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Nursing Research / Midwifery Research / Health Studies Research MPhil/PhD, option of joint PhD with HKU

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Overview

The Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care is regarded as a centre of excellence for nursing and midwifery, achieving high scores in research and teaching quality assessments. The first MPhil/PhD students enrolled in the late 1970s and since then the Faculty has expanded steadily its range of high quality graduate education programmes to meet the needs of increasingly well-educated healthcare professionals who wish to continue their education to support and develop their careers. 

The purpose of our research is to improve the quality of services and outcomes for patients through studies concerned with individual clinical needs, service delivery and organisation and the wider social and policy context of care, nationally and internationally.  Our research work is underpinned by cross cutting principles: engagement with patient and user perspectives, commitment to conceptual and methodological innovation, attention to the policy relevance and practical application of our findings through interventions.

PhD Research Projects

PhD projects in the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care become available all year round. Please visit our postgraduate research page, where you can browse through the current opportunities. The Faculty is especially interested in receiving applications from students across the globe, who are planning their doctoral research projects in fields that will contribute to the Faculty’s research groups, enhance the research culture and align with the Faculty’s research strategy.

If you are considering making an application to study one of our PhD programmes and are looking for potential supervisors,  please email NMPC PGR enquires@ kcl.ac.uk with a list of names of supervisors you have identified as having expertise in your chosen area, along with CV and a short research proposal.   The Nursing Midwifery and Palliative Care PGR team will contact them on your behalf. Please do not contact potential PhD supervisors directly as they are unable to respond to initial enquiries. 

Support for Postgraduate Research Students within the Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care

  • A model of three-supervisors has been introduced to improve students’ support and access to clinical and methodological expertise. Where appropriate and required, MPhil/PhD students within the Faculty will be provided with a team of three supervisors.
  • Research methods training modules offered by the Faculty itself include Advanced Quantitative Research Methods; Advanced Qualitative Research Methods; Evidence Based Decision Making in Healthcare; Research Methods and Statistics; and Epidemiology.
  • Our own Nightingale-Saunders Clinical Trials & Epidemiology Unit offers an advanced level of expertise on quantitative topics of which students can avail.
  • In addition, our MPhil/PhD students have access to a wide range of supplementary courses and activities, including workshops, symposia and funding offered by Centre of Doctoral Studies, the Health Sciences Doctoral Training Centre (HSDTC) and the London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS DTP). 
  • The Faculty also runs three Journal Clubs (for Nursing & Midwifery, Mental Health and the Cecily Saunders Institute of Palliative Care respectively) and students have an opportunity to participate in fortnightly research seminar programmes delivered by one of the research divisions. Students’ active involvement in developing the range of activities and their delivery is strongly encouraged.

Meet our students and learn more about the great work they are doing.

The Faculty is an integral partner within King’s Health Partners (KHP) and contributes to the interdisciplinary research centres in supporting and delivering high quality research.  In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2014) assessment, more than 90% of the Faculty’s research was rated as 4* and 3* (world-class and internationally excellent).  Our research activity is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Research Councils and a range of charities. We host a range of nationally competitive fellowships from PhD studentship to post-doctoral level.

 

 

 

 

Key information

Duration Three years full time, six years part time

Study mode Blended learning, Full-time, Part-time

Further details

Awarding institution King's College London/King's and HKU for joint programme

Faculty Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care

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Course detail

Description

The Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care offers research programmes for MPhil and PhD (Nursing Research, Midwifery Research, and Health Studies Research). The MPhil/PhD programme aims to prepare students to be knowledgeable and competent researchers. To this end, research supervision is provided by faculty with expertise in their research and clinical areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course study environment

The Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care offers a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment. In the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) 2015, results for the Faculty indicated that student experience was positive about all aspects of supervision, skills and development, infrastructure, intellectual climate, and knowledge of roles and responsibilities within the Faculty. Research students are allocated a supervisory team led by an experienced principal supervisor. The team meet regularly with the student for supervision and review of progress. Progress is also reviewed formally by the Faculty Postgraduate Research Students Committee at set points in the academic year. Supervisors provide advice on training needs and career development. Student representatives for full-time and part-time students play an important role in communicating student feedback about learning experiences and the support infrastructure to inform ongoing programme development. Research students have a study suite in the James Clerk Maxwell Building and access to Graduate Lounges on the different campuses.

Postgraduate training

Students on the MPhil/PhD programme are immersed in the academic culture and are encouraged to engage in a wide range of learning opportunities. Students will normally undertake two core research methods modules: Advanced quantitative research methods offers an in-depth study of quantitative research methods including epidemiological studies and randomised controlled trials, and Advanced qualitative research methods offers an in-depth study of different qualitative methods and their relationship to epistemological theory. Students can also access doctoral training courses organised by King's Graduate School and the ESRC training centre where places permit, and all students are encouraged to become actively involved in research seminars and fora. Research students are encouraged to present their doctoral research at conferences and a School competition fund exists to support this.

Joint PhDs - Benefits of collaboration

The Joint PhD is an innovative integrated programme that offers unique opportunities for the very best PhD supervision in an international context. The programme offered provides candidates with the opportunity to divide their PhD study between two prestigious universities (King’s and the University of Hong Kong), enjoying full supervision at both. While supervisions and regular graduate seminars enable students to construct a theoretical, historical and systematic framework for their research, the Joint PhD also organizes international colloquia and workshops at which students can present and discuss their work with peers and academic staff across the institutions involved. The programme builds on an extensive network of existing institutional links, joint teaching experience and collaborative graduate programmes between King’s and our partner universities.

