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Advanced Professional Practice (Negotiated Specialism) MA/MSc/PGCert

A flexible part-time course taught via distance learning that can help you make improvements in your organisation in the health, education or social care sectors
Code
MA: PGW99Z
MSc: PGW99S
PGCert: PGX99Z
Start
September 2024
Duration
MA/MSc: 12-18 months
PGCert: 12-week semester
Attendance
Part-time Distance Learning
Fees
£9,000 (UK) *
£14,000 (INT) *
Course leader
Ruth Miller

These negotiated professional practice work-based learning programmes are purposely flexible and are designed to be responsive to the changing work force development needs of the health, social care and education sectors and to the professional development needs of individual practitioners.

Why choose MA/MSc/PGCert Advanced Professional Practice (Negotiated Specialism) at Middlesex?

This is a flexible, work-based route to gaining a postgraduate qualification in professional practice, that can be customised to meet your needs and those of your workplace.

It is ideal for those who have completed previous accredited activity/qualifications/CPD as well as for those who have significant prior experience of work in the health, social care and education sectors.

We'll support you to reflect and build on your prior experience and experiential learning.

You'll also have the opportunity to design and lead a work-based project that has the potential to transform your own practice and that of others.

What you will gain

You will gain a postgraduate qualification in an area of specialist practice. After you complete the course, you'll be able to critically evaluate practice or organisational issues and apply creative problem-solving techniques, advanced inquiry and action planning. You'll be able to effectively engage, and communicate with relevant stakeholders and academic audiences, and take responsibility and leadership for practice/service development initiatives.

Finally, you will learn to critically reflect and evaluate your own practice and systematically plan professional development.

3 great reasons to pick this course

  • Flexible study options
    This course gives you the ability to design your own course and specialist award title. Choose between MA, MSc or PGCert
  • Expert teaching staff
    Learn from subject specialists and experienced tutors to develop your advanced professional skills and knowledge
  • Personalised support
    Dedicated support through graduate academic assistants, personal tutors, and peer communities of learning.

Find out more

Sign up now to receive more information about studying at Middlesex University London.

Our negotiated professional practice work-based learning courses are flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the health, social care and education sectors, and to the professional development needs of individual practitioners.

Throughout this course, you'll develop your knowledge and critical understanding of theoretical concepts that can be applied to give new insight into real work contexts and complex issues.

You'll study ethical principles, values and codes of practice and explore how these can be critically applied to your practice and that of others. You'll also explore the influence of current policy, organisational context, quality imperatives and workplace priorities on practice development.

You'll also explore relevant methodologies and improvement strategies for developing practice/service in health, social care and education settings.

This course is delivered entirely online through distance learning.

MA/MSc modules

All modules are delivered through online distance learning.

  • Modules - Compulsory

    • Advanced Personal & Professional Development (10 credits)

      This module is designed to enable you to critically evaluate your personal and professional development needs as a part of your programme. The goal will be to create a professional development portfolio in which you critically reflect on your development and critically discuss its relevance to the aims and needs of your studies and your practice in the workplace. You will critically reflect on your current practice and create planning for future continued professional development when considering your own work/practice context and practice. The professional development portfolio will facilitate an investigation of your unique professional experience and context to enable you to decide on your own priorities and goals, and to develop a future strategy for achieving these. There will be an opportunity to reflect on the way learning has contributed to current work practice, and to evaluate the contribution of professional engagement with peers and professionals.

    • Advanced Work Based Project (60 credits)

      This module is a culmination of your Masters study and provides the opportunity to synthesise professional and academic learning. It will support you to undertake a substantial work based project that is designed to develop your own professional practice and address a practice, organisational or service issue that you have already identified in your workplace or professional field. Building on your understanding of advanced practitioner inquiry methodologies, you will be encouraged to consider improvement and leadership strategies to support the successful management of your project with the potential to deliver real outcomes that can transform practice.

    • Advanced Practitioner Inquiry (30 credits)

      This module is designed to develop your understanding of a range of advanced inquiry and research methodologies appropriate for practitioners, in order to design a real work based project or practice development activity that has clear objectives related to your own professional development or the development of practice in your setting. you will be expected to focus on specific service, organisational or practice related issues and take initiative and leadership. It will explore approaches to advanced practitioner inquiry and innovative research methods appropriate for your area of practice. It will enable critical reflection upon your position as a ‘practitioner or insider researcher’ and the ethical implications that could arise during the project.

