MPhil Nursing: The University of Manchester

Course description

The University of Manchester's School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work was placed top of the table for nursing and midwifery research in the 2008 UK Research Assessment Exercise, making this the ideal place to study for a Postgraduate research award.

The postgraduate research programme provides students with transferable skills in research, and serves as the foundation for a career as an investigator and scholar. It also gives students the opportunity to work with internationally renowned scholars engaged in innovative research that will make a difference in people's lives, and in health and social care. If students want the best research training, the natural choice would be to come to a school and university renowned for their research. They particularly welcome students from all health and social care disciplines who have an interest in exploring issues related to one of the following:

• Cancer, supportive and palliative care
• Child and family health and social care
• Historical perspectives on health and archive research
• Healthcare education and practice
• Mental health
• Management of long term health problems
• Management and organisation of health and social care services
• Service user perspectives and experiences

Module details

All research degree candidates in the School are required to undertake postgraduate taught course units and these are usually completed in the first year of the programme. MPhil students require 45 credits.

Research Design and one other research course unit (a range are available, all online) are compulsory for all students, unless exemption is granted on the basis of prior learning of appropriate materials at an equivalent level. Students also earn 15 credits for the Transferable Skills Training and Research Support course unit.

Course units are taught online with some offering a combination of online and face-to-face methods. Each 15-credit online course unit requires approximately 50 hours engagement with online learning materials.

For the main research part of the programme, students are normally under the supervision of a member of the academic staff of the School, allocated by the Graduate Education Management Committee in conjunction with the Postgraduate Research Tutor. Supervision is arranged taking account of the research interests and expertise of the staff and the candidate's proposed project.

On occasion, joint supervision with a member of staff from another School within the University may be arranged, depending on the research method or topic to be studied. Preference will be given to students whose research will complement the current research themes of the School.

Career opportunities

Students graduating from the School are in very high demand, with many assuming high profile leadership roles in academia, management, health and social care research, policy and practice and other areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview:

An honours degree (minimum 2:1) or the overseas equivalent in relevant subject, a relevant postgraduate qualification or other evidence of previous study and research.

English language:

Students whose first language is not English are required to hold one of the following:

• IELTS 6.5, with a score of 6.0 or above in each component
• TOEFL 600 paper based (with a minimum score on Test of Written English of 6.0)
• TOEFL 250 computer based
• GCSE English grade C