Nursing Studies PhD, MScR

The MSc by Research in Nursing Studies provides students with an advanced understanding of research design, data collection and data analysis issues in nursing.

The programme is designed for qualified practitioners and graduates and enables students to develop their understanding of debates about research, evidence and practice in relation to nursing and related fields.

The distinctive features of this degree include:

• integration of generic social science and discipline-specific nursing studies research training and development;
• social science approaches to research training in nursing studies; and
• close links with other disciplines including medicine.

The PhD/MPhil programme allows you to conduct an independent research project that makes a significant contribution to your chosen field of study and to further develop your research skills. We are able to offer supervision in a variety of specialist areas.

Nursing Studies research

Normal progression for PhD/MPhil in nursing involves spending the first year preparing for the main research work; taking research training courses, reviewing literature, and developing your research proposal.

Progression to year two of the programme is dependent on a satisfactory outcome from a review board. Typically, the second year is spent doing the body of the research, usually empirical data collection and analysis, and the third year is spent completing the analysis and writing the thesis.

You will be able to attend a wide range of postgraduate seminar courses from across the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences. There is the opportunity to attend other courses in Nursing Studies as well as a wide range of postgraduate seminar courses within the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences and related disciplines across the University.

Nursing studies PhD and MPhil students join a 50-year tradition of scholarship. Our students share courses with others from a wide variety of disciplines.

Those doing higher degrees by research usually undertake research training courses, as well as carrying out their own research. PhD students have two supervisors, one of whom may be from a different discipline relevant to your interests.

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.

The programme offers education and development for all those interested in developing research skills in the field of nursing. It is designed for qualified practitioners and for graduates (or equivalent) interested in research in the field.

The programme aims to provide students with an advanced understanding of research design, data collection and data analysis issues in nursing. Students will develop their understanding of debates about research, evidence and practice for nursing and related practices.

The PhD by Distance is available to suitably qualified applicants in the same areas as our on-campus programmes: Clinical Psychology, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Health in Social Science and Nursing Studies.

The programme allows students who are unable to commit to basing themselves in Edinburgh full time to study for a PhD in a field of Health in Social Science from their home country or city - however this is not intended to be a fully online distance learning programme.

Students enrolled on this programme will be expected to come to Edinburgh at least once per year of study to meet with their supervisors. The length and timing of these visits are negotiable but students should expect to spend at least two weeks at the University of Edinburgh during each year of study.

For further information on the programme (including entry requirements and how to apply) please see the school website:

• Health in Social Science PhD by Distance

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

MScR: A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in nursing. We will also consider your application if your degree is in another subject area but you have a professional qualification in nursing or midwifery.

MPhil and PhD: A UK 2:1 honours degree and a UK masters degree, or their international equivalents, in a relevant subject area. We may also consider your application if you do not have a masters degree, but have other professional qualifications or experience; please contact us to check before you apply.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which 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 6.5 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 23 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 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 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:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

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).

• Approved universities in 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.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Postgraduate research scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK's governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding