Specialist Practice Nursing (Top Up) MSc - 2025/6
Awarding body
University of Surrey
Teaching institute
University of Surrey
Framework
FHEQ Level 7
Final award and programme/pathway title
MSc Specialist Practice Nursing
Modes of study
| Route code | Credits and ECTS Credits | |
| Full-time | PTA61123 | 180 credits and 90 ECTS credits |
QAA Subject benchmark statement (if applicable)
Other internal and / or external reference points
N/A
Faculty and Department / School
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences - School of Health Sciences
Programme Leader
JONES Felicity (Health Sci.)
Date of production/revision of spec
22/08/2025
Educational aims of the programme
- To enable specialist practice nurses to plan, undertake and report on a substantial original project that is relevant to their professional practice and their workplace organisations.
- To gain confidence in understanding and applying the research process.
- To develop skills in research leadership, critical thinking, and writing, translating knowledge into practice, literature reviewing and digital knowledge.
Programme learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | Awards | Ref. | |
| Develop and apply appropriate research questions. | KP | MSc | |
| Develop and apply principles of research ethics. | KP | MSc | |
| Develop an understanding of research and policy context for the particular project. | K | MSc | |
| Systematically search and critically appraise relevant literature. | KCPT | MSc | |
| Collect and analyse/synthesise data utilising appropriate analytical methodologies | KC | MSc | |
| Discuss findings and implications of findings for practice, research and education. | KPT | MSc |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Programme structure
Full-time
This Master's Degree programme is studied full-time over 16 months, consisting of 60 credits at FHEQ level 7.
All modules are semester based on a 15 credit tariff.
Entry requirements:
Applicants should have completed a post graduate diploma in one of the below courses studied at the University of Surrey worth 120 credits which will be recognised in the University of Surrey's RPC process.
PGDip Public Health Practice SCPHN Health Visiting
PGDip Public Health Practice SCPHN School Nursing
PGDip Primary and Community Care SPQ District Nursing
PGDip Primary and Community Care SPQ with integrated independent and supplementary prescribing (V300) District Nursing
PGDip Primary and Community Care SPQ Community Children's Nursing
PGDip Primary and Community Care SPQ with integrated independent and supplementary prescribing (V300) Community Children's Nursing
Programme Adjustments (if applicable)
N/A
Modules
Year 1 (Full-time) - FHEQ Level 7
| Module code | Module title | Status | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NURM112 | DISSERTATION | Optional | 60 | Cross Year |
Opportunities for placements / work related learning / collaborative activity
| Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics | N | |
| Professional Training Year (PTY) | N | |
| Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY) | N | |
| Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme) | N | |
| Study exchange (Level 5) | N | |
| Dual degree | N |
Other information
The school of Health Sciences is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:
Employability:
Students are registered healthcare professionals and will be developing skills and knowledge that can be applied to their professional role. The completion of a dissertation that can be disseminated into practice and have a significant impact on healthcare service design, service users or workforce experiences and can significantly enhance their future career potential and employability.
Digital Capabilities:
Students will develop their digital capabilities through learning how to undertake a systematic search of literature using electronic academic literature databases. In addition, students are likely to engage with data analysis tools and electronic coding and filing systems. Students will, through the development of their dissertation, expand their use of digital skills of creating a written large report with academic references.
Sustainability:
Students will learn strategies and tools to critically appraise evidence, a transferable skill for life-long and life-wide learning and sustainable, evidence-informed practice in a changing healthcare environment.
Resourcefulness and Resilience:
The commitment required for a student to complete a 16-month part-time MSc dissertation project is considerable. Students are guided to develop their reflective and critical thinking skills to evaluate, adapt, and respond flexibly to ever changing needs of healthcare practice, but also to focus on their own developmental needs. All transferrable skills required in modern health and social care practice.
Quality assurance
The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at:
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.