Adult Nursing (pre-registration) Blended Learning MSc

Postgraduate
Professionally Accredited Programmes

Trainee nurses looking at a dummy patient on a hospital bed

Are you looking for a flexible way to advance your career in healthcare? Our two-year master’s degree is designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in nursing practice while offering the convenience of online and blended learning.

Year of entry

2024-25 2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)
Coventry University (Vauxhall, London)
CU Scarborough (Scarborough)

Study mode

Full-time
Online/Blended

Duration

2 years full-time

Course code

HLST265

Start date

September 2025
May 2026

How to apply

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At Coventry University, we continuously review the courses we offer to ensure we reflect industry-relevant emerging best practice and technology. As a result, this course is undergoing continuous improvement assessment and will be launched with a renewed curriculum starting in September 2025. Module content and titles will be updated. Course title, learning outcomes and assessments may also change. We expect our new curriculum to be fully updated by January 2025. Please return to this page to see the final course details.

Course overview

Fully accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)¹ providing eligibility for registration as a nurse on successful completion of the course (additional costs may apply).
The course consists of 50% academic content, of which 85% is delivered flexibly online and 15% face-to-face. The remaining 50% is placement-based learning, of which 20% will be simulated.
All eligible students on this course may qualify for a minimum payment from the Government of £5,000 per year, with additional payments for students incurring childcare costs⁶.

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Why you should study this course

Successful completion of this course enables graduates from a range of backgrounds to enter the nursing profession in just two years:

Ideal for those with a prior undergraduate degree and experience in health and social care, our course combines 50% clinical placement with 50% academic learning. You'll have the opportunity to complete placements in a variety of healthcare settings² and benefit from 20% simulated digital experience to enhance your practical skills.
With 85% of the academic learning delivered online, you'll have the freedom to study from anywhere in the UK for the majority of the course. It is a Nursing and Midwifery Council requirement that students must be resident in the UK during all the theory and practice elements of the course.
Previous undergraduate degrees may include (but are not limited to) health-related disciplines, psychology, criminology or sociology degrees. Those with non-health-related degrees must demonstrate extensive experience in the clinical health and social care sector. It is also suitable for existing nurses looking for dual qualification. More details on the type of experience required can be found in the entry requirements section.
The face-to-face skills and practical teaching elements will be delivered from either Coventry, Scarborough or Vauxhall, London campuses. We will try to accommodate your preferred choice, subject to availability. Please note you are responsible for your travel arrangements to attend these.
Clinical placements are integral and account for 50% of the course². This includes clinical practice in a healthcare setting (organised by the university) and practice learning with local practice collaborators. You will be expected to complete placements across four practice modules in a range of areas such as emergency, high dependency care, community and home care delivery settings and medical/surgery acute hospital experiences. Practice assessment is divided into three parts which is designed to explore the proficiencies required to become an autonomous nurse practitioner.
There will be opportunities for 20% simulated digital experience as part of the clinical placements. This will be an online, cutting-edge simulated experience where you will be fully supervised, and it is designed so that you can work safely both individually and in groups, with the chance to explore and assess and interventions in ‘near to real life’ clinical scenarios. The hands-on elements of the clinical placements may be delivered in one of the following regions of England: Midlands, North East and Yorkshire, London, Bedfordshire/Hertfordshire, Kent and Medway, Gloucestershire and East of England. Please note you are responsible for your travel arrangements to attend your placements^2,5.
Upon successful completion, in addition to eligibility for NMC registration (application and additional costs apply), you will also graduate with a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accredited qualification in Global Professional Development in Leading and Creating Organisational Health and Wellbeing and you will have the opportunity to apply to become a member of the CMI. (Please visit the CMI website for full details.)

Accreditation and professional recognition

This course is accredited¹ by the following professional bodies:

Nursing and Midwifery Council

This course is accredited by UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the 2023-24 intake.

Chartered Management Institute

As part of this course, you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) for the 2023-24 intake. Upon successful completion of this module, you will gain the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice at no additional cost. Further details can be found on the Professional Development module page.

