MSc Adult Nursing - Preregistration (February Start)
Key Details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Science
- Course Length
- 2 years
- Course Start Date
- February 2026
Course Overview
Embark on a rewarding career in nursing where every day brings fresh challenges and new opportunities to make a difference. Whether you're passionate about caring for people recovering from acute illness or supporting those living with disabilities, our innovative accelerated MSc Adult Nursing programme is designed for graduates seeking a fast-track entry into the nursing profession.
Ideal for those with an existing degree, our two-year Master's course combines theory with hands-on practice, leveraging your prior life experience and graduate attributes to qualify as an adult nurse. You'll explore all aspects of nursing, gaining invaluable experience across diverse healthcare settings alongside a team of dedicated health and social care professionals.
With the NHS Constitution at its core, our dynamic MSc Nursing programme provides you with rigorous training to prepare you to excel as a professional nurse capable of delivering the highest quality of person-centred care.
Informed by the four pillars of Advanced Practice, you’ll take part in both theoretical and practice-based learning addressing the themes of Clinical Practice, Research, Education and Leadership, ensuring you’re equipped to pursue a variety of exciting career opportunities. You'll engage in university-based learning, independent online study, simulated practice, and hands-on placements, honing your clinical nursing skills, education capabilities, leadership potential, and research skills.
Throughout the programme, you’ll take part in professionally supervised placements in diverse care environments which offer the opportunity for real-world application of your learning. Working closely with service users and their families, you'll enhance your clinical proficiency while appreciating the pivotal roles of research, education, and leadership in delivering high-quality care.
Study and Modules
Structure
Our course structure will enable you to study a range of concepts and undertake practice experiences, all highly relevant to adult nursing. Across the two years, you’ll also study six core modules and be exposed to placements reflective of the patient’s journey across a range of healthcare settings. This means you’ll spend time getting to grips with the theory and then applying it in practice.
In your first year, you’ll focus on learning the foundations of nursing, with an emphasis on developing your knowledge and understanding of fundamental nursing theory and concepts. You’ll investigate a range of topics including person-centred care, empowerment, public health and health promotion among others. Essential nursing skills will be taught through simulation in the university’s skills labs, through online learning and during practice placements where the emphasis will be on you developing core practice skills, whilst giving you the opportunity to explore the nurses’ role within a multiprofessional team.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
We take a ‘blended’ approach to teaching and learning, which includes online learning as well as classroom-based activities in order to promote engagement and develop your critical thinking.
Classroom teaching includes lectures, seminars as well as peer learning opportunities, where we encourage you to actively participate with the guidance and facilitation of a lecturer.
In year one, teaching centres on learning the fundamentals of nursing theory and practice and how you deliver safe care to people. We emphasise the need to develop research skills throughout the course, and in the first year you’ll learn to appreciate various research approaches and how they support and guide nursing practice.
You’ll have two 10-week practice placements in year one. Each placement block starts with a week of simulated learning in the UEA skills and simulation centre, where you’ll be introduced to a wide range of nursing skills. During each practice placement, you’ll be learning with the support of registered nurses, members of the healthcare team and those using healthcare services. Your practice placements are designed to reflect the typical working patterns of a qualified nurse. You’ll have access to placements in a wide variety of settings located with healthcare provides who work in partnership with UEA, across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
Assessment
You’ll be assessed using a range of methods, carefully chosen to enable you to demonstrate your ability to apply theory to practice.
Year one assessments include written assignments, reports and exams. You’ll also be assessed in practice against the NMC proficiencies set out in the PART 1: MYEPAD (Midlands, Yorkshire and East Practice Assessment Document)
Structure
The second year focuses on enhancing your practical knowledge and the conceptualisation of theory into practice. You’ll be able to spend more time in practice and specialise during placements by spending time with other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
You’ll build on your knowledge and skills, demonstrating your ability to effectively deliver nursing care and communicate with people with complex needs. Using a range of educational and leadership skills you’ll assess the needs of people while protecting their rights to privacy, dignity, respect and autonomy.
In this year, you’ll complete a project that draws together the four pillars of advanced practice. This will enable you to develop a high level of critical thinking and reasoning skills, so that you’re increasingly able to support people with complex needs.
As you move through the programme towards professional registration, you’ll explore what your role means in relation to enhancing the quality of care, nursing practice and service delivery. As a future leader in practice, you’ll also focus on how to apply research, education and leadership theory to lead, develop and improve services and care provision.
Compulsory Modules
Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.
Teaching and Learning
In year two, teaching centres on embedding theory and research into your practice to enable you to deliver high quality care to people and support their families and carers. The emphasis is on managing and leading care and improving the quality of care and healthcare services in partnership with others.
