MSc Specialist Practice (Cancer)

Year of entry: 2024

Overview

Degree awarded
Master of Science
Duration
1 year full-time, 2 or 3 years part-time
Entry requirements

We require a relevant honours first degree (Lower Second or above or equivalent) from an approved higher education institution or evidence of previous study, research or professional experience that the University accepts as qualifying you for entry.

Full entry requirements

How to apply

Applicants must apply using the online application form . Please see the application and selection section for details of specific information we require from you.

We recommend you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MSc Y N N N

Course overview

  • Develop your knowledge and skills in the foundations of cancer care and treatment, enhanced supportive and palliative care, living with and beyond cancer, acute oncology, breast cancer and haematological cancers if you are a nurse or other health professional.
  • Benefit from the combined theoretical and clinical expertise of The University of Manchester and The Christie School of Oncology.
  • Study at a university ranked 6th in the world and 3rd in the UK for Nursing (QS 2022).
  • Choose from a wide range of course units, studying them individually for CPD or build up credits for a postgraduate award.
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MSc Specialist Practice (Cancer)

Open days

For details of the next University Postgraduate open day, visit open days and visits

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £10,500
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £27,500

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for international students for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information, please visit postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Please be aware that you are only eligible for the postgraduate loan for English students if you choose the 1 year full-time or 2 year part-time course.

For part-time routes, full-time fees will be split over two or three years as appropriate.

International fees

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1,000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

For the latest scholarship and bursary information please visit the fees and funding page.

Contact details

School/Faculty
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
Telephone
+44 (0)161 529 4563
Email
Website
https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/nursing/masters/
School/Faculty
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

We require a relevant honours first degree (Lower Second or above or equivalent) from an approved higher education institution or evidence of previous study, research or professional experience that the University accepts as qualifying you for entry.

English language

International students must demonstrate English proficiency through a secure and approved testing system.

We ask for English language proof if you are from non-majority English speaking countries (a list of majority English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Home Office, can be found here ).

Specifically, we require a minimum of:

  • IELTS: 7.0, with a score of 6.5 or above in each component;
  • TOEFL iBT:100 overall (25 in all subscores);
  • GCSE English grade C.

See further information about requirements for your country .

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Relevant work experience

Home/UK applicants should usually have current clinical practice experience at the point of application.

Those studying part-time should continue to practice throughout the duration of their studies. For part-time students completing units with practical components, we require written support from their employer to attend and complete any practice-based components.

International applicants should usually have current clinical practice at the point of application and up to the commencement of the course.

Due to the content of some course units, we require students to demonstrate a satisfactory level of experience in a related clinical area to be eligible to undertake the unit.

Professional entry qualification

We require a health/social work professional qualification relevant to the course, or current registration with relevant professional statutory or equivalent regulatory body.

Application and selection

How to apply

Applicants must apply using the online application form . Please see the application and selection section for details of specific information we require from you.

We recommend you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

International applicants need to be able to reflect on your current/recent practice and demonstrate how your role can develop, enhance or propose change to patient care and service delivery in order to achieve the course aims and individual clinical unit outcomes.

When completing your application, please include the following in the 'Further Information' section of the application form:

  • the focus of your current/recent clinical practice and an overview of your role;
  • your areas of clinical interest and the units you are interested in studying.

Portfolio requirements

UK applicants who do not hold a first degree (or equivalent qualification) may be admitted on the basis of a health/social work professional qualification. You must demonstrate the ability to study at postgraduate level.

If you do not have a first degree, you will be required to undertake a stand-alone level 7 unit to test your ability to study at this level. If successful, this unit would be incorporated into your degree pathway.

Course details

Course description

Our MSc Specialist Practice (Cancer) course is a partnership between The University of Manchester and The Christie School of Oncology aimed at nurses and other health professionals who want to develop their professional skills and clinical practice within oncology.

You will develop an expert knowledge base, higher decision-making skills and professional competencies to deliver care within the integrated multi-professional clinical teams that will form the basis of future healthcare delivery.

