Nursing MSc

Study level: Postgraduate
Head shot of a smiling nurse

Studied on campus or 100% online, this Nursing MSc course is designed to offer continuing education and professional development to nurses. It aims 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 2025
January 2026
May 2026

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

The course is designed to provide continuing professional development (CPD) to a widening group of UK and internationally-based nurses. It 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. This is explored 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.
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Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

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5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

City buildings next to a tree.

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why 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 provide a range of benefits, not only to the student but also to their employer and patients/service users.

Student benefits:

  • 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.

Employer benefits:

  • 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 practice 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)

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.

Sela Fakatou, Nursing MSc, 2022
Four nursing students working in a mock ward, with a mannequin bet

What you'll study

All modules are mandatory. If you are studying part-time, module choices will be made in discussion with the Course Director.

Modules

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.

Aisling Crombie, Nursing MSc, 2022
Aisling Crombie

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.

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

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.


Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Applicants should hold at least a 2:2 undergraduate degree in Nursing and should have completed a qualification leading to registration as a nurse. We will consider applicants with a Diploma in Nursing and evidence of continuing professional development that shows an ability to study at master’s level*.

*For information regarding what might amount to ‘evidence of continuing professional development that shows an ability to study at master’s level’ please contact our admissions team using the quick enquiry form.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:


You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

Typical entry requirements

Applicants should hold at least a 2:2 undergraduate degree in Nursing and should have completed a qualification leading to registration as a nurse. We will consider applicants with a Diploma in Nursing and evidence of continuing professional development that shows an ability to study at master’s level*.

*For information regarding what might amount to ‘evidence of continuing professional development that shows an ability to study at master’s level’ please contact our admissions team using the quick enquiry form.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.5 overall (with at least 5.5 in each component area)

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

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Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees -£11,200  
Request fee information
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees -£11,200 per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees -£18,600 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees -£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.


Facilities

Our aim is to offer you sector-leading facilities4.

Nurses in training standing around a dummy patient on a hospital bed

Alison Gingell Building

Our Alison Gingell Building features mock hospital wards built to NHS standards, an operating theatre, critical care settings and other real-life nursing environments.

Community houses

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 with patient in birthing pool and nursing staff around a birthing pool

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 for 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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