Course Structure

The two year programme will comprise of 50% academic modules and 50% in practice learning. All modules are listed below.

Academic Modules

Students will be required to complete all compulsory modules, plus a Placement Portfolio to successfully complete this programme.

Applied Life Science

Students will develop confidence in bioscience knowledge, competence in integrating biosciences in evidence informed clinical decision making and care, and communication with multiprofessional teams and patients.

Developing Leadership and Professionalism

Students will demonstrate positive knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in leading and managing care in a diverse health and social care system. This will be achieved through the following themes:
Leadership and management;
Principles of supervision and assessment in practice;
Professional values.

Foundation of Learning Disabilities Nursing

Students will explore what it means to care for someone with a learning disability. The student will develop an awareness and understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities across the lifespan, patterns of health and wellness, factors affecting quality of care and support and inclusion and the impact on families and carers and the role of other professionals in the provision of care and support. The student will look at how to support the person to live a fulfilling life by helping improve and maintain the person's physical and mental health, by reducing barriers to healthcare and by encouraging independence in each individual.

Managing Complexity in Sustaining Health and Wellbeing for People with Learning Disabilities Across the Lifespan

Students will develop knowledge and skills on the management of complex health and care needs of adults and older adults with learning disabilities. These will include supporting people with learning disabilities with complex needs such as comorbid conditions, support with decision making and palliative and end of life care.

Pharmacology

Students in all fields of nursing will recognise the journey of a prescription from the assessment process with the patient, to prescribing partnership, supply, storage, dispensing and administration of that medication. They will gain an understanding of the families of drugs applied across the lifespan, consider the therapeutic and adverse effects of those medications and identify factors that could modify patients’ responses to medication.

Practice Learning 1

Students will demonstrate practical knowledge and skills to promote mental and physical well-being for clients with learning disabilities across the lifespan under the following themes:
-Person centred care and positive therapeutic relationships
-Communication skills and therapeutic interventions
-Inter-professional team working

Practice Learning 2

Students will demonstrate in depth knowledge and skills underpinning the care of people with learning disabilities throughout the lifespan.

Professionalism, Caring and Communication in Nursing

This module will cover the essential knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours required to demonstrate accountability by nurses in all care settings. This includes: introduction to the four fields of nursing; person-centred care; values based nursing care; understanding wellness; compassion, empathy; ensuring equality and diversity is respected across vulnerable populations.

Public Health and Supporting People with Chronic Health Care Needs

Students will explore how health is conceptualised locally and globally. They will demonstrate understanding of the role of public health in maintaining the health of individuals and communities including vulnerable populations with specific health needs

Quality Improvement in an Interprofessional Context - Part A

Students will demonstrate the skills to plan a Quality Improvement project translating evidence into practice as part of an interprofessional team. Students will undertake a critical review of the literature and develop a Quality Improvement project proposal demonstrating their ability to plan and implement the project, analyse the data and disseminate the findings.

Quality Improvement in an Interprofessional Context - Part B

Students will demonstrate the skills to plan a Quality Improvement project translating evidence into practice as part of an interprofessional team. Students will undertake a critical review of the literature and develop a QI project proposal demonstrating their ability to plan and implement the project, analyse the data and disseminate the findings..

Safe Medicate 2

This module provides numeracy and problem solving skills that underpin medication dosage calculations preparing students for safe clinical practice.

Safe Medicate 3

Having developed insight into key formula, students will engage and apply previous knowledge in more complex field specific scenarios preparing students for safe clinical practice as they prepare for entry to the register.

Contact Teaching Hours

Medium Group Teaching

25 (hours maximum)
This is a full time programme using blended learning. Students should be available to either attend class or complete all online elements across the week. 100% attendance is required for face to face teaching.

Personal Study

0 (hours maximum)
Students will be expected to prepare for classes and develop assignments during unscheduled time.

