Master’s Program in Nursing Science
For everyone who understands how to bring about change. Nursing science and Advanced Nursing Practice stand for individuality – by learning to understand variety, to utilise variety, to live variety, and to care for variety. ANP is various and colourful.
Studying interprofessionally – to have an interprofessional impact. Join the Master's program “Advanced Practice“ at the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences.
Program at a Glance
Degree
Master of Science in Nursing Science (90 ECTS)
Master of Nursing Science “Advanced Nursing Practice – Chronic Care“ (120 ECTS)
Program Start
Every September in calendar week 38
Duration of Studies
Master of Nursing Science (90 ECTS):
Three semesters full-time or six semesters part-time
You can complete the program while working.
Master of Nursing Science “Advanced Nursing Practice – Chronic Care“ (120 ECTS):
Four semesters full-time or eight semesters part-time
You can complete the program while working.
Tuition
CHF 1,000 per semester
Campus
Campus St. Gallen
Registration Deadline
Up to June 30th of the current year.
Registration after this date is possible, depending on the fulfillment of the requirements.
Good to Know
Since the courses are taught in German, we kindly refer you to the German pages for more detailed information.
• What is the difference between the Master’s program in Nursing Science (90 ECTS) and the Master’s program in Nursing Science ‘Advanced Nursing Practice: Chronic Care’ (120 ECTS)?
With the Master’s program in Nursing Science ‘Advanced Nursing Practice for people with chronic conditions’ you acquire advanced clinical skills that enable you to fulfil the APN role in nursing practice. These skills and competencies include ‘Advanced clinical assessment‘, ‘Clinical reasoning‘, ‘Decision-Making‘ and ‘Pharmacology‘, as well as ‘Guidance and coaching‘. In addition, you complete various internships supervised by experienced ANPs. The two degrees differ solely in terms of the ANP module categories. The module categories ‘Evidence-based practice‘, ‘Interprofessional healthcare‘ and ‘Master's thesis‘ are identical in both programs.
Why studying for a Master's degree in Nursing Science?
- At the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Science, you can obtain a degree of 90 ECTS credits in the Master's program of Nursing Science. This general degree qualifies you to take on responsibility in practice, research, education, and continuing education within the nursing and healthcare sectors. It allows you to contribute to the transformation and to further develop the system. In addition, we offer an advanced Master’s program of 120 ECTS credits. It provides you with in-depth expertise in clinical nursing practice. This enables you to take on the roles of nursing experts in the context of “Advanced Nursing Practice« with a focus on chronic care.
- Developing competencies: The Master's program is focused on the role of the “Advanced Practice Nurse” (APN). It offers you the chance to comprehensively extend your clinical, research-related, and methodological competencies. You learn how to develop advanced nursing roles, how to use them effectively and how to make informed decisions in the best interests of persons with chronical conditions. The program strengthens your professional skills and your communication competency. On this basis, you can skillfully handle complex care situations. You more profoundly understand the needs of the affected persons and of their support system.
- Shaping participation: The inclusion of experts by experience is an essential part of classes. You examine various aspects of the health, way of life, and disease trajectories of people with chronic conditions. In a participatory process, you develop suitable interventions for a self-determined way of life. You acquire in-depth skills enabling you to act as a health advocate for marginalized groups – on an individual and systemic level.
- Experiencing variety: You explore a wide range of topics, including lifeworld-related, clinical, therapeutic and ethical aspects of nursing and health care, evidence-based practice, and factors influencing health economics as well as health policy. You take part in current research projects. Furthermore, you design your own research and development project.
- Strengthening leadership: The Master`s program prepares you to promote intra- and interdisciplinary cooperation in nursing and healthcare organisations. You receive the necessary tools to develop and utilise synergies for meeting complex requirements. To this end, you familiarize yourself with innovative models of health services research, leadership and organisational development. You develop strategies to improve the quality of nursing care.
- Theory-practice-transfer: In our program, you have the opportunity to deepen and further develop your self-selected specialisation by means of supervised internships. These internships offer you the opportunity to gain practical experience in your chosen area of system, specialism, topic or phenomenon. You can gain this valuable experience both at home and abroad. The supervised practical training and the associated acquisition of practical skills are ensured by an academic-practice partnership. This partnership integrates a variety of practice partners to provide you with comprehensive and diverse insights into professional practice. Whether you want to pursue a leadership role or deepen your research skills, you can complete internships in these areas to further develop your research and leadership skills.
“The Master's degree in Nursing Science enables you to understand life-worlds, to shape care worlds and to professionally care for relationship worlds.”
Prof. Dr. Thomas Beer, Head of Master's Programm in Nursing Science
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Area of study “Advanced Practice Nursing – Chronic Care‟
The Master’s program in nursing science provides nursing professionals with comprehensive preparation for extended roles in the field of Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP). The focus is on the qualification for roles such as ‘Clinical Nurse Specialist’ or ‘Nurse Practitioner’. The program aims to equip you with the necessary skills to carry out nursing diagnostic procedures in an effective and person-centred manner, to provide specialised care and to support services for specific groups of people with chronic conditions or for persons in need of care.
