Community Specialist Practice MSc PGDip

Course structure

The course is delivered in a variety of ways, and is flexible enough to meet the needs of part-time students. Delivery is typically via e-learning, lectures, seminars, workbooks for work-based learning and simulation in our state-of-the-art Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite and Flexible Learning Environment.

You will be allocated practice placements by your employing trust, and assigned a dedicated tutor to support your learning in practice. You will also undertake a period of alternative practice during which you can spend a week in another practice environment, to diversify your skills and experience base.

A variety of learning and teaching strategies are used including problem-based and work-based learning. You need to be highly motivated and be prepared to actively engage with all aspects of your learning.

Public health roles are diverse, and flexibility in the course gives you the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to suit your personal and professional ambitions.

With the guidance of a tutor, you will set out a professional development plan (PDP) from the initial interview, which will be reviewed throughout the course. The PDP helps to integrate your personal areas of advancement with the existing requirements of the knowledge and skills framework. It also serves as evidence of your expanded skill set in order to boost your future employability.

School of Health Sciences postgraduate education
This course is part of our School of Health Sciences postgraduate education programme. The programme allows you to sign up for one module at a time and build your qualification as you go. It also gives you access to interdisciplinary modules across a broad selection of health and social science subjects.

The PDP also ensures that your needs are assessed on an ongoing basis and adjustments made accordingly, particularly useful if an extended part-time route is taken.

You will be supported throughout your course and placements by a practice teacher and mentors. An exciting variety of learning approaches are utilised in the course, which can be tailored to your preferred learning styles.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through our applicant portal.

Areas of study

A central mandatory module within the course relates to practice development – an essential skill for specialist practitioners. 

The optional modules allow you to focus your practice assignment work on areas which benefit your career.

You will benefit from sharing skills and knowledge with a range of speciality nurses, and be able to nurture an intra-professional collaboration. Programmes have been designed to include modules in which learning is shared with students from other disciplines and, where possible, other professions.

On completion of the course, you will have studied and practised:

• assessing risk in complex situations
• developing effective relationships based on trust and openness
• working flexibly with other services in a range of settings
• dealing with conflicting priorities and ambiguous situations
• knowing when to use, different and sometimes contradictory theories and perspectives.

Syllabus

Research Methods
This module, shared with other students in the graduate programme, facilitates the development of knowledge and skills required to inform evidence-based practice, and prepares students for completion of a dissertation.

Research Evidence in Practice
This is a practice-based module focusing on the evidence underpinning clinical practice and theory – practice relationships.

Transforming Practice: the challenges of change
The aim of this module is to develop practitioners who will take a lead role in the management and development of effective strategies for health and social care interventions. This module is shared across the community nursing programmes with level 6 students.

Nurse Prescribing from the Community Nurse Prescribers Formulary
This module is mandatory for those undertaking the Nursing in the Home / District Nursing pathway.

In addition to the core modules mentioned above, you can choose from a wide choice of optional modules which allow you to study topics of personal and professional interest, including:

• Leadership and Management 
• Practising Public Health
• Assessing Individuals and Families
• Practice Development through Work-based Learning
• Investigating Health and Social Care.

Facilities 

Location

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Falmer campus