Course summary

This is an interprofessional, e-Learning programme, intended for healthcare professionals wishing to specialise in acute care or critical care, and those who teach within such settings. It provides opportunities to explore critical care as a multidimensional phenomenon, through the teaching and module assignments. The MSc Critical Care is an interprofessional, international, e-Learning programme for healthcare professionals who want to specialise in the field of acute or critical care. The MSc in Critical Care aims to facilitate learners to explore acute and critical care as a multidimensional phenomenon, which as such needs to be managed through multidisciplinary initiatives. These initiatives must be based on specialist knowledge, rigorous research and an advanced understanding of the concepts involved. Critical care is the specialised and comprehensive care of patients whose conditions are life threatening, from pre-hospital assessment through to discharge from critical and acute care environments. By studying on this programme, students should expect to explore current thinking in relation to the care and management of acute and critically ill patients. The final dissertation requires students to examine in-depth issues related to current practice of this patient group. The course also aims to inform those who teach within the critical care setting at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels to further their knowledge and teach others more effectively. The MSc course takes two years to complete, although you can choose to exit with a Postgraduate Certificate after nine months or a Postgraduate Diploma after 18 months if you have fulfilled all the criteria for those awards. The taught component introduces you to the multifaceted nature of caring for a critically ill patient. The modular approach allows you to evaluate care of the acute or critically ill patient from an evidence-based perspective, at any point on the patient’s journey (pre-hospital to discharge and rehabilitation), allowing consideration from a multi-professional approach. Professional issues, including leadership, law, ethics, quality and safety maybe studied, as well as the psychosocial aspects relevant to caring for critically ill patients. The assessments are structured to allow students to evaluate the topic in relation to their practice and professional base. Please note this is an academic programme with no “practical” teachings. Approximately 50 places are offered per intake and the majority of students are self-funded; although some obtain awards from charities, societies and trusts.