You’ll have three practice placements in year two. The first two placements will be 10 weeks and the final placement is 12 weeks. Like year one, the first week of each placement will be a simulated practice week.
By the end of your studies, you’ll have developed your knowledge, skills and professional values in order to demonstrate completion of the NMC proficiencies and requirements for professional registration.
Independent Study
Throughout your two years, we encourage you to think critically about your practice, so that you become a confident, reflexive independent learner. Within directed study time, you’ll be expected to fully engage with our Virtual Learning Environment and use this time to develop your skills of critical enquiry.
Assessment
In year two, you’ll complete a dissertation that encompasses the learning outcomes for all year two modules. In practice, you’ll be assessed against the NMC proficiencies set out in the PART 2: MYEPAD and PART 3: MYEPAD.
Employability
After the Course
You’ll graduate with an MSc in Nursing and full registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. You’ll be equipped with the clinical, communication, research, education and leadership skills to enable you to provide high quality, person-centered care.
Nursing is a rewarding, challenging and exciting career, and the qualities and qualifications you’ll possess will open doors to a huge range of settings, in the UK and internationally.
As a UEA graduate, you’ll continue to enhance your lifelong learning skills to ensure you develop professionally throughout your career.
Careers
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- NHS
- Private sector
- Voluntary sector
- Nursing management
- Education
- Research
Discover more on our Careers webpages.
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in February each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.1
Degree Subject
All subject areas considered.
- Additional Entry Requirements
This programme is also applicable if you are a registered Mental Health, Learning Disabilities or Children's Nurse who wishes to become a Nursing and Midwifery Council registered Adult Nurse.
If you are a registered nurse looking for post-registration study opportunities within your own field of practice then this course is not suitable and you may wish to consider our other post-registration, professional nursing courses delivered at Degree and Master's level.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Information
The MSc Adult Nursing (pre-registration) is an accelerated programme in 2 years. Therefore graduate entrants are required to demonstrate the equivalent of 460 hours of theoretical learning before starting the programme as a condition of the admissions process. This is achieved through the completion of a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Portfolio.
If successful at the interview stage, offer holders will be invited to complete a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) online portfolio set against defined Nursing and Midwifery Council outcomes (NMC, 2018). Upon confirmation of achievement, candidates will be eligible to commence the programme.
- English and Mathematics
Applicants will be required to have a minimum of GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4 / C or equivalent.
- Interviews
The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that meeting the minimum academic entry requirements will not guarantee that you will be selected for interview.
Interview invitations will be sent by email. Please keep a close eye on all emails from UEA after you submit your application.
Interview format
Our interviews for 2025 will take place on our campus. The format will match the process outlined in our animation: What to expect from a Health Science interview at UEA, as closely as possible. You will be invited to book your interview for a morning or afternoon session by email. The email will include the arrival time and building location. We use a variety of the buildings on our campus for interviews, but they will either be on our Main Campus or on our West Campus (which is around a 20-minute walk from the centre of the Main Campus, near the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital). The session will last no longer than 3 hours in total. Applicants who are based outside of the UK at the point of applying will be offered an online interview.
As part of the session, you will take part in ‘multiple mini-interviews’ with academic members of staff from the School of Health Sciences at UEA, clinicians from the profession, service users* and/or current UEA students from the course.
*A ‘service user’ is someone who has access to use health or social care services or could be affected by the services of health and social care professionals.
You will undertake your ‘multiple mini-interview’ alongside 1 or 2 other applicants for the course. Together, you will be taken to your interview room, which will be furnished with three interview stations. You will attend each interview station in turn, rotating with the other applicants you have been grouped with.
Before you visit each interview station, you will be given time to read some information. The information will include the interview questions or topics that you will be asked about. You will then be given a set amount of time with the interviewer(s), who will ask you the questions verbally.
The other applicants who you have been grouped together with will be following the same process as you at the same time. They will be speaking to alternate interviewer(s) to you simultaneously. You will all continue the process above until you have been interviewed at all three interview stations.
As part of your interview day, you will also have an opportunity to join some other sessions, for which you will not be assessed. The sessions are an opportunity for you to learn more about the course, the university, the students that study here, and for you to ask questions of current students and teaching staff. There may be an opportunity to undertake some practical skills during some of these sessions, if possible. There may also be an opportunity to tour the teaching facilities. These parts of your interview day are not compulsory, and do not form part of the assessment.
Interview questions
At each interview station you will be asked questions that focus on a particular domain. The order in which you are asked about these domains will be variable. The domains are:
- Your knowledge of the professional field for which you are applying.
- Your personal qualities and suitability for the profession. To help with discussion around this domain, you may be asked to consider a scenario and asked questions about how you would respond to it. You will be given time to read the scenario before you approach the interview station, and it will also be read to you by the interviewer(s).
