Critical Care (MSc)
Provided by Cardiff University School of Medicine
About the course
Admissions criteria
In order to be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.
With your online application you will need to provide:
- A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject area such as healthcare, nursing, or medicine, or an equivalent international degree. If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
- A copy of your IELTS certificate with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or evidence of an accepted equivalent. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
- Evidence that you are currently registered with the professional body relevant to your profession.
- Evidence that you are working in a clinical area that is relevant to the programme and will continue to be for the full duration of your studies. Evidence of your employment can be provided in the form of a signed and dated employer reference. Evidence of your employment can be provided in the form of a signed and dated employer reference. Please note that if your relevant clinical employment ceases the University reserves the right to withdraw you from the programme. (Please refer to the University regulations on 'Fitness to Practise’ for further information).
- Within the Personal statement section of the application, please answer the following questions:
- Please provide exact details of your current employment including the department, organisation and line manager contact details.
- Are you working in a clinical area related to the acute or critically ill patient?
If you do not have a degree in a relevant area, your application may be considered on the basis of a minimum of two years relevant professional experience. Please provide additional evidence to support your application such as signed and dated employer references.
Application Deadline
The application deadline is 31 July. Applications received after the deadline will only be considered if places are still available.
Selection process
We will review your application and if you meet all of the entry requirements, we will make you an offer.
Find out more about English language requirements .
Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.
Criminal convictions
You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.
If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:
- access to computers or devices that can store images
- use of internet and communication tools/devices
- curfews
- freedom of movement
- contact with people related to Cardiff University.
Course structure
The MSc consists of three stages – “stage 1” (first taught stage), “stage 2” (second taught stage) and “stage D” (research dissertation stage):
- Stage 1 (first taught stage)
This stage lasts for 9 months and consists of three 20-credit modules totalling 60 credits, at Level 7.
- Stage 2 (second taught stage)
This stage lasts for a further 9 months and consists of a further three 20-credit modules totalling 60 credits, at Level 7, to achieve a total of 120 credits to complete the taught stages.
- Stage D (MSc dissertation stage)
The dissertation stage of the programme lasts for a further 6 months and consists of one 60 credit, Level 7 module. To achieve a combined total of 180 credits, at Level 7, to complete the MSc course, students will successfully complete all modules over 2 years of supported teaching/supervision.
Students may choose to exit the programme after successfully completing Stage 1 with a postgraduate certificate, or after successfully completing Stage 2 with a postgraduate diploma. Successful individual module completion may achieve institutional module credits.
The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum. Final modules will be published one month ahead of your programme starting.
Year one
The programme team support you throughout the academic year and will facilitate online discussion areas, virtual tutorials, or telephone calls during modules, as appropriate. Academic support also provides feedback/feedforward on summative and formative assessment plans. Students will be allocated a personal tutor, to provide pastoral support to discuss anything that is affecting their ability to study. Module content is delivered asynchronously, which means there is flexibility in studying module content. There will be some voluntary synchronous content e.g. tutorials, but students will be informed of these in advance. All modules are core (compulsory), but flexibility is built into the design to ensure relevance to the student’s clinical practice. The programme starts with Research, Governance and Evidence Base Practice, which provides you with the knowledge and skills to develop evidence-based reviews. Further modules examine advanced management of the cardiovascular system, quality of care and patient safety. Several methods of assessment are employed such as MCQs, literature searching, written assessments, reflective learning and a poster presentation.
The module content, student support, assessments and feedback, enable and direct the improvement in MSc academic thinking and writing.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Research Governance and Evidence Based Practice | MET250 | 20 credits |
| Advanced Management: Cardiovascular System | MET251 | 20 credits |
| Quality and Safety | MET257 | 20 credits |
Year two
This spans 2 academic years; i.e. there is no summer recess . All modules are core (compulsory), but flexibility is built into the design to ensure relevance to the student’s clinical practice. We continue to explore areas important to care of the acute and critically ill patient via a systems approach, and explore professional and management issues.
We facilitate innovate assessments such as virtual, collaborative, interprofessional teamwork, written assessments and reflective learning. The module content, student support, module assessments and assessment feedback, enable and direct the improvement in MSc level writing, to the level required for the Dissertation. The dissertation stage enables the consolidation and application of what is learnt from years one (Stage 1) and two (Stage 2). It also provides the opportunity to apply research and statistics skills in planning, or undertaking research, or a quality improvement project.
| Module title | Module code | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Management: Respiratory System | MET252 | 20 credits |
| Professional Practice and Management Issues | MET253 | 20 credits |
| Clinical Management of Specialities | MET255 | 20 credits |
| Dissertation: Critical Care | MET256 | 60 credits |
The University is committed to providing a wide range of module options where possible, but please be aware that whilst every effort is made to offer choice this may be limited in certain circumstances. This is due to the fact that some modules have limited numbers of places available, which are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, while others have minimum student numbers required before they will run, to ensure that an appropriate quality of education can be delivered; some modules require students to have already taken particular subjects, and others are core or required on the programme you are taking. Modules may also be limited due to timetable clashes, and although the University works to minimise disruption to choice, we advise you to seek advice from the relevant School on the module choices available.
Funding
Postgraduate loans
If you are starting your master’s degree in September 2024 or later, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan to support your study at Cardiff University.
Enquire
| Start date | Venue | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep 2025 | Distance learning | Book now |