then as Head of Nursing Development at the Open University in Milton Keynes. At Birmingham City University she has many years of experience directing the MSc Advanced Practice/MSc Health Care programmes...

More about Chris