Credit bearing module Advanced History Taking and Assessment
Investigate the past through historical evidence and debate, developing research and critical thinking skills.
Key facts
- Duration
- Part time: One semester
- Level
- Continuing professional development (CPD)
- Academic level
- 7
- Academic credits
- 20
- Course code
- CPD7002
- School
- Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Application deadline
- 18 August (for September start) - Oxford / Swindon Campus
- 1 December (for January start) - Oxford / Swindon Campus
- 1 April (for May start) - Oxford / Swindon Campus
Due to the high demand for places on this module, applications will be considered in the order of when they have been received.
About this course
This single, practice-focused module provides students with the opportunity to develop critical thinking by enhancing their knowledge and skills in taking a comprehensive patient history and performing a thorough physical and psychosocial assessment. Students are expected to demonstrate analysis and evaluation through their assessment skills, and ability to accurately communicate a patient / client health history and examination findings using appropriate terminology, reporting deviations from normal in a succinct manner to colleagues within the multidisciplinary team.
Students must have support from their clinical manager to undertake this module because there is an expectation that students will be supervised in their practice area.
- September 26 - delivered at Oxford / Swindon
- January 27 - delivered at Oxford / Swindon
- May 27 - delivered at Oxford / Swindon
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
You must:
- be a registered Health Care Professional (NMC, HCPC, GPhC)
- have at least 2 years’ post registration experience
- be currently working in a clinical environment conducive to achieving the learning outcomes
- have support from your clinical manager to undertake this module
- have access to a clinical supervisor.
Please note that due to the high demand for places on this module, applications will be considered in the order of when they have been received.
This course is not available to international students who require a student sponsor to study in the UK.
Fees and funding
Fees
| Fee types | 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Home part-time | £1,000 per single module, where taken as part of an award-bearing course the module fee is £1,260 |
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.
Questions about fees?
Learning and assessment
This module is taught via a blended learning approach, it involves a mixture of pre session reading, online activities and presentations blended with clinical skills practice.
You will be expected to:
- Explore theories / research / practicalities related to consultation models / approaches underpinning the interaction between the health care professional, patient /client, carer / significant other, when taking a health history
- Undertake guided background reading and use of on-line Virtual Learning Environment resources to revise anatomy, physiology, and assessment of the body system / topic studied each week
- Participate in skills practice, practising advanced assessment skills on your peer/s
- Demonstrate and critically appraise own knowledge and skills through, i) completion of at least 3 clinical skills practice assessments overseen by their practice supervisor, ii) utilising formative assessment performance and examiner’s feedback
You will be assessed 100% through coursework.
The module will explore:
- Theories and models of consultation and history taking
- Advanced physical assessment techniques
- Ethical philosophies and theories applied to patient/client assessment
- Approaches and techniques pertinent to patient/client assessment, and adaption to complex / diverse situations
- Qualities that support effective communication, and the maintenance of therapeutic and working relationships
Assessment
100% coursework
- Practical assessment (scenario based ‘history taking and examination’) (100%)
- Evaluation of Clinical Skills Practice’ verified by your practice supervisor (pass/fail)
Careers
Students who complete this module will have a core component toward the Master’s programme requirements for advanced practice, which may facilitate further career progression.
How to apply
Apply through our Moodle Portal.
You will need to register for the portal prior to proceeding with an application.
Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)