Postgraduate study
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Nursing with Pre-Registration (Adult) MN(T)

Awards: MN(T)

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

Placements/internships

The University of Edinburgh has been providing undergraduate nursing education for more than 60 years. This programme represents a new, two-year route for those who wish to become an Adult nurse but who already possess an undergraduate degree. This programme enables you to undertake study at masters level whilst providing the theoretical and practice based learning required to achieve the proficiency for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and therefore practice as a registered Adult nurse.

As a nursing student, you will benefit from being in a research intensive environment where you are taught by staff who are engaged with the contemporary issues in nursing through research and practice. Small cohort sizes bring the benefits of support throughout the programme. You can also get involved in the extensive activities of the wider university, benefiting from the multi-cultural and diverse student population.

The key aims of this programme are to produce graduate nurses who can:

  • Evaluate the complex interplay of human characteristics and social structures and their impact on population and individual health outcomes and opportunities, using this knowledge to inform safe, effective nursing care.
  • Evaluate the dynamic and complex nature of health services and the needs of the communities they serve and demonstrate a commitment to meeting these changing needs.
  • Demonstrate the ability to design, undertake and evaluate research for the provision of safe and effective health care.
  • Demonstrate leadership skills and attributes, underpinned by strong critical reflection skills, through effective working within interdisciplinary teams to achieve safe and effective patient care.

Year 1

Compulsory courses include:

  • Life sciences and nursing care
  • Mental health and nursing care
  • Designing research in nursing, health and social care
  • Becoming a critically reflective practitioner

One optional course is taken in semester 2.

Year 2

Compulsory courses include:

  • Leading and managing for health and social care
  • Managing complex needs
  • Pathophysiology and Nursing Care in the acute setting
  • Dissertation

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MN(T)Nursing with Pre-registration (Adult)2 YearsFull-timeProgramme structure 2023/24

Across both years of the programme you will undertake learning through engagement in the practice learning setting and clinical skills simulation sessions. This practice learning will take place in a range of settings including hospital, community and care home. For parts of the year, you will balance academic work and practice learning while over the summer, you will undertake full-time practice placement learning.

While in the practice setting, you will be supervised and assessed by suitably trained practitioners. Practice learning is linked to all academic courses and, in Year 1, includes a 4-week elective placement where you can choose to gain clinical experience in an international setting.

Assessment of proficiency is documented in the Practice Assessment Document by the Practice Assessor.

The key aim of the programme is to produce a graduate adult nurse with masters level knowledge and understanding, enabling you to achieve the proficiencies required for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). You will achieve this through:

  • Practising as an accountable professional in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) code of conduct and other ethical and regulatory frameworks.
  • Placing the person at the centre of the provision of safe and effective nursing care.
  • Demonstrating leadership and team working skills that enable you to work effectively with families, carers and other members of the health and social care team.
  • Embracing health promotion and public health as key parts of the nurse’s role in supporting health improvement for individuals and communities.
  • Demonstrating a critical understanding of the person as a biological, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social being.
  • Developing competence in a range of clinical skills appropriate for the care of the person across the lifespan and in a range of health and social care settings.
  • Recognising the complexity of nursing, health and social care needs of people across a range of organisations and applying this knowledge to the assessment of need, planning and implementation of evidence-based, person-centred nursing care.
  • Engaging with the development and application of research as the evidence base for nursing practice, and with the application of quality improvement approaches as means of improving the safety and quality of patient care in clinical settings.

The career opportunities are excellent for our graduates who will be entering a workforce with good job availability.

Our graduates, who are graduating with a masters rather than undergraduate level education, have excellent prospects of career progression into the higher levels of clinical and managerial practice within the NHS after a period following qualification in which they consolidate their nursing practice.

Additionally, nursing graduates are able to work in the third sector and a range of other contexts which draw on their skills and knowledge.

The route to PhD, should you wish to access this, will also be open to you, providing further opportunities for career development and progression.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent.

National 5 Mathematics at grade C or above or GCSE Mathematics grade C/4 or above, or its international equivalent.

