MSc Nursing (Adult) (Pre-registration)
Course Overview
The University of Bolton's NMC-approved MSc Nursing (Adult) (Pre-registration) degree, offered in partnership with local NHS Foundation Trusts, is designed to prepare you for a successful career caring for adults over the age of 16. This two-year postgraduate course is open to graduates of all subject areas and is ideal if you have significant care-related work experience and a strong desire to make a difference in people's health and wellbeing. There is a shortage of qualified nurses in the UK, so the career opportunities are excellent.You'll spend 50% of your time in practice learning experience at our partner trusts. The rest of your studies will be based at the University, increasing your theoretical understanding and practical knowledge in a way that complements and enhances your learning in the workplace. We'll support you as you learn to care for adults with acute and long-term illnesses, in hospital and at home, and gain expertise in health promotion and disease prevention.
Together with our partner trusts, we'll work to prepare you to become a confident, professional nurse able to deliver and lead adult care within an ever-changing health and social care environment. On successfully completing the nursing qualification, you'll possess the knowledge and skills you need to perform as an independent, highly competent, compassionate nurse who can be trusted to maintain professional standards and protect the public.
Highlights
- The University of Bolton's MSc Nursing (Adult) (Pre-registration) course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Once you've successfully completed this degree, you'll be eligible to register as a qualified nurse.
- After successfully completing and gaining the nursing qualification, you'll have the opportunity to apply for a Band 5 Nursing post.
- Your practice learning experience will be in a range of clinical environments in our partner NHS Foundation Trusts and local organisations in the private, voluntary and independent sectors.
- Our expert team deliver teaching across the University's sites, which includes the modern state-of-the-art facilities in Bolton One. We currently have a number of clinical skills suites and plan to expand this provision further across the University's sites. We take a blended learning approach using a range of different teaching and learning methods, including lectures, seminars, problem/enquiry-based learning, e-learning, and peer learning and assessment. Clinical skills and simulated learning are also embedded throughout the programme.
Key Features
- We'll work to enable you to learn an extensive range of nursing skills and techniques so that you can care effectively for adult patients in a variety of healthcare environments. Our ambition is for you to become a nurse leader of the future.
- You'll gain first-hand work experience and have the opportunity to develop an invaluable network of professional contacts during your extensive time (50%) gaining practice learning experience at local NHS Foundation Trusts and other healthcare organisations.
- Professional expert academic tutors from a wide range of clinical and academic backgrounds deliver the theory elements of the course. Teaching sessions take place at the University of Bolton with supplementary training sessions across our NHS partner trusts.
- Qualified healthcare practitioners contribute to many of the modules and are invited as guest speakers so that you have the opportunity to learn from their first-hand examples of current practice.
- We also work to help you appreciate the views of health and social care service users and carers by involving them throughout the course.
- By choosing to study with us, you'll have the chance to enjoy Bolton's many shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities. Nearby Manchester is one of the UK's most multicultural and lively cities, and the Northwest of England is renowned for its beautiful countryside, coastline, and heritage.
Entry Requirements
- Please note that this course is only available to Home students.
- You must have at least a lower second class honours degree (2.2) in any subject (or equivalent).
- You must provide evidence that you've completed (or are working towards) at least 600 hours of care-related work experience (this equates to approximately four months of full-time work) before you can join this course. Your work experience can be paid or voluntary, full-time or part-time and must be completed before the interview date. Your portfolio of work evidence will need to be verified by a registered professional (usually your employer or sponsor), and we can accept evidence of work completed within the last five years. This experience is essential for you to be able to complete the pre-entry portfolio detailed below.
- You must have evidence and complete a pre-entry portfolio in relation to the core skills underpinning elements of the NMC standards and the year-one learning outcomes of a three-year pre-registration nursing programme. To support you in achieving this, we provide a six-week bridging programme that you must successfully complete. This programme is free of charge and involves mainly online attendance. Usually, it will begin in April if you have applied for a September start, and in August if you have applied for a January start. It will support you in demonstrating that you have the right level of knowledge and skills for entry to this MSc. We'll guide you in developing your evidence and gaining further fundamental knowledge and understanding as you build and develop your pre-entry portfolio and prepare for master's level studies in nursing.
