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Msc Adult Nursing

Hi everyone! This is my first time posting. I am currently looking into a career change as i am a trainee solicitor at present. I have worked in the industry for approximately 4 years working my way up from a Paralegal. However, i do not enjoy the work for many reasons (not going to go into too much detail). I have always loved the idea of being a nurse and worked for the NHS for a period and admired the Nurses! I always thought i couldn’t re train but i recently saw that you can do an adult nursing masters after any degree. I obviously have an undergraduate in law and i am halfway through my LPC masters.
I would love to hear feedback from anyone who has had a major career change and gone to a Nursing Degree through this avenue.
Thanks in advance :smile:

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Reply 1
Hi,I can only tell you my experience with it.
I am a qualified midwife and wanted to do MSC and was successful and started the course, unfortunately I had to stop due to personal reasons.
Anyway, everyone apart from me had no education in health before so any degree is acceptable.
It’s about transferring skills and being able to learn at a masters level which you can.
You do need some practice hours in a clinical setting so all of the students had worked as Health care assistants prior to starting course as you need a certain amount of hours prior to starting course.
You also need to provide a portfolio of evidence to meet the NMC requirement for 1st yr, this is called Accreditation of prior learning (APL)
This is all fully explained when you are successful.
It’s worth calling admissions and asking to speak to the person in charge of course.
I’m thinking of applying again and the man in charge of the course is calling me to discuss things in a couple of weeks.
The course is also funded differently, it attracts undergraduate funding.
(edited 3 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by Vam1970
Hi,I can only tell you my experience with it.
I am a qualified midwife and wanted to do MSC and was successful and started the course, unfortunately I had to stop due to personal reasons.
Anyway, everyone apart from me had no education in health before so any degree is acceptable.
It’s about transferring skills and being able to learn at a masters level which you can.
You do need some practice hours in a clinical setting so all of the students had worked as Health care assistants prior to starting course as you need a certain amount of hours prior to starting course.
You also need to provide a portfolio of evidence to meet the NMC requirement for 1st yr, this is called Accreditation of prior learning (APL)
This is all fully explained when you are successful.
It’s worth calling admissions and asking to speak to the person in charge of course.
I’m thinking of applying again and the man in charge of the course is calling me to discuss things in a couple of weeks.
The course is also funded differently, it attracts undergraduate funding.

Thank you so much! I had read different things online regarding whether you needed a ‘nursing’ background. So you can make up the hours of experience between a successful interview and starting the course? I am looking at Sheffield Hallam University and it starts in January 2021 so i think i will have plenty of time. Thanks so much for your response :smile:
Reply 3
Original post by Mollie1995
Thank you so much! I had read different things online regarding whether you needed a ‘nursing’ background. So you can make up the hours of experience between a successful interview and starting the course? I am looking at Sheffield Hallam University and it starts in January 2021 so i think i will have plenty of time. Thanks so much for your response :smile:

Have you got a job as HCA lined up?
Reply 4
I really think they just want to know you are passionate about making a difference to patients and can apply your life skills from your degree.
It is definitely worth talking to the lead professional at the university as they can tell you how many hrs is needed, etc
Reply 5
Most masters courses require a certain number of hours of previous experience - this is because Masters are usually shorter than the BSc and so there is less time for placement. If you didn’t have the certain amount of hours prior experience, you wouldn’t meet the 2600hrs by the end of your degree required by the NMC to qualify.

I had no previous experience in nursing or healthcare but a degree in Sound Design and a few years experience working as an Audio Engineer, and was given an unconditional place for the BSc route. I wasn’t eligible for the MSc due to lack of experience though, but a Masters doesn’t really set you in any better stead as a nurse anyway - all newly qualified nurses regardless of whether they have a BSc or an MSc will start at the bottom of Band 5.
Even if you can’t get the hours to get onto your Masters, don’t rule out the BSc because you’re more likely to be offered a place:smile:
Reply 6
Original post by moosec
Most masters courses require a certain number of hours of previous experience - this is because Masters are usually shorter than the BSc and so there is less time for placement. If you didn’t have the certain amount of hours prior experience, you wouldn’t meet the 2600hrs by the end of your degree required by the NMC to qualify.

