Nursing MSc
Study level: Postgraduate
Studied on campus or 100% online, this Nursing MSc course is designed to offer continuing education and professional development to nurses to enhance your knowledge to underpin practice in a wide range of care settings.
Year of entry
Location
Coventry University (Coventry)
100% online study
Study mode
Full-time
Part-time
Duration
1 year full-time
Up to 5 years part-time
Course code
On campus - HLST306
Online - HLST307
Start date
September 2023
January 2024
Course overview
The course is designed to provide Continuing Professional Development to a widening group of UK and internationally-based nurses, and aims to develop nurses in support of the global health economy and their contribution to nursing practice in a range of contexts.
- You will have the opportunity to examine contemporary issues in nursing, and in the role and practice of the nurse through the analysis of political, social, cultural and economic influences on health and social care needs and service design.
- You will study some of the latest developments in a range of contemporary issues in nursing, covering a range of key areas including leadership, evidence-based practice, and service delivery and improvement.
- Particular emphasis is placed on the research and evidence base for leadership, service delivery and improvement.

Joint Top Modern University for Career Prospects
Guardian University Guide 2021 and 2022
5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities
QS Stars University Ratings
Top 5 UK Student City (Coventry)
QS Best Student Cities Index 2023Why you should study this course
This course has been designed following extensive consultation with stakeholders and professional collaborators to ensure its relevance and ability to develop nursing leaders and agents of change.
You will be encouraged to consider how contemporary issues in nursing relate to your current practice and how what you learn can make a difference to and improve the experience of patients/service users.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to analyse approaches to support leadership, quality and service improvement and project management within policy and professional frameworks of nursing. You will also be able to demonstrate a professional approach to self-development in a broad range of competencies relevant to nursing across national borders and areas of practice including digital literacy, critical decision-making, problem-solving, presentation and teamwork.
The course may be studied on-campus at Coventry University or online.
The enhanced skills and knowledge successful graduates of this course bring to their work provides a range of benefits, not only to the student but also to their employer and patients/service users.
Students:
- Access to learning from staff who are subject and clinical experts with knowledge of the latest developments in the field (staff may be subject to change).
- Opportunity to network with a range of students from different backgrounds and disciplines.
- Improved knowledge of some of the latest developments in clinical practice and leadership.
- Enhanced critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills.
- Demonstrable leadership skills and knowledge through project work and accreditation from the Chartered Management Institute following the successful completion of an optional Global Professional Development module.
Employers:
- Staff with developed confidence in clinical leadership.
- Enhanced ability to challenge practice and embed relevant evidence base to support quality care.
- Enhanced ability to innovate and lead clinical practices change derived from current policy initiatives and evidence bases.
- Increased commitment to achieving and leading quality care in service delivery.
- Staff who are better able to be flexible, engage in and potentially lead service developments.
Patients/Service Users/Carers receive effective and comprehensive care from a professional who is:
- Knowledgeable and skilled in practice.
- Able to challenge poor practice.
- Committed to demonstrating and developing contemporary practice to enhance quality in healthcare and healthcare practice.
- Committed to patient centred care.
Patients/clients have access to, and benefit from, enhanced quality in healthcare services.
Accreditation and professional recognition

Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
As part of this course, you will undertake a professional development module which is currently accredited1 by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) for the 2023-24 intake. Upon successful completion of the module, you will gain the CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice at no additional cost. Further details can be found under the module section and on the Professional Development module homepage.
Everything was well organised including the teaching which enabled our studies. I have learned so much and am wearing a different lens in nursing now – I love this programme.

What you'll study
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.
These modules are absolutely brilliant – so relevant for nursing leadership today.

How you'll learn
Studied on campus or 100% online, you will be encouraged to take an independent and self-directed approach to your study and to use the range of learning resources available to support your academic development. Individual modules adopt a range of teaching/learning strategies including workshops and seminars, student presentations and lectures.
This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Part-time students - in discussion with the course directors - choose from three modules in each semester and the actual route varies between individuals. Typically, students studying part-time will complete one 20-credit module each semester with the remaining year devoted to study for the CMI module and the dissertation. Request further information about part-time study.
Explore our campus How online learning works
Teaching contact hours
Full-time students will have on average 10 hours of contact teaching time per week, part-time study hours will vary depending on the number of modules you choose.
Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 10 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.
There are also optional individual or group tutorials, which will normally be approximately 5 hours per module.
The Nursing MSc course team have developed comprehensive content for all modules to support your learning on our digital education platform.
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.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2023/2024 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Assessment
Assessment tools are varied and designed to maximise your opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge, critical thinking and application of theory to nursing practice.
Assessment methods include:
- Essays
- Service improvement plan
- Presentation
- Case study analysis
- Posters
- Independent research study for the dissertation
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.
International experience opportunities
Coventry University aims to give you the global opportunities needed to become a truly global graduate, enhancing your employability on a global scale. Research from the British Council and Higher Education Funding Council for England has shown that global opportunities such as an international trip or Study Abroad year make you more employable.
Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2023/24 entry.
Fees and funding
2023/24 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £11,200 | Request fee information |
EU | £11,200 per year with EU support bursary** £18,600 per year without EU support bursary** |
Not available |
International | £18,600 | Not available |
For advice and guidance on tuition fees3 and 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.
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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 government's 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.
Facilities
Our aim is to offer you sector-leading facilities4.

Alison Gingell Building
Our state-of-the-art Alison Gingell Building features mock hospital wards, an operating theatre, critical care settings and other real-life nursing environments.

Community houses
Learn how to work with patients outside of a hospital setting in our simulated, two full-size community homes, specifically built for teaching.

Midwifery suite
Our midwifery suite is equipped with delivery facilities including water birth options. Student midwives also use mannequins to simulate routine and emergency care to mothers and babies.
Careers and opportunities
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a professional approach to self-development in a broad range of competencies relevant to nursing across national borders and areas of practice including digital literacy, critical decision-making, problem-solving, presentation and teamwork.
- Critically evaluate approaches to and conduct of research to support the practice and development of nursing care.
- Evaluate critically the application and implementation of the evidence base to a range of national and international areas of nursing practice, and contributions of nursing to public health and community development.
- Analyse approaches to support leadership, quality and service improvement and project management within policy and professional frameworks of nursing.
- Evaluate the complex social and political nature of nursing care using an integrated approach and drawing on a range of disciplines.
This course provides an opportunity to learn from academic staff and clinical experts (subject to availability), to develop critical thinking and decision-making skills to support innovation, challenge and to develop the skills to support you in leading a clinical nursing practice.
Where our graduates work
Past students are working as nurses in a range of acute and secondary care settings in the UK and other European countries. These nurses have both senior roles as leaders and managers of teams or may be newly qualified staff choosing to achieve their master’s degree at an early stage in their career.
How to apply
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UK students
To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online.
For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form.
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International students
Full-time international students applying to start in September should apply directly to the university. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
How to applyFor further support for international applicants applying for postgraduate degree view our International hub.
You can also download our International guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation and tips for travel.
Get in touch with us today for further advice and guidance.
Chat with our admissions team.
Complete our contact form.
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Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, 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 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 COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the 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
Due to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
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 2023/24 contract can be found here. 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.