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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Masters
5. Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery)

Course Fact File

Code	MSCANM
Duration	2 Years Part-time
Teaching Mode	Part-Time
Qualifications	MSc
NFQ Level	Level 9
Closing Date	Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date	Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date	8 September 2025

Course Outline

Our MSc in Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery) programme is designed to prepare nurses and midwives to practice at a higher level of capability in independent, autonomous, and expert practice, that is innovative, flexible, and patient-centred. The programme also prepares students for their role as clinical and professional leaders with a commitment to the dissemination of evidence-based knowledge and the instruction of others.

The clinical learning and preparation for advanced nursing and midwifery practice is addressed on both a theoretical and practice level and includes the required content for registration as a nurse midwife prescriber of medicinal products. The programme seeks to develop the leadership capacity of participants with professional and clinical leadership underpinning the theoretical and clinical aspects of the programme.

This MSc in Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery) is a 2-year programme, approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland, involving academic and practice learning and assessment. The programme is designed to recognise relevant prior learning of applicants and includes a number of exit routes for those who have completed learning towards registration as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Midwife Practitioner previously. Our aim, through the delivery of this programme, is to facilitate the needs of the students, whilst promoting excellence in nursing or midwifery practice and leadership.

Modules

Year 1 (60 credits)

• GP6002 Systematic Approach to Assessing and Evaluating Patients (10 credits)
• NU5048 Professional, Ethical, Legal and Communication Issues Informing Nurse and Midwife Prescribing and Clinical Practicum (10 credits)
• PF5011  Holistic Approach to Prescribing Medicinal Products and Clinical Practicum (10 credits)
• MH6014 Advanced Research Methods for Healthcare Professionals (10 credits)
• NU6162 Decision Making, and Advanced Practice Professional roles (10 credits)
• NU6163 Leadership, Quality Improvement and Governance for Advanced Practice (10 credits)

Year 2 (50 credits)

• NU6160 Dissertation for Advanced Practice Nursing (30 credits)
• NU6161 Advanced Practice Clinical Practicum (20 credits)

Course Practicalities

This programme uses a blended learning approach employing a number of teaching modalities including classroom, online, workshops, clinical instruction and clinical practice. Each 10-credit module involves 200 hours of engagement and can be divided between classroom, clinical skills instruction, online activity and independent learning. There will be up to 40 hours of directed learning such as required reading, e-tivities, group activities per module.

Students need to engage in self-directed independent learning as part of each module. In Year 1 students complete 60 credits and this includes preparation for registration as a Nurse Midwife Prescriber of Medicinal Products with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). In Year 2 students complete a dissertation under the guidance of allocated research supervisors. Clinical learning is supported through an individualised learning plan and assessed by a Clinical Supervisor in practice. Students must complete a minimum of 500 hours of supervised practice in preparation for registration as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Midwife Practitioner with the NMBI. 

Fitness to Practise

This programme is subject to the University's Fitness to Practise Policy.

Why Choose This Course

The MSc in Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery) at UCC is a Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) approved programme for the preparation of participants for registration as Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Midwife Practitioners in Ireland. This programme is designed in accordance with the NMBI requirements and standards for advanced nursing practice educational programmes (NMBI, 2017) and NMBI requirements and standards for advanced midwife practitioner programmes (NMBI, 2018) and  in the preparation of nurses and midwives for a role in advanced clinical practice, leadership, quality and scholarship.

The programme has also embedded learning to meet the requirements for registration as a nurse/midwife prescriber of medicinal products with NMBI. A balance between theoretical and clinical learning ensures the holistic development of participants as senior clinicians, clinical and professional leaders and scholars. The flexibility of the programme at UCC ensures that students with relevant prior learning have a number of exit routes from the programme, recognising a life-long learning approach to learning development of the competence and skill as an advanced nurse practitioner and as an advanced midwife practitioner.

Top 50 Nursing School in the World

The School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, has been ranked within the top 50 nursing schools in the world, according to the QS global subject rankings. The school provides a world-class environment for cutting-edge research to prepare tomorrow’s nurses to shape and advance health care practices through research and education. Within UCC’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, researchers are addressing global challenges, including the growing burden of diseases, nurse workforce requirements, population ageing, and sustainable approaches to healthcare and health promotion and our teaching staff are at the forefront of these developments.

Placement or Study Abroad Information

Students will continue to practice in their own practice setting. Clinical placement is an essential element of this programme from both a nurse/midwife prescribing of medicinal products perspective and development of advanced nursing practice or advanced midwifery practice perspective and for the most part this is usually facilitated in the student’s own practice area and setting. There are opportunities to identify clinical placements outside of your own practice site as part of an individualised learning plan. Sometimes these can be national and international and should be negotiated with the student’s clinical supervisor, employer and the course coordinator.

Skills and Careers Information

This programme will enable students to develop skills and competence in advanced clinical practice, clinical leadership and scholarship. Students who successfully complete this programme will be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse/Midwife Prescriber and a Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner or a Registered Advanced Midwife Practitioner with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI). This will open career opportunities in expansion of clinical practice in current or future roles as well as in advanced nursing or midwifery practice.

Requirements

Applicants for the MSc in Advanced Practice (Nursing/Midwifery) must meet the following requirements:

• Have a minimum of a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8, or equivalent) in Nursing or Midwifery or equivalent.
• Hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
• The candidate must have three years’ recent post registration clinical experience in nursing/midwifery (within the past 5 years) with the equivalent of one-year full-time experience in the specific area of practice.
• Provide evidence of support from an employer and a completed Site Declaration Form Site Declaration Form MSc Advanced Practice Nursing 2022 signed by the Director of Nursing or Midwifery/Public Health/ authorised Nurse or Midwife Manager. This must contain confirmation of a designated medical practitioner mentor and/or Advanced Nurse or Midwife Practitioner mentor who will provide supervision, support and learning opportunities, including opportunities to practice under supervision to gain the required competencies and clinical competence to practice at an advanced level in nursing.
• If required to complete the Nurse/Midwife Prescribing of Medicinal Products part of the programme, provide nomination and confirmation of a designated medical practitioner/mentor (completed Site Self-Declaration Form 2023 MSCANM Medic Prescribing Form, signed by the Medical Practitioner/Mentor) who will provide the student with supervision, support and opportunities including shadowing opportunities to gain the required competencies for nurse/midwife prescribing in their practice area/organisation. 

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

Deferrals

Deferrals are not permitted on this course.

Additional Requirements 

1. Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme and includes the following:
2. You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.
3. In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.
4. Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.
5. Please upload certification of current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI).
6. Please upload a letter from your employer confirming you have a minimum of 3 years post-registration experience completed within the past 5 years.
7. A Site Declaration form is required by all applicants; 2023 Site Declaration Form MSc APN
8. If you are required to complete the Nurse/Midwife Prescribing of Medicinal Products part of the programme as per entry requirement 5, an additional site declaration form is required: 2023 MSCANM Medic Prescribing Form

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

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