2025/26 entry
MSc Nursing (Adult)
Why study Nursing (Adult) at Liverpool John Moores University?
- Qualify as a Registered Nurse with our two-year masters (Level 7) degree
- Open to graduates with a Level 6 bachelors degree in any field who have approximately six months' health or care work or voluntary experience
- £5,000 per year grant for Adult Nursing students living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus other funding support (eligibility criteria apply)
- £2,000 per year grant for students with dependent children (eligibility criteria apply)
- Start month: September
- Campus location: City Campus
- UCAS Course Code: PAD1
About this course
Our MSc Nursing (Adult) postgraduate degree will prepare you for the complex, demanding, and rewarding arena of adult nursing. This programme supports you to become a proficient, safe and accountable practitioner, who can deliver person-centred, evidence-based effective care.
Year 1
Throughout the first year of you degree, we will help you build on the foundation of your existing experience.
Year 1 comprises four modules totalling 90 credits. These modules focus on establishing your theoretical understanding of contemporary nursing practice, along with developing complex nursing skills within clinical practice.
As the year progresses, you will expand your evidence-based practice and begin to explore the role of research within nursing.
Year 2
Year 2 also has four modules totalling 90 credits.
Through successful completion of these modules, you will develop skills as an emerging autonomous practitioner, with a deep theoretical and practical understanding of the complexities of nursing care, and how nurses can support, empower and advocate for the best interests of patients.
You may also be interested in MSc Nursing (Child). If you don't hold an undergraduate degree, please visit our BSc (Hons) Nursing pages: Adult, Child, Mental Health.
Professional body recognition
This programme meets the standards of the NMC Future Nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses (NMC, 2023).
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted at the top of this page cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- access to programme-appropriate software
- library and student IT support
- free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund postgraduate study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages.
Please be aware that the UK’s departure from the EU may affect your tuition fees. Learn more about your fee status and which tuition fees are relevant to you.
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- Library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- Access to programme-appropriate software
- Library and student IT support
- Free on-campus Wi-Fi via eduroam
Additional fees you may need to factor in are travel costs to placements and parking if using a car whilst on placement. However, you may be able to claim reimbursement of travel costs through the Learning Support Fund provided by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).
Students who would like to buy extra uniform items, further to their standard uniform which is included in the course fees, have the option to do so.
International experiences may incur costs.
Funding
NHS Training Grant
The Training Grant is a non-means tested grant of £5,000 each academic year. It is administered by the NHS Learning Support Fund, and as it's a grant, you do not have to pay it back. You can decide how to use the money - it could go towards your study fees or living expenses, for example.
Eligible students must apply for the grant at the start of each academic year.
You can find the latest information, including eligibility criteria, on the NHS Learning Support Fund website.
Opportunities for funding may be available through the Student Loans Company.
Employability
Further your career prospects
LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.
On successful completion of the degree programme, you will be eligible to apply to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for registration as a qualified Adult Nurse. Holding your NMC Pin means you can work as a nurse anywhere in the UK.
There is strong demand for registered nurses across the NHS and private sector, and it is not uncommon for LJMU nursing students to secure job offers during their final degree year.
The student experience
Discover life as a postgraduate student at LJMU.
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Course modules
Discover the building blocks of your programme
Your programme is made up of a number of core modules which are part of the course framework. Some programmes also have optional modules that can be selected to enhance your learning in certain areas and many feature a dissertation, extended report or research project to demonstrate your advanced learning.
The programme consists of four modules per academic year. This includes three core modules and one field specific module.
Within year one of study, you will undertake the following modules:
- Assessing Health Needs
- Research and Evidence-based Safety and Quality in Nursing Care
- Managing Complex Care Delivery in Adult Nursing
- Developing Practice Learning
Within year two of study, you will complete the following modules to develop your skills of critical enquiry and leadership:
- Planning and Evaluating Adult Nursing Care
- Leading and Managing Effective Nursing Care
- Critical Enquiry in Health
- Consolidating Practice Learning
Core modules
Planning and Evaluating Adult Nursing Care
20 credits
This module will equip students to apply patient centred care approaches to care planning across the lifespan. This will include an understanding of effective communication, identifying and reducing barriers to person centred care and how to evaluate current care. Students will be able to critically appraise how adult nursing processes support individualised care delivery.
In this module the indicative content will specifically be applied within the context of Adult Nursing.
Leading & Managing Effective Nursing Care
20 credits
The primary focus of this module will be to further develop the concept of leadership that was introduced in year one of the programme with an emphasis on supporting and developing team members. Students will also be introduced to the principles of prescribing and will develop the skills required to progress to a prescribing qualification following registration
Critical Enquiry in Health
30 credits
This module will equip the student with the underpinning knowledge and skills required for their role in contributing to risk monitoring and quality of care improvement agendas. They will develop an understanding of health legislation and current health and social care policies, and the mechanisms involved in influencing policy . Students will also broaden their understanding of the principles of health economics and their relevance to resource allocation in health and social care organisations and other agencies.
Consolidating Practice Learning
20 credits
This module will enable students to complete part 3 of the NMC Future Nurse standards of proficiency. This module will facilitate support a students' transition to registered nurse status through consolidation of prior learning within clinical practice. They will be supported to develop an understanding of future responsibilities once qualified, such as revalidation and practice supervision.
Assessing Health Needs
20 credits
This module enables you to develop a critical understanding of multidisciplinary and partnership working when supporting people to make healthy choices.
