Postgraduate taught degree programmes

search postgraduate taught degree programmes

MPC (Master of Primary Care)

Philosophy, aims and structure

Master of Primary Care brochure 
Master of Primary Care brochure (Chinese version)

This postgraduate-level course brings together health professionals from a variety of primary care disciplines. Its purpose is to encourage students to develop the mindset required to view health issues from a wide perspective, both national and international, but with a depth of knowledge and understanding, backed up by intellectual strength, that will enable a rigorous defence and argument of pertinent issues to be presented. The degree is intended to equip graduates with the intellectual and practical skills to combine population and individual approaches to their work, incorporating evidence, experience and values. 

The multi-disciplinary nature of this masters programme helps to reduce demarcation problems within the health care environment. It strengthens links between academic disciplines, policy strategists and those working at the forefront of delivery. This in turn will not only encourage a seamless interface both between and among professional groups but also in the planning and implementation of future decisions. Graduates will develop the capacity for independent thought and the networks to ensure future communication of ideas and information. In essence, they will emerge with the ability to take lead roles in primary care development, be that in Scotland, the UK or abroad.

The Master of Primary Care is offered full-time over 12 months, or part time over no longer than five years, although completion within 36 months is preferred. The programme has three compulsory (core) courses, each worth 20 credits and three optional (elective) courses, each worth 20 credits. A research project (60 credits) takes place over a maximum of 12 months from receipt of a favourable ethics application.

Aims

  • To equip health professionals and others with the intellectual and practical skills to apply a population approach to their work, whether that involves public health, general practice, primary care, nursing, health service management or other professions.
  • To provide a grounding in the principles and values of primary care.
  • To enable graduates to rigorously engage in and contribute to the current debates around the future of primary care.

Learning outcomes

The compulsory and core courses of the Master of Primary Care will develop students’ knowledge and awareness, enable them to define and understand a problem, decide on a definitive course of action and evaluate the results of that decision. This should equip them with the knowledge and ability to critique, measure and apply solutions on a multi-factorial and multi-professional basis, around for instance social exclusion and inequalities in health. The overall outcome of the degree is therefore to help students identify and implement strategies to enhance quality in primary care.

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of this masters programme graduates should be able to:

  • Critically discuss and apply a population perspective to health and social issues.
  • Synthesize and critique the definitions and measurements of health.
  • Analyse and challenge the various determinants of health and assess how they impact on an individual, local and wider environment.
  • Examine critically and in depth, drawing on policy and empirical evidence and illustrating from experience, how the multi-factorial aspects of health can be measured and possible solutions considered.
  • Synthesize, critique and analyse how policies and decisions taken at government, health board, community health partnerships, practice and consultation levels impact on outcomes.
  • Critically discuss and evaluate the different systems of care in the uk, the developed and underdeveloped world.
  • Consider the definitions and applications of enablement, empowerment, accountability, rationing and health education, critically evaluating their impact at a local level.
  • Contrast, compare and critically evaluate the use of partnership and team-working in a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency health care environment.

Skills and other attributes

Subject-specific/practical skills
The depth of these will vary depending on the choices taken but will include:

  • Critiquing current policy and strategies, and developing a framework in which to deliver governance in primary care
  • Designing an appropriate educational event, deliver a session, reflect and critically evaluate the experience
  • Working effectively in groups to deal with complex issues, making informed judgements and applying creative solutions
  • Writing a scientific report informed by critical analysis and synthesis of issues, thereby identifying and defining new problems and issues
  • Designing a research protocol using an appropriate methodology
  • Devising qualitative and quantitative questionnaires, evaluating the differences between them
  • Conducting a piece of research utilising quantitative or qualitative approaches, as appropriate

Intellectual skills

  • Reviewing, evaluating and critically appraising new policy initiatives in the context of local and national priorities
  • Undertaking an appropriate research project, discussing and addressing ethical issues, evaluating different methodologies and interpreting results
  • Searching, reviewing, evaluating and critically appraising and interpreting relevant scientific literature and policy documents
  • Identifying and critically evaluating issues of inequalities within a health care context, suggesting possible innovative solutions
  • Critically reviewing the nature of evidence in the context of the working environment and within a local, national and international perspective

Transferable/key skills
Again these will vary depending upon the various courses undertaken, but are likely to include:

  • Using library facilities effectively and efficiently
  • Using and understanding electronic search and information tools
  • Demonstrating effective use of common computer packages, for instance Microsoft Office, SPSS, Reference Manager and Internet
  • Demonstrating effective writing skills, critical thinking and coherent discursive skills
  • Orally and critically defendig to staff and peers an overview of an original research proposal
  • Working collaboratively, delivering a coherent and evidenced based presentation to staff and peers
  • Drawing up a workable time frame for completion of work, prioritising tasks and meeting deadlines, hence developing skills in time management.