I had no previous experience in nursing or healthcare but a degree in Sound Design and a few years experience working as an Audio Engineer, and was given an unconditional place for the BSc route. I wasn’t eligible for the MSc due to lack of experience though, but a Masters doesn’t really set you in any better stead as a nurse anyway - all newly qualified nurses regardless of whether they have a BSc or an MSc will start at the bottom of Band 5.
Even if you can’t get the hours to get onto your Masters, don’t rule out the BSc because you’re more likely to be offered a place:smile:

Great thanks! yes i think if i don’t get a place on the masters then i would apply for a place on the BSc
Original post by Mollie1995
Thank you so much! I had read different things online regarding whether you needed a ‘nursing’ background. So you can make up the hours of experience between a successful interview and starting the course? I am looking at Sheffield Hallam University and it starts in January 2021 so i think i will have plenty of time. Thanks so much for your response :smile:

Hi @Mollie1995,

A career change is very brave, but not unheard of and university is definitely somewhere that can support you with this! I'm pleased to hear you're interested in applying to Hallam, if you want to find more about the admissions process you can email our admissions team with any of your queries on [email protected], although do bear with us as it is a busy period for us especially now we are home working. You can familiarise yourself with the Health and Social care courses selection event process here and it may give you an idea of what experience and qualities they are looking for.

Let me know if you have any more questions about studying at Hallam :h:

- Ella
Reply 8
Original post by Sheffield Hallam University
Hi @Mollie1995,

A career change is very brave, but not unheard of and university is definitely somewhere that can support you with this! I'm pleased to hear you're interested in applying to Hallam, if you want to find more about the admissions process you can email our admissions team with any of your queries on [email protected], although do bear with us as it is a busy period for us especially now we are home working. You can familiarise yourself with the Health and Social care courses selection event process here and it may give you an idea of what experience and qualities they are looking for.

Let me know if you have any more questions about studying at Hallam :h:

- Ella

Hi Ella

Thanks so much for replying I am finalising my application this week to send!
I note from the university website it says start dat Jan 2021 but on UCAS you can click an option for start date September 2020. Can you confirm when the earliest start date is for this Course?
Original post by Mollie1995
Hi Ella

Thanks so much for replying I am finalising my application this week to send!
I note from the university website it says start dat Jan 2021 but on UCAS you can click an option for start date September 2020. Can you confirm when the earliest start date is for this Course?

Hi @Mollie1995,

Our website will have the most up to date information for our courses. The September 2020 cohort is now full due to a high volume of applications and therefore the next start date you can apply to is January 2021, I am not sure why it hasn't been updated on UCAS but thank you for letting me know, I will raise this with my colleagues :h:

Good luck with your application! :jive: Let me know if you have any other questions about studying at Hallam!
- Ella
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Mollie1995
Hi Ella

Thanks so much for replying I am finalising my application this week to send!
I note from the university website it says start dat Jan 2021 but on UCAS you can click an option for start date September 2020. Can you confirm when the earliest start date is for this Course?

Hi @Mollie1995, I am going to check with our colleague that what I have said above is definitely the case and I will get back to you :smile:
- Ella
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Mollie1995
Great thanks! yes i think if i don’t get a place on the masters then i would apply for a place on the BSc


Hi I have applied for Masters of nursing at Wolverhampton Uni and am currently working through the RPL required (recognition of prior learning) iv worked as a HCA for 10 years + have a Sociology degree but have to say a lot of the work required prior to (hopefully) getting a place is clinical and in depth essays/quizzes etc. Have u got any clinical experience as Wolverhampton require 620hrs clinical experience. Definitely a good route to get into nursing though
Reply 12
Original post by jenkenn4
Hi I have applied for Masters of nursing at Wolverhampton Uni and am currently working through the RPL required (recognition of prior learning) iv worked as a HCA for 10 years + have a Sociology degree but have to say a lot of the work required prior to (hopefully) getting a place is clinical and in depth essays/quizzes etc. Have u got any clinical experience as Wolverhampton require 620hrs clinical experience. Definitely a good route to get into nursing though