Exemptions

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

As the MSc Adult Nursing Blended Learning (pre-registration) course is a two-year course, there is a requirement to complete 460 hours in UK clinical practice prior to commencement of the course. This will be assessed by the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process to ensure it meets the NMC standard of nursing education of 2300 practice hours. The RPL process will credit students for 460 hours to meet the stated NMC criteria. Applicants will be supported in the RPL process.

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Nursing at Coventry University

We have an excellent reputation for the quality of the education provided to trainee and qualified nurses.

Why study with us

We have an excellent reputation for the quality of the education provided to trainee and qualified nurses.

What you'll study

The delivery of theory components is through a range of theory modules which focus on extending your knowledge and cognitive skills, providing you with a sound critical, analytical and reflective approach to person-centred care delivery. The practice component considers the knowledge base that underpins person-centred care delivery/management and explores the range of clinical skills required to care for individuals with specific physical, psychosocial and mental health-related problems.

In the first year, you will develop evidence-based nursing and health assessment study skills and be introduced to nursing clinical decision-making and therapeutic interventions. All modules are mandatory.

Modules

The Research Process and Evidence-informed Nursing Practice - 20 credits

The development of evidence-informed and evidence-based care from a solid research base is essential to the science of nursing care. The module content is organised to demonstrate the use of evidence within nursing and healthcare practice - for example, in governance policy/guidelines - and how they affect everyday nursing practice. The background understanding of how research is used to develop the evidence base for contemporary nursing practice will be examined by applying research principles to a clinically relevant action research project.

Compulsory

Health Assessment in Nursing - 10 credits

The module aims to enable you to develop skills in identifying and assessing existing conditions, as well as screening for factors predisposing persons to ill health. You will have the opportunity to critically apply healthcare assessment skills used in nursing across the lifespan to formulate a person-centred plan of care.

Compulsory

Clinical Decision-making in Adult Nursing - 10 credits

Clinical decision-making in nursing requires an evaluation of many complex factors. In conjunction with a barrage of health-related information, the nurse needs to have the cognitive skills to appropriate this information to make decisions about the person’s care. This module aims to assist you in developing strategies for clinical decision-making in the context of person-centred care. The module content will be organised around a variety of subjects including the professional, legal and ethical responsibility and other subject-theory domains that influence clinical decision-making.

Compulsory

Therapeutic Interventions in Adult Nursing - 10 credits

In health and social care environments, nurses meet people living with complex, multiple physical and mental health co-morbidities across the lifespan. Complex care necessitates treatment from multi-professional services and service user involvement in care management and care delivery. The module aims to facilitate your development of necessary knowledge and proficiency to coordinate and manage patient-centred care in the multidimensional healthcare setting. The module content includes a critical review of the current policy and legislative documents that drive, influence and enhance the coordination of complex care.

Compulsory

Year 1 Practice Placements

You have the opportunity to contribute to the health of the local community throughout the course during practice placements^2,5 where you work approximately 40 hours a week. On placement, you will provide a range of nursing care to people across the lifespan, and in a variety of care settings.

Practice 1: Understanding Nursing Practice - 20 credits
This module introduces you to the foundations of nursing practice in the workplace. The experience will provide you (under supervision) with learning opportunities which should begin to develop the professional values, attitudes and behaviours required to deliver safe and effective holistic person- and family-centred care.

Practice 2: Assessment, Delivery and Evaluation - 10 credits
This module provides a further opportunity for you to review and deliver nursing practice in the workplace critically. This experience will enable you to demonstrate and promote the professional values, attitudes and behaviours required to provide safe and effective holistic person-centred care. The module is underpinned by the NMC Future Nurse Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses (2018); and Realising Professionalism: Standards for Professionalism and Education (2018) for nursing and midwifery. The content and assessment will be developed and applied to the different fields of nursing and will provide you with learning opportunities in the workplace to practise nursing.

