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| Academic Unit |
Health Sciences |
| Final Award |
Master of Science (MSc) |
| Programme(s) |
Nursing (Adult Field, Child Field, Mental Health Field) |
| Last modified |
July 2012
Reviewed in July 2013; no changes made |
Reference should be made to the University's General Regulations found in Section IV and Section V (Higher Degree Regulations) of the University Calendar.
Except where an opt-out has been granted by the University (see below) the following academic regulations apply in addition to the General Regulations.
| 1. |
Admissions |
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Candidates for admission must satisfy the Regulations for Admission to Degree Programmes as specified in the General Regulations. The MSc in Nursing is designed as a graduate entry award to enable those with the necessary pre-requisites of a relevant degree and practice experience to achieve a postgraduate qualification with eligibility for registration in Adult, Child or Mental health fields.
Admission to, and continuation on, the programme is subject to specific health requirements (consistent with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act [1995]). Prospective students are required to inform the Faculty of any health problems relevant to their future employment as a health professional. All students will be subject to an occupational health check.
Admission to, and continuation on, the programme is subject to consideration of any criminal convictions. The programme is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act [1986]. Prospective students are required to inform the Faculty of all criminal convictions. All students will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Equality Statement
The Faculty wishes to make places available to a wide range of people who will make a useful contribution to the study and practice of nursing. The University and the Faculty are committed to a comprehensive policy of equal opportunities in which students are recruited on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities and are given equal opportunities within the University. The aim of the policy is to ensure that no prospective or current student should receive less favourable treatment on any grounds that are not relevant to academic ability and attainment and state registration as a professional nurse.
The University’s Disability Equality Scheme includes an Action Plan which identifies the steps that the University is taking to improve the opportunities available to disabled students. Applications from candidates with disabilities are always considered and assessment of their abilities and needs undertaken sensitively.
Decisions are based on whether or not the applicant meets the admission criteria, whether the programme can be delivered to the applicant in a way that meets their requirements, making reasonable adjustments if necessary and whether at the end of the programme, the graduate would meet the competencies set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)
APL will be considered on a case by case basis and in accordance with the University regulations for APL, as well as NMC regulations. |
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| 2. |
Structure of Programme(s) |
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The award of MSc in Nursing with registration is obtained upon completion of a minimum of 90 ECTS at the appropriate level with 30 ECTS derived from a dissertation module.
It is undertaken at academic levels 6 and 7 each level accruing 90 credits at the respective level. The full time route is normally 3 years, and the first year may be completed through the APL procedures.
The maximum period of registration shall normally be five years. This period of registration will incorporate periods of suspension or interruption of studies. In line with NMC regulations, the award must be completed within five years of the commencement date.
In Year 1 students will study 60 ECTS at level 4.
In Year 2 students will study 30 ECTS at Level 6 and 30 ECTS at level 7.
In Year 3 students will study 30 ECTS at Level 6 and 30 ECTS at level 7.
The outline of the content of each module shall be specified in the module profile and made available to students on Blackboard. The successful candidate must have demonstrated all the requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council as outlined in their 2010 Standards for Pre-Registration Education. |
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| 3. |
Progression |
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Progression Regulations are as described in the University Calendar, Section IV : General Regulations; Progression, Determination and Classification of Results.
The pass mark for all modules will be 40% for all level 4, 5 and 6 modules and 50% for all level 7 modules. Students must meet the pass criteria in both academic and practice experience to pass overall. All practice placements must be passed.
Module Referral and Retrieval
The criteria for module assessment referral are:
- Failure to achieve a Pass/Fail assessment.
- Where an assessment comprises two or more components, unless otherwise stated, the minimum pass mark for a part must be 35% with an aggregate of 40% overall (50% for masters level modules).
- In order to meet NMC requirements in drug calculations, specified assignments must achieve 100% pass mark for this component.
Practise Experience Referral
A student will normally be required to retrieve a practice experience by:
- Undertaking the assessment during the first 4 weeks of the next practice experience. Where this is practice experience 6, a further practice experience of 6 weeks will be arranged.
- A student will normally be required to retrieve a referred practice experience assessment on one further occasion if he/she refers a practice experience assessment.
Termination of Registration
A student’s registration will normally be terminated following resit/retrieval assessments if he/she:
- Achieves a mark of 39% or below (49% or below for level 7 modules) on a re-submitted/resit attempt.
- Fails a Pass/Fail assessment on a re-submission/resit.
- Does not attend, or is more than half an hour late for a resit examination or is requested to leave the examination room.
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| 4. |
Assessment |
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| Students must meet the pass criteria in both academic and, when required, practice assessment to pass overall. Non-assessed work may also be a course requirement. |
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| 5. |
Award of Qualification(s) |
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In order to qualify for the award of MSc in Nursing candidates must:
- have satisfied the entry requirements as set out in the Programme Specification;
- have undertaken all the levels of the curriculum as appropriate to the award and passed all the required assessments (theory and practice);
- have completed satisfactorily all practice assessment, practice experience and other coursework as required;
- have met the all NMC requirements, including a minimum of 2300 hours of academic study and a minimum of 2300 hours of practice experience;
- for Adult field students, have met the requirements of the Directive 2005/36/EC;
- be judged as of good health and good character and worthy of admission to the NMC register.
Students who are successful at all year one assessments but who but are unable to successfully complete all the required Clinical Placements shall be eligible for the exit award of a Certificate in Health Studies (60 ECTS at level 4). The Certificate recognises academic achievement but this will not give entitlement to apply for registration as a nurse.
Students who are successful at all year one and two assessments but who but are unable to successfully complete shall be eligible for the exit award of a Certificate in Health Studies (60 ECTS at level 4 and 60 ECTS at level 5 and 6). The Certificate recognises academic achievement but this will not give entitlement to apply for registration as a nurse.
Students who are successful at all assessment except the dissertation module, but have attempted the dissertation, shall be eligible for the Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing (60 ECTS at level 4 and 60 ECTS at level 5 and 6 and 45 ECTS at level 7). The Post Graduate Diploma recognises academic achievement and gives entitlement to apply for registration with the NMC.
Students who are successful at all assessments but are unable to successfully complete all the required Clinical Placements shall be eligible for the exit award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Studies 75 ECTS. The Postgraduate Diploma recognises academic achievement but this will not give entitlement to apply for registration as a nurse.
To qualify for a Merit at Masters level the final average mark (weighted by credits) rounded to the nearest integer will be between 60 and 69% or higher from the level 7 modules of study. In addition, the student will achieve a mean practice placement mark of 70% or over in the final two practice placements, and will have met all the programme completion requirements.
To qualify for a Distinction at Masters level the mean programme mark will be 70% or higher from the level 7 modules of study. In addition, the student will achieve a mean practice placement mark of 70% or over in the final two practice placements, and will have met all the programme completion requirements.
Any student who experiences grave or terminal illness/injury which prevents them from continuing on their award and achieving professional qualification, may be eligible for a posthumous award of aegrotat qualification named Postgraduate Certificate in Health Studies. |
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| 6. |
Placements/Study Abroad/Exchange/Fieldwork |
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Practice experience forms an integral part of the programme and students are required to pass in order to be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing and MSc in Nursing.
Students are not permitted to continue in placement whilst progressing an academic appeal against a relevant body. |
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| 7. |
Other |
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These regulations may be revised during the student's period of registration in accordance with the procedures approved by Senate.
Special Considerations
Students are guided to the Special Considerations guidance in the University Calendar in particular the guidance relating to the deadlines for submission of Special Considerations forms.
The treatment of special considerations is dealt with under separate Special Considerations procedures.
A student's performance may be worthy of special consideration if their performance in a relevant assessment has been adversely affected by exceptional circumstances outside their control and there is evidence to support such a claim.
Special considerations shall only apply to circumstances which can be clearly related to performance in particular elements of assessment.
The authority of the Special Considerations Board to make allowance for exceptional circumstances may be restricted in some programmes subject to Professional, Statutory or Regulatory requirements or because of the special requirements of particular programmes. In such cases, this will be made clear to students in programme documentation.
Fitness to Practice
Students are advised to acquaint themselves with the University Fitness to Practise Policy which is used within the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Academic Integrity
Where issues of Academic Integrity are detected, the Faculty will follow the published Academic Integrity Regulations. Where a case remains active prior to an examination board, a mark of 0 will be presented to the examinations. This mark will then be amended by Chairs Action depending on the outcome of the Academic Integrity process.
The Faculty is moving to the use of Turnitin software as an educational resource to help students to help evaluate the originality of their own work. Where Turnitin submission is required of work that will contribute to summative assessment and the student fails to submit, they will be awarded a mark of 0 for the component in question.
Academic Appeals
Students are guided to the Academic Appeals Regulations in the University Calendar. |
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