The MSc by Research programme in Nursing Studies offers education and development for all those interested in developing research skills in the field of Nursing. Name MScR Nursing Studies Start Date September Mode of Study 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time Programme Director Larry Doi Please check the postgraduate Degree Finder to see the specific entry requirements, start date and application deadlines. Apply Now The MScR Nursing Studies is a postgraduate programme designed to provide comprehensive research training in the field of nursing. This unique course allows you to engage in research activities throughout the year while concurrently undertaking specialized taught courses, enriching research skills and expanding your knowledge base. Full-time students must take compulsory courses within one year, however our programme is also available part-time over two to three years. Our programme offers the possibility to work with and be supervised by a range academics whose background in both therapeutic practice and research is compatible with the student's proposed area of research. Your supervisor will meet regularly with you throughout the period of study, with the focus and content of supervision meetings negotiated jointly depending on your needs. Successful completion of the MScR requires a dissertation, normally in the form of a report of research work, of 20,000 words. Why choose this programme? Edinburgh’s Nursing Studies played a prominent role throughout the developmental period for nursing research in Europe over the past 50 years. Our department, established in 1956, was Europe’s first university-based centre for nursing education and research. Following this, Scotland’s government-funded Nursing Research Unit was based here from 1971 to 1994, strengthening our national and international reputation as a major centre for research in nursing. The programme offers you the opportunity to gain advanced understanding of research design, data collection and data analysis issues in nursing, and is designed for qualified practitioners and graduates (or equivalent) interested in research in the field. A vibrant and inclusive research environment The University of Edinburgh is a world-leader in research and innovation and an international centre of academic excellence. Students on this programme will become part of an active and diverse research community in the School of Health in Social Science and will have access to the wide-range of learning environments and outstanding resources that the University has to offer. Our postgraduate researchers work in close proximity to each other, enabling them to pool their expertise and knowledge to tackle complex challenges and push the boundaries of discovery. Students will be encouraged to engage with a wide range of seminars, talks, and events, and often have the opportunity to present their own research at national and international conferences. Our student-led postgraduate research blog provides a snapshot of the activities and events our PGR students organise and are involved in. Find out more about ongoing research in our School Our main areas of research activity and development in Nursing Studies currently relate to the themes of experience of health and illness, and organisation and policy for person-centred care. We have expertise in a range of qualitative and quantitative and mixed methods research approaches. An important aspect of our work concerns knowledge transfer and effective engagement with NHS, social care and lay organisations. The School of Health in Social Science continues to develop a programme of work in collaboration with service providers. Nursing Studies welcomes the opportunity to develop Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, focusing on service re-design and an organisation of care delivery that would meet the demands of the modernising agenda. The latter has implications for workforce planning, CPD and the production of the new health care workforce. Supervisor Specialties: Policy, Professions and Care Topic areas Potential supervisors Alcohol education & training in pre and post registration curricula Professor Aisha Holloway Global Nursing Workforce Dr Catherine Clarissa Nursing Mental Health and Wellbeing Dr Catherine Clarissa Leadership developement in early career nursing Dr Catherine Clarissa Clinical decision making Professor Tonks Fawcett Examining dignity and respect in nursing for compassionate care Dr Elaine Haycock-Stuart Global Nursing Leadership Professor Aisha Holloway History of nursing workforce Dr Marti Balaam Nursing Education and Nursing Science Dr Lissette Aviles Organ Donation process and transplantation Dr Lissette Aviles Nursing workforce in critical and end-of-life care Dr Lissette Aviles Person-centered care in nursing education and practice Dr Lissette Aviles Students with caring responsibilities Dr Michelle King-Okoye Widening participation and increasing diversity in higher education Dr Michelle King-Okoye Navigating academia and research - Ethnic minorities Dr Michelle King-Okoye Leadership Dr Michelle King-Okoye Herbal Medicine Dr Michelle King-Okoye Influence of culture and traditions on health an illness experience Dr Michelle King-Okoye Religion and spirituality Dr Michelle King-Okoye Mentoring and professional development Dr Michelle King-Okoye Advanced communication Dr Michelle King-Okoye Interdisciplinary simulated learning Dr Jenni Tocher Image of nursing Dr Marti Balaam Leadership Dr Elaine Haycock-Stuart Nursing education Dr Elaine Haycock-Stuart Nurses’ roles in achieving behaviour change Professor Aisha Holloway Nursing workforce Dr Marti Balaam Service organisation and delivery Dr Elaine Haycock-Stuart Service evaluation using realist approaches (realist synthesis and realist evaluation) Dr Larry Doi Transition to care home - patient, family and professional perspectives Dr Sarah Rhynas Understanding skill mix in primary care for good nursing outcomes Dr Elaine Haycock-Stuart Workforce: nurses in critical care issues Dr Susanne Kean Sudden Interruptions in Health Topic areas Potential supervisors Alcohol Brief Interventions: evaluation in various settings e.g. hospital, workplace, prisons Professor Aisha Holloway Cancer care issues Professor Tonks Fawcett Compassion and well-being Dr Marti Balaam Individuals and families' experience of organ donation and transplantation Dr Lissette Aviles Experiences of individual and families when surviving stroke Dr Lissette Aviles Family and person-centered care in acute critical care and practice Dr Lissette Aviles Cancer care experiences Dr Michelle King-Okoye Critical care experiences Dr Michelle King-Okoye End of life and palliative care Dr Michelle King-Okoye Men’s health Dr Michelle King-Okoye Pathways to care (communicable and non-communicable diseases) Dr Michelle King-Okoye Near death and 'death' experiences and impact on individuals and families Dr Michelle King-Okoye Neurodiversity in children Dr Michelle King-Okoye Development and evaluation of complex interventions Dr Larry Doi Experiences of families and patients with acute and/or chronic critical illness Dr Susanne Kean Intervention studies in critical care Dr Susanne Kean Post-stroke rehabilitation for young adults Dr Catherine Clarissa Multidisciplinary team in critical care Dr Catherine Clarissa Patient experience of intensive care Dr Catherine Clarissa Liver, renal and/or pancreatic surgery Dr Jenni Tocher Maintaining personal identity while in acute hospital when living with dementia Dr Sarah Rhynas Music interventions for people with dementia Dr Sarah Rhynas Nurses experiences of approaching relatives for organ donation Dr Jenni Tocher Pain Professor Tonks Fawcett Pain in critical care Dr Jenni Tocher Covid-19 and young people Dr Divya Sivaramakrishnan Personal and social identity when living with dementia Dr Sarah Rhynas Person and family centered care (PFCC) in critical care Dr Susanne Kean Recovery and/or survivorship after critical illness Dr Susanne Kean Global Public Health Topic area Potential supervisor Alcohol and Public Health Professor Aisha Holloway Global public health: traumatic brain injury and stroke Dr Lissette Aviles Global Public Health: health workforce, Covid-19 and wellbeing Dr Lissette Aviles Public health and community nursing Dr Elaine Haycock-Stuart Physical Activity Dr Divya Sivaramakrishnan Sedentary Behaviour Dr Divya Sivaramakrishnan Healthy Ageing Dr Divya Sivaramakrishnan Virtual and Online Learning Dr Michelle King-Okoye Climate change and implications for minorities Dr Michelle King-Okoye Artificial intelligence in relation to ethical principles and inclusivity Dr Michelle King-Okoye Digital education, app development and healthcare Dr Michelle King-Okoye Telehealth Dr Michelle King-Okoye Social media Dr Michelle King-Okoye Epidemiology Dr Glenna Nightingale Evaluation of public health interventions Dr Glenna Nightingale Modelling Longitudinal health related data Dr Glenna Nightingale Social Justice and Health Inequity Topic area Potential supervisor Exploring alcohol interventions within the prison population Professor Aisha Holloway Prison Health Professor Aisha Holloway Marginalised groups Dr Michelle King-Okoye Racism in academia Dr Michelle King-Okoye Social injustice and whistle-blower protection Dr Michelle King-Okoye Improving access to care - developing countries Dr Michelle King-Okoye Join our extraordinary Nursing Community Nursing offers a profound sense of purpose and fulfillment as it involves caring for and making a positive difference in the lives of others. We are one of the top ten universities in the UK to offer Nursing, and our students' experience is second to none. Find out what it's like to join our close-knit community of international students and staff at the University of Edinburgh. Find out more about our Nursing Community The School of Health in Social Science offers several fully funded MScR and PhD studentships each year. A variety of scholarships are available, which vary from full scholarships covering tuition fees and a stipend to cover living expenses, to partial scholarships. Find out more about our scholarships and funding opportunities Beyond the programme The MScR can be used a stepping stone toward embarking on a PhD, however also delivers transferable skills for a number of career paths. Following completion of the MScR you will have developed a broad range of transferable skills to enhance your career prospects across a wide range of industries, including leadership in a variety of healthcare organizations, supervising nursing research or projects and influencing healthcare policy and practice. Further Study Opportunities The MSc by Research is a comprehensive foundation for PhD study, which will equip you for academic positions in nursing. Students with prior professional qualifications can also enhance careers with the addition of highly developed conceptual, analytical and research skills through this programme. You may also wish to return to the University to undertake CPD courses with Nursing Studies. Find out more about our postgraduate Nursing Studies options