Learning and Teaching

At Queen’s, we aim to deliver a high quality learning environment that embeds intellectual curiosity, innovation and best practice in learning, teaching and student support to enable student to achieve their full academic potential.

On the MSc Professional Nursing we do this by providing a range of learning experiences which enable our students to engage with subject experts, develop attributes and perspectives that will equip them for life and work in a global society and make use of innovative technologies and a world class library that enhances their development as independent, lifelong learners. Examples of the opportunities provided for learning on this course are:

E-Learning technologies

Information associated with lectures and assignments is often communicated via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) called Canvas. A range of e-learning experiences are also embedded in the degree through, for example: interactive group workshops in a flexible learning space, podcasts and interactive web-based learning activities.

Lectures

Introduce information about new topics as a starting point for further self-directed private study/reading. Lectures also provide opportunities to ask questions, gain some feedback and advice on assessments (normally delivered in large groups to all year group peers)

Personal Tutor

Students are allocated a Personal Tutor who meets with them on several occasions during each year to support their academic development.

Practical and Simulation Based Education

Where you will have opportunities to develop technical skills and apply theoretical principles to real-life or practical contexts in our groundbreaking simulation centre. All nursing students have opportunities to engage in interprofessional education (IPE) activities. You will be expected to attend 100% of classes within your nursing modules.

Self-directed study

This is an essential part of life as a Queen’s student when important private reading, engagement with e-learning resources, reflection on feedback to date and research work for assignments is carried out.

Seminars/tutorials/workshops

Significant amounts of teaching are carried out in small groups (typically 10-20 students). These provide an opportunity for students to engage with academic staff who have specialist knowledge of the topic, to ask questions of them and to assess your own progress and understanding with the support of peers. You should also expect to make presentations and other contributions to these groups

Work Practice placements

Students will undertake clinical placements regularly throughout the programme. This enhances the link from theory to practice in nursing and provides students with a wide variety of opportunities and experiences in all fields of nursing. It is an essential component of the programme, ensuring that the student has sufficient opportunities to develop skill and competence in care provision and decision making, meeting the requirements for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2020).

Placements in Learning Disabilities Nursing can be anywhere in Northern Ireland; students should expect to travel to placements. When on placements every student is assigned a Practice Supervisor and Practice Assessor, who are trained in teaching within the clinical setting. Students should expect to work night shifts and/or long days on a regular basis while on placement

Assessment

Assessments will be carried out in a variety of formats, including written assignments, exams, presentations etc.

• The way in which you are assessed will vary according to the learning objectives of each module. Modules are assessed through project work, written assignments, written and oral examinations and clinical skills assessment. Details of how each module is assessed are shown in the Module Handbook which is provided to all students at the start of each module

Facilities

In 2021 the Faculty opened a new, fully integrated teaching facility, designed to enable teaching of nursing, midwifery, medical and pharmacy students. The facility includes treatment rooms, operating theatres and immersive simulation. Students work in teams in simulated scenarios where they will learn to manage real-life situations.
http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/ClinicalEducationCentre/

Modules

Career Prospects

Introduction

Career opportunities are diverse and varied, and this programme of studies enables learning disabilities nurses to work in a range of care and support services, including child health, primary and acute care, hospitals, day and respite services, residential services, nursing homes, forensic and prison services, care of older people and end-of-life and palliative care services.

The roles undertaken by learning disabilities nurses provides rewarding, exciting and challenging career opportunities both locally and internationally. Within your learning disabilities nursing role, you will work with a diverse range of professions including doctors, clinical psychologists, therapists, and social workers to ensure that people with learning disabilities and their families receive the supports they require.

Studying for an MSc Professional Nursing degree at Queen’s will assist you in developing the core skills and employment-related experiences that are valued by employers, professional organisations and academic institutions. Graduates from Queen’s are well regarded by employers both nationally and internationally.