Students are encouraged to develop their own agendas for study within the general framework of the courses and will be expected to generate topics for discussion in class and to provide the resources for these discussions to a far greater extent than in a traditional educational regime.

Preparation for courses is a key element of a student centered, self directed approach to learning. Students are therefore expected to be well prepared before each session, either by reading, to enable active participation, or by reflecting on experiences and sharing empirical knowledge. In many cases the lecturer will serve more as a facilitator than an expert.

Period of study

The Master of Primary Care is offered

  • Full time over 12 months or
  • Part time over no longer than five years.

Further information about degree regulations is available within the University of Glasgow Calendar.

The academic year

The Glasgow University academic year is split into two 12-week semesters, as follows:

  • SEMESTER 1 September to December
  • SEMESTER 2 January to March

In addition, one of our optional courses - "Cardiovascular disease management in primary care" - runs between April and June.

The credit system

The organisational basis of the programme are units of study called courses.

Students earn credits for successfully completing courses. The principal advantage of the points system is flexibility: it liberates course design from the rigidity of the academic year with associated final year end assessment and it offers students maximum opportunity to design their own programme of study.

In order to obtain the award of Master of Primary Care the student must accumulate 180 SCOTCAT points at M Level. (The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) framework was introduced in 1995 to ensure compatibility of standards across Scotland and across professions. This flexible mode of study responds to the educational needs of a range of individuals and professions. It allows students to choose their own pathway and build up credits relevant to their desired outcomes.)

These 180 points are gained through successful completion of:

  • Three core (compulsory) courses, generally undertaken (by part-time students) as follows:
    • YEAR 1
      Semester 1 "Introduction to primary care"
      Semester 2 "Populations to individuals: statistics, epidemiology and critical appraisal"
    • YEAR 2
      Semester 1 "Research methods" (taught element)
      Semester 2 "Research methods" (supervision meetings, presentations etc)
  • Three optional (elective) courses
    The research project (a thesis comprising a minimum of 20,000 words), generally undertaken (by part-time students) in YEAR 3.
    Each course requires 27.5 hours of class contact, consisting of a mixture of interactive workshops and problem based learning. Didactic lectures are kept to a minimum.

A student may exit with a diploma (120 credits) if they do not take or fail to successfully complete a research project, or a postgraduate certificate if they successfully complete 60 credits. All courses are assessed throughout the year.

To progress to the research project, students must gain an average grade C in the taught components of the degree and must have no more than 25% of the credits at grade E and none below grade E.

An average D grade is required for the award of the diploma.

Merits/distinctions

  • Merits
    A candidate who has achieved at the first attempt an average aggregation score of 15 (equivalent to B3) or above for the taught courses and Grade B3 or above for the dissertation or other substantial independent work will be eligible for the award with Merit.
  • Distinctions
    A candidate who has achieved at the first attempt an average aggregation score of 18 (equivalent to A5) or above for the taught courses and Grade A5 or above for the dissertation or other substantial independent work will be eligible for the award with Distinction.

Candidates studying for the PGCert or Diploma can also be awarded a merit or distinction

Core (compulsory) courses

There are three core (compulsory) courses, all worth 20 points.

  • "Introduction to primary care"
    Provides an overview of primary care including its definition, core values, history, organisation and workforce developments, patient perspectives and future challenges. Aims to give students a grounding in the principles, values, and systems that comprise primary care in Scotland, UK and internationally, and to enable them to engage in and contribute to current debates about the changing face of primary care.
  • "Populations to individuals: statistics, epidemiology and critical appraisal for primary care"
    Introduces students to the related disciplines of statistics and epidemiology, with learning reinforced through the practical skill of critical appraisal of research papers.
  • "Research methods"
    Introduces students to the process of designing and conducting research studies, both quantitative and qualitative, utilising the approaches of primary care data collection, or analysis of secondary data. Begins to equip students with the skills required to undertake their research project dissertation.