  • Modules - Optional

    • Advanced Review of Learning with Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) (10 credits)

      The aim of this module is for you to review and reflect on past and current learning experiences, and your ongoing professional development. This module will allow you to undertake tasks that develop the skills of reflection and critical analysis that are necessary for study at level 7. The module will also engage you in a process of recognising experiential and certificated learning leading to accreditation of learning, which gives individuals access to the full range of postgraduate University awards.

    • Small work based project (30 credits)

      This module will support your to undertake a small work based project or activity that is designed to systematically develop areas of your own and/or others professional practice. You will plan, carry out and evaluate a small project and critically discuss the learning gained, as well as outcomes of the project for your area of practice and setting. The focus of the projects are negotiated and can be related to individual or team practice development aims. As these small projects are not usually research based it is not envisaged that formal ethical approval will be required. However relevant workplace permissions will still need to be gained.

    • Small work based project (20 credits)

      This module will support your to undertake a small work based project or activity that is designed to systematically develop areas of your own and/or others professional practice. You will plan, carry out and evaluate a small project and critically discuss the learning gained, as well as outcomes of the project for your area of practice and setting. The focus of the projects are negotiated and can be related to individual or team practice development aims. As these small projects are not usually research based it is not envisaged that formal ethical approval will be required. However relevant workplace permissions will still need to be gained.

    • Small work based project (15 credits)

      This module will support your to undertake a small work based project or activity that is designed to systematically develop areas of your own and/or others professional practice. You will plan, carry out and evaluate a small project and critically discuss the learning gained, as well as outcomes of the project for your area of practice and setting. The focus of the projects are negotiated and can be related to individual or team practice development aims. As these small projects are not usually research based it is not envisaged that formal ethical approval will be required. However relevant workplace permissions will still need to be gained.

PGCert modules

  • Modules - either of the following:

    • Small work based project (20 credits)

      This module will support your to undertake a small work based project or activity that is designed to systematically develop areas of your own and/or others professional practice. You will plan, carry out and evaluate a small project and critically discuss the learning gained, as well as outcomes of the project for your area of practice and setting. The focus of the projects are negotiated and can be related to individual or team practice development aims. As these small projects are not usually research based it is not envisaged that formal ethical approval will be required. However relevant workplace permissions will still need to be gained.

    • Small work based project (30 credits)

      This module will support your to undertake a small work based project or activity that is designed to systematically develop areas of your own and/or others professional practice. You will plan, carry out and evaluate a small project and critically discuss the learning gained, as well as outcomes of the project for your area of practice and setting. The focus of the projects are negotiated and can be related to individual or team practice development aims. As these small projects are not usually research based it is not envisaged that formal ethical approval will be required. However relevant workplace permissions will still need to be gained.

To find out more about this course, please download the Advanced Professional Practice (Negotiated Specialism) MA/MSc specification (PDF).

To find out more about the PGCert, please download the Advanced Professional Practice (Negotiated Specialism) PGCert specification (PDF).

How we'll teach you

The course is taught entirely through online distance learning. Modules are supported through an online approach, involving online workshops, supported online peer interaction, tutor support and guided self-study.

Most modules run over 12-week semesters, from October to January or January to May. The final project module runs over 2 semesters.

The course is delivered by our experienced academics and industry partners in person and via digital platforms.

Where will I study?

This is a distance learning course, you can study from anywhere with an internet connection.

Timetable

Your part-time course timetable will balance your study commitments on campus with time for work, life commitments and independent study.

We aim to make timetables available to students at least 2 weeks before the start of term. Some weeks are different due to how we schedule classes and arrange on-campus sessions.

Teaching vs independent study

In a typical year, you’ll spend about 600 hours on your course.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework and presentations.

Part-time study

This course is only offered on a part-time basis and students must be in work.

Academic support

We have a strong support network online and on campus to help you develop your academic skills. We offer one-to-one and group sessions to develop your learning skills together with academic support from our library, IT teams and learning experts.

Coursework and assessments

All modules are assessed through coursework that is directly relevant to your own practice and work context. Key assessment requirements are:

  • Structured reflection on professional development
  • Designing a project proposal
  • Undertaking a practitioner inquiry/work-based project
  • Producing a project written report and seminar presentation.