- Qualifications gained outside England and Wales will be assessed on an individual basis according to guidance by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
- You'll be asked to attend an interview if your application is successfully short-listed. The interview process will involve face-to-face interviews with academic staff, practice staff and service users. You'll also be assessed on your values, behaviours, communication and problem-solving skills. We're seeking students who can demonstrate commitment to a nursing career, have excellent communication skills, and are caring, compassionate and courageous.
- As part of the interview process, we'll require you to undertake and pass three diagnostic assessments. During the first two assessments, you'll need to demonstrate capability in English and maths equivalent to Level 2/GCSE standard. Through the third assessment, you'll need to demonstrate a sound understanding of anatomy and physiology. We'll provide suggested reading and areas of study to help you prepare for these assessments.
- If successful at the interview stage, you'll be asked to undergo occupational health screening and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
- You'll be required to satisfactorily pass occupational health screening.
- We work with a number of partner NHS Foundation Trusts. Should your application be successful and you choose to take up our offer of a place, please note that your practice learning will be subject to rotation to ensure you can gain an appropriate range of experience. Practice learning experience is a compulsory component of the course that enables you to develop the necessary competencies required for registration and practice as a registered nurse. You will not be paid for this time, and travel expenses are not refunded as part of the course.
- You'll need to demonstrate that you are of good health and good character before enrolment and on an ongoing basis throughout your studies and career. You must also immediately declare any police charges, cautions, convictions, conditional discharges, or determinations that your fitness to practise is impaired.
- This course involves working unsupervised with vulnerable adults and you must gain an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before starting your studies. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 7.0 with normally no less than 6.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
- To enter this programme, you must demonstrate that you meet specific foundational NMC learning outcomes for pre-registration nursing. You must submit a pre-entry portfolio mapped to the core skills and underpinning elements of the NMC standards. If you meet all of the stated entry and pre-requisite requirements, you'll be eligible to access this two-year programme. Meeting all of the pre-entry requirements listed above, along with the completion of this MSc Nursing (Adult) (pre-registration) programme, equates to the full NMC requirements of a three-year pre-registration nursing programme.
- You'll need to ascertain if you're eligible for a student loan via Student Finance England or will need to be able to self-fund.
- Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
The University of Bolton's MSc Nursing (Adult) (Pre-registration) programme offers an exciting career advancement pathway for graduates from all subject areas who are gaining paid or voluntary work experience in caring for adults. It's ideal if you seek a career change into the deeply rewarding nursing profession or want to build on your previous studies in related areas such as health and social care or biological sciences.
You're already confident in your ability to learn at the honours level, and the experience you've gained working in care has ignited your desire and proven that nursing is your calling. This master's degree allows you to build on your academic skills and care experience and follow your passion for nursing in just two years. When you successfully complete our adult nursing pre-registration master's degree, you'll possess the knowledge and skills you need to perform as an independent, highly competent, compassionate nurse and work within the field of adult nursing.
As a graduate of this degree, you'll possess key transferable skills, including the ability to work independently, adapt to changing circumstances, work in teams and groups, and listen and respond to customers and their needs. You'll become adept at planning and time management, rational decision-making, critical thinking, and physical assessment and develop excellent communication skills during your time in both university and practice settings.
What can I do with this qualification?
Alternative career options
Graduates can use this qualification as a stepping-stone into many other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Possible areas include:
- Public health
- Management
- Armed forces
- Secondary schools
- FE and HE teaching
- Clinical research
- Health promotion
- Occupational health
- Overseas aid and development
- Prisons
- Universities
- Holiday companies
- Voluntary organisations
Professional Recognition
The University of Bolton's MSc Nursing (Adult) (Pre-registration) course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
On successfully completing this degree, you'll be eligible to apply for professional registration with the NMC.
