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Back to Ambassador listingHi Peter,
I hope all is well! I came across UoB through an interest in studying abroad in the UK. I am a current undergrad Public Health student wanting to pursue nursing but I feel I don’t have experience yet. Looking at the entry requirements, would you accept a Public Health student, and how many hours of volunteering and shadowing would the school prefer? Does the school require pre requisites as well?
Hi, Thank you for writing in. My advice to you would be to contact the Admissions Team as they will be able to support and advise you on your application Kind Regards, Pete
Hello Peter, I am undecided over which postgraduate field to choose that is marketable and will give me the right qualifications to teach at UK universities upon graduation. I hold a bachelor of Science in Nursing and want to advance. Please advise.
Hi, Thank you for writing in. What area of teaching would you like to go into and enjoy doing would be the first question I'd be asking myself. Have you considered the MSc In Advanced Clinical Practice as this is the Postgraduate study I pursued and has opened a pathway of many career opportunities. Kind Regards, Pete
Hi, how long do I have to stay in the UK before I can pay home fees? I came to the UK with a tier 2 work visa in 2020 and I am thinking of starting my postgraduate program in Birmingham university in 2023.
Hi, Thank you for your query. The Admissions Team would be best placed to advise you on this issue Kind Regards, Pete
Hi, I have a BSc in Adult Nursing and a PgDip in Occupational Health. I am looking into MSc Occupational Health. Can I add my PgDip OH, to my MSc? Will this reduce my study time and the modules?
Hello, Thank you for sending your query in. My advice to you would be to contact the Admissions Team who will be able to advise you accordingly. Kind Regards, Pete
I studied Botany in my undergraduate. I've also worked as an Academic Technologist for 3+ years. Now I want to pursue my passion of care. After studying MSc Adult Nursing pre-registration, will my basic study of Botany hinder me from growing in the Nursing career?
I await your response. Thanks.
Hi, Thank you for your question. I think if anything it would enhance you as a person as it shows you have the ability to study and learn and also remain disciplined whilst completing your course of study. You have some good life experiences which will work in your favour. You sound very passionate about your nursing career and it is something you've always wanted to do so I am pretty sure you will excel in your chosen career pathway. I wish you all the very best. Kind Regards, Pete
I've been invited for an online interview, what are the guidelines to a successful interview with Birmingham aside dressing properly and being friendly?
My biggest piece of advice is be yourself and show the panel how much you want to be on this course of study. Have examples you can use which demonstrate you abilities such as prioritising work load, being discipline, being able to work under pressure etc. I hope your interview goes well. Kind Regards, Pete
Hi, I am currently writing my PG personal statement for the Nursing course but I am failing to locate the maximum word limit. Am I right in thinking that it is 5,000 characters?
Hello, thank you very much for your question and apologies in the delay getting back to you. My name is Emma from the Postgraduate Recruitment team, and I am replying on behalf of the mentor as they have not yet answered it.
Yes, the personal statement can be up to 5000 characters. If you are in any doubt, you should be able to see the character limit in the application portal when it gives you the option to type within the portal.
I hope this helps, PG Recruitment
Hello I've got my bachelors degree in Business and IT from the UK and I am looking forward to studying Nursing to pursue my career in it. I have done science at GCSE and have got my English and Maths. Will this be enough for me to study Nursing as a second degree? If you can reply to me via email I would be grateful. Thank you.
Hi, I would contact Admissions Team to clarify the entry requirements Kind Regards, Pete
For the Mental Health Nursing course, I wanted to ask:
When does the application process begin? and what is the deadline to apply for the course?
What does an average day look like whilst studying this course?
What does the application process consist of?
I am a volunteer counsellor and have experience working with individuals with special and physical needs, do you think I need more experience in order to be successful for this course?
Thank you for your time.
Hi, I did my studies on the Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice so I would contact the course leader of the Mental Health Nursing Course direct and they should be able to answer all of your queries regarding what an average study day looks like. The Admissions Department would be able to guide you through the application process and deadlines and start dates etc. I hope that helps. Kind Regards, Pete
Hi Peter, I just wanted to thank you for your prompt response when I e-mailed you earlier this week. Just a few more if I may...I'm thinking of doing the MSc Diploma in Occupational Health. How did you find the pace of the work and submission of essays please? Were the lecturers helpful? Would you do it again? Many thanks again.
Hi, It is all down to time management and motivation. I was in full-time employment and also doing extra out of hours work and had a young family so I knew I had to be disciplined and focused. I always submitted my course work before the deadlines to keep the pressure down. I also hadn't studied any Post Graduate qualifications for about 10 years so I knew I needed to stay abreast of things. I enjoyed the lectures and most of them were interactive. I would do it again if I had the right reasons and motivation to do so. Good Luck with your studies. Kind Regards, Pete
Hi, do you think it would be possible to do a Masters on Nursing even though you got a 2:2 in your bachelors (Mental Health Nursing)?