- Your understanding of and suitability for the course at UEA.
On all interview stations, interviewers will also consider your ability to clearly present information and communicate your responses effectively.
Interview Skills for Nursing Applicants - Free Course
Take advantage of our free course through Future Learn: Interview Skills for University Nursing Programme Applicants
This free one-week course aims to increase your chances of being accepted onto a UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved Nursing programme in the UK. You’ll be guided through the interview process to help you understand the purpose of the interviews and how they’re conducted. We introduce a range of resources, which will help you develop your knowledge of the Nursing profession and potential career pathways. Through information, guidance, and activities, you’ll learn how to identify transferable skills and relevant experiences that you can draw upon during your Nursing course interview, giving you the best chance of success.
Experience of Healthcare
We are aware that it is a difficult time to try to gain relevant experience in healthcare. First time applicants to Nursing, Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions will all be in a similar situation.
Clinical work experience will not generally be a requirement for applying to train in healthcare. We will be looking for you to show that you are able to work with people, that you appreciate the health and social care setting, and that you understand what a career in health will involve. While we will expect you to show some understanding of what it is like to be the professional of your choice, part of this involves demonstrating that you know what it is like to work in a responsible role, particularly with the public.
Note that your experiences are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. It is important that you think about how you might be able to demonstrate your understanding of healthcare, that you can relate this to experience or research, and that you can explain what you have learned.
What type of experience or research do you need?
Any activity, life experience or research that helps you to prepare for training to be a healthcare professional will help. This means any activity that allows you to demonstrate that you have:
- Had people-focused experience of providing a service, care, support or help to others, and that you understand the realities of working in a caring profession.
- Developed some of the values, attitudes and behaviours essential to being a Nurse, Midwife or Allied Health professional such as conscientiousness, effective communication and the ability to interact with a wide variety of people. The values that we are looking for are set out in the NHS Constitution.
- A realistic understanding of Health and Social Care and in particular the physical, organisational and emotional demands of the career.
Practical ways to gain experience
Keep a reflective diary on what is happening in the news and online. Listen to what healthcare professionals have to say and reflect on this. All healthcare professionals can be a valuable source of information and experience, not just those that work in the specific profession that you are applying for. Demonstrating that you have a sense of all healthcare professions (and how they work together) will help you in both your personal statement and interview.
Volunteer in your spare time if you can, all forms of voluntary work can provide helpful work experience. If volunteer work in the NHS isn’t something that is available to you, think about what else you could explore i.e. working with other people in a caring or service role. Voluntary commitments to community groups (for example groups related to the work of churches, mosques and temples, or other groups such as Scouts or Guides) and online community support groups may also provide valuable experience of taking on responsibility, dealing with people and communicating effectively.
Remember: what is important is what you learn about yourself and about other people, and what you learn about how effective care is delivered and received. How you learn these things is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learned that matters.
- Placements
Occupational Health Check
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
DBS Check
The offer made to successful applicants after the interview stage will be conditional on completing an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Where applicable, an Overseas Police Check may be required.
Assessing Your Fitness to Become a Registered Healthcare Professional
Please see our guidance on assessing your fitness.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
UK and International fee-paying students. Choose UK or International above to see relevant information. The entry point is in February each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.1 or equivalent.
Degree Subject
All subject areas considered.
- Additional Entry Requirements
This programme is also applicable if you are a registered Mental Health, Learning Disabilities or Children's Nurse who wishes to become a Nursing and Midwifery Council registered Adult Nurse.
If you are a registered nurse looking for post-registration study opportunities within your own field of practice then this course is not suitable and you may wish to consider our other post-registration, professional nursing courses delivered at Degree and Master's level.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Information
The MSc Adult Nursing (pre-registration) is an accelerated programme in 2 years. Therefore graduate entrants are required to demonstrate the equivalent of 460 hours of theoretical learning before starting the programme as a condition of the admissions process. This is achieved through the completion of a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Portfolio.
If successful at the interview stage, offer holders will be invited to complete a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) online portfolio set against defined Nursing and Midwifery Council outcomes (NMC, 2018). Upon confirmation of achievement, candidates will be eligible to commence the programme.
- English and Mathematics
Applicants will be required to have a minimum of GCSE Maths and English at Grade 4 / C or equivalent.
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
-
IELTS: 7.0 overall (minimum 6.5 in all components)
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies for a list of example qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, INTO UEA offer a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
-
- Interviews
The strongest applicants will be invited to interview. Please note that meeting (or being predicted to meet) the minimum academic entry requirements will not guarantee that you will be selected for interview.
Interview invitations will be sent by email. Please keep a close eye on all emails from UEA after you submit your application.
Interview format
Applicants who are based outside of England at the point of applying will be offered an online interview. You will be invited to an online interview by email. These are typically 40 minutes long and the email will include a link to your online interview. This is conducted on Blackboard Collaborate.
The interview will be conducted by one or multiple interviewers including academic members of staff from the School of Health Sciences at UEA, clinicians from the profession, service users* and/or current UEA students from the course.
*A ‘service user’ is someone who has access to use health or social care services or could be affected by the services of health and social care professionals.
After an initial introduction, the lead interviewer will conduct an ID check and then explain how the interview will unfold.The interview will cover three distinct domains which will be introduced to you by the interviewer at the start of your interview. The interview questions will be shared in the chat with you so you can read them.
The domains are:
- Your knowledge of the professional field for which you are applying.
- Your personal qualities and suitability for the profession. To help with discussion around this domain, you may be asked to consider a scenario and asked questions about how you would respond to it. You will be given time to read the scenario before you approach the interview station, and it will also be read to you by the interviewer(s).
- Your understanding of and suitability for the course at UEA.
During the interview, the interviewer(s) will also consider your ability to clearly present information and communicate your responses effectively.
Interview Skills for Nursing Applicants - Free Course
Take advantage of our free course through Future Learn: Interview Skills for University Nursing Programme Applicants
This free one-week course aims to increase your chances of being accepted onto a UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved Nursing programme in the UK. You’ll be guided through the interview process to help you understand the purpose of the interviews and how they’re conducted. We introduce a range of resources, which will help you develop your knowledge of the Nursing profession and potential career pathways. Through information, guidance, and activities, you’ll learn how to identify transferable skills and relevant experiences that you can draw upon during your Nursing course interview, giving you the best chance of success.
Experience of Healthcare
We are aware that it is a difficult time to try to gain relevant experience in healthcare. First time applicants to Nursing, Midwifery and the Allied Health Professions will all be in a similar situation.
Clinical work experience will not generally be a requirement for applying to train in healthcare. We will be looking for you to show that you are able to work with people, that you appreciate the health and social care setting, and that you understand what a career in health will involve. While we will expect you to show some understanding of what it is like to be the professional of your choice, part of this involves demonstrating that you know what it is like to work in a responsible role, particularly with the public.
Note that your experiences are only as valuable as the way you talk about them and what understanding you take from them. It is important that you think about how you might be able to demonstrate your understanding of healthcare, that you can relate this to experience or research, and that you can explain what you have learned.
What type of experience or research do you need?
Any activity, life experience or research that helps you to prepare for training to be a healthcare professional will help. This means any activity that allows you to demonstrate that you have:
- Had people-focused experience of providing a service, care, support or help to others, and that you understand the realities of working in a caring profession.
- Developed some of the values, attitudes and behaviours essential to being a Nurse, Midwife or Allied Health professional such as conscientiousness, effective communication and the ability to interact with a wide variety of people. The values that we are looking for are set out in the NHS Constitution.
- A realistic understanding of Health and Social Care and in particular the physical, organisational and emotional demands of the career.
Practical ways to gain experience
Keep a reflective diary on what is happening in the news and online. Listen to what healthcare professionals have to say and reflect on this. All healthcare professionals can be a valuable source of information and experience, not just those that work in the specific profession that you are applying for. Demonstrating that you have a sense of all healthcare professions (and how they work together) will help you in both your personal statement and interview.
Volunteer in your spare time if you can, all forms of voluntary work can provide helpful work experience. If volunteer work in the NHS isn’t something that is available to you, think about what else you could explore i.e. working with other people in a caring or service role. Voluntary commitments to community groups (for example groups related to the work of churches, mosques and temples, or other groups such as Scouts or Guides) and online community support groups may also provide valuable experience of taking on responsibility, dealing with people and communicating effectively.
Remember: what is important is what you learn about yourself and about other people, and what you learn about how effective care is delivered and received. How you learn these things is only a small part of the story; it is how you communicate what you learned that matters.
- Placements
Occupational Health Check
As this course includes patient facing placements in health or social care settings, and these are a mandatory component of the course, you will need to comply with the placement vaccination policy. Failure to meet the placement vaccination policy may prevent you from joining the course or may lead to your withdrawal from the course in the future. Future employment may also be subject to this condition.
DBS Check
The offer made to successful applicants after the interview stage will be conditional on completing an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Where applicable, an Overseas Police Check may be required.
Assessing Your Fitness to Become a Registered Healthcare Professional
Please see our guidance on assessing your fitness.
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2025/26 are:
-
UK Students: £19,070 (£9,535 per year)
-
International Students: £45,400 (£22,700 per year)
We estimate living expenses at £1,136 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here.
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships; please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form.
The closing date for receipt of complete applications is 01 June.
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students section of our website.