Find out more about our strategic partner, University of Hong Kong.

Head of group/division

Dr Wladzia Czuber-Dochan, Programme Leader

Contact for information

Dr Wladzia Czuber-Dochan, Programme Leader: Tel +44 (0)207 848 3213 and email wladzia.czuber-dochan@kcl.ac.uk

Admissions Team: Tel +44 (0)20 7848 1648 and email postgrad-nm@kcl.ac.uk

Contact email

wladzia.czuber-dochan@kcl.ac.uk

Course website

Find out more by visiting the course website

Further literature

For further information about our postgraduate opportunities, please visit our Faculty Postgraduate Study handbook here.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Nursing Research Entry Requirements
Minimum UK requirements   Applicants should normally hold an upper second class undergraduate degree and a masters degree obtained from a UK university or an overseas qualification of equivalent standard.
International requirements   Visit our admissions webpages to view our International entry requirements.
English Language requirements Band D Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

 

Application procedure

To apply for graduate study at King's you will need to complete the graduate online application form. Applying online makes applying easier and quicker for you, and means we can receive your application faster and more securely. King's does not normally accept paper copies of the graduate application form. However, if you are unable to access the online graduate application form, please contact the relevant admissions/School Office at King's for advice.

Your application should include an outline research proposal and curriculum vitae. Your application will be considered by at least two members of academic staff. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by two members of academic staff, one of whom may be a potential supervisor, either in person or, if this is not possible, via telephone. We aim to process all completed applications within six weeks of receipt. You are advised to apply well in advance of the entry month that you are interested in; commencing a MPhil/PhD involves considerable organisation including arranging financial support, study leave, accommodation etc. Once you have applied using the online application form you can check the status of your application by logging into myApplication

You may be required to take and pass particular taught modules as a requirement for continued registration; any such conditions will be discussed with you fully.

Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

Document checklist
Personal Statement Yes

A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages).
Research Proposal Yes

Applicants are required to write an outline research proposal of up to 1,000 words that includes the research area, an overview of relevant literature, the research question, the methodology, and timescale of the project.

The proposal should explain in some detail precisely the field of study that you want to contribute to and current research gaps, what you want to do and how you propose to do it. For advice on how to write a winning application, please visit the following page.
Previous Academic Study Yes A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
References Yes One reference is required, professional references will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago.
Other Yes Please submit a CV (Resume) as part of your application.

 

Course intake

No set number.

Joint PhDs - Application advice

Applicants to Joint PhD programmes are encouraged to contact the department before submitting an application, to discuss the suitability of their topic for the joint programme and the availability of suitable supervisors at both institutions. Applications should initially be submitted to the proposed home institution only, i.e. the institution where student will start and finish their programme. Applications will then be assessed by both partners.

Applicants who choose King’s as their home institution should apply through the online application form, selecting the appropriate Joint PhD option from the drop-down list. In addition to the standard supporting documentation, applicants should submit a travel plan indicating how they intend to split their time between the two partner institutions. Applicants to Joint PhD programmes are normally expected to start the programme in September.

Application closing date

We recommend that you submit your application as soon as possible as we may need to request further information from you to assess your application. This is also important if your application is successful and you are required to meet any offer condition, and/or you need a Student Visa to study here at King's.

The final application deadlines are detailed below; on these dates, the programme will close at 23:59 (UK time) and we will open for the corresponding intake in 2023 soon after the same intake has passed in 2022.

  • February 2022 entry – 12 November 2021 for Overseas fee status and 6 December 2021 for Home fee status

  • June 2022 entry – 1 April 2022 for Overseas fee status and 11 April 2022 for Home fee status

  • October 2022 entry – 29 July 2022 for Overseas fee status and 26 August 2022 for Home fee status

  • February 2023 entry – 21 October 2022 for Overseas fee status and 22 November 2022 for Home fee status

  • June 2023 entry – 3 April 2023 for Overseas fee status and 17 April 2023 for Home fee status

Please note that funding deadlines may be earlier than the application deadlines listed above.

Help and support

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.

International Foundation

Fees and funding

UK Tuition Fees 2021/22

Full time tuition fees:

£6,720 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

£6,720 per year (MPhil/PhD, Nursing & Midwifery Research with University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £3,360 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

International Tuition Fees 2021/22

Full time tuition fees:

£23,130 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

£23,130 per year (MPhil/PhD, Nursing & Midwifery Research with University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £11,565 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

UK Tuition Fees 2022/23

Full time tuition fees:

£7,050 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

£7,050 per year (MPhil/PhD, Nursing & Midwifery Research with University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £3,525 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

International Tuition Fees 2022/23

Full time tuition fees:

£26,640 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

£26,640 per year (MPhil/PhD, Nursing & Midwifery Research with University of Hong Kong)

Part time tuition fees: £13,320 per year (MPhil/PhD, Health Studies/Nursing/Midwifery Research)

EU Students starting their programme in the academic year 2021/22 will pay international tuition fees.

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.

Financial help and support

Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.

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