The majority of our graduates pursue a career in nursing which is an interesting, rewarding and challenging career where work can be in a variety of health care settings from accident and emergency to working in patients' homes, with people of all ages and backgrounds. Nursing can also offer a diverse range of post registration opportunities to specialise in areas such as public health and health promotion; as well as education and research

Employment after the Course

Graduates of this programme will have the opportunity to quickly gain access to higher level and management roles, building an exceptional career from the very beginning.

Professional Opportunities

Further study is also an option open to Nursing graduates, and some may choose to follow a research pathway. There is a range of PhD Nursing opportunities available within the School; click here for more information.
https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-research/nursing-midwifery-phd.html

Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award for extra-curricular skills

In addition to your degree programme, at Queen's you can have the opportunity to gain wider life, academic and employability skills. For example, placements, voluntary work, clubs, societies, sports and lots more. So not only do you graduate with a degree recognised from a world leading university, you'll have practical national and international experience plus a wider exposure to life overall. We call this Graduate Plus/Future Ready Award. It's what makes studying at Queen's University Belfast special.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) 1	Commissioned – no fee / Non-commissioned £9,215*
Republic of Ireland (ROI) 2	Commissioned – no fee / Non-commissioned £9,215*
England, Scotland or Wales (GB) 1	Course not open
EU Other 3	Course not open
International	Course not open

*Non-commisioned fee of £9,215 is subject to change for 2025-26

¹EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled status, will be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB will be charged the GB fee.

² EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI are eligible for NI tuition fees.

³ EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

More information on postgraduate tuition fees.

Additional course costs

All students entering this programme are required to undergo an enhanced disclosure check with Access NI which costs £33.

In Year 1 students must buy a uniform from a QUB-selected uniform supplier (approximate cost £180), and a name badge (£10).

All students on this programme will undertake clinical placements, which can be anywhere in Northern Ireland. Students are responsible for funding travel, accommodation and subsistence costs. These costs vary depending on the location and duration of the placements. Some reimbursement may be available for funded students.

Students may wish to buy a Fob Watch or Pinard Horn, approximate cost £15.

Non-funded students pay a placement charge which is for the provider facilitating the clinical placement. It is collected by the QUB Student Finance Office and is passed on to our placement provider partners. The cost for 2024-25 was £4,500 per year and may be subject to change.

This charge will be owed for each academic year a placement has commenced. Students who require a temporary withdrawal from their programme during an academic year will still be liable for this charge each year, regardless of the duration completed.

Please note that students on an NHS funded place cannot apply for loan funding from Student Finance NI.

To be eligible for a commissioned (funded) place, students must normally be resident in NI or RoI for at least 3 years before the start of the programme. More information is available in the Bursaries Booklet, available here: https://hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/2662.htm

Link to website with information: https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/Feesandfinance/doh-funded-courses/

In 2025 we are unable to offer this programme to students who are not eligible for a funded place, which will include GB and overseas students. If you have previously been in receipt of a DoH paid place/bursary for a pre-registration nursing, midwifery or AHP course in Northern Ireland you may not be eligible for a funded place on this programme. Funded students cannot access funding from Student Finance NI.

We are unable to offer this programme to students who are not eligible for a funded place, which will include GB and overseas students. If you have previously been in receipt of a DoH paid place/bursary for a pre-registration nursing, midwifery or AHP course in Northern Ireland you may not be eligible for a funded place on this programme. Funded students cannot access funding from Student Finance NI.

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £75 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges.

Students undertaking a period of work placement or study abroad, as either a compulsory or optional part of their programme, should be aware that they will have to fund additional travel and living costs.

If a programme includes a major project or dissertation, there may be costs associated with transport, accommodation and/or materials. The amount will depend on the project chosen. There may also be additional costs for printing and binding.

Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen.

There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.

How to Apply

Apply using our online Queen's Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Apply now

Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions that apply when you accept an offer of a place at the University on a taught programme of study.
Queen's University Belfast Terms and Conditions.

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