University of Dundee Online Masters in Infection Prevention and Control
The Masters in Infection Control & Prevention course is designed for healthcare professionals working anywhere in the world. This flexible MSc is suitable for healthcare professionals either relatively new to infection control and prevention, or senior practitioners wanting to move into a leadership role who require a boost in qualification.
Develop your skills, knowledge and understanding of best practices within infection control and prevention including:
- Applied microbiology
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Antimicrobial stewardship
- Decontamination
- Risk management
- Outbreak investigation and management
This Masters in Infection Control & Prevention is taught by renowned clinical experts that have not only contributed to module development, but who also support student learning alongside the university academic staff. As clinically practicing leaders in their field, students will benefit from the practical expertise and up-to-date current practices and contemporary skills these experts bring to the MSc in Infection Control.
This course has entry and exit routes at the PG Certificate and PG Diploma level. You may also be interested in:
Benefits of a Masters in Infection Control and Prevention
Learn to take a holistic view to enhance and develop service provision and clinical practice on a strategic and leadership level. Enhance your practical skills and knowledge including evaluating the critical application of microbiology in infection control. Develop the ability to create, implement and analyse quality and safe patient care policies, on a strategic and operational level.
In addition, understand data generation using observational and experimental studies, and its use in evaluating risk assessment, decision making and solutions to complex issues.
Career Path
Successful graduates can work as an infection control and prevention specialist in a clinical and administrative capacity, or support their career progression to a management role with this qualification.
Graduates work in a variety of local and international settings, with the ability to influence and revise practices to drastically improve the quality of health and safety of a medical institution or community.
Academic Progression
- Graduates from the Masters in Infection Control & Prevention have the opportunity to further their studies by pursuing a Doctorate Degree.
Entry Requirements
Healthcare professionals from a range of disciplines will be eligible to undertake the programme, if working in an area related to Infection Control, Infection Prevention, Infectious Diseases, Health Protection or similar.
Standard entry requires a degree or equivalent in a health or social care related field, and work experience. A flexible Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) is available for students who do not have a degree, evaluated on a case by case basis. Health practitioners who have acquired significant learning from previous educational and life/work experience have the opportunity of having this learning assessed for credit. These credits would go towards your course application.
If English is not your first language, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability at a proficiency level equivalent to IELTS 6.5
Microbiology and its Application to Practice
On completion of the module, you will be able to:
- develop a critical understanding of microbiology and the infection process
- develop a critical understanding of the infection prevention and control practice implications of the characteristics of micro-organisms and the infection process
- critically evaluate epidemiological, audit and surveillance data to determine appropriate interventions to prevent and control infection
- recognise and investigate incidents and outbreak
- engage in evidence-based practice, using critical thinking to enhance personal and professional development
Infection Prevention and Control in Practice
On completion of this module you will be able to:
- examine and discuss core components of infection prevention and control and their application to practice
- critically appraise the professional and accountability issues of infection prevention and control practice
- demonstrate the ability to formulate, implement and evaluate appropriate strategies to promote quality and safe patient care
- demonstrate the skills required to participate in the development and implementation of operational and strategic initiatives in infection prevention and control
- critically evaluate the decision-making process, risk assessment, multi-professional and multi-disciplinary working, accountability and governance within complex situations
Research for Practice
This module is intended to provide you with fundamental understanding of evidence-based practice and research, enabling you to examine how these concepts can be used to advance professional practice.
- Overview of the concepts of evidence-based practice, research utilization and research
- Critical appraisal and synthesis of evidence
- Overview of key research traditions and approaches (quantitative and qualitative and evidence reviews)
- Key stages of the research process
- Data generation using a range of methods (observational and experimental studies; pre-existing documents or data sets; interviews; focus groups)
- Introduction to statistics and statistical analysis
- Introduction to qualitative data analysis and thematic coding
Dissertation
The dissertation involves
- formulating an appropriate research project in conjunction with your supervisor
- choosing and applying a method of enquiry and carrying out the research
- relating the work to existing knowledge on the topic
- producing a dissertation to specifications provided by the University
Optional Modules List
You may choose one or more of the modules listed below as part of the course.
- Non-medical Prescribing
- Quality Improvement in Action
- Meeting the needs of older people in diverse care settings
- Risk and Patient Safety
- Acute and Critical Care
- Current Perspectives in Cardiovascular Disease
- Academic Recognition for Professional Learning
- Exploring professional practice
- Education for Practice
- Leadership and Change
- Minor Illness Management
- Enhancing the Quality of Maternal and Newborn Care
- Work Based Skills and Innovative Practice