MSc Community Healthcare Practice
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: High Wycombe
- Duration: One Year
- Start Date: January 2025 and January 2026
If you have progressed up you career path and have already completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) or Specialist Practitioner Qualification (District Nursing / Community Children’s Nursing) in the UK, this programme will allow you to top-up to a full master’s qualification.
A master's qualification will help you develop your career further, using new skills and knowledge. It also encourages independent, life-long learning and research that will inform community healthcare practice.
Our course focuses on developing your ability to design and conduct research relevant to community healthcare practice. You'll enhance your skills in evaluating literature, considering ethical principles, and undertaking independent studies that contribute to community nursing knowledge.
Our course offers a flexible structure, allowing you to tailor your learning to your professional interests and commitments. This approach enables you to balance your studies with your existing work responsibilities.
At Buckinghamshire New University, you'll benefit from a supportive learning environment with access to experienced faculty teaching teams, resources, and tutoring. Our commitment to your success ensures you have the correct professional guidance needed to excel in your studies and your future career.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
You will benefit from an excellent standard of teaching provided by staff from the University and practice, in partnership with our NHS Trust partners. As well as this you will be taught by lecturers who have a wide expertise in the field. Our lecturers also maintain close links with practice, ensuring that the programme is up-to-date with modern practice.
We offer continuous support throughout the programme, and you will receive personal tutoring and benefit from a high level of research within the teaching team. Your personal tutor will help guide you through your studies, support you with your academic development and give advice when needed.
What facilities can I use?
We have a range of state-of-the-art facilities for you to access, including our multistorey library and IT suites. Students will be able to access our full range of support services, including the Learning Development Unit for skills and study support, the Careers and Employability Team, Student Finance Team, Accommodation and Counselling Services.
What will I study?
On this programme, you will:
- build your skills in designing and undertaking research that is relevant to community healthcare practice
- develop your ability to synthesise and evaluate literature to an advanced level, through the systematic investigation of a relevant topic
- consider ethical principles in designing appropriate research
- develop skills in undertaking independent study that contributes to the body of community nursing knowledge.
To achieve the full MSc in Community Healthcare Practice, you will need to complete the Dissertation module, allowing you to investigate a topic important to you. You will cover the whole research process, undertaking empirical investigation and analysis. An allocated supervisor will support you throughout the whole process.
How will I be taught and assessed?
This course aims to build your skills in designing and undertaking research that is relevant to community healthcare practice. Through the investigation of a relevant topic at an advanced level, you will demonstrate your ability to undertake an independent research study. This will be presented in the form of a dissertation.
Over the year, your tutoring sessions will ensure you are prepared and able to do the following:
- development of the aim and research question for the dissertation
- identification of a search strategy and exploration of relevant literature to inform the study
- development of an appropriate research strategy to meet the requirements of the research question
- presentation of research findings, methodology, discussion, accurate Harvard referencing and application to practice, promoting evidence based practice.
What are the course entry requirements?
You must have completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) or Specialist Practitioner Qualification (SPQ District Nursing / Community Children’s Nursing), as well as being registered on the NMC Register. You should also be employed within a healthcare setting to facilitate application of the research to practice.
Please email us your transcript prior to submitting an application and we can discuss your options with you.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home
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Home, Academic Year 2024 - 2025: £3,680 per year *
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Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £3,840 per year *
Following the Government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we will be increasing our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 per year from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Our part-time fees for UK undergraduate students will increase to £7,145 per annum. Please visit , on the Government’s website, for more information about the changes.
Tuition fees for Home undergraduate students (including with foundation year) may increase in subsequent years for both new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Government.  
Tuition fees for both new and continuing international students may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year.  
Tuition fees for postgraduate courses and CPD may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year. This increase will apply to both new and continuing students.  
We understand, and really appreciate, the significant financial commitment our students make when they choose to study at BNU. We take our responsibilities to our students very seriously, and are ambitious for each to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen career. Our fees help us to continue providing our students with a high-quality education, and to invest in the services and facilities which create an excellent student experience at BNU.
The following factors will be considered by the University when we set the annual fees: measures of inflation such as the retail price indices; projected increases in University costs; and any changes in the level of funding for teaching received from the Government.
What are my career prospects?
Topping up your current qualification to a full master’s degree can help boost your career prospects. This may include management, practice teaching or higher education teaching opportunities.