Personal statement documenting clearly your motivation and understanding of the role of the nurse.

We may be able to consider applicants with a lower degree classification alongside extensive relevant experience and a strong personal statement. We are only able to consider these applicants after all qualified applicants have been fully considered.

Whilst we consider applications from international applicants, please be aware that we have only a small number of places available and therefore we operate a competitive selection process.

Recognition of Prior Learning of Theory and Practice Hours

You are required to demonstrate that you meet the RPL requirements of 479 practice hours and 140 notional theory hours in order to achieve the NMC requirement of 2300 hours in both theory and practice.

RPL of practice hours

You are required to demonstrate that you have achieved a total of 479 hours of relevant practice experience prior to entry to the programme. At least 150 of these hours must be achieved at the point of application.

Relevant experience is defined as:

  • Experience gained in a paid or unpaid role in a health and social care setting where you have been in a role supporting people which enables you to demonstrate the development of skills, attributes and values commensurate with the 7 NMC platforms as identified in form RPE1.

  • Relevant experience for RPL should have been gained within the 5 years prior to application and the hours must be verified on form RPE2 by someone who worked with you such as your line manager or a senior member of staff.

RPL of theory hours

You are required to demonstrate theoretical learning equivalent to 140 hours of notional effort.

A claim for RPL of theoretical learning hours is made using form RPE3.

You must identify your learning in relation to 5 aspects of the programme. Evidence supporting the claim for RPL of theoretical hours may take the form of module/course titles and learning outcomes, or a list of relevant work-related courses attended, reading or other academic activity with accompanying reflection on learning in relation to the topics and evidenced on form RPE4.

Further RPL information and links to the forms highlighted above can be found on our webpage:

Entry requirements for the MN with Pre-Registration (Adult)

Selection criteria

You must meet academic entry requirements and also the professional regulating body requirement.

You must pass the selection process focused on interpersonal skills, teamwork, attitude towards those with protected characteristics, and ability to formulate and express argument/opinions. The selection process also includes a discussion of the learning identified on RPE1.

Additionally, entrance is conditional on you gaining entry to the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme and all students must undergo hepatitis B immunisation, TB status and occupational health check before starting the degree. Students will also need to meet any NHS Scotland vaccination requirements.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 70 in each component

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Additional costs

If you are eligible for a SAAS bursary, you should be able to reclaim travel expenses incurred during clinical placements. Students who are ineligible will personally bear the cost of travel and accommodation related to clinical placement.

Check if you are eligible for a SAAS bursary

In Year 1, you will also undertake an elective clinical placement, either abroad or elsewhere in the UK. Students associated with this placement are responsible for:

  • visa costs
  • immunisation
  • travel costs
  • living costs

Students from the rest of the UK and overseas, whose fees are not paid by the Scottish Government, will be liable for the cost of the following mandatory items:

  • uniforms
  • occupational health appointments
  • membership fee for the PVG scheme

Tuition fees

AwardTitleDurationStudy mode
MN(T)Nursing with Pre-registration (Adult)2 YearsFull-timeTuition fees

If you are resident in Scotland, you may qualify for the Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary and should check the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) website for information about eligibility and levels of award.

Check if you are eligible for a SAAS bursary

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

  • Nursing Studies, School of Health in Social Science
  • Old Medical School
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG
Programme start date Application deadline
9 September 2024 30 June 2024

Our deadline for equal consideration is 31 January 2024.

We operate a competitive selection process. We will only consider applications made between 31 January 2024 and 30 June 2024 if places are still available after all on time applications have been fully considered. We strongly recommend you apply by the January deadline to be considered.

You must submit one reference with your application.

Uploading your RPE forms with your application:

Please email your RPE forms to Admissions at CAHSS.ApplicantAdmin@ed.ac.uk.

Please quote your UUN (university username), your full name and the name of the programme you are applying for.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Further information

  • Nursing Studies, School of Health in Social Science
  • Old Medical School
  • Teviot Place
  • Central Campus
  • Edinburgh
  • EH8 9AG