This course will deliver innovative academic excellence in research, leadership and person-centred assessment in specialist practice nursing care.
The PG Dip Specialist Nursing Practice with Integrated Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (V300) is aligned to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Standards for prescribing programmes standards (NMC 2023b) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Competency Framework for all Prescribers (2021). The course will have two strands:-
• Community Specialist Practice Qualification (strand 1)
• Specialist Nurse (non-community) (strand 2).
This programme aims to provide students with the knowledge, critical understanding,
skills, values and resilience to manage clinical complexity and risk, be autonomous
practitioners and work across organisational boundaries. The programme embodies a
person-centred approach to meet and lead the care needs of individuals, families and
communities with a range of needs and from varying backgrounds and ethnicities. The
integration of Independent and Supplementary prescribing into these community
nursing specialist practice/ specialist nursing courses is forward thinking as it enables
this group of healthcare professionals not only to prescribe, but also assess and use
a wide variety of higher-level skills and reflects the effectiveness of this role in the
context of a growing demand for specialist nurses and independent and
supplementary prescribers in response to changes in workforce and people who use
service representative demographics.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
In this section
Students can choose between two strands; Community and Non-Community.
Within those strands, students have the following pathway options:
Strand 1 Community pathways:
• Community Children’s
• Community Learning Disabilities
• Community Mental Health
• District Nursing
• General Practice
Strand 2 Non-community pathways:
• Adult
• Diabetes
• Emergency Care
• Mental Health
• Palliative Care
• Stroke
All students will take the following modules:-
These modules run alongside seminars specific to the student's chosen strand/pathway. The full-time course is one year in duration.
Practice learning
All students are required to undertake, in their intended field of practice, a minimum of 90 days clinical practice, related to achieving their clinical competencies for RPS and achieve their NMC specialist proficiencies. Throughout the practice learning component of this
programme, student’s supervision and assessment will be facilitated by a Practice Supervisor, Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor who will be suitably prepared
and supported to undertake this role (NMC, 2023). This support will allow students to learn
and safely achieve the proficiencies and competencies for each part of the programme.
Students will have the opportunity to learn from a variety of people in practice settings including people who use services, registered and non-registered individuals as well as other students as appropriate. Students have protected time for learning during all practice experiences to maximise learning opportunities, as confirmed through the
educational audit for practice learning. The specialist practice nursing student will undertake their practice learning in individual days and in blocks.
Assessment
Each module will have 2 items of assessment. The pass mark for all modules is 50%, except when there is an NMC stipulated pass mark. All modules must be passed to successfully complete the programme and be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Community Nursing Specialist Practice with integrated Independent and Supplementary Prescribing. Practice Assessment Document (PAD) must be passed at the summative assessment point. The PAD is awarded a Pass or Fail.
All studentsare expected to adhere to the timetable provided at Induction. Students will attend all classes associated with the programme and be punctual and regular in attendance. Attendance will be monitored both at the University and in the Practice Learning setting and Employers are informed of all absences.
Methods of teaching and learning approaches will include: -
Clinical experts and Users of Health Services and\or Independent Sector are invited to teach students about current practice, developments in the field and personal experiences of specialist nursing services.
Seminars are designed not only to extend the lecture topics but also equip students with the skills to seek out relevant research material and to present and defend the material within a given timeframe.
Skills classes, role plays, use of table-top scenario simulation (including computerised manikin) and video play back are used where appropriate to develop skills in a range of professional interventions.
All of the above methods encourage active student participation and empower individual students to recognise that as nurses each student brings a wealth of experience that can be utilised to illustrate the points being made in classes.
Assessment is seen as crucial part of the learning process. A range of assessment methods including OSCEs, Written examinations, Reflective and Academic Essays, Case Studies and PAD assessments are used.
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study.
In Masters degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures from the academic year 2022-2023.
