MSc Nursing

MSc Nursing or Master of Science in Nursing is a 2-year postgraduate-level programme that aims at catering to the field of Nursing and Applied Sciences. As per the eligibility criteria for this degree course, students who have completed BSc Nursing or Post-Basic BSc Nursing are eligible to pursue this master’s course with at least 55% marks in aggregate. However, students must secure at least an aggregate of 50% marks at their undergraduate level. The entire course curriculum is conducted in offline mode. Some of the specialisations offered in this course are Nursing Education, Nursing Management, Psychiatric Nursing, Research and Statistics, etc. 

The major subjects to study in MSc Nursing courses include Advanced Nursing and Allied Subjects, Obstetric, and Gynaecological Nursing, Research, and Statistics, Clinical Nursing 1, Medical Surgical, etc. Students must check out detailed information about the MSc Nursing Syllabus for a better understanding of the course structure and the importance of the same. Many colleges in India offer this degree to students across the country. Some of them are AIIMS, PGIMER, JIPMER, Christian Medical College, Government College Of Nursing, Army Institute Of Nursing, etc. The average course fee for this degree in India is INR 1.30 LPA. Some of the popular job profiles after graduating from this programme are Staff Nurse, Nursing Tutor, Nursing Supervisor, Nursing In-Charge, Nursing Executive, and Dietitian. 

The two-year degree course can be pursued after successful completion of a BSc in Nursing or an equivalent BSc degree. MSc Nursing is a full-time course but individual colleges offer part-time specialisation courses as well. Other details of the course are mentioned below: 

Candidates who want to opt for an MSc Nursing course can apply for it only after completion of a BSc in Nursing from a deemed university. This course can also be pursued after completing Post Basic BSc Nursing. However,  if you decide to opt for this master’s programme after completion of BSc Nursing, then you require no added work experience but applying for it after Post Basic BSc Nursing requires a minimum of one-year work experience before or after the BSc Post Basic Nursing programme.

• Nurses are trained to work in different environments, under various situations. They are more capable and skilled and are in higher demand.
• The course also opens up doors of opportunities for higher education like M.Phil Degree and PhD.
• Students get employed during their duration of study as part of their course. They also receive a significantly higher salary package post-completion of their degree.

After completion of MSc Nursing, candidates get employed in positions of significant importance as registered nurses, nurses in charge, nursing supervisors, nursing executives, nurse educators, paramedic nurses, certified professional coders, clinical nurse managers, nursing directors, and various others. They are sought by Doctors to assist them in treating patients.

Both MSc Nursing and Masters in Public Health are similar on a few grounds but are also different from each other in some ways. So, to understand these differences, check the details below: 

Unlike several other fields, MSc Nursing is a specialised degree dedicated to one field with limited branches. There aren't many specialisations available for students to choose from as it is already a dedicated degree. Yet, students can opt for a generic MSc Nursing degree or opt for a specialisation nursing course depending on their interests. The course can be either pursued full-time or part-time or via distance learning. Check the types of this course: 

MSc Nursing Full Time & Part Time:

The course follows a generic curriculum and covers the bases for all courses. It equips the students with skills, knowledge and practice to handle every situation and assist with every type of patient. Nurses with this degree acquire valuable assets in every situation and are well-versed to assist Doctors from every field in their full capacity. Well, the regular full-time courses can be pursued by anyone but the part-time type is for someone who wants to continue their education while working. 

MSc Nursing Distance Education:

Many institutes offer Distance Education for this course. Students can get admission to this course through entrance exams, followed by a counselling process. While some institutes also offer merit-based admissions in this course.

The eligibility criteria for the MSc Nursing course depend on the college or university. For being eligible for this master’s programme, students must have to fulfil all the criteria mentioned by the institution. Check the common requirements for the course below: 

• Candidates must have pursued a BSc in Nursing or Post Basic Nursing.
• The candidate must have a minimum of one-year work experience before or after their B.Sc. in Post Basic Nursing for admission to MSc Nursing. For students seeking admission in this master’s programme post-completion of their BSc Nursing degree, admission will be based on merit or entrance. 
• Candidates must have been awarded a degree from a recognised university. 
• The minimum required scores for different universities vary but an average score of 55% is required for admission in this course. 
• For some institutions, candidates will have to qualify for National Level/ State Level/ Institute Level entrance examinations to get admission to this course.

Required Skills for MSc Nursing 

MSc in Nursing trains skilled nurses to work in varied environments and different situations. They need to have an array of skill sets to keep them at the top of their healthcare occupation at all times, aid in the smooth functioning of work, and ensure efficiency. 

