Nursing

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Nursing

Overview
The Master's in Nursing is a challenging postgraduate qualification for Nurses (all fields), Midwives or Health Visitors.

Summary
Study Nursing at Ulster University in the United Kingdom.

The Masters in Nursing is a challenging Post Graduate qualification for Nurses (all fields), Midwives or Health Visiotrs. This course will assist the student develop professionally and personally and engage with evidence completing a large project which typically takes a full year to completed, September to September.

About

This course builds upon the learning and development of the PG Cert. and PG Dip. The student will undertake the Masters Project aided by a supervisor. They will develop knowledge, skills ands values to allow the stduent to succesfully complete an indepth study which will be presented in either a 20,000 word dissertation or by a paper for publication and a 5,000 word literature review.

Entry requirements

Entry conditions

We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the Universitys General Entrance Requirements. For general entrance requirements go to:
https://www.ulster.ac.uk/apply/entrance-requirements

Entry Requirements

A qualified Nurse, typically with a Degree and completion of application form. For those who do not have English as a first language they will need to have IELTs at 6.5 with no band score less than 6.5 (or equivalent).

Students will typically already hold a Degree, and are already a qualified Nurse, Midwife or Health Visitor.

English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.5 with no band score less than 6.5.

Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Exemptions and transferability

There are no expemptions from the Masters Project.

Duration

Attendance

The Masters Procect is a dissertation module and as such there are no face to face classes but there are regular supervisions sessions between student and supervisor, these will be arranged between supervisor and supervisee and take place throughout the year long period the project will run over.

Careers or further progression

Career options

It is felt the Masters in Nursing will assist any graduate with their career.

Further enquiries

Faculty administrative contact regarding admissions and application process:

Karen McCarroll
T: +44 (0)28 9036 8983
E: kl.mccarroll@ulster.ac.uk 

Course Director: Mr Iain McGowan
T: +44 (0)28 7176 5231
E: iw.mcgowan@ulster.ac.uk 

Subjects taught

Year one

Person Centered Practice
This module focuses on person-centred nursing as a form of practice that holds central the personhood of everyone involved in health and social care ? staff, service users and care partners. This module focuses on how person-centred concepts and theories are applied in nursing, public health and palliative care contexts. The module will be underpinned by the Person-centred nursing Framework of McCormack & McCance (2010), a theoretical framework that will enhance understanding of person-centredness and its translation into practice.

Leadership in Professional Practice
This module will develop the capacity to critically engage with theories of leadership and to apply this knowledge to leadership in healthcare practice. It will encourage the development of effective leadership strategies, based on best evidence to meet the challenges faced by healthcare professionals and promote the development of cultures of compassionate leadership. Assessment is by presentation, discourse and coursework

Independent study module
This module is optional
This postgraduate module enables students within a specialist area to build on the more general specialist modules already completed and to develop their knowledge within a more focused area of professional practice. Students work independently with the guidance of an academic tutor and prepare written work for discussion at each meeting with their tutor. Assessment by coursework.

Professional Decision Making and Accountability
This module is optional
This module develops students? understanding of the major components and complexities of professional decision making and accountability and the central role this plays in the design, delivery and evaluation of safe and effective compassionate care for people within services in hospital and community settings. Within the module. students will critically analyse the relationships between professional decision-making, accountability, governance and patient safety within an interdisciplinary context. Assessment is by coursework.

Therapeutic Communication Skills for Health and Social Care Professionals
This module is optional
This module will develop the capacity to critically engage with theories of communication and to apply this knowledge to the development of advanced communication skills within health and social care practice. It will encourage the development of evidence-based communication strategies to promote compassionate person-centred care. Assessment is by 100% coursework.

Year two

Scientific Knowledge
Scientific theories and research methods have a series of interconnecting ideas that underpin them. It is important to have knowledge of this in order to make coherent choices about research designs. This module serves as an introduction to the subjects that make up these frameworks. Along with this there is a long tradition of considering the role theory plays in the development of knowledge in the professions and the subsequent impact this has on decision making. This module will help students uncover the theoretical base of their profession?s knowledge.
Assessment is by presentation, discourse and coursework.

Epidemiology and Statistics for Public Health
This module is optional
This module will develop the capacity and capability of professionals to use demographic statistics and epidemiological data and analysis to improve public health. Through the assessment framework students are enabled to apply their learning to specific chronic diseases within population groups.

Advanced Methods in Research and Development in Health and Social Care
This module is optional
This module builds upon previous study of research methods and enables students to develop and apply theoretical and scientific knowledge and problem solving skills, extending their understanding of the philosophical and practical aspects of research, service evaluation and practice development. In particular, it examines quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research designs for collecting, recording, analysing and interpreting data with the ultimate goal of further developing their research and development skills.

Year three
MSc research project
This is a required component of a programme leading to a MSc. The student completes, under supervision, a research proposal with successful submission to appropriate ethics committee/s and completes a research project which makes a contribution to the knowledge base for professional practice. This is assessed by coursework.

Work placement / study abroad

It is assumed that students are in employment. No work placement or study abroad is required in this course.

Assessment method

Teaching and learning assessment

Teaching, learning and assessment take a variety of forms across the suite of modules. The strategies used are based on principles of adult learning such as self-direction and a capacity to draw upon experience.

The course assumes that students have experience in practice or are currently situated in practice and thus uses teaching, learning and assessment practices that foster student engagement. The rationale behind this is based upon andragogical principles and respects students as individuals and professionals. Teaching strategies are selected by the nature of the intended learning outcomes. The learning experience is designed to encourage students to become active and motivated learners, who can seek information, question and analyse its validity and draw appropriate and logical conclusions. Students are encouraged to make connections between theoretical content and professional experiences thus facilitating an ability to move from understanding practice and applying skills taught to questioning and critiquing practice and proposing possible research or innovation that would contribute to developments or enhancements in practice. This serves to help students understand the symbiotic link between theory and practice. Teaching methods on the course include:

Lectures that provide students with the necessary knowledge base to develop their insight into practice and thus inform skill development. Lectures also provide an excellent opportunity for experts to be invited in to teach students about current practice and developments in their field
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Seminars are encouraged that enable students to take responsibility for leading discussions on practice based issues and reviewing the current literature in their field
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Tutorial sessions enable small group work to be carried out that facilitates a specific focus
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Small group working is encouraged throughout the course to enable students to engage with problem based learning
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Creativity is encouraged to enable students to develop a flexibility of approach

Student performance and progression in modules are assessed through coursework Assessment methods in the course are designed to measure the students achievement of the intended learning outcomes. On-going formative assessment that has a significant diagnostic function occurs throughout where students are encouraged to discuss their progress and actively plan to address identified learning needs. Formative assessments in all modules are compulsory.

Assessment has been constructively aligned to the learning outcomes of each of the modules and all contain a combination of formative and summative assessment. Modules have a coursework element designed to test knowledge and understanding, integrate and apply information, and encourage the development of skills. Assessments include essays, presentations and literature reviews.