Rural Advanced Practice MSc
Course code B704
What is special about this course?
Are you a nurse or an allied health professional? Do you work in rural, remote and island areas?
Study this unique and specialised MSc Rural Advanced Practice, developed in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland, to become a successful Remote and Rural Advanced Practitioner. Equip yourself to provide quality health care to remote and rural communities while innovating and improving healthcare provision.
Learn from experts at UHI’s Centre for Rural Health Sciences, focusing on clinical practice, leadership and management, education, and research, to provide a fit for purpose approach to rural care in the modern world. On this fully online programme, develop strong supportive relationships with academic staff and supervisors using digital technology and an evidence-based approach.
Be assessed through practice-linked reflection and completion of a course-specific work-based portfolio, developed in collaboration with NHS Education for Scotland. Your development and assessment of clinical competence is via local practice supervision.
Special features
- The MSc Rural Advanced Practice is the first course of its kind in Scotland
- Tap into specialist knowledge of advanced practice and get an understanding of the challenges and rewards of remote and rural practice
- Learn from academic staff who work closely with NHS providers, with up-to-date clinical assessment and prescribing skills
Entry requirements
For the academic year 2025/26, entry to this course is only available to year two (information about an alternative year one entry route is noted below).
You must:
- Be a registered nurse or allied health professional
- Be employed full or part-time in a health, social care, or third sector role in the UK, in a remote, rural or island setting
- Hold current professional registration e.g. Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration or equivalent
- Have a first degree or demonstrate evidence of successful prior study at degree level (SCQF Level 9 or equivalent). Some flexibility may be available in the case of experienced professional applicants applying for this vocational programme
- Be working at advanced practice level with at least a Postgraduate diploma level qualification (level 11) which includes a recordable independent prescribing qualification and advanced clinical assessment module. Applications for RPL are assessed on an individual basis*
- Applicants with a recordable independent prescribing qualification and advanced clinical assessment module at level 9 can apply for RPL by submitting additional academic work enabling an upgrade to a level 11 qualification. Applications for RPL are assessed on an individual basis* Please contact the programme leader, Roland Preston to discuss this further
- An alternative year one entry route is available for applicants who do not yet hold independent prescribing and/or clinical assessment qualifications. Applicants can obtain these qualifications via our MSc Advanced Nurse Practitioner/Professional Practice, please contact the programme leader, Roland Preston, for further information
- NES funding applications for September 2025 entry close on Friday 30th May 2025
- UHI applications for September 2025 entry close on Friday 20th June 2025
English language requirements
- Recognised European or international equivalent qualifications are considered. If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your English language skills, with an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (no element below 6)
Pre-admission, all candidates must provide:
- Academic transcript evidence to confirm previous qualifications and to inform RPL decisions and programme entry point
- Evidence of your current professional registration
- A personal statement detailing their place of work, employing authority and line manager
- Confirmation of appropriate clinical supervision arrangements and details of a practice supervisor who is an appropriately qualified and experienced practitioner with current professional registration
*Please note that if you are applying for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to the MSc Rural Advanced Practice, you will be liable to pay a flat fee of £150 to have your application assessed and processed. This fee only applies to the MSc Rural Advanced Practice, MSc Advanced Nurse Practitioner, and the MSc Advanced Professional Practice, and the university does not charge for RPL towards other courses.
PgCert
For the academic year 2024/25, entry to this course is only available to year two.
PgDip
You will study the following core modules:
- Values and principles of living and working in a remote, rural or island community (S1, 20 credits)
- Improvement science: enhancing quality in health and social care (S2, 20 credits)
- Remote advanced practice portfolio (S1 continuous for 3 semesters, 40 credits)
MSc
You will study the following core modules:
- Major project: innovative solutions (S2, 40 credits)
How will I study my course?
- Part-time (structured)
- You will learn through a combination of video-conference lectures and tutorials, and online study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors
How long will my course last?
- Part-time (structured): 3 years @ 15 hours per week
Number of hours per week indicates the total number of hours you should dedicate to the course, which includes time spent in lectures and your own time spent on individual study and research.
Where can I study my course?
- Centre for Rural Health Sciences, Inverness
- This fully online course can be studied from anywhere in the UK. You will be enrolled and supported by staff at our UHI Centre for Rural Health Sciences in Inverness and Stornoway
Start date
- September
Fees
For all students normally domiciled in the UK, and assessed as such for fee status, the following fees apply:
This includes:
- EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
- EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
- EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| 2023-24 | 2024-25 | |
| Per module (20 credits) | £750 | £750 |
| Postgraduate diploma (RPL (recognition of prior learning) of 60 credits, plus 3 modules (80 credits)) | £3,150 | £3,150 |
| Masters degree (RPL (recognition of prior learning) of 60 credits, plus 3 modules (80 credits) and dissertation (40 credits)) | £4,650 | £4,650 |
This course is not available for international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK, and cannot be studied outside of the UK. For students living in the UK and assessed as international fee status, the following fees will apply:
This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| 2023-24 | 2024-25 | |
| Per module (20 credits) | £1,010 | £1,010 |
| Postgraduate diploma (RPL (recognition of prior learning) of 60 credits, plus 3 modules (80 credits)) | £4,190 | £4,190 |
| Masters degree (RPL (recognition of prior learning) of 60 credits, plus 3 modules (80 credits) and dissertation (40 credits)) | £6,210 | £6,210 |
A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international postgraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.
Funding
10 course places will be funded by NHS Education for Scotland for those currently working within Remote, Rural and Island Primary and NHS Community Care and preferably with existing prescribing and advanced clinical assessment modules. Please complete the NHS Education Scotland funding form or contact RRHEAL@nes.scot.nhs.uk for further information on funding.
Additional costs
Depending on your prior learning, you may need to complete additional courses to meet specific competencies in the Rural Advanced Practice module. The maximum combined cost of these will not exceed £500. Possible required courses include:
- Immediate life support course
- Paediatric immediate life support course
- BASICS pre-hospital care courses
For more information, please contact the programme leader, Roland Preston.
What can I do on completion of my course?
On completion of this course you will be able to work as an advanced healthcare practitioner within remote and rural contexts.
Can I progress into further study?
The University of the Highlands and Islands provides a range of options for further study including doctoral programmes.
Is there more information available online?
You can use the above QR code to connect directly to the course details.
Apply for Rural Advanced Practice MSc
We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.