• Postgraduate

Nursing (Top-up) MSc

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Overview

Overview

This course is designed for registered nurses who have completed their pre-registration PgDip Nursing (Adult/Mental Health/Learning Disabilities) at the University of West London and would like to ‘top-up’ their award to a full Masters degree.

The course will encourage you to refine your knowledge and skills in healthcare and nursing, including:

  • independence and self-direction
  • systematic and critical approaches to evaluating evidence
  • an understanding of research methodological approaches
  • ability to communicate with specialist and non-specialist audiences.

This Nursing Masters Top Up course is run at the Berkshire Institute for Health in Reading, but it is also offered at our West London campus.

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Locations this course is taught at:
Berkshire Institute for Health
West London Campus (also offered in Reading)
Why study Nursing (Top-up) with us?

Why study Nursing (Top-up) with us?

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What our students say…

UWL has truly state-of-the-art facilities. I feel like I'm learning something new every day.

Nicolas Gutierrez
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Top modern university London for nursing Times and Sunday Times 2023
A statistic stating that the University of West London has been ranked 30th overall in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2025
This course has simulation centres in London and Reading
Graduates are eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery council
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

Throughout the course, you will learn from committed and highly skilled staff, many of whom are conducting research in their specialist areas, ensuring that your studies are both challenging and rewarding. 

We will provide a supportive learning environment to help you gain confidence as you develop your skills.

There are two modules in this award – Systematic Reviews: Principles and Methods and Rapid Systematic Review of Evidence to Inform Professional Practice Project.

The first introduces you to the skills you will use in the second. The modules' combined aim is to enable your use of evidence to support your practice.

Compulsory modules

  • Systematic Reviews: Principles and Methods

    The National Institute for Health Research (2019) describes a systematic review as: ‘Evidence-based healthcare relies on the availability of the best evidence upon which patient-centred clinical decisions can be made. Reviews make a significant contribution to this by attempting to identify the totality of evidence available, appraising and then summarising this evidence.’

    This module will explore the principles and methods of undertaking a systematic review.

  • Project - Rapid Systematic Review of Evidence to Inform Professional Practice - Level 7

    This project module aims to provide you, the practitioner, with the opportunity to synthesise the evidence base for an area of professional/clinical healthcare practice or service delivery.

    You will demonstrate the ability to bring together and quality assess evidence from primary research and where appropriate stakeholder engagement using transparent methods and critical scholarship to inform healthcare/practice.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You should:

  • have a PgDip Nursing (pre-registration) from the University of West London
  • be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
  • currently work in clinical practice in the UK.

 You may be invited to an interview as part of your application.

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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You will be charged a fee based on the credits you study.

You may be funded by your employer to study this course or you can self-fund.

For more information on fees and funding please contact Catherine Lynch

Funding your studies

You may be eligible for a student loan to cover the cost of tuition fees, or a maintenance loan. 

We help keep your costs down by offering free transport between our London campuses. Our Student Services teams can also offer advice on managing student finances, working while you study, and more. View full details, including conditions and eligibility.

Fees and funding
Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Catherine Lynch profile picture

Dr Catherine Lynch

I have been leading various iterations of the Masters in Advanced Practice since 2009 at UWL, taking revised versions of the program through successful validation/revalidation ever 4 years. In addition, I led on the accreditation of the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme with Health Education England in 2020. I am passionate about empowering healthcare practitioners with the soft skills to make a different in their practice and cite the discovery of emotional intelligence and transactional analysis amongst my highlights in academia. During the pandemic, I became a proficient user of graphic design software, predominantly using Canva and Adobe Creative Cloud, which I believe gives my students an immersive and entertaining, quality learning experience.

I have been leading various iterations of the Masters in Advanced Practice since 2009 at UWL, taking revised versions of the program through successful validation/revalidation ever 4 years. In addition, I led on the accreditation of the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme with Health Education England in 2020. I am passionate about empowering healthcare practitioners with the soft skills to make a different in their practice and cite the discovery of emotional intelligence and transactional analysis amongst my highlights in academia. During the pandemic, I became a proficient user of graphic design software, predominantly using Canva and Adobe Creative Cloud, which I believe gives my students an immersive and entertaining, quality learning experience.

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

A female nurse attending to a woman in a wheelchair

This nursing top-up course aims to enhance your clinical practice and allow career progression.

Alternatively, you could continue your studies at UWL. On successful completion of this course, we encourage you to consider a Professional Doctorate or PhD.

We also offer Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for healthcare practitioners.

How to apply

How to apply

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Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2023 and 2024 - Average of answers to all questions by registered student population. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.