Fees & Funding
Healthcare students starting and continuing their course from 1 September 2020 onwards can apply for additional funding support from the NHS Learning Support Fund. Please visit NHS Learning Support Fund web page for details.
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Bursaries
Click here for more information on our Master's Bursaries.
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
You may apply directly to the University using the University's online application form. Please select your chosen start date from the list below:
You should have to hand:
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Details of the educational establishments you attended and dates
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Your certificates for the qualifications you are using to gain entry to the course – you will need to enter the completion date and upload copies
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Details of any employment history including name, address, dates and role
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Personal statement – this can be either input into the relevant field or uploaded separately
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Details including e-mail addresses of two referees, at least one of which should be someone who can provide an academic reference
Please make sure any documents you wish to upload in support of your application are in pdf or jpeg format. Personal statements may be word documents.
Please ensure your data is correct at each stage of the application before you proceed to the next page. If you use the back button at any time during the application, you should check the validity of the data you have already input.
If you experience difficulties during the application process, contact the Admissions Team on 01204 903394 or admissions-team@bolton.ac.uk
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Apply online: University of Bolton MSc Nursing (Adult) (Pre-registration) (Accelerated Route)| STV - 22 September 2025
International Applicants
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Teaching & Assessment
Modern healthcare professionals require a range of skills and values. Our practice partners and tutors will help you gain experience in a range of clinical scenarios designed to develop your skills in a safe and supportive environment.
Your studies will be split with 50% dedicated to theory and 50% committed to practice learning experience at local NHS Foundation Trusts and other healthcare organisations, which can offer learning experiences in a range of services across their sites (please note, considerable travelling may be required). As you progress through the course, we'll guide and encourage you to draw on your practice learning experience while studying theory and apply the theory you've learned to your practice so you can understand how the two complement each other.
The course explores the concepts of health and ill health in the adult population and the key sciences in nursing, including the biosciences, psychology and sociology. Topics such as assessment, care planning, law, ethics and the importance of communication with service users and healthcare colleagues are covered. You'll have the opportunity to learn about the importance of research and how its application in healthcare can transform the lives of patients and their carers, how to access and assess the latest research, and how to incorporate your findings into care plans and intervention strategies.
We'll support you in gaining key transferable skills, including the ability to work independently, adapt to changing circumstances, work in teams and groups, and listen and respond to customers and their needs. During your studies, we'll also encourage you to develop planning and time management, rational decision-making, critical thinking, physical assessment and communication skills. We aim for you to develop into a compassionate, kind and empathetic practitioner who respects and supports the patient's privacy, dignity and individuality, and makes safe and effective clinical decisions.
For theory-based modules, we use a blended learning approach that includes lectures, presentations, simulations delivered by tutors, seminar discussions, small group workshops, small group and one-to-one tutorials, virtual learning environments (VLE) and e-learning packages. You'll also need to undertake a significant amount of personal study, including general background reading, preparing for seminar activities, working on assignments and revising for examinations.
To help support your learning, the University also offers additional study skills sessions, such as essay writing, library skills and electronic searching, and numeracy.
We use a range of assessment methods, including essays, reports, presentations, portfolios, set exercises via multiple choice questions, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), traditional examinations and assessment of practice in the practice setting. The assessment of practice and theory are equally weighted in their contribution to the degree award as a whole.
We adopt a blended teaching and learning style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Integrated Person Centred Practice
- Nursing in a Global Context
- Managing Complex Care 1
- Developing Person Centred Communities of Practice
- Leadership and Innovation
- Managing Complex Care 2
- Professional practice research project
- Mandatory Training and Preparation for HE7 year 1
- Mandatory Training and Preparation for HE7 year 2
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Coursework 77% Practical exams 16% Written exams 7% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 20% Placement/study abroad 50% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 30% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
