Nursing & Midwifery overview

Within the School of Nursing and Midwifery our area of strength is health innovation through co-design and rigorous evaluation of health promoting and healthcare interventions with policymakers, practice partners, patients and carers. We have two core (Maternal and Child Health; Chronic Illness and Palliative Care) and one emerging (Education and Practice) innovative research themes, which encapsulate lifespan health research from conception to end-of-life.

Your research will be hosted in our School and the Graduate School, extending your potential in the UK and internationally.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery have a number of research projects open for application, however, if none of the projects listed align with your own research idea, you must check whether we can support your area of interest, and identify a supervisor. To find out more information on next steps, click here:

https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/Study/HowToApply/Postgraduate/

Nursing & Midwifery Highlights

Industry Links

• In relation to the Cancer Nursing, Supportive and Palliative Care theme, the School is a constituent member of the All-Ireland Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care and through that is developing an island-wide research portfolio.
  https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/Research/research-themes/chronic-Illness-palliative-care/
• The School promotes the integration of research in curriculum and practice development, working closely with our practice partners to develop the future leaders in nursing and midwifery.
  https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/Research/research-themes/education-practice/

Internationally Renowned Experts

• In Maternal and Child Health, we have conducted some of the first UK wide trials on relationships and sexuality education in schools to help better prepare young people for positive sexual and reproductive health and parenting.
  https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/Research/research-themes/maternal-child-health/

Student Experience

• We offer fully funded studentships to outstanding postgraduate researchers across our three faculties and five Doctoral Training Centres
  http://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/PostgraduateStudy/FundingandScholarships/PhDFundedStudentships/

Key Facts

• Ranked 4 in the UK for Health and Biomedical Sciences in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework
• Our research is funded from the European Commission under Interreg and Horizon 2020, as well as large charities such as Alzheimer’s Society, Dunhill Trust, Marie Curie, Movember Cancer Research United Kingdom, Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke.
• Other funders include the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Medical Research Council (MRC), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Newton Fund, the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), and the Public Health Agency of NI.

Course content

Research Information

Research Themes
Nursing and Midwifery: Chronic Illness and Palliative Care (PhD/MPhil)

The aim of this research theme is to improve the health and wellbeing of those with chronic illness, especially in relation to chronic heart disease, and those requiring palliative care and their informal carers. Our team’s research fosters a sound evidence base in which multiple research approaches are promoted, using: epidemiology, ethics, health services research, behavioural sciences and randomized control trials. An innovative feature of the team is in pioneering the viability of the palliative care approach beyond the field of cancer care into areas such as dementia care and a range of chronic illnesses.
You’ll work with an internationally recognised and connected group of researchers conducting research with them to provide new solutions for supportive care in chronic illness and innovative palliative care.

Research Themes
Nursing and Midwifery: Maternal and Child Health (PhD/MPhil)

The aim of this research theme is to improve health and well-being in pregnancy, childbirth and early years care and amongst children with long term health conditions or disabilities, such as acquired brain injury and cerebral palsy. Our team’s research is renowned for developing and evaluating interventions, contributing to the evidence base worldwide in improving Maternal and Child Health outcomes, especially focussing where need is greatest. One of the many valuable innovations we make to the field of Maternal and Child Health is in relation to fathers and prospective fathers, unlocking men’s potential to improve health and social care outcomes for children, and in turn to men’s own health.

You’ll work with an outstanding group of researchers who are at the heart of improvements in parental and child health, recognising that improving health in pregnancy, infancy and childhood is important for adult health and wellbeing across generations.

Research Themes
Nursing and Midwifery: Education and Practice (PhD/MPhil)

The School is at the forefront of educational innovation and this theme showcases emergent research and scholarship in education and practice.
This programme promotes the integration of research in curriculum and practice development enabling us to develop the future leaders in nursing and midwifery.

Find a PhD Supervisor
Prospective PhD students should take a moment to look at our website to identify a researcher who could supervise and support them throughout the 3 years of the programme.

Applications must include a named supervisor.

Research Impact
The School's research is having a profound impact on the health of the population, from cradle to grave.

Career Prospects

Employment after the Course
Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

Course structure

Assessment

The Annual Progress Review requires students to present their work in writing and orally to a panel of academics from within the School. Successful completion of this process will allow students to register for the next academic year.

The final assessment of the doctoral degree is both oral and written. Students will submit their thesis to an internal and external examining team who will review the written thesis before inviting the student to orally defend their work at a Viva Voce.

Feedback

Feedback can be written, verbal or online, and may come from your supervisor or mentor; the Postgraduate Tutor or indeed, on occasions, from other students.

Facilities

The School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen's has one of the most advanced Clinical Education suites in Europe, with a new state of the art Simulation Centre which opened in Autumn 2020. This will prepare students for the increasingly challenging and complex realities of modern clinical practice.http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofNursingandMidwifery/ClinicalEducationCentre/

Entrance requirements

Graduate
The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. As part of the application process candidates will be required to submit a research proposal and undertake an interview.
http://go.qub.ac.uk/nursing-proposal

International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

Tuition Fees

¹ EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled or pre-settled status, are expected to be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly Student Fees Regulations. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB are expected to be charged the GB fee, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.

² It is expected that EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI will be eligible for NI tuition fees. The tuition fee set out above is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.

³ EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted are for the academic year 2021-22, and relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. Tuition fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

More information on postgraduate tuition fees.

Nursing & Midwifery costs

There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.

Additional course costs

All Students

Depending on the programme of study, there may also be other extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies . Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £100 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges. Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen. There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, and library fines. In undertaking a research project students may incur costs associated with transport and/or materials, and there will also be additional costs for printing and binding the thesis. There may also be individually tailored research project expenses and students should consult directly with the School for further information.

Bench fees

Some research programmes incur an additional annual charge on top of the tuition fees, often referred to as a bench fee. Bench fees are charged when a programme (or a specific project) incurs extra costs such as those involved with specialist laboratory or field work. If you are required to pay bench fees they will be detailed on your offer letter. If you have any questions about Bench Fees these should be raised with your School at the application stage. Please note that, if you are being funded you will need to ensure your sponsor is aware of and has agreed to fund these additional costs before accepting your place.

How do I fund my study?

Find PhD opportunities and funded studentships by subject area.

We offer numerous opportunities for funded doctoral study in a world-class research environment. Our centres and partnerships, aim to seek out and nurture outstanding postgraduate research students, and provide targeted training and skills development.

The Government offers doctoral loans of up to £26,445 for PhDs and equivalent postgraduate research programmes for English- or Welsh-resident UK and EU students.

Information on Postgraduate Research scholarships for international students.

How to Apply

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Find a supervisor

If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.

To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.

You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.

Download Postgraduate Prospectus