Our Degree Apprenticeship MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner provides an exciting opportunity for those working as experienced, registered, health professionals to develop in their advanced clinical practice roles.

The MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner studied as a Degree Apprenticeship is a research rich, experientially focused award for those in employment as a trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner (or equivalent). The programme is a work-based learning award and as such, places an emphasis on developing and applying the knowledge, skills and behaviours required for a successful career in your advanced practice role. Your employer is responsible for initiating entry onto this programme. As an apprentice on this course your learning will be tailored to your needs, which will be identified in partnership with your employer and the university.

Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) are recognised as autonomous specialists who manage complete episodes of care, working across what are deemed traditional professional boundaries to enhance the patient journey and develop clinical practice. Driven by the NHS (National Health Service) Long Term Plan (2019) and the NHS People Plan (2020), advanced clinical practice is considered the cornerstone of healthcare service redesign and delivery and is supported in the 2023 NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

The Degree Apprenticeship MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner award is designed to meet the requirements of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Integrated degree) standard. The programme is aligned to the Health Education England (HEE) Multiprofessional framework for advanced clinical practice in England (2017). Its design draws on the NHS England Centre for Advancing Practice (CfAP) Standards for Education and Training (SETS) (2020) and Workplace Supervision for Advanced Clinical Practice (2021). This degree apprenticeship programme is designed for healthcare professionals that hold a qualifying professional registration and are employed as a trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner (or equivalent). As an employer-initiated apprenticeship, full employer support to undertake this study is essential (Employers should pay particular attention to the Employer-led Learning and Application and Recruitment information of these pages). A practice portfolio developed throughout your studies will document your apprenticeship development across all 4 pillars of advanced practice (Clinical, Leadership and Management, Education, and Research), enabling you to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) of the apprenticeship standard within your own area of practice. The practice portfolio uses nationally recognised curriculums when studying one of our bracketed named awards, or bespoke capabilities guided by your employer where no framework currently exists.