Feedback

You'll evaluate your work, skills and knowledge and identify areas for improvement. Sometimes you'll work in groups and assess each other's progress.

Each term, you'll get regular feedback on your learning.

Facilities

The Sheppard Library

Our library is open 24 hours a day during the term and includes:

  • Over 1,000 study areas with rooms for group study and over 600 computer spaces
  • 350,000 books and e-books and more than 24,000 online journals
  • Free laptop loans, Wi-Fi and printing.

Student support

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Financial support

You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.

We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.

How can the MA/MSc/PGCert Advanced Professional Practice (Negotiated Specialism) support your career?

As this course gives you the skills and experience you need to apply directly to your current service or practice, the range of projects can vary. Below are just some examples of previous student projects:

  • Improving compliance to clinical guidelines (2016)
  • Developing strategies to improve workforce retention across North London Clinical commissioning groups (2016-19)
  • Developing a Direct Referral pathway into the Camden Rapid Response Team (2018)
  • Production of a toolkit for disseminating learning from Mental Health homicides for NHS England (2017).

Our university's postgraduate courses have been recognised for their ability to support your career.

95% of our postgraduate students go on to work or further study – Graduate Outcomes, 2022.

Career progression

Past students tell us how the MSc and their work-based project in particular has helped their career progression and promotion. e.g. promotion to Consultant midwife.

Career paths

Some of the roles our graduates have gone on to work in include consultant midwife, chief executive of a housing trust and bereavement lead for a large NHS trust. Previous students have worked for NHS trusts, local authorities, and large charities, and become self-employed therapists and education consultants.

MDXWorks

MDXworks, our employability service, will help you make the most of your experience and connections to achieve your career goals. You'll have unlimited access to one-to-one advice and support from specialists in your sector plus 24/7 online support. You can also make the most of events and networking opportunities, on and off campus.

Global alumni network

You’ll be studying with students from 122 countries who’ll become part of your personal global network. You'll learn how to work with a global mindset and make invaluable connections on your course for your chosen industry.

  1. UK entry
  2. International entry
  3. How to apply

The fees below are for the 2023/24 academic year:

UK students1

September 2024

Part-time students £63 per taught credit.

Part-time students: £30 per dissertation credit

January 2025

Part-time students: £63 per taught credit

Part-time students: £28 per dissertation credit

PGCert

Part-time students: £63 per taught credit

International students2

September 2024

Part-time students: £63 per taught credit

Part-time students: £59 per dissertation credit

January 2025

Part-time students: £63 per taught credit

Part-time students: £54 per dissertation credit

PGCert

Part-time students: £63 per taught credit

The following study tools are included in your fees:

  • Free access to the resources, learning materials and software you need to succeed on your course
  • Free laptop loans for up to 24 hours
  • Free printing for academic paperwork
  • Free online training with LinkedIn Learning.

Financial support

We offer lots of support to help you with fees and living costs. Check out our guide to student life on a budget and find out more about postgraduate funding.

Postgraduate scholarships

You may be eligible for one of our scholarships including:

  • The Alumni Postgraduate Award – for all UK/EU Middlesex alumni a 20% fee reduction
  • The Commonwealth Scholarship – full course fees, airfares and a living allowance
  • The Chevening Scholarship – full course fees
  • The European Academic Awards – £1000 to £7000 for students showing academic excellence
  • Regional or International Merit Award –up to £2,000 towards course fees.

For international students, we also have a limited number of other awards specific to certain regions, and work in partnership with funding providers in your country to help support you financially with your study.

Find out more about our postgraduate scholarships.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase postgraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

Ruth Miller
Associate Professor

Ruth is the Director of Programmes for Accreditation, RPL and Work-Based Learning across the School of Health and Education. She has extensive experience across FE and HE developing programmes in response to workforce development needs across the sector. She has a particular interest in the recognition of students experiential learning and developing their project skills to lead real practice development.

Dr Elda Nikolou-Walker
Senior Lecturer


We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

Other courses

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Start: September 2024

Duration: 2-3 (max 5) years part-time

Code: PGB70Y

Mental Health and Substance Use (Dual Diagnosis) MSc

Start: September 2024

Code: PGB70C

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