Nursing - Medical & Surgical Nursing

The Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Medical and Surgical Nursing, offered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery at University College Cork, is a pathway of the MSc/Postgraduate Nursing Diploma.



This Medical and Surgical Nursing programme recognises the need for specialist postgraduate education to assist general nurses in meeting the challenges of increased levels of patient acuity, along with ethical and patient-safety challenges in medical-surgical settings.



Our teaching philosophy encompasses the importance of dynamic nursing staff, working within the multidisciplinary team, possessing the relevant knowledge and skills to enable them to deliver evidence-based care in a competent manner; it is essential that such care is delivered while cognisant of the needs of individual patients and their significant others.



We place particular emphasis on the development of assessment skills and early detection of patient deterioration as well as nurse-led (and multidisciplinary) interventions. The self-directed, theoretical, and physical skills learning is then applied to simulated critical, clinical incident scenarios within our state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Simulation Resource Centre (CSSRC).



Additional Teaching Mode Information

All students will initially be registered for the postgraduate Diploma in Nursing (60 credits). If a student wishes to progress to the Master's degree they will be registered for the 2nd year (30 credits) part-time.

Programme Pathways



This programme has Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) Category Two status and is awarded 60 credits at Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications.



There are 7 clinical pathways to the degree of Masters in Nursing, all of which have an exit route available for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. Medical and Surgical Nursing is Pathway 8 and comprises theory modules and clinical practice modules as follows:



Medical and Surgical Nursing (Pathway 8)



Year 1 (60 credits)



Theory modules

NU6005 Evidence-Based Practice for Healthcare Professionals (10 credits)

NU6053 Professional, Ethical, and Legal Decision-making in Specialist Practice (5 credits)

NU6070 Clinical Leadership in Practice Enhancement for Nursing and Midwifery (10 credits)

NU6085 Wound Care for Healthcare Professionals (5 credits)

NU6125 Professional Practice Issues for Nurses and Midwives (10 credits)

NU6152 Medical and Surgical Nursing of Individuals with Cardiorespiratory Problems (10 credits)



Clinical Practice/Practicum modules

NU6130 Clinical Practice in Specialist Nursing 1 (5 credits)

NU6131 Clinical Practice in Specialist Nursing 2 (5 credits)



Note: Students who have successfully completed 30 credits from the Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing (Medical and Surgical Nursing) and transfer into the MSc/Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing Programme must take theory modules to the value of 25 credits from above (NU6070, NU6085, and NU6152) and one Clinical Practice/Practicum module to the value of 5 credits (NU6131).



Year 2: MSc (30 credits)



MH6014 Advanced Research Methods for Healthcare Professionals (10 credits)

NU6073 Dissertation (20 credits)

There are 7 clinical pathways to the degree of Masters in Nursing, all of which have an exit route available for the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing. The pathways to degree of Masters including the Diploma exit route are all available to view in the College Calendar.



ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: Pathway 8 - Medical and Surgical Nursing



Applicants for this MSc in Nursing, including the PG Diploma exit route, should normally:



Hold active registration on a division of the professional register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland or be eligible for such registration as required for individual pathways. For the Medical-Surgical Nursing Pathway, applicants must be Registered General Nurses;



Have clinical practice experience (and support structures, if applicable) as required for individual pathways. For the Medical-Surgical Nursing Pathway, applicants must have a minimum of six months of post-registration experience (excluding courses) and at least six months experience in the speciality pathway applied for;

Applicants must provide written evidence of support from their Director of Nursing/equivalent authorised Nurse Manager stating:



(a) The applicant will be working in the relevant specialist area for the duration of the programme for a minimum of 18.75 hours a week



(b) They will be released from practice to attend the programme requirements



(c) A Clinical Preceptor and/or Clinical Facilitator can support learning in the specialist area of practice for the duration of the programme.



Note: In exceptional circumstances, applicants who do not fulfill the entry requirements may be recommended for entry to the programme under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) following a review of their individual qualifications and experience by the programme committee. Such applicants may be invited for an interview to satisfy the selection committee of their suitability for the programme. Admission of such applicants will be subject to the approval of the School of Nursing and Midwifery.



Note: Prospective students who do not fulfill the clinical practice experience entry requirements for the Postgraduate Diploma in Medical-Surgical Nursing may be eligible to apply for the Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing programme (30 credits).



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.



In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.



Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.

2 Years - PG Diploma (Year 1); Masters (Year 2)

Start Date 1 September 2025