I don’t have any clinical experience yet but i am applying for jobs at the moment to get experience. My course (if successful) starts in January 2021 so i should have time to complete and hours i need, i hope! Good luck with your masters!
Brill hope u get something soon I'm sure u will all the best!
Original post by jenkenn4
Hi I have applied for Masters of nursing at Wolverhampton Uni and am currently working through the RPL required (recognition of prior learning) iv worked as a HCA for 10 years + have a Sociology degree but have to say a lot of the work required prior to (hopefully) getting a place is clinical and in depth essays/quizzes etc. Have u got any clinical experience as Wolverhampton require 620hrs clinical experience. Definitely a good route to get into nursing though

I have been trying to decide whether to apply for a Masters or BSc. I have 18yrs experience as an optometrist which is in a clinical setting so I’m hoping that will cover it?! Or would I still need HCA experience?
Does the masters fit in everything a bachelors degree covers but just less placements? When are you starting?
Original post by Aneesa-tk
I have been trying to decide whether to apply for a Masters or BSc. I have 18yrs experience as an optometrist which is in a clinical setting so I’m hoping that will cover it?! Or would I still need HCA experience?
Does the masters fit in everything a bachelors degree covers but just less placements? When are you starting?

Hi yes I'm sure your experience would cover it. What is ur degree in? Basically u have 2 prove that u have done the theoretical work + practical work of a year 1 student nurse, so lots of work u have 2 get signed off my a colleague + essays u have 2 write as part of the evidence....however if ur original degree covered some of this u can use that as evidence. I'm hoping 2 start in September
Original post by jenkenn4
Hi yes I'm sure your experience would cover it. What is ur degree in? Basically u have 2 prove that u have done the theoretical work + practical work of a year 1 student nurse, so lots of work u have 2 get signed off my a colleague + essays u have 2 write as part of the evidence....however if ur original degree covered some of this u can use that as evidence. I'm hoping 2 start in September

I’ve got a interview in June/ July for MSC @UEA date not set due to Covid no doubt.
We get an allocated advisor to help us through the APL , some universities call it something else .
Have you found this work ok?
Original post by Vam1970
I’ve got a interview in June/ July for MSC @UEA date not set due to Covid no doubt.
We get an allocated advisor to help us through the APL , some universities call it something else .
Have you found this work ok?

Yes I'm doing an RPL....same thing I think. Not gonna lie there is a lot of work + that's with me being able 2 use my original degree 4 a whole module. Saying that my tutor has been helpful + that's made a big difference....also I didn't get a (conditional) place until end of march + work gotta b in by end of june so I havnt had much time whereas some students got a place before xmas so have had lots of time
Original post by jenkenn4
Yes I'm doing an RPL....same thing I think. Not gonna lie there is a lot of work + that's with me being able 2 use my original degree 4 a whole module. Saying that my tutor has been helpful + that's made a big difference....also I didn't get a (conditional) place until end of march + work gotta b in by end of june so I havnt had much time whereas some students got a place before xmas so have had lots of time

Sounds like you’ve done well then in a little time.
I am hoping I know by July as then I’ll have plenty of time as I won’t start until February, assuming I’m successful that is🤞
What was your last degree?
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Vam1970
Sounds like you’ve done well then in a little time.
I am hoping I know by July as then I’ll have plenty of time as I won’t start until February, assuming I’m successful that is🤞
What was your last degree?

Oh that's good if ul start in February I'm sure il b fine! My degree was In sociology so did a few modules in health + research which has helped. What was urs in?

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