Admissions to this master's programme are done either through entrance or merit depending on the college. Unlike NEET and other medical examinations, there are no combined entrances for this course. There are few state examinations for the state colleges but mostly the esteemed colleges prefer to conduct their examinations or provide admission based on merit. Here is the list of important entrance exams for MSc Nursing:

• AIIMS M.Sc. Entrance Exam
• HPU MSc Nursing Exam
• WB JEPBN
• APU MSc Nursing Exam
• Telangana MSc Nursing Exam
• Bihar M.Sc. Exam
• DSAT
• MET

There are various MSc Nursing specialisations in India that students can opt for. The specialisations can be done as part of this course or a standalone course for a  more specific career path. Here is a list of the specialisations: 

The admission process varies from institution to institution. So, students have to abide by the details mentioned on the official website of the college. Here are the steps to follow to get admission in the MSc Nursing programme: 

• Candidates will have to appear in different Nursing entrance exams by applying for them. 
• Candidates who meet the cut-off scores of the entrance examination make it to the merit list. 
• Then the admission is followed by the counselling process. 
• After scrutinising their documents, eligible candidates are allocated seats in the deserving college. 
• In some colleges, candidates also have to appear for a personal interview round. 
• Some colleges offer direct admissions to the candidates based on their percentage at the undergraduate or bachelor level. 

Merit-Based MSc Nursing Admission

Several colleges in India offer direct admission to this master’s degree programme. In this case, the higher secondary and bachelor degree marks of the students are calculated for admission. 

Entrance Exam-Based MSc Nursing Admission

Some colleges offer admission to MSc Nursing programmes through entrance exams that are conducted at national, state and institutional levels. Students need to clear these entrance tests and clear personal interview round to secure their admission.

There are over 850 Nursing colleges in India. The annual fee for MSc Nursing varies from institution to institution. The fees also differ from private and government colleges. Also, it is considered that the government college fee structure is less than that of private. The average MSc Nursing fee in India is INR 1.50 LPA. Candidates can avail of fee concessions or scholarships by applying for the fee waivers offered by different Nursing colleges.  Check the fee structure of this course below: 

The two-year master’s programme consists of different aspects of Nursing. As a student of Nursing, you will be exposed to various clinical practices and techniques. The course is designed to train candidates for future responsibilities. Here is the syllabus for the MSc Nursing programme:

Here is the list of top 10 MSc Nursing government colleges in India that offer high class education to their students:

We have curated a list of top 5 private medical colleges in India where students can choose to complete their MSc Nursing degree:

Candidates can also opt to study MSc Nursing abroad. They can choose the college depending on the desired courses, fee structure and scholarships offered. The admission procedure and requirements vary from college to college. Candidates will have to apply to the colleges by visiting the official websites of the college.

MSc Nursing Scholarships in India are designed to provide financial assistance to the students pursuing advanced nursing education in India. MSc Nursing Scholarships are offered by various sources, including government bodies, non-governmental organizations, private institutions, and universities. Thus, mentioned below are some of the MSc Nursing scholarship options for nursing students in India:

In India, the demand for healthcare workers is increasing which is also increasing the employment opportunities in the medical field. Nursing is one of these fields which is enhancing its job scope. Check a few of the scope of this course in India: 

• MSc Nursing scope in India is very high as it has high-demand career prospects with the increasing need for Nurses across various Medical faculties. 
• Since, the Covid outbreak, the demand for specialised nurses over generic nurses has increased. 
• With a steep increase in the construction and setting up of hospitals, the need for medical practitioners such as Nurses has also increased tenfold, a demand which is expected to keep increasing. 
• Apart from their requirement in hospitals, the demand for Nurses for special care units and care homes has also skyrocketed around the world and the numbers hold for India as well. 
• Specialised Nurses are also sought as private caregivers for senior citizens and special needs children at home.
• The average expected salary for MSc in Nursing graduates ranges between INR 6-7 LPA.

After completing the MSc Nursing course students have the option to explore plenty of job opportunities or pursue a higher educational qualification. The choice between the two is solely on the students. If you decided to go for job opportunities, there are different positions and roles but students wanting to do a higher study have to go for a research degree such as M Phil or PhD. The employment areas after this are numerous, so check them before applying:

MSc Nursing Job Profiles 

Some of the most popular MSc Nursing Job Profiles are mentioned below in the table:

Salary After MSc Nursing 

MSc Nursing salary in India for freshers starts from an average of INR 2 LPA. For experienced nurses, the salary packages go as high as 8 LPA. The salary packages also depend on the recruiter. Nurses employed in private hospitals are offered higher packages compared to those employed in government hospitals. But Nurses employed in government hospitals are offered several perks alongside their salary packages. 

Top Recruiters for MSc Nursing 

Some of the top recruiters of MSc Nursing are mentioned below in the table: