MSc Professional Nursing Practice
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: Distance Learning
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: July 2026
For qualified Nurses, this flexible fully-online programme will enable you to advance your qualifications, gaining a Master’s Award, without leaving the role you’re in. We will develop your skills and further your career opportunities in clinical and strategic roles in the healthcare services. Working alongside your study, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your learning to your workplace in your assessed work.
This course provides a clear and structured pathway to academic and professional advancement. It enhances skills in leadership, service improvement, evidence-based practice, and research - all essential for clinical and strategic roles in the healthcare services.
This Nursing online Master’s degree is perfect for you if you have a Degree in Nursing (pre-qualifying) with NMC registration or equivalent, and are working in a related area. This course enables you to attain a full Master’s degree, enhancing your skills and confidence to succeed at higher levels.
You’ll learn from experienced nursing academics and a range of experts who bring deep expertise and strong connections to current practice, ensuring your programme stays relevant, rigorous, and up to date.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
Developed from professional insight and working experience, this course focuses on leadership and innovation for practice, alongside clinical knowledge development across key areas of health and social care.
BNU makes studying practical and relevant, placing value on learners’ own individual experiences and workplace and embedding this into learning and assessment approaches.
If you’re looking for a course that will help you elevate your skills and confidence to succeed at a higher level, this Nursing online top-up Master’s offers you a proven method to achieve more, increase productivity and grow your potential.
You will benefit from an excellent standard of teaching provided by staff from the University who offer high quality academic and pastoral support. You’ll also have access to specialist online support to help you navigate and excel in the online environment of this course.
I chose to study at BNU because they provide a multi-cultural and inclusive environment with fellow students from a range of different backgrounds. The online access saved me lots of money on travel, and makes it easy to juggle my other responsibilities at work. WIth great support from tutors, and an amazing network, I really learned a lot and I would strongly recommend anyone thinking about BNU to apply. The skills and relationships I gained here will last me a lifetime.Harriet Bubala
What will I study?
This Nursing online top-up Master’s is taught fully-online over a 2-year period. Learning is closely linked to professional experience, covering nursing care delivery, leadership and management, and it develops key skills around critical thinking, synthesis and evaluation.
Even though this course is fully-online, we teach it in a way that helps develop social bonds and collaborative learning. Resources and learning activities are posted on the University Virtual Learning Environment, and might include a review of key texts and study notes, or videos and quizzes.
Whatever your professional nursing role, you’ll find the variety of teaching methods keeps you engaged and progressing, from module to module. We nurture discussions to ensure students can fully explore a subject and we set thoughtfully-designed assessments that allow you to demonstrate your self-directed learning. You will also undertake a self-selected research project, supported by course leaders, to complete your Master’s in an area of study that you’re most passionate about.
What are the course entry requirements?
Students must meet the BNU entry requirements for a Master’s award. We welcome applications from nurses who hold current nursing qualifications / registration with their recognised Nursing governing body. All students will already be employed nurses.
If you are applying from outside the UK, there are established equivalency assessments used by the admissions team for applications from internationally-educated nurses.
In addition, students will need reliable internet access, as this programme is delivered fully online.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home and International fees for Academic Year 2025-26:
- Year 1: £3,998
- Year 2: £4,997
What are my career prospects?
We see your time with us as much more than a degree, and we are committed to supporting you in upskilling and taking the next step on your Nursing journey.
Learners on this Nursing online top-up Master’s programme will enhance their knowledge and skills for the increasingly complex world of patient needs, in addition to gaining a Master’s that supports career progression. You’ll leave prepared for a variety of clinical and strategic roles in the healthcare services.
You will be supported to develop and apply leadership and innovation skills to influence practice, implement evidence-based improvements, and enhance patient outcomes across diverse healthcare settings.
Learners will also gain essential specialist knowledge to support and lead the delivery of complex care for the world’s increasingly ageing population.
Course leader