The course consists of a wide range of taught generic professional skills and advanced clinical practice units that can be undertaken individually as CPD or as part of a postgraduate qualification.

The MSc can be studied full-time (one year) or part-time, allowing you to fit study around your other commitments. The delivery format of the course has been tailored to offer a large degree of flexibility, making it attractive and accessible to individuals currently working within the NHS both locally and nationally.

Special features

Flexible learning

You can study individual units or the full MSc on a part-time or full-time basis depending on your learning needs and other commitments.

Tailor your course

Choose from a range of course units to suit your own professional and clinical interests within cancer care.

Interdisciplinary learning

Learn from - and alongside - professionals from various fields of health and social care practice.

Combined expertise

You will learn from academic and clinical experts at The University of Manchester - for which cancer is a major research beacon - and The Christie School of Oncology .

Teaching and learning

Our course units are supported by a dedicated team comprising academics, leaders in their fields of research and practice, specialist practitioners, e-learning specialists and professional support staff.

We use a range of teaching and learning methods, including face-to-face, blended and online learning.

The course focuses on an active learning approach and is designed to prompt the discovery, processing and application of knowledge through collaboration and cooperation.

You will draw on your own experiences - both academic and work-based - when learning. The course will promote the construction of understanding through task-related activities and reflection.

We have extensive experience and good practice in online learning, with dedicated e-learning technologists to support you and our staff in making the most of the e-learning platform.

This course does not have a practice placement element.

Find out more by visiting the postgraduate teaching and learning page.

Coursework and assessment

We use a range of assessments throughout the course to assess your knowledge and understanding and to develop your intellectual and practical skills.

Course unit details

You can study individual units as standalone short courses or build up units of study towards a PGCert or PGDip award and undertake a dissertation to complete the MSc award. See the units page for more information.

Postgraduate Certificate in Specialist Practice (Cancer) (PGCert) 60 credits

Choose from a range of specialist units

Post Graduate Diploma (Cancer) 120 credits

Choose from a range of specialist units (90 credits) and one compulsory unit: Advanced Evidence Based Practice (30 credits)

MSc in Specialist Practice (Cancer) 180 credits

After successfully completing the 120 credits for the PGDip, you may be eligible to undertake a dissertation from the options below:

  • full or adapted systematic review;
  • report-based dissertation.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Advanced Evidence Based Practice NURS60045 30 Mandatory
Post Graduate Research Dissertation NURS60046 60 Mandatory
Critical appraisal and evidence synthesis NURS60015 15 Optional
Quantitative design and analysis NURS60016 15 Optional
Qualitative design and analysis NURS60017 15 Optional
Research Design NURS60018 15 Optional
Managing Research in Health and Social Care NURS60020 15 Optional
Principles and Practice of Cancer Care L7 NURS60033 15 Optional
Principles and Practice of Breast Care Nursing NURS60035 30 Optional
Promoting Effective Practice in Supportive and Palliative Care NURS60036 15 Optional
Effective strategies for advanced communication NURS60092 15 Optional
Acute Oncology NURS60093 15 Optional
Lung Cancer NURS60095 15 Optional
Personalised Care and Survivorship NURS60098 15 Optional
Developing Practice and Managing Change NURS60141 15 Optional
Academic Accreditation of Continued Professional Development (CPD) NURS61450 15 Optional
Safe delivery of Systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT) L7 NURS61722 15 Optional
Principles of Haematology Oncology NURS63160 15 Optional
Leadership in Professional Practice NURS63332 15 Optional
Dementia: A Person Centred Approach NURS63570 15 Optional
Reflective Teaching and Learning in Practice NURS67801 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 21 course units

Course collaborators

This MSc is a collaboration between the University and The Christie School of Oncology .

Facilities

The University of Manchester offers extensive library and online services to help you get the most out of your studies.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service .

CPD opportunities

Individual units from this course can be taken as standalone courses for continuing professional development (CPD).

See the nursing, midwifery and social work CPD page for further information.