The BNurs programme aims to provide comprehensive and holistic nursing education and to nurture generic nurses who will be able to work as competent practitioners in various healthcare settings at the end of the five-year degree. The main areas covered include nursing core courses, nursing care of specialised populations, theoretical foundations for nursing practice, nursing practicum, health promotion and education, nursing research, clinical pharmacology for nurses, Chinese medicine, life sciences and behavioural sciences. Coverage of specialised areas such as palliative care, health informatics, legal and ethical issues, and clinical reasoning can further prepare our students as competent nursing professionals.

The programme not only provides interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students to work on common clinical topics in a cross-interdisciplinary team and to develop their critical thinking but also provides students with experiential learning and life-enriching experiences beyond Hong Kong to enhance their global exposure.

The School’s state-of-the-art Simulated Nursing Skills Training Centre is equipped with high-fidelity patient simulators and a sophisticated and simulated clinical environment which serves to highly improve the quality of clinical teaching and advance students’ learning of clinical nursing skills. Cutting-edge technologies such as VR, CAVE, robots, 3D graphics and 360 VR have also been adopted to facilitate students’ understanding of patient symptoms, case management and promote the use of artificial intelligence in shaping healthcare provision.

The Doctor of Nursing (DNurs) programme is a professional doctorate with coursework and research components that aims to equip nurses with competencies in theoretical, methodological and analytical approaches for knowledge discovery and translation of knowledge to practice.

The Programme emphasizes on scholarly practice, practice improvement, innovation, evaluation of health care outcomes, expertise to inform health policy and leadership for establishing clinical excellences. Graduates of the Programme are expected to take up leadership roles in clinical practices or healthcare administration; or to be experts in specialized advanced nursing practice; or nurse educators in a practice or academic setting.

Programme Structure

The curriculum consists of four core courses (26 contact hours per course totaling 104 contact hours), three track courses (26 contact hours per course totaling 78 contact hours), a course on Research Ethics (12 contact hours) and a thesis (104 contact hours).

Year of Study Full-time Mode Part-time Mode

1st and 2nd Year

• Completion of all taught courses and assignments
  • 4 Core courses
  • 3 Track courses
  • Research Ethics course
• Attendance and presentation at thesis seminars
• Preparation of an up-to-standard research proposal plus initial work on thesis

3rd Year

• Attendance and presentation at thesis seminars
• Completion of a thesis of 50,000 to 60,000 words • Attendance and presentation at thesis seminars
• Completion of a thesis of 50,000 to 60,000 words

4th Year

N/A

Core Courses

• NURS6001 Scientific Progress in Nursing
• NURS6002 Advanced Quantitative Research Designs and Methods
• NURS6003 Naturalistic and Interpretive Approaches to Nursing Research
• NURS6004 Health Policy for Advocacy in Health Care

Track Courses

Educational Leadership Track Clinical Leadership Track
NURS6005 Introduction to Clinical and Classroom Teaching in Nursing NURS6008 Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) Role Acquisition
NURS6006 Curriculum Planning and Development NURS6009 Health Behavior and Health Promotion Research
NURS6007 Assessment and Evaluation NURS6010 Concepts and Methods in Health Services Research
Research Ethics Course

GRSC6031 Research Ethics for Graduate Students.

Thesis

Students are required to complete a thesis of 50,000 to 60,000 words that represents an original scientific study grounded in practice and contains material worthy of publication; students are also required to participate in thesis seminars which will serve as forums for presenting their work in progress on a regular basis and hone their research skills.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates are able to:

1. use analytic methods to critically evaluate existing evidence in order to select the best evidence for clinical practice and/or nursing education;
2. design and implement programmes to evaluate outcomes of clinical practice and/or nursing education;
3. design, direct, and evaluate innovations to enhance healthcare and/or educational outcomes;
4. translate research into practice to improve healthcare outcomes;
5. integrate practice, education and research to better meet society's health needs;
6. demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in practice or academic environments;
7. disseminate findings from evidence-based practice to improve clinical practice and/or nursing education;
8. reflect on their own practice so that they can construct, articulate and evaluate their own philosophy, self-reflection and professional ethics in health care, nursing practice, and research; and
9. provide leadership in clinical practice and nursing education.

Scholarships and Sponsorship

Dr Serena Yang Scholarship for DNurs Programme
Two prizes shall be awarded to newly enrolled candidates who hold a bachelor's degree with 1st class honors or equivalent outstanding academic achievement; and whose research proposal (2-3 pages) has demonstrated scientific rigor. The value of each of the prizes shall be HK$30,000.

Scholarship for Doctor of Nursing (Full-time)
Two scholarships, each of the value up to 50% of the tuition fee, shall be awarded each year to non-local students admitted to the Doctor of Nursing Programme on the basis of academic merit and financial need. Students may be invited to a selection interview if necessary.

International Conference Participation Sponsorship
Opportunities are available for students to have educational exchange in renowned international universities, and financial support will be provided to encourage students to present at international conferences.

The Master of Nursing (MNurs) programme aims to provide opportunities for nursing graduates to advance their knowledge and skills so as to prepare them for the expanded and extended roles arising from health care reform and the rapid changes in health needs in Hong Kong. MNurs programme has been recognised as “Clinical Master Programme” under the “Voluntary Scheme on Advanced and Specialised Nursing Practice” of the Nursing Council of Hong Kong (NCHK).

The curriculum consists of three compulsory core courses, three track core courses, three elective courses and a capstone experience which includes a Translational Nursing Research course and a Dissertation or Clinical Research Project.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates are able to:

1. apply competently the advanced knowledge and skills in order to promote a culture of professional excellence in nursing practice;
2. contribute to the advancement of nursing knowledge and practice through research and evidence-based practice;
3. reflect on their own practice so that they can construct, articulate and evaluate their own philosophy, self-reflection and professional ethics in health care and nursing practice;
4. commit to life-long learning to enhance the ability to tackle ill-defined problems in pursuing practice and to ensure the best practices in healthcare setting of nursing;
5. lead, collaborate and coordinate multi-disciplinary team work and communicate with the nursing practitioners and general public effectively and professionally; and
6. provide leadership to the health care profession and nursing practice.

The Master of Science in Nursing [MSc(Nurs)] Programme admits Bachelor's degree holders from non-nursing disciplines and prepares them for registration with the Nursing Council of Hong Kong as a Registered Nurse. The Programme provides a comprehensive and holistic nursing education which strives to achieve professional excellence in nursing. Students will develop the capacity to become a transformative nurse, making a positive impact on the outcomes of patients and healthcare systems, with the capacity to become a future leader in the profession.

The curriculum consists of 29 courses (204 credits) including 24 professional core courses and 5 practicum courses, which focuses on quality care, clinical skills, leadership and is designed to be both research-intensive and research-informed.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates are able to:

1. implement comprehensive professional knowledge in nursing practice;
2. apply the scientific evidence to advance health education and nursing care across diverse settings;
3. use ethical principles in decision making and apply the relevant legal parameters within their practice;
4. demonstrate cultural competency and nursing leadership to facilitate interprofessional collaborations and to enhance healthcare outcomes;
5. develop transferable skills required for independent reflective learning and research for continuing professional development; and
6. develop the ability to evaluate personal scholarship, professional growth and excellence in practice.

The MPhil degree is a postgraduate programme that focuses on research work.  The programme is available in all faculties and schools/departments, allowing candidates to select their field of study from a wide spectrum of subjects and specialise their research in distinct fields on offer. Students can register on either a full-time (2-year) or part-time (3-year) basis.  The programme offers an introductory experience to research studies and is suitable for those who wish to later pursue a PhD degree or become professionals in their specialised area.

MPhil students will receive ongoing advice and guidance from a dedicated academic or a team of academics in conducting research and thesis writing.  The programme also provides students with solid academic training and diverse educational experiences.  Coursework has been incorporated into the curriculum, introducing students to research techniques and also discipline-specific knowledge.  Students may take part in different workshops, conferences, and competitions to further develop their research skills and perspectives.  The award of the MPhil degree is based on satisfactorily completing courses, submitting a thesis that displays some originality and demonstrates a sound understanding of the field of study and the appropriate research methods, and satisfying the examiners in an oral examination, unless waived, (and any other examination if required) in matters relevant to the subject of the thesis.

Selected full-time MPhil students who have attained good academic qualifications will be provided financial assistance in the form of Postgraduate Scholarships.  Various scholarships and conference/travel support are also available to enrich students’ learning experience and promote professional and personal development.

The PhD degree is a highly recognised advanced research postgraduate programme.  It is available in both full-time and part-time mode.  Candidates can select their field of study from a wide spectrum of subjects as the programme is available in all faculties and schools/departments.  The PhD programme is intellectually demanding, requiring strong analytical skills, critical thinking ability, and language proficiency for undertaking independent research to produce original ideas with significant impact.  It aims to cultivate competent researchers who would like to develop their career in research, academia, and other professional areas.  The 4-year PhD programme is available for candidates who have obtained a good bachelor’s degree with honours and/or a taught master’s degree, while the 3-year PhD programme is offered to those with a research master’s degree.

PhD study focuses on conducting independent research, under the supervision of a dedicated academic or a team of academics, leading to the final submission of a thesis.  In addition, the 4-year PhD programme has a compulsory coursework component, which encompasses advanced specialist knowledge and language and research skills to enhance students’ abilities in different stages of their research studies and prepare them for research work and thesis writing.  The award of the PhD degree is based on satisfactorily completing courses, where prescribed, submitting a thesis that should be an original contribution to knowledge and worthy of publication, and satisfying the examiners in an oral examination (and any other examination if required) in matters relevant to the subject of the thesis.

Selected full-time PhD students who have attained good academic qualifications will be provided financial assistance in the form of Postgraduate Scholarships.  Various scholarships, fellowships, and conference/travel support are also available to enrich students’ learning experience and promote professional and personal development.