Compulsory

This final year of the programme consolidates the skills essential to safe and proficient care in practice. You will have the chance to develop confidence in working within a multidisciplinary, interprofessional arena, and in leadership and evidence-informed change management to promote service improvement. This is designed to enable you to be effective in your clinical work and as a future professional nurse.

In the final year, you will apply your knowledge gained from year one.

Modules

Leading and Creating Organisational Health and Wellbeing - 10 credits

This module aims to provide you with a framework of knowledge and understanding of how to effectively lead and develop people in organisations for better health and wellbeing using a range of approaches whatever the master’s degree of specialisation you elect to follow. You will explore, for example, the influence and impact of leadership theories, culture and the impact of health and wellbeing on organisational performance in different types of organisational scenarios. You will appraise contemporary approaches for the creation of healthy work systems with emphasis placed upon modern-day methods and the role and skills of leaders in coaching and mentoring.

Ultimately, you will be given the opportunity to propose a series of recommendations to create and sustain a positive culture of health and wellbeing within an organisational context. Finally, the module requires you to reflect critically on their personal learning and development needs and how they work with others, from an ethical and professional standpoint to encourage their continuing professional development.

Compulsory

Coordinating Complex Care in Adult Nursing - 20 credits

In the healthcare environment, nurses meet patients living with complex multiple physical and mental health co-morbidities across the lifespans, necessitating invasive/non-invasive treatments and multi-professional services and service user involvement in care management and care delivery. The module aims to facilitate your development of the necessary knowledge and proficiency to coordinate and manage patient-centred care in the multidimensional healthcare setting. The module content includes a critical review of the current policy and legislative documents that drive, influence and enhance the coordination of complex care.

Compulsory

Ethical and Legal Decision-making in Nursing - 10 credits

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of the interrelationship between law and ethical healthcare practice, related to the British legal system. You will explore the areas of contention which may include but are not limited to: disagreement with caregivers, treating patients with impaired decision-making, dignity in care, assisted suicide, end-of-life/advanced directives or controversial interventions. After successfully completing the module, you will be equipped to recognise and manage the ethical challenges relating to your practice, as well as the individual’s legal and ethical rights in the context of healthcare and wellbeing across a range of care settings.

Compulsory

Independent Project – Service Improvement - 30 credits

The module is the culmination of the programme and enables you to bring together your learning into one independent, self-directed workplace project. The aim is to produce a project that will explore service redesign, current practice-based problems/issues, policy implementation, initiatives or innovations which will impact upon or transform patient care. The project is a service improvement plan or business proposal which addresses an aspect of practice. Individual student supervision is provided to offer guidance on the right choice of project and advice on all stages of the project.

Compulsory

Year 2 Practice Placements

At the end of year two, you should be deemed to be proficient in practice when you have successfully achieved the NMC (2018) practice competencies, signed off by an assessor. You should work approximately 40 hours a week as part of the placement^2,5, and the cumulative evidence must demonstrate that the student is safe and effective in practice at the end of the course.

Practice 3: Complex Care Planning Across the Lifespan - 10 credits
This module provides you with further opportunities in the workplace to enable you to work more independently with less direct supervision in an increasingly proficient and confident manner in your delivery of quality holistic person and family-centred care. It will provide you with an opportunity to demonstrate through your practice your potential to become an autonomous practitioner. The NMC Future nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses (2018) and Realising Professionalism: Standards for Professionalism and Education (2018) for nursing and midwifery, underpins this module. The content and assessment are applied in the context of the different fields of nursing, providing students with field-specific learning opportunities in the workplace to practice nursing.

Practice 4: Coordinating Care and Becoming the Autonomous Practitioner - 20 credits
This module aims to provide you with opportunities to practice the proficiencies identified for registration as a nurse which are stipulated by the NMC (2018). This includes demonstrating your capability to lead the delivery of patient care autonomously and role model what constitutes best practice to others, positively impacting on the culture of care environments. The module is underpinned by the NMC Future nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses (2018) and Realising Professionalism: Standards for Professionalism and Education (2018) for nursing and midwifery. The module content and assessment will be developed and applied contextually to the different fields of nursing.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

A range of teaching and learning methods are employed in the programme, including online learning materials, clinical simulation, online seminars, workshops, online tutorials, practical clinical work in a practice setting and work-based learning. The activities are intended to engage you with the relevant theory and to facilitate understanding of the course content, to question and formulate ideas and perspectives on the subject material.

You will have support in preparation for the assessments from a variety of sources including your module leaders or a subject specialist in the library resources on the course-web platforms. Furthermore, you will also have support from practice educators in the clinical placement areas which are an integral part of this programme of study. Please note that staff and the online platform are subject to change.

A key learning feature of the Adult Nursing Blended Learning MSc (pre-registration) course is independent study. This means you will have the opportunity to take the initiative and responsibility for working through the learning material and make decisions on how to collate, manage and present the information for their assessment. You are therefore expected to have the ability to make informed choices about the materials used for study and encouraged to be proactive and self-motivated in your learning.

The academic learning is a blend of 85% online and 15% face-to-face teaching. The 50% placement time includes 20% in a simulated learning environment (subject to a suitable Wi-Fi/internet connection). It is a Nursing and Midwifery Council requirement that students must be resident in the UK during all the theory and practice elements of the course.

Teaching contact hours

The number of full-time contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around four contact hours per week.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 40 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

All assessment methods are aligned to the Adult Nursing Blended Learning (pre-registration) MSc objectives, and the learning outcomes of each module are designed to reflect the programme objective. The theory modules include a range of different assessment methods, such as critical appraisal essays, presentations, viva-voce (oral test), reports, practice assessment and the service improvement dissertation.

A Practice Assessment Document (MYEPAD) and Personal Development Portfolio (PDP) are designed to enable you to provide evidence for the acquisition of core clinical nursing skills and field-specific skills.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Applicants for the MSc in Adult Nursing blended learning should ideally hold an honours degree of 2:2 or above in a health-related study.

However, applications with other degrees and relevant care experience will also be considered on an individual basis.

You will also need to demonstrate 460 hours of providing care which would qualify as practice hours by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Care encompasses meeting the physiological and psychosocial needs of the physically ill, mentally ill, and disabled people of all ages, in all healthcare and other community settings. It includes activities such as washing, dressing, feeding or toileting of an individual, as well as nursing intervention procedures. This must have been achieved in the UK in a formal workplace environment in either a paid or voluntary role within the last three years. (See exemptions in the overview section.)

You will also require GCSE Grade 4/C or above in English and Maths.

Please contact ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk if you are unsure whether your experience meets the requirements above.

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Additional requirements

Satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure are also required. Please refer to the full requirements in the disclaimer section⁵.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK	2025/26 fees TBC 2024/25 fees -£9,250 per year	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees³and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Careers and opportunities

On successful completion, you will be eligible to apply for registration as an Adult Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to practice as a registered professional in nursing (subject to additional costs).

Successful completion of the course is a strong indication to potential employees that you have both the ability and the academic characteristics required for working in a variety of clinical Adult Nursing settings.

The programme is developed to position you, upon successful completion, for an accelerated career pathway to potentially become a future nursing leader, clinical expert, educator or researcher within the profession.

It may be possible to use your qualification to work overseas, which would be subject to competitive application, availability, meeting any applicable visa requirements and additional costs may apply.

Where our graduates work

For nursing provision there is a national shortage of nurses and so employment prospects for graduates are good in a variety of clinical/specialist areas in a range of public and private healthcare settings.

How to apply

UK students

To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.

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For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2222

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

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Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

⁴Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

⁵Placements

Satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure is also required. As part of the health clearance checks, you will be required to provide information about your immunity and vaccination status. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility to go on placement(s). Placements are provided at the placement provider’s discretion. The University is, therefore, unable to guarantee the provision of placements or the location and type of placement offered.

⁶NHS payment

The rules may be subject to review by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in the future and as a result may change. Please, therefore, check the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website for up-to-date information before applying.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2025/2026 contract will apply for the 2025/2026 intake. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.