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Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
In this section
Year: 1
Status: C
This module embraces the principles of community nursing specialist practice being able to implement and evaluate a range of evidence-based interventions, to inform prescribing decisions that impact positively on a person's health and well-being. The aim is to enable students to plan and deliver community nursing specialist practice through critically interpreting and applying evidence-based person-centred approaches to their nursing care decisions including prescribing. Students will be required to review a variety of different forms of evidence to develop continually improving, high quality, compassionate cultures.
The module will endorse shared decision making, working in partnership with people, peers and interdisciplinary teams to manage and support the transition of care between services. Students will learn the importance of co-producing care in line with the person's preferences, potential for self-management and risk mitigation by evaluating planned interventions and care outcomes taking cognisance of changes over time.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module is focused on leadership and management in community specialist nursing practice advancing the student's knowledge and skills to excel in leadership roles within their intended field of practice. Leadership in specialist community nursing demands the use of professional judgement to drive excellence, innovation and person-centred models of service. Collaboration and effective communication skills emphasised within this module are essential to lead and manage a team, make decisions, and influence service models in an interdisciplinary, interagency landscape.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module equips the community specialist nurse with the requisite knowledge of underpinning pharmacology and clinical application of the evidence base enabling autonomous and competent prescribing decisions within their intended field of practice. The scaffolded learning throughout the programme will equip students to systematically interpret and apply the evidence base to make autonomous clinical decisions for safe and therapeutic person-centred prescribing.
Year: 1
Status: C
In this Level 7 module the student will be able to develop in depth theoretical skills and evidence -based knowledge in health assessment which is fundamental to specialist nursing practice. Students will be challenged to expand their skills as critical and competent specialist practitioners. The successful student will become a capable, evidence- based practitioner in the area of health assessment, clinical reasoning, and care planning.
Year: 1
Status: C
In this Level 7 module the student will be able to develop in depth theoretical and evidence-based knowledge in public health which is fundamental to the practices of community specialist nursing practice. Students will be challenged to deepen their skills as critical, skilled and collaborative specialist practitioners. The successful student will be become a competent, evidence-based practitioner, applying research methodologies to lead and improve service provision across a range of community specialist fields. They will become a more effective and collaborative professional, realising their personal and professional potential. Leading through example the successful student will be increasingly capable of providing high quality leadership within diverse community settings in a demonstrably safe and effective manner alone and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module aims to prepare students to graduate with a post registration specialist nursing qualification and a non-medical prescribing qualification. Through completion on this module and associated academic modules, the student will become a specialist nurse who will play a vital role in providing, leading and coordinating care that is compassionate, evidence-based, and person-centred.
Year: 1
Status: C
In this Level 7 module the student will be able to develop in depth theoretical and evidence based knowledge in public health which is fundamental to the practices of specialist nursing practice. Students will be challenged to deepen their skills as critical, skilled and collaborative specialist practitioners. The successful student will be become a competent, evidence based practitioner, applying research methodologies to lead and improve service provision across a range of intended fields of practice. They will become a more effective and collaborative professional, realising their personal and professional potential. Leading through example the successful student will be increasingly capable of providing high quality leadership within a range of settings in a demonstrably safe and effective manner alone and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module embraces the principles of specialist nursing practice to implement and evaluate evidence-based interventions informing prescribing decisions that impact positively on a person's health and well-being. The module endorses shared decision making and partnership working to manage and support the transition of care between services.
Students will learn the importance of co-producing care in line with the person's preferences, potential for self-management and risk mitigation taking cognisance of changes over time.
Year: 1
Status: C
This module is focused on leadership and management in specialist nursing practice advancing the student's knowledge and skills to excel in leadership roles within their intended field of practice. Leadership in specialist nursing demands the use of professional judgement to drive excellence, innovation and person-centred models of service.
Collaboration and effective communication skills emphasised within this module are essential to lead and manage a team, make decisions, and influence service models in an interdisciplinary, interagency landscape.
