Overview

Advance your career in health and social care with a master’s qualification that strengthens your clinical practice, leadership and research skills.

Around the world, health and social care services are increasingly working together to better support individuals, families and communities. As expectations of professional practice continue to evolve, the need for master’s-level qualifications for registered health and social care practitioners is becoming more evident.

Designed for registered practitioners, our MSc Advanced Practice helps you build on your existing expertise. You will learn to apply your knowledge critically in areas such as:

clinical assessment
analysis and insight
research

The course places service users and carers at the centre of clinical practice. You will critically examine how their perspectives can inform policy and enhance practice, while strengthening your professional skills in leadership and communication.

You will graduate prepared to step into advanced roles across the NHS, public and independent sectors with confidence.

You can complete the MSc Advanced Practice as a general degree, or choose to specialise in one of six specialist pathways.

Paramedicine Pathway

This page provides information about the Paramedicine pathway, one of six pathways available within our MSc Advanced Practice.

Please note: The Paramedicine pathway is available as a full-time or part-time study option, making it suitable for working professionals.

The MSc Advanced Practice (Paramedicine) pathway offers the opportunity for you to develop your career as a paramedic with an in-demand qualification offering advanced learning to underpin safe and effective practice.

While designed for paramedics, this course is also open to nurses, medics and allied health professionals working within paramedic services, supporting multidisciplinary career development.

This course recognises that advanced practitioners from a paramedicine background must demonstrate high-level decision-making and problem-solving skills in complex clinical situations. It requires advanced scholarship to underpin safe and effective practice when caring for the population.

Your masters experience will be focused on the four pillars of Advanced Practice:

Clinical Practice
Facilitation of Learning
Leadership
Evidence, Research and Development.

This approach recognises the variety and depth of the Paramedic role and its rapid evolution into a range of healthcare settings.

The course places service users and carers at the centre of advanced practice development. You will critically examine how their perspectives inform policy and practice development, while strengthening core professional skills like leadership and communication.

As part of the MSc Advanced Practice framework, you will be able to select from a wide range of modules to suit your personal, professional and employment goals.

Further details and information on additional pathways can be found on the MSc Advanced Practice course page.

Why study Advanced Practice (Paramedicine) at GCU?

We address the diverse needs of learners and employing organisations, creating strong links to future paramedic career pathways.
Proven record of delivering MSc education for paramedics in Scotland, taught by subject matter experts across the four pillars of practice.
Strong links with the Royal College of Paramedics support the development of paramedic advanced practice across the UK.
Learn in a dynamic interprofessional environment alongside a range of other healthcare professionals.
A flexible approach supports clinicians to balance study with their employed roles.

What you will study

We aim to display the most up-to-date information possible.

The modules listed on this page and the Programme Specification are intended to give you an idea of what you may be able to study on this course. Please note that course content, modules, teaching and assessment may change each year and after you have accepted your offer to study at GCU. This might be because we are required to do so by law, by a governmental authority, regulator or accrediting body. We may also make changes for quality assurance reasons, or to enhance the course.

Modules

Core modules

Advanced Research Methods

Dissertation

Optional modules

Advanced Leadership for Health & Social Care Practitioners

Principles of Practice in Medical Ultrasound

Work-Based Advanced Skills and Innovative Practices 1

Work-Based Advanced Skills and Innovative Practices 2

Developing Advanced Practice

Advanced Assessment and Management of Illness and Injury

Prescribing for Healthcare Practitioners

Social Action Approaches in Public Health

Applied Pathophysiology for Advancing Professional Practice

Infection Prevention & Control in a Global Context

Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice

Advancing Practice in Neurological Rehabilitation

Advancing Professional Practice

General Medical Ultrasound

Recognition and Management of the Acutely Unwell Adult

Advanced Clinical Assessment and Decision Making in Acute and Primary Care

Clinical Investigations

Human Movement and MSK Analysis

Supporting Anticipatory Care for Long Term Conditions

Diabetes Care - A Multi Professional Approach

Pathophysiology and Chronic Complications of Diabetes

The Lower Limb and Foot in Diabetes - Evaluation of Risk

Nutrition and Lifestyle Management of Diabetes

Topics in Diabetes Care and Management

Non-Medical Cystoscopy Theoretical Preparation

Artificial Intelligence for Health and Social Care Practitioners (L11)

Careers

The MSc Advanced Practice offers three exit awards (MSc, PgD and PgC) allowing flexible progression that aligns with your professional goals. Completion of the course supports progression into advanced and specialist roles, with increased responsibility and influence.

As a graduate, you will be prepared to practise at an advanced level within your specialism. Graduates typically progress their careers in the NHS, the UK private healthcare sector, or in their home countries.

Through the development of advanced skills, you’ll be ready to:

lead interprofessional teams
influence policy and practice development
support service improvement
design and deliver educational initiatives within your organisation.

Graduates from the Paramedicine pathway have gone on to work in roles across:

NHS Health boards
GP practices
palliative care environments
specialist ambulance service roles
ambulance service
AP roles in operations and as clinical advisors
critical care roles
healthcare charities.

Course information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
MSc	Part time	3-5 years	Jan 28	Glasgow	Enquire
Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
MSc	Part time	3-5 years	Sep 27	Glasgow	Enquire
Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
MSc	Full time	1 year	Sep 27	Glasgow	Enquire
Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
MSc	Part time	3-5 years	Jan 27	Glasgow	Enquire Apply

Please note that admission to GCU is considered on a competitive basis, and the academic entry requirements stated here may be the minimum required to be eligible for an offer.

International students can get information on entry requirements specific to their country in our International Study section.

Minimum academic requirement

UK Honours degree 2:2 (or equivalent) in Paramedicine. Nursing or an Allied Health profession will be considered.

If you completed your degree within the last two years, please provide a professional reference. If your qualification is a BSc (non-Honours), please provide an academic reference.

English language requirement

IELTS score of 6.5 (or equivalent) with no element below 6.0.

Additional information for international applicants

Entry requirements by country
Application deadlines
English language tests
Knowledge of English - Applicants from a majority English speaking country may not be required to provide further proof of your English language proficiency. Information about this requirement is available on the Student Visa section of the gov.uk website.

Additional information for all applicants

Relevant experience (Recognition of Prior Learning)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course.

If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme.

Part-time study

This pathway is available as a part-time study option, making it suitable for working professionals to study over three to five years. You’ll be able to build your award gradually, combining modules across trimesters to suit your schedule and career development. You will steadily progress from PgCert to PgDip and finally MSc, alongside your work commitments.

Teaching methods

We emphasise a student‑centred, practice‑led approach, moving away from traditional teaching. You will be encouraged to take an active role in your learning, developing the critical thinking, clinical reasoning and decision‑making skills essential for safe and effective advanced paramedic practice.

Our teaching methods ensure the course is both professionally and academically relevant by reflecting the real demands of paramedic practice and expectations of healthcare employers.

Assessment methods

Assessment at GCU is designed to help you develop key academic skills within a practical context, strengthening your ability to operate effectively within contemporary health and social care environments.

You will develop and demonstrate:

leadership skills
apply evidence-based practice to your work
critically reflect on potential improvements informed by global evidence.

Guest lectures

You will have the opportunity to attend guest lectures hosted by industry experts. These sessions offer valuable insight and build your professional confidence.

Collaborative learning

Our teaching is enriched through collaboration with more than 43 centres worldwide in the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery, bringing international expertise and real‑world insight directly into your learning experience.

Interprofessional Simulation Centre

Our Interprofessional Simulation Centre is a state-of-the-art teaching facility where health and social care students learn through realistic, hands-on experience. It includes lifelike hospital wards, simulated home and care environments, an ambulance and specialist spaces such as X‑ray, radiotherapy and physiotherapy clinics.

Using real healthcare equipment, advanced patient manikins and video recording, you'll be able to safely practise real-life situations and review your learning. The Centre supports nursing, paramedic, allied health and social care training.

ISC Recording: We use video and audio recording of students during practical exercises in our teaching and assessment. Students applying to study health related courses should be aware that there will be times when they will be recorded and these recordings may be viewed by programme staff, students, and external examiners for learning and assessment. This is not an optional component of the course.

Download the programme specification

In addition to the core modules that all students must undertake, some courses offer students a choice from a selection of optional modules to shape the focus of their degree. Optional modules where available, form part of the overall credit structure of the course.

Download the programme specification for a detailed breakdown of the course structure, including modules, what you'll learn and other useful information.

Terms and Conditions

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.