The Master of Advanced Clinical Practice is a 54-unit course offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences in conjunction with participating hospitals and health agencies.

Admission requirements

Applicants must hold a midwifery or paramedic degree or an equivalent qualification approved by the Faculty Board.  Registered midwives must hold a current practising certificate.

Applicants must also:

  • be able to show that they have at least 3 years full time equivalent practice at advanced practice level in their specialty area.  This must have been achieved within a six year time period;
  • demonstrate a commitment to, and the capacity to contribute to, innovation and leadership within their scope of practice; and
  • provide documentation of employer support necessary to undertake the extended clinical practice components of the course within their workplace or related agencies.

Applicants will be required to provide a portfolio of evidence to enable assessment for admission.

However, the Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Course aims

This course aims to meet the needs of extended midwives and paramedics working in a range of health care settings, by developing skills and knowledge that prepare them for their advanced practice role, within their scope of practice and the context of that practice.

Learning outcomes

Graduates of this course are expected to be able to:

  • have developed extended midwifery/paramedic knowledge and clinical practice skills necessary for the management and provision of effective and comprehensive health care to particular populations of health consumers;
  • integrate and apply the interdisciplinary skills and knowledge that are required to participate effectively in the planning, implementation and management of health care programs and services;
  • have developed an advanced level of understanding in the legal, ethical and political dimensions of practice within the discipline and specialty area of practice; and
  • apply research skills to the resolution and improvement of health outcomes for consumers of clinical and community midwifery/paramedic practice.

Midwives of the course will integrate their learning with the Nursing and Midwifery Board's requirements for endorsed Midwife Practitioners by meeting the required national competency standards for practice.

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Advanced Clinical Practice, a student must complete 54 units with a grade of Pass or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or in 9 units of more, or failure to complete the course within three consecutive years may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University's Policy on Student Progress.

Except with the permission of the Faculty Board:

  • no topic may be attempted more than twice
  • a student may not include a topic which repeats work previously undertaken
  • the program must be completed full-time in three consecutive semesters or part-time in six consecutive semesters. 

Core - Year 1 & 2 topics

49.5 units comprising:

MMED9110  Principles of Pharmacology and Therapeutics  (4.5 units)
MMED9111  Pharmacology for Advanced Professional Practice  (4.5 units)
NURS9117  Advanced Clinical Practice  (9 units)
NURS9120  Evidence-based Clinical Practice  (4.5 units)
NURS9125  Population Health  (4.5 units)
NURS9127  Diagnostics for Advanced Practice  (9 units)
NURS9128  Transition to Advanced Practice  (9 units)
NURS9621  Epidemiology for Health Care Practice  (4.5 units)

Elective topics

plus a 4.5-unit topic selected from postgraduate topics offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. The topic must be appropriate to the student's intended area of advanced practice.

Upon completion of the course, midwifery graduates are eligible to apply to their midwifery regulatory authority to practice as a Midwifery Practitioner.

Upon completion of the course, paramedic graduates are eligible to apply for advanced paramedic positions such as Extended Care Paramedics and Advanced Flight Paramedics.