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
APPLICANTS TO POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN SPECIALIST NURSING PRACTICE WITH INTEGRATED INDEPENDENT AND SUPPLEMENTARY PRESCRIBING (V300) MUST PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
Your employer must confirm they will allow attendance and completion of all elements of the programme, the necessary period of supervised prescribing following qualification as a prescriber and continuing professional development.
If you do not have a degree or other evidence of
completion of level 6 study you can complete a
level 6 module or portfolio to evidence achievement
of level 6 study before applying to the course.
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 7.0 with no element below 7.0.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
In line with the NMC (2022) requirement to ‘consider recognition of prior learning that is
capable of being mapped to the RPS Competency Framework for all Prescribers for
applicants’ (1.7; NMC 2022, Part 3) Students who have previously completed the NMC
approved independent / supplementary prescribing programme (V300), may gain
exemption from the module Person-Centred Prescribing following the completion and
submission of a portfolio. It is important to note that the exemption will only be granted
once the student’s evidence for meeting all proficiencies and competencies in the
module has been accepted as meeting the required standard. There is no automatic
exemption for having previously completed the Independent and Supplementary
prescribing course. The applicant’s portfolio should demonstrate and evidence their
learning and experience to date, mapped against all the Learning outcomes for the
Person-Centred Prescribing module. Exemption will not be given against the 90 days
Practice Learning Experience.
In this section
Specialist nurse students from Ulster University are all predominantly already in employment within the NHS and Social Services, independent GP practices, and other employment such as the voluntary sector (hospice) and prisons. The approach to employability in this programme is explicit insofar as the entitlement to use the qualification is directly linked to career progression.
The qualification enables students to develop their practice in a stimulating and fulfilling manner, working in an expanded way to provide a more holistic care experience to benefit both the service and the person. It allows the nurse to advance within an existing role or be eligible to apply for new roles that would not otherwise be possible. In recent years students have used the specialist nurse and NMP qualification as a platform to progress their academic studies to BSc or MSc award. Entitlement to practice as a specialist with the V300 qualification makes the student an attractive prospect for any health service provider and employer.
All students must complete 90 days Practice Learning in an approved setting. Dedicated blocks of practice learning will be incorporated into each Academic Year. Students must have direct interaction with patients and families during this period. Supervision and Assessment by Practice Assessors will occur during Practice Learning. A Practice Assessment Document (PAD) is required to evidence achievement of professional outcomes, specialist practice and prescribing competencies.
Recorded by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of registration for Independent and Supplementary Nurse Prescribing (V300)
Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of recording as Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) (Community Mental Health) with Integrated Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (V300)
Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of recording as Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) (Community Learning Disability) with Integrated Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (V300)
Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of recording as Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) (Community Children’s Nursing) with Integrated Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (V300)
Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of recording as Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) (General Practice Nursing) with Integrated Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (V3000)
Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of recording as Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) (District Nursing) with Integrated Independent and Supplementary Prescribing (V300)
Postgraduate fees are subject to annual review, 2025/26 fees will be announced in due course.
See our tuition fees page for the current fees for 2024/25 entry.
Philip Goodeve-Docker Award for District Nursing
Margaret Devlin Award for Diabetes Nursing
Access NI (enhanced disclosure) is an additional cost for Self-Funded students.
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Testimonials will be provided at the end of AY 24/25 once the first year of the programme has been completed
Ulster continues to develop and support sustainability initiatives with our staff, students, and external partners across various aspects of teaching, research, professional services operations, and governance.
At Ulster every person, course, research project, and professional service area on every campus either does or can contribute in some way towards the global sustainability and climate change agenda.
We are guided by both our University Strategy People, Place and Partnerships: Delivering Sustainable Futures for All and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our work in this area is already being recognised globally. Most recently by the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rating where we were recognised as Joint 5th Globally for Outreach Activities and Joint Top 20 Globally for Sustainable Development Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals.
Visit our Sustainability at Ulster destination to learn more about how the University strategy and the activities of Ulster University support each of the Sustainable Development Goals.
