MNurse (Adult)

Study the seven platforms of nursing proficiency through a blended curriculum. Learn through a combination of online and face-to-face activities. Graduate with the qualifications needed to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Registered Nurse (Adult).

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Start date/study mode:

Course codeCID1368

Duration2 years

Fee(s)View fees

LocationOn campus

Course summary

This MNurse (Adult) course is designed to promote the development of high levels of knowledge, skills and professionalism.

The course is two years in length, with a yearly cohort starting in September, and will lead to a master's degree in Adult Nursing. It is a pre-registration course aimed at graduates, so as well as gaining a master's degree in Nursing, you'll also be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to become a Registered Nurse (Adult).

This is an intense course which will require commitment and dedication to succeed. The course meets Nursing and Midwifery Standards and will be delivered 50/50 between theory and clinical practice. It has been developed with a blended learning curriculum which will enable you to study at home, as well as regular teaching days on campus and on clinical placement.

Accreditations and approvals

The MNurse course is two years in length, thereby offering a shorter route to qualifying as a Registered Nurse (Adult)
Registered Mental Health Nurse, Learning Disability Nurse and Children and Young People's Nurse can use their accreditation of prior learning to join the final year of the programme and obtain an Adult Nurse qualification in one year
The course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Have opportunities to collaborate in an interprofessional learning capacity with other healthcare courses including Pharmacy, Paramedic Science, Medicine, Biomedical Science, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
Benefit from superb facilities; our Living Lab supports interactive simulation and the development of tomorrow’s nurses. Students will regularly utilise all facilities in theory study weeks
We have a unique relationship with our Patient, Carer and Public Involvement (PCPI) participants who take part in a variety of activities to support learning
You'll be an approved Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor upon completion of the course
You'll be considered to be ‘prescribing ready’, having developed the skills and knowledge required to enrol on our Enhanced Prescribing Health Professionals course, once established in a clinical role and registered with the NMC

What you'll study

How you'll learn

The MNurse (Adult) programme is built around the seven platforms of nursing proficiency (NMC, 2018). The course is delivered through a blended learning approach, combining online and face-to-face teaching to create a flexible and engaging learning experience.

Methods of teaching include:

Blended learning, where you can study from home using digital resources, then attend on-campus sessions to deepen your understanding through group work and simulation.
Flipped classroom model, where you can access reading materials and online activities before attending in-person classes, allowing for more interactive and problem-based learning.
Simulation and clinical decision-making, which allows you to develop essential nursing skills through hands-on practice in our advanced simulation environments.

You will be assessed using a variety of methods to reflect the diverse skills required in nursing practice, including essays, exams, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), presentations and competency-based assessments during clinical placement.

Entry requirements

This course is open to anyone who holds a health-related degree at 2:2 or above and registrants from another field of nursing. Applicants will have to demonstrate a minimum of 600 hours of theory (gained from your first degree) and 600 hours of healthcare experience in order to APL (Accreditation of Prior Learning)/RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) out of the necessary hours for the course.

We also require you to have GCSE maths and English at Grade 4 or above (or equivalent).

Healthcare experience and Portfolio of Evidence

You must demonstrate 600 hours or more of formal or informal healthcare experience. Formal healthcare experience can be in the public or private sector. Once you've been shortlisted for interview, you'll be required to complete a portfolio of evidence as part of the APL process to ensure the 600 hours of healthcare experience has been met.

Interview

Your completed application form will be reviewed by our Admissions team to ensure that you have the required entry qualifications. If you meet these requirements, your application will be individually assessed by the Admissions Tutor and, if successful, you'll be shortlisted for interview.

The selection process will include an individual interview and a group activity which will assess your values, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Interviews will take place online via Microsoft Teams.

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

This is available to applicants who meet the course specific APL requirements. It may apply to applicants who wish to transfer their NMC approved nursing studies from another university where they've achieved 120 credits at Level 4. The APL entry route is also available to Nursing Associates who are aiming to become a registered nurse.

If you're interested in the APL route, please contact the admissions tutors for further information: Shelly Rowell at shelly.rowell@sunderland.ac.uk or on 07976215092, or Helen Robinson at helen.robinson@sunderland.ac.uk or on 07977451156.

Fitness to Practise:

Medical assessments of your mental and physical health and disclosure of criminal convictions apply to all nursing courses and are based on current NMC requirements. Nurses are registered healthcare professionals and the ability to practise safely, effectively, and professionally is essential, so all applicants are required to follow our fitness to practise procedures.

This means you're required to complete the following:

A health declaration form. Here, you must demonstrate that you're of good health, good character, and can satisfactorily pass occupational health screening. In addition, you'll be required to attend an Occupational Health Assessment with an NHS Trust. The University will, taking into account current NMC regulations, make any reasonable adjustments if required. Please refer to the HEOPS nursing student standards(opens in new tab).
A self-declaration form about your conduct
Obtain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The cost of the DBS check is covered by the University.

Instructions on how you complete these checks will be sent to you once you hold a conditional firm offer with us. These forms are then reviewed alongside your application, and you must meet both the academic and fitness to practise requirements before you're given an unconditional offer. If you're successful, you'll also need to complete an annual declaration form to confirm you're fit and there are no changes to your DBS.

English language requirements for international applicants

If you are an international applicant, you must meet the NMC English language standards. You must provide a valid test result from one of the following:

IELTS (Academic version):

Overall score: 7.0
Minimum 7.0 in speaking, listening, reading
Minimum 6.5 in writing

OET (Nursing version):

Overall grade: B
Minimum Grade B in speaking, listening, reading
Minimum Grade C+ in writing

Tests must be taken within the last two years, and no other forms of English evidence will be accepted

We accept a range of English language tests and qualifications for students from all over the world. View the full list here.

Fees and finance support

2025/26 fees

The annual fee for this course is:

£9,535 if you're from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled*
£17,000 if you're an international student

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries(opens in new tab) that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

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Start date/study mode:

UK students

Full-time September 2026
MNurse (Adult)
Apply now

International students

Full-time September 2026
MNurse (Adult)
Apply now

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and been offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.