Overview

This exciting and innovative MSc route offers graduates from any background the opportunity to transfer their graduate skills and harness them in becoming a nurse.

Recognising the changing context of healthcare, and the profile of nurses needed, the MSc Nursing Studies Adult (Pre-registration) course aims to equip graduates with advanced critical thinking skills, as well as the practical skills and competencies needed to deliver compassionate, competent, person-centred, effective, safe and high-quality healthcare

MSc graduates will be expected to make a significant contribution to ‘improving lives’ at an individual, community and global level. While working in partnership with health and social care professionals to meet the needs of patients, clients and service users, they will also contribute to public health outcomes through education and health improvement interventions.

The course benefits from a strong emphasis on interprofessional education whereby students are able to learn with and from other health and social care professionals.

The MSc also offers a unique opportunity for graduates to progress academically to master's level while gaining registration in the United Kingdom as an adult nurse.

Graduate opportunities include employment in a diverse range of healthcare settings within the UK and internationally.

The deadline for international students applying to start in January 2027 is 30 June 2026. Any additional documents requested must be submitted by 14 July 2026.

Nursing and Midwifery Council

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What you
will study

Core Modules

Research Project

Download the programme specification

In addition to the core modules that all students must undertake, some courses offer students a choice from a selection of optional modules to shape the focus their degree. Optional modules where available, form part of the overall credit structure of the course.

Download the programme specification for a detailed breakdown of the course structure, including modules, what you'll learn and other useful information.

Terms and conditions

Details of the University’s terms and conditions are available here.

Course
information

Award	Mode of study	Duration	Start date	Location
MSc	Full time	28 months	Jan 27	Glasgow	Enquire Apply

Please note that admission to GCU is considered on a competitive basis, and the academic entry requirements stated here may be the minimum required to be eligible for an offer.

International students can get information on entry requirements specific to their country in our International Study section.

Please note: All offers for pre-registration nursing are subject to satisfactory Occupational Health and Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) screenings.

Minimum academic requirements

UK honours degree 2:2 (or equivalent) in a non-adult nursing discipline. English and Maths at Standard Grade, GCSE, National 5 (or equivalent). Two satisfactory references (one of which should be academic). Evidence of recent assessed study or relevant CPD activities within the last five years. Evidence of digital literacy. If successful, you will be shortlisted and invited for an interview.

We have a very limited number of places available on this course for students from outside of the United Kingdom and Ireland. These places fill up very quickly and we are unable to process applications more than 12 months in advance.

English language requirements

Applicants from countries that are not included on the NMC’s list of accepted English-speaking countries will be required to demonstrate English proficiency by gaining an English language qualification; either Academic IELTS 7.0 with reading, listening, and speaking at 7.0, and writing at 6.5 or an OET with a minimum of 350 in reading, listening and speaking and a minimum of 300 in writing.

However, if an international applicant wishes to study using a student route visa and has been in the UK for at least three years and has completed a minimum of a degree qualification in the UK, they may not need to undertake IELTS or equivalent in advance of starting the course.

However, each application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Relevant experience (RPL) GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course. If you have three to five years of relevant work experience, you can apply for the degree that interests you and get in touch with our Admissions team about your application and your eligibility for Recognition of Prior Learning.

Additional information for international applicants

Entry requirements by country
Application deadlines
English language tests
Knowledge of English - Applicants from a majority English speaking country may not be required to provide further proof of your English language proficiency. Information about this requirement is available on the Student Visa section of the gov.uk website.

Additional information for all applicants

Relevant experience (Recognition of Prior Learning)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course.

If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme.

The tuition fees you pay are mostly determined by your fee status. What is my student fee status?

Fees are subject to change and are published here for guidance only.

2026/2027 annual tuition fees

Please visit our central tuition fees section for details.

Annual full-time tuition fees

Scottish (Home) and RUK: The fees for this course are set by the Scottish Government
International: £19,300

Please note: As a pre-registration route to nursing, this programme attracts a SAAS bursary for eligible Scottish domiciled (Home) students. Additionally, tuition fees are normally paid in full by SAAS for eligible Scottish domiciled (Home) students. Applicants who consider that they may be eligible for this should contact SAAS directly. Further infomation is available on the SAAS website.

Additional costs

As a student at the University, there are additional fees and costs which may or may not apply to you, but that you should be aware of.

View additional costs.

Additional costs for Scottish domiciled students

If you are a Scottish domiciled student, you will not need to pay for PVG checks, occupational health checks or uniforms. You may be able to apply to SAAS for additional expense support to help meet these costs. Check out the SAAS Nursing and Midwifery student placement expenses claim and Allied Health Professions student placement expenses claim forms.

Additional course costs for all other students (rest of UK, EU and International)

During this course, you will be required to cover the cost of:

- While on practice education placements, you will need to meet any additional costs for accommodation and travel
- Uniforms: approximately £14 each. The number of uniforms you require depends on the duration of your course and can range from two to four.
- Occupational health checks and vaccination set fee of £372
- Membership of Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. New applications cost £59. Updates to the existing scheme record cost £18.

Invoices will be issued by the University for payment of all of the above additional costs in Trimester B (March/April) of the first year of your programme.

Scholarships

We provide high-quality education for a fair price; as the University for the Common Good, we are committed to offering accessible higher education for talented students by keeping our tuition fees low and providing a generous scholarship package.

View our postgraduate scholarships.

Assessment methods

Assessment is viewed as an integral and core element of the learning process. Students are encouraged to discuss, interpret, analyse and evaluate information at a depth appropriate for their academic level, and in doing so, become active, self‐directed participants in the educational process.

Assessment strategies include care studies, essays, patchwork assessments, reflective portfolios, OSCAs and OSCEs, examinations, seminars, presentations, debates, vivas, projects and dissertations.

Employment opportunities

Students who successfully complete the programme will be eligible for registration as a Registered Nurse – Adult Nursing (RN1) with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Work placement

Glasgow Caledonian University have an excellent working partnership with our local health providers, collaborating closely with clinical colleagues to plan and deliver your programme. The programme is 50% theory and 50% practice.

You will benefit from experiences in both community and acute placement settings within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Golden Jubilee National Hospital. You will undertake eight placements during your programme which are spread across each year of the programme.

Students will work alongside their Practice Supervisor(s) and are required to work both day and night shifts, according to the shift pattern used within the practice setting. This allows the student to experience care as it is provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Professional accreditation

On successful completion of the programme, graduates will gain entry to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register as an Adult Registered Nurse.

Overview

The deadline for international students applying to start in January 2027 is 30 June 2026. Any additional documents requested must be submitted by 14 July 2026.

Accreditations

What youwill study

Download the programme specification

Terms and conditions

Course information

What you
will study

Course
information