Hi, You are investing in yourself for the future and whatever you put into your studies you will reap the benefits. Time management is really important as you are balancing working life with home life and studying life. I am glad I studied the course when I did as it has opened new opportunities up for me so can only praise the course It helped me develop professionally and personally and also gave me a new focus on my career pathway I wish you well Kind Regards, Pete
Hello Peter, I'm an RN of some 32 years experience. I'm thinking of applying for the MSc Occupational Health course in September, it may look very different to the taught course I'd like but that's the current situation for you. Any tips on the application process and the personal statement please? Not too sure where to start. Many Thanks.
Hi, I applaud you for applying for the MSc. With the person statement, you have a lot of experience to offer and you are investing in yourself. Just be open and honest about your objectives The course itself is about time management and keeping on top of the course work. I found the course stimulating and it felt good to step outside my comfort zone to personally and professionally develop and I have never looked back since Kind Regards, Pete
Hi, I am currently a podiatrist working within the private sector. I am interested in doing an MSc in Nursing. I am looking for more information about the course and how the practical element is delivered? Kind regards.
Hello, thank you very much for your question and apologies in the delay getting back to you. My name is Emma from the Postgraduate Recruitment team, and I am replying on behalf of the mentor as they have not yet answered it.
I've had a look on the course page (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/med/MSc-Nursing.aspx) but there isn't much information on how the course is taught! At the bottom of the page however is an email address (mscnursing@bham.ac.uk) - I would advise that you send an email to the Nursing team, who should be able to help.
Best of luck, PG Recruitment
Hello, I am a graduate in BSc Nursing. I want to do my MSc at this university. Could you please tell me the whole procedure?
Hi,
We offer a range of postgraduate courses for nurses as well as a Nursing PhD programme. You can find full details of these below:
Nursing programmes: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/nursing/postgraduate/pg-nursing-courses.aspx PhD: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/med/nursing-phd.aspx
Applicants should have a strong background in a relevant subject. They should hold or expect to obtain at least an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a health related area. If you are applying for a PhD then you will usually also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level.
Further information on how to apply are available here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/apply-pg/index.aspx
Best wishes, Tom
I am a graduate Nursing student from India with a bachelors of Nursing and I want to join the University of Birmingham on the course practice certificate in independent prescription, can an international student take admission in this course?
Hi, You will need to be registered to a UK Healthcare Professional Body such as the NMC or in my case the GPhC who will then regulate your activity as a prescriber. On that register you are then annotated as an Independent Prescriber(IP) I hope that helps. Kind Regards, Pete
How have you funded your postgraduate studies?
My studies were funded by Health Education England who are investing in upskilling the Health Professional workforce so I am eternally grateful for their sponsorship.
What was your motivation for undertaking postgraduate study?
My motivation for studying a postgraduate Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice was twofold really. I am always looking for opportunities to better myself and up skill and also I have two daughters aged 5 and 9 and I wanted to show them that anything in life is achievable as long as you have the drive and courage to follow your convictions. Developing new skills and enhancing existing skills is certainly the way forward to developing a career and new doors of opportunity naturally open up.
Why did you choose the University of Birmingham?
I chose the University of Birmingham for two main reasons, firstly they have a good reputation for delivering good quality, recognised courses and secondly, it is easy access by train to get to the University so I don't have to worry about finding a place to park and the Medical School is just across the road from the train station.
What piece of advice would you give to anyone considering postgraduate study in your field?
My advice to anyone wanting to do postgraduate study would be to hone your time management skills and plan everything ahead as you can't afford to leave anything to the last minute with a busy working and family life.
What, for you, are the best things about the course?
The best thing about the course is everyone is approachable, helpful and understanding. I need to defer my third year as work commitments clash with some of the study days and again my personal tutor has been very supportive and helpful.
I'm an Italian nurse; I came here 8 month ago and I would like to pursue my nursing studies with a PhD. Could you give me any further details about this choice you undertook? Access modalities, main prerequisites and subsequent employment opportunities? Thank you.
Hello,
Thank you for your question. I studied for the Masters in Advanced Clinical Practice. It taught me new skills and opened several new career pathways for me.
I am a Clinical Lead for Alcohol and Substance Misuse in Worcestershire and also I work Out of Hours seeing patients face to face.
I have also just received confirmation that I have a place on the NHS Clinical Entrepreneurs Programme which has all stemmed from my further studies at the University of Birmingham.
I firmly believe that the more qualified and upskilled you are, the more opportunities that present themselves.
Working full time and studying at the same time is hard and challenging but also rewarding as it develops you as an individual.
I hope that helps. Please feel free to ask for any further advice or information
Kind Regards, Pete
Hi. What is the MSc Nursing about because it seems to be research based not clinical? For someone like me who studied Biomedical Science in my first degree, how will this course help me to practice as a nurse?
Hi,
I did the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice. The first 2 years are about Leadership, Clinical Examination and utilising your skills to competently assess patients and a module on research. I had already completed my Independent Prescribing Qualification a few years prior to starting the MSc ACP course so I was allowed to sit that part of the course out as I applied for Advanced Prior Learning which was accepted.
The final year dissertation which is 10,000 words is research based. The first two years sets you up to upskill and personally and professionally develop and reflect on your practice and look at where you want to be and assess what it will take to develop your career path.
I can only speak for myself but this course and qualification has certainly benefited my career and aspirations.