MSc (Top-up) Specialist Community Nursing 

Entry requirements to undertake the programme

To undertake the Top-up, applicants must have completed the PgDip Specialist Community Nursing and have recorded their qualification with the NMC.

Once students exit the programme with one of the following awards:

PgDip Specialist Community Nursing with integrated prescribing (Community Children’s Nursing)

PgDip Specialist Community Nursing with integrated prescribing (District Nursing)

PgDip Specialist Community Nursing with integrated prescribing (General Practice Nursing)

or PgDip Specialist Community Nursing (General Practice Nursing)

and have recorded their qualification with the NMC they can return to complete the remaining 60 credits for their MSc.

The Top up is made up of three modules:

• Research Methods (15 credits)
• Preparation for Research (15 credits)
• Research project (30 credits)

Students are allocated a research supervisor to support them during the preparation for research and the research project modules.

Indicative Course Structure

Please note that Research Methods in Health and Social Care 7HSK2211 must be passed before starting study on Preparation for Research Project in Health and Social Care 7HSK2210. And Preparation for Research Project in Health and Care must be passed before starting study on Research Project in Health and Social Care 7HSK2209. 

If you choose to start 7HSK2211 in Semester B you must apply to study 7HSK2210 in the next academic year.

Why should I choose this course? 

This course allows students to top up their Post-graduate Diploma to obtain a Masters in Specialist Community Nursing.

Assessment details

• Research Methods – Online written test
• Preparation for Research – Research proposal submission
• Research Project – complete the research project

Learning Outcomes

• Locate, critically evaluate and synthesise evidence and information from a wide range of sources to utilise within specialist community nursing practice 
• Locate, critically evaluate and synthesise solutions to problems within the specialist community nurse role through established techniques of research and enquiry 
• Evaluate a range of evidence to justify decisions made to enhance care in complex situations in relation to an identifiable aspect of professional practice 
• Demonstrate advanced reasoning in interpreting findings of new knowledge and understanding and translate this to their work as a specialist community nurse 
• Initiate, plan, undertake and evaluate a research project related to individual practice with appropriate and achievable aims and objectives 
• Apply theories and methods of analysis to a range of research data
• Be able to transfer new or alternative evidence generated by other academic bodies of knowledge or disciplines to own discipline and practice
• Critically review the current evidence base on an identified area of community nursing enquiry 
• Systematically identify the gaps in current knowledge and evidence to propose solutions in addressing evidence uncertainties in specialist community nursing practice

This programme has the following discipline specific/optional modules

7HSK2209: Research Project in Health and Social Care

7HSK2210: Preparation for Research Project in Health and Social Care

7HSK2211: Research Methods in Health and Social Care