Optional (elective) courses

Optional courses offered by General Practice and Primary Care

General Practice and Primary Care currently offers four elective courses, all worth 20 points.

  • "Achieving clinical effectiveness"
    Introduces students, using the clinical governance framework, to the various changes required to ensure continuous improvement in the quality of health care. Aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to critically assess and apply the principles of leadership/management in the pursuit of clinical effectiveness.
  • "Cardiovascular disease management in primary care"
    Aims to provide an in-depth grounding in the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease, risk assessment and management, an overview of current management of common cardiovascular conditions in primary care, and to highlight key challenges and emerging research issues/findings.
  • "Management of long term conditions in primary care"
    Develops an understanding of the pressures and potential solutions for systems of care. Aims to provide a grounding in the changing demography and context of the presentation of ill-health and to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills to contribute to current debates about the care of people with long-term conditions and multimorbidity.
  • "Social justice"
    Provides students with an understanding of the interaction between issues of social justice and primary health care. Aims to help them to address the challenges to health/health care including socio-economic deprivation, ethnicity and gender.

Elective courses offered elsewhere

Students can also undertake one elective course, with a total value of 20 SCOTCAT points, from those offered by Master of Public Health, the Masters in Health Care, or the programme of the Scottish MSc in Primary Care (delivered in partnership by the following institutions: University of Aberdeen; University of Dundee; University of Edinburgh; University of Glasgow; The Robert Gordon University; University of Stirling).

Elective courses completed by prior learning

Candidates who have successfully completed CPD courses may, on the recommendation of the Professional Development Management Group of the Acacemic Unit of General Practice and Primary Care, carry forward up to the equivalent of 40 SCOTCAT points towards the of Master of Primary Care. However, it should be noted that this is time limited of up to a maximum of two years from the time of completion of CPD to applying to do the masters programme. Credits gained outwith this timescale will not be considered.

Sample timetable

SEMESTER 1 (September to December)

  • Tuesdays
    • 09.30 to 12.00 "Introduction to primary care"
      14.00 to 16.30 "Management of long-term conditions"
  • Wednesdays
    • 09.30 to 12.00 "Research methods"

SEMESTER 2 (January to March)

  • Tuesdays
    • 09.30 to 12.00 "Populations to individuals"
    • 14.00 to 16.30 "Achieving clinical effectiveness"
  • Wednesdays
    • "Research methods": supervision meetings etc (times will vary)
    • 14.00 to 16.30 "Social justice"

SUMMER SEMESTER (April to June)

  • Tuesdays
    • 14.00 to 16.30 "Cardiovascular disease management in primary care"

Course choice

At the beginning of the year students have the opportunity to discuss course choice with the MPC Coordinator.

Once students have registered for a particular course they may only change that choice with the agreement of the MPC Coordinator. Such changes can cause a great deal of administrative inconvenience so should be avoided if at all possible.

It should be noted that as each course is a "stand alone" unit there might be some overlap between some courses. This is not a significant problem and is quite usual in a modular pattern of study.  

The research project

The research project should be work based or have a primary care focus. Topics chosen by MPC students in the past have included:

  • Establishing shared care arrangements with patients
  • Action learning
  • Incorporating soul and spirtual care in health care
  • Impact of living with diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis
  • Beliefs, attitudes and experience of nurses in different health care settings in relation to the provision of rehabilitation services
  • Factors predicting success with technology (alternative and augmentative communication/ telecare/ehealth) in adults with acquired neurological conditions
  • How do health and social work service providers engage children in the assessment, planning and evaluation of service delivery?
  • The use of 'Read Coding' to establish disease registers in primary care
  • Health and social care professionals beliefs, attitudes and experience re partnership working in EMI
  • Carer and social care workers triggers for referral to community nursing services for palliative care patients
  • A profile of the demographic and health related characteristics of long-term hypnotic patients within Renfrewshire Community Health Partnership
  • Parental perceptions of oral health and the role of OHATs

Some MPC research projects have subsequently been written up for publication in peer-reviewed journals e.g.