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We welcome applications to undertake research towards MPhil and PhD degrees in Nursing and Midwifery.

We offer students either an MPhil (Master of Philosophy) in Nursing and Midwifery or PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Nursing and Midwifery.

More information about MPhil and PhD degrees can be found here.

Overview

Overview

Key insights into a research degree in Nursing and Midwifery

  • A diverse postgraduate and wider research community committed to improving patient experiences through patient centred and practitioner focused research
  • Strong and international links with research institutions and organisations
  • Supportive and inclusive learning  and research training environment
  • Dedicated, state of the art research and training facilities at our St John’s and Riverside campuses
  • Supervisors involved in cutting-edge research and consultancy in their field
  • Tailored supervision and support through the Researcher Development Programme (RDP)

The school leads innovative teaching and learning research to inform and impact student learning in their educational journey. This also includes collaborations with a range of practice partners in developing skill acquisition, inter-professional simulation, and practice learning, across nursing and midwifery. Researchers within the school are committed to making a difference in real terms, with improvement to patient care being the ultimate goal.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Entry qualifications

For MPhil

  • First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree or an approved equivalent award

or

  • Research or professional experience which has resulted in appropriate evidence of achievement

For PhD

  • Postgraduate Masters Degree in a discipline which is appropriate to the proposed programme of study

or

  • First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree or equivalent award in an appropriate discipline

or

  • Research or professional experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of achievement

International applicants

International applicants will be required to demonstrate that they have the appropriate level of written and spoken English.

For MPhil/PhD this is an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum score of 6.0 in every component.

Programme structure

Programme structure

After receiving your application, we will establish if we have the expertise to supervise your project. This will normally consist of a Director of Studies (DoS), who will be your lead supervisor, and at least one other supervisor, who will offer you additional support and guidance throughout your studies. If you are offered a place as a student, your programme of study will look like the outline below.

At the start of your MPhil or PhD

At the start of your MPhil or PhD, you will complete a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Research Methods, a mandatory taught part of MPhil and PhD programmes at Worcester. Full-time students complete the PG Cert in 9 months and part-time students in 12-15 months depending on your month of registration (September or January).

The PG Cert is designed to set you up for your research degree, and focuses on establishing your development needs, developing your research proposal, and preparing you for the planning and delivery of your programme of researh. You will be taught through a combination of in-person seminars and online delivery. You can also engage with our online researcher development programme workshops.

You will engage with three modules as part of your PGCert:

  • RSDP4001: Developing as a Researcher
  • RSDP4004: Planning Your Research Project
  • RSDP4005: Approaches to Research

Throughout these early stages of your research degree, you will work with your supervisory team to regularly discuss your progress. At the end of each year, you will reflect on and formally review your progress with your supervisory team and Doctoral Programme Leader. We call this annual meeting an Annual Progress Review (APR).

If you are enrolled on an MPhil programme, the remainder of your programme of study will follow a similar pattern as our PhD programme structure outlined below but in a shorter timeframe. Data collection will typically begin in your first year (full-time) and years 2-3 (part-time). Writing of thesis chapters, dissemination and your viva will typically occur in year 2 (full-time) and years 3-4 (part-time).

During your MPhil or PhD

In your second year (full-time) or years 3-4 (part-time), you will be collecting data and working on your research project with the support of your supervisory team through regular meetings.

You may at this point have research papers ready to publish and attend conferences to present your research to other experts in your field. You will be able to apply to our Research Student Conference Support Scheme for some funding for this purpose.

You can also present your work as part of the annual Postgraduate Research Student Conference and our Images of Research event; seminars based within your academic school and our Postgraduate Network Present and Share series in addition to a range of online workshops as part of our researcher development programme.

At the end of the year of your registration, you will go through an Annual Progress Review.

Final stage of your MPhil or PhD

Throughout the final stages of your degree, you will be working with your supervisory team to discuss your progress through supervisory meetings. In year 3 of your PhD (full-time) or year 5 (part-time), you will be writing up your thesis and preparing for your viva voce (viva) examination.

Your viva will take place after you have submitted your final thesis. After the viva, the examiners may ask that some amendments be made to your thesis before the final award is confirmed, and you will have additional time to do this.

It is possible to complete a full-time PhD in three years, but many students do take four years to complete. Similarly, it is possible to complete a part-time degree in 4 years, but it is likely that it will take you five years to complete.

Programme specification

For comprehensive details on the aims and intended learning outcomes of the course, and how these are achieved through learning, teaching and assessment, please download the latest MPhil programme specification or PhD programme specification document.

