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Nursing (Adult) (Pre-Registration)

MSc

Make a difference in people’s lives as a registered adult nurse. This two-year postgraduate course offers a fast-track route into nursing for graduates with experience in health or social care.

Apply now
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At Worcester, you’ll benefit from excellent links with NHS Trusts and local healthcare providers, giving you access to a wide range of clinical placements across hospital and community settings

£5,000

grant that you won't need to pay back

NHS Learning Support Fund
Top20

in the UK for overall satisfaction

AdvanceHE Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2023
NMC logo
Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Successful completion means you’ll be eligible to register as a nurse with the NMC, the professional regulatory body for nurses.


Overview

This course is designed for people who already hold a degree and want to become a registered adult nurse.

Whether you’ve worked in health or social care, or are already a registered nurse looking to qualify in a second field of practice, this course offers a fast-track route into adult nursing. It’s ideal if you’re seeking a career change or want to build on your existing experience to make a meaningful difference in healthcare.

You’ll learn how to deliver safe, compassionate and person-centred care, working with people across a wide range of health needs. Throughout the course, you’ll build your clinical skills and confidence through a mix of theory, hands-on skills sessions and simulation days. These take place in our simulation suites, which replicate the clinical environments you’ll be working in when you graduate. By working through realistic case studies and clinical scenarios, you’ll gain an authentic insight into the role of a nurse and develop the decision-making skills needed to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Based on our health and wellbeing campus, you’ll study alongside students training for other healthcare roles, such as paramedics, physiotherapists and radiographers. This will help you understand how different professionals work together and prepares you for the team-based nature of modern healthcare.

Your lecturers will get to know you personally. Through tailored support and reflections, they will get to know your strengths and where you can develop. When you start, you’ll be assigned a Personal Academic Tutor, usually this is one of the lecturers teaching your course and they typically remain with you throughout your studies.

By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and begin your career as a qualified adult nurse.

Placements

Around half of your time on the MSc Nursing (Adult) course will be spent in clinical practice, giving you the opportunity to apply your learning in real healthcare settings. Placements are arranged in blocks across the two years, and you’ll typically experience at least two different settings each year.

We work closely with a wide range of NHS Trusts and healthcare providers across the region, including:

  • Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health & Care Trust
  • The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
  • Wye Valley NHS Trust
  • Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

You’ll gain experience in a variety of environments, including hospitals, community health services and specialist care settings. Some placements may focus on health promotion and disease prevention, giving you insight into the wider factors that affect people’s health.

Placements will cover shifts across a 24-hour period, 7 days a week, in line with the NMC standards for registration. There may also be opportunities to take part in international elective placements, offering a broader perspective on healthcare and nursing practice.

During your placements, you’ll be supported by experienced nurses and practice supervisors, with regular contact from your tutors. These practical experiences, combined with simulation-based learning on campus, will help you develop the confidence, skills and professionalism needed to become a compassionate adult nurse.


Course content

On this accredited course you’ll study theories backed up by substantial evidence, and then get the opportunity to apply this learning in professional practice.

We regularly review our courses to reflect the latest research and developments in the subject area, as well as feedback from students, employers and the wider sector. As a result, modules may change to ensure the course remains current and relevant.

All modules are mandatory to ensure you’re eligible to register as a nurse with the NMC.

Mandatory modules


Careers

This course prepares you for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so you can begin a rewarding career as a qualified adult nurse.

Many of our graduates go on to work in NHS hospitals, community teams, GP practices and specialist services. Others find roles in private healthcare, social services, schools, the prison service or choose to work overseas.

You’ll be supported with career planning throughout the course, including mock interviews, CV writing workshops and one-to-one guidance from your Personal Academic Tutor. We also invite local employers onto campus to meet students and discuss job opportunities. Thanks to our strong reputation across the Midlands, many students secure roles with NHS Trusts before they graduate.

Once qualified, you may choose to specialise in areas such as intensive care, elderly care, operating theatres or drug rehabilitation. With experience, you could progress into roles such as ward manager, team leader or matron.

Opportunities to Progress

After qualifying, you may choose to continue your professional development through further study. Many graduates go on to study courses such as the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice, which can lead to advanced roles in clinical care. You could pursue research-focused routes like the Nursing PhD or even graduate-entry Medicine to become a doctor.


Course highlights

Mental Health Nursing Highlight - £5000 Payment
A student nurse practicing CPR on a manakin
Nursing Associate training
£5,000 payment 

If you're a UK student on this course, you may be eligible to apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund to receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year, which you do not need to pay back. This is in addition to the financial support and loans available to eligible students.


Teaching and assessment

Teaching is a mix of interactive seminars, lectures, one-to-one tutorials and practical skills sessions.

Your assessments will help prepare you for a career as a nurse, and include observations of professional skills, writing reflective essays, presenting, group discussions and creating care plans.

Teaching and assessment contents

You’ll learn through a mix of online study and on-campus teaching, designed to fit around your other commitments. Most of your theory sessions will take place online, with 8–10 in-person study days each academic year. This flexible approach is combined with practical learning in simulation suites and clinical placements, helping you build confidence and apply your knowledge in real-world settings.

The teaching on the course is evidence-informed and practice-led. There is a strong emphasis on experiential learning and critical thinking to equip you with the skills to provide care for people with physical and mental health needs. Combining theory and hands-on skills, you’ll learn to deliver compassionate, person-focused care, work with other healthcare professionals, and make confident decisions in complex situations. You’ll also build a clear understanding of professional and ethical standards to guide your practice.


Entry requirements

Applications are welcomed from individuals with:

  • A minimum of a lower second-class Honours degree (2:2) in any subject
  • GCSE grade C/4 or level 2 equivalent in Maths and English
  • Working in a paid or unpaid capacity in a health or care setting

All applicants will be required to complete a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) portfolio of evidence for 750 theory hours and 750 practice hours which equate to year one of a pre-registration nursing programme (mapped to the NMC standards of proficiency and NMC code).

Any questions?

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please call our Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk.


Fees

Fees contents

UK and EU Students

The standard fee for full-time home and EU students enrolling in the academic year 2026/27 is £9,535 per year.

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard fee for full-time international students enrolling in the academic year 2026/27 is £23,100 per year.

Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.


How to apply

How to apply contents

Applying through UCAS

UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for full-time undergraduate courses in the UK.

Read our how to apply pages for more information on the application process, or if you’d like to apply for part-time study.

Applications will open shortly.


Contact

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Amanda Griffin

Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing

Admissions Office

01905 855111

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