Research and Evidence-based Safety and Quality in Nursing Care
30 credits
This module will enable students to demonstrate their research capabilities through the exploration of the factors which impact upon safe, quality nursing care. Students will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of the application of legislation and policy which informs nursing care. They will be able to evidence a critical awareness of human factors and how risk management is utilised to promote safe practice.
Managing Complex Care Delivery in Adult Nursing
20 credits
This module will enable students to understand the decision making processes which underpin complex care delivery, including how to plan and evaluate patient care within adult nursing. In this module the indicative content will specifically be applied within the context of Adult Nursing.
Students will be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to support patients, including those at end of life, and respond appropriately and safely to challenges that delivering care may present.
Students will be able to critically evaluate adult nursing care and consider human and environmental factors when delivering high quality nursing interventions.
Developing Practice Learning
20 credits
The aim of this module is to support students in achieving proficiencies for registered nurses that are aligned to Part 2 of the Practice Assessment Document. In addition, students will be directed and supported to develop an understanding of the theory that underpins the NMC Standards of Proficiency Annexe B Nursing Procedures.
Teaching
An insight into teaching on your course
Our postgraduate Adult Nursing MSc degree uses a variety of teaching and learning approaches that are designed to engage and inspire you. These include lectures, seminars, group work activities, clinical simulation and tutorials.
The NMC Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Programmes (NMC 2023) are central to this, with teaching and assessments that will ensure you receive the appropriate breadth of knowledge and experience required to become a skilled and confident Registered Adult Nurse.
Throughout your course, you will put theory into practice, developing your clinical skills in a range of hospital and community settings.
We use an active blended learning approach at LJMU. This means you will attend face to face teaching on campus - usually at the School of Nursing and Advanced Practice, based in the Tithebarn Building (part of our City Campus), along with independent learning and work online. Examples of online activity include tutorial discussions, discussion boards and collaborative or individual projects such as wikis, padlets, blogs and e-portfolios.
You will be taught by a team of professionally qualified academic staff, many of whom also work in practice, and have experience in designing, developing and delivering professional programmes. This team liaise closely with with your practice supervisors and assessors to ensure you are supported in bringing theory and practice together, so you get the best learning experiences whilst out on placement.
Assessment
How learning is monitored on your programme
To cater for the wide-ranging content of our courses and the varied learning preferences of our students, we offer a range of assessment methods on each programme.
In each academic year you will have to undertake three summative theoretical assessments: one for each theoretical module. Assessment methods will be authentic to nursing to demonstrate knowledge and competency, in preparation of ‘real-world’ tasks that you will be expected to experience in your professional career.
Formative assessments will also take place both within the theoretical and practice learning environment. To prepare for summative theoretical assessments, you will be given the opportunity to practice the appropriate skills that relate to the variety of assessment methods that are utilised throughout the programme. This will enable you to adequately prepare for written, verbal, practical and examination forms of assessment in each year of study.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Christopher Kiely
Programme Leader
Christopher qualified as a Registered Nurse (Adult) in 1997. Since qualification, Christopher gained experienced in a range of settings to include acute care, sexual health and community settings. In 2006, Christopher pursued further studies leading to the award of MSc Leadership in Healthcare with qualification as as Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visiting) and was subsequently employed as a health visitor in the north west region. In 2024, Christopher joined the team at Liverpool John Moores University, having gained university teaching experience across three other higher education Institutions in the United Kingdom. Currently, Christopher is the programme lead for the MSc Nursing degrees.
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Lecturer/Senior Lecturer
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School facilities
What you can expect from your School
Part of the City Campus, the School of Nursing and Advanced Practice is based in the Tithebarn Building, adjoining the Avril Robarts Library, which is open seven days a week. In addition to specialist clinical practice suite facilities, you will find high quality seminar rooms, IT suites and lecture theatres, plus a café and social spaces.
Entry requirements
You will need:
Qualification requirements
Undergraduate degree
- A first honours degree, normally 2:2 or above, ideally in a health related subject
- Any overseas qualifications should be equivalent to UK qualifications which meet our entry requirements. If you have completed your degree outside the UK, we will require a clear copy of your degree documentation to ensure UK ENIC comparability. Please note that all applicants who are invited to interview will be required to present their original degree documentation
GCSEs and equivalents
- English and Maths GCSE at grade A* - C / 4-9 (please contact our Admissions team if you have equivalent qualifications)
Additional requirements
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Relevant work experience
- Applicants must be able to demonstrate a minimum of 700 hours current healthcare experience. This can be through either paid or voluntary work, but must be verifiable by a supervisor or line manager.
International requirements
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IELTS
For International students entry requirements will include IELTs Grade required (Minimum standards – courses may vary): 6.0 Overall with 5.5 in each component.
Further information
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Extra Requirements
All applicants are required to submit a portfolio to demonstrate recognition of prior learning of how their previous care experience and graduate studies have equipped them to undertake an accelerated nursing programme, in line with Part 1 of the NMC Future Nurse: standards of proficiency for registered nurses (NMC, 2023).
Satisfy the requirements of the Nursing & Midwifery Council in respect of physical and mental fitness and will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure indicating that you meet the mandatory criteria of ‘Clearance to Work with Children and/or Vulnerable Adults
Participation in values based recruitment
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
UCAS is the application route for this full-time programme. Further information on the UCAS application process can be found here https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate-students/how-to-apply.
All applicants are required to submit a portfolio to demonstrate recognition of prior learning of how their previous health or care experience and graduate studies have equipped them to undertake an accelerated nursing programme, in line with Part 1 of the NMC Future Nurse: standards of proficiency for registered nurses (NMC, 2023).
The University reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the University. Where this does happen, the University operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.