Research areas

Research areas

Research expertise

Nursing and Midwifery research students will lead in-depth advanced research projects that have significant impact on their specific field of study, and society more widely. Students join our research community that brings together researchers with diverse expertise across these research and practitioner disciplines, including these specialist topics that research students can focus on:

  • Patient experiences
  • Interprofessional simulation and practice learning
  • Education and student support
  • Mental health and long-term conditions
  • Sexual health
  • Birth and breastfeeding
  • Children, young people and their families
  • Inclusive student learning

Working under the careful supervision of these experienced researchers, postgraduate research students will explore key national and international issues that impact patient and practitioner experiences, and human health. Postgraduate research students are encouraged to apply patient-centred and community focused perspectives to address pressing contemporary challenges in nursing and midwifery care and professional practice. Creating new knowledge about how we can better understand and respond in new ways to these challenges are themes that characterise the work of our postgraduate research students, including:

  • Lived experience and illness narratives
  • Maternity care
  • Practitioner decision making
  • Workforce sustainability and professional identity
  • Teaching and Learning Pedagogy
  • Mental health and spirituality

We have links with NHS partners and private healthcare providers, regional and national healthcare industry, and government and NGO environmental, and health groups and agencies. Where possible we support students to collaborate with these organisations to enhance the relevance and application of their research.

Research supervisors

Nursing

Julie Cooke
Expertise: Preparing the future nursing workforce to meet the needs of an ageing population; case study research.

Dr Helen Ford
Expertise: Nursing; nurse decision-making; medication use; mixed methods.

Dr Helen Holder
Expertise: nutritional risk and screening; student nurse perceptions of nursing; malnutrition; self-interviews.

Dr Frances Howie  Expertise: Public health; public health professional training; health inequalities; health improvement; leadership and management; sociology. 

Dr Kay Norman  Expertise: Nursing Practice; The Image of Nursing; Community Care; Mentorship and supervision; Qualitative methods.

Dr Fazilah Twining
Expertise: nursing; spirituality in BAME groups and individuals; qualitative methodologies and IPA.

Dr Richard Warner
Expertise: nursing; neurological disorders; living with multiple sclerosis; mixed methods.

Midwifery

Dr Tina Dennis
Expertise: Midwifery philosophy and practice; Professional advocacy. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Dr Lucy Hope
Expertise in peer support for breastfeeding, interested in discovering more about personal experiences during the childbearing continuum. Experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and application to real life maternity care setting.

Research groups

Postgraduate Research Students are encouraged to join Research Groups at the University, and those with significant focus on nursing, midwifery, patient experiences and practitioner training and education include:

Careers

Careers

An MPhil and a PhD in Nursing and Midwifery will give you the skills and knowledge that equip you for a diverse range of opportunities and a wide range of careers. Depending on your research focus, you might become a:

  • Consultant or leader in healthcare settings
  • Researcher
  • Manager in various professional contexts
  • Change agent to shape Policy
  • Lecturer/academic
Fees

Fees and funding

Fees

The current fees can be found within the tuition fees document on our figure out finances page.

Accommodation

Finding the right accommodation is paramount to your university experience. Our halls of residence are home to friendly student communities, making them great places to live and study.

We have over 1,000 rooms across our range of student halls. With rooms to suit every budget and need, from our 'Traditional Halls' at £136 per week to 'Ensuite Premium Halls' at £236 per week (2026/27 prices).

For full details visit our accommodation page.

Postgraduate and doctoral loans

The Government will provide a loan of up to £12,858 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2025 per eligible student for postgraduate Masters study. It will be at your own discretion whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs. For more details visit our postgraduate loans page.

If you are pursing a PhD, you may be eligible for a doctoral loan of up to £30,301 if your course starts on or after 1 August 2025. For more information visit our doctoral loans page.

To help with the financial responsibility of students, we offer a range of scholarships and alumni discounts. Find out more about these on our scholarships page.
How to apply

How to apply

Additional information

Please see guidance on Applying for an MPhil or Applying for a PhD to include application and interview deadlines.

If your research involves working with vulnerable adults and/or children then you may be required to obtain an Enhanced DBS check. There will be a small charge for this. For more information please contact research@worc.ac.uk.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustment. If you require an alternative format for making your application due to a disability, please contact us to discuss your needs on 01905 542182 or research@worc.ac.uk.

How to apply

Please make your application via our online application form. If you have any questions, please contact the Doctoral School on 01905 542182 or research@worc.ac.uk

PhD - September - Full time PhD - September - Part time PhD - January - Full time PhD - January - Part time

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