Find out more about the role and importance of Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP)
“The OST master's program enabled me to grow into my role as a prospective APN. I developed a deeper understanding about this role, and I understood why it is so important for the healthcare system, for my patients, and for myself. [...] In my daily work with patients and families, I often experience how important it is for them to feel truly taken seriously and understood. This feeling reaches far beyond medical care«.
Jelena Topic, graduate of the OST Master's Program in Nursing Science
Module categories and contents
The programme consists of four module categories. It offers you individual choices, practice-oriented teaching and learning formats, and workshops. This enables you to deepen your professional interests in a targeted manner, to combine theory with practice, and to pursue your individual career goals.
1. Advanced Nursing Practice (ANP)
This module category is focused on the life-world-related, conceptual, interventional, clinical and ethical aspects associated with the legally anchored role of the Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). These aspects are crucial for practicing and implementing Advanced Nursing Practice, as well as person-centred care and support for people with chronic conditions.
In this module category, you extend your clinical nursing competencies. You develop skills and abilities at various levels to act and think as an Advanced Practice Nurse. Learning takes place through practice-oriented teaching and supervised practical training in internships. Throughout the entire program, experienced ANP coaches are your mentors.
3. Interprofessional healthcare (compulsory elective)
This module category offers you a comprehensive extension of competencies concerning leadership and organisational topics, as well as digital health concepts and AI-based tools – specifically tailored to your interprofessional field of work. You learn how to strengthen your ability to collaborate with various healthcare professions. Furthermore, you acquire the necessary skillset to operate effectively in a dynamic and collaborative working environment.
2. Evidence-based practice
In this module category, we focus on developing research and methodological skills that are essential for your role as a nursing scientist and Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). You acquire research-based knowledge and develop communication skills to make well-informed decisions in nursing practice and research.
4. Master's thesis
This module category is focused on the development and realisation of an individual research process. You receive support in designing and implementing a comprehensive research project based on your own research idea. The emphasis is on self-reliant planning, methodological designing and practical realisation of the project. The aim is to gain well-founded scientific insights. You ultimately document these insights in a Master’s thesis. This experience enables you to deepen your research skills and to make a valuable contribution to scientific discourse.
Further information about the program
Study models
You can study for the master's degree in nursing science on a full-time or part-time basis:
Full-time study: To complete the full-time master's program, it takes three (90 ECTS) or four (120 ECTS) semesters. In addition to your studies, it is recommended that you work between 20 and 30 per cent. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are scheduled for class attendance.
Part-time study: To complete the part-time master's program, it takes six (90 ECTS) or eight (120 ECTS) semesters. During your studies, it is recommended that you work up to 60 per cent.
Most of the on-campus teaching takes place
- on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the first year (first and second semesters)
- on Thursdays and Fridays in the second year (third and fourth semesters)
- on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the third year (fifth and sixth semesters).
- on Thursdays and Fridays in the fourth year (seventh and eigth semesters) only applicable for part-time master's program (120 ECTS).
The program comprises one third classroom time and two thirds self-study. Classroom sessions usually last from 9:15am to 5pm.
You graduate when you have obtained 90 ECTS credits (1 credit corresponds to approximately 30 hours of work).
Support and mentoring
Our OST Master's program in Nursing Science is distinguished by intensive support in small learning groups. We aim to respond individually to your specific professional challenges and to provide you with the best possible support during your studies.
It is important to us that you are able to grow personally through your studies and are optimally prepared for future tasks in nursing and health care. Therefore, we offer you mentoring, supplemented by continuous reflection. It takes place as part of supervision and allows you to explore individual experiences in greater depth with a professional. Intervision offers you the chance to share ideas with fellow students about practice-related issues and challenges.
Campus
Campus St. Gallen is located directly at the railway station. It offers not only excellent public transport connections. You also find an inviting atmosphere that encourages learning and networking. Thanks to the central location, you are just a few steps away from the city life with its various attractions.
The roof terrace is the perfect place to take a break between lectures or to relax in the sun. From the top, you have a magnificent view over the city – ideal to prepare for exams or simply to re-energize.
Proximity to practice
The OST Master's Program in Nursing Science is distinguished by its proximity to real-life practice. Various experts by experience have their say in the teaching units. This peer approach is of central importance to better understand the life-world of people with chronic conditions and to adjust the development of nursing care programs accordingly.
We also offer you an “APN work shadowing” to explore various APN-roles in practice. Additionally, you can complete an internship in Switzerland or abroad in the transfer module. This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the work of nursing experts in APN-roles.
Admission and registration
Admission to a university of applied sciences is regulated at the national level in Switzerland. We require some information from you, which you can submit via an online form. The detailed process is described on the ‘Admission’ page on the german site.
Contacts Master's Program
Administration
Gabriele Dietz-Held
+41 58 257 14 16
mscge@ost.ch
Program Director
Prof. Dr. Thomas Beer
+41 58 257 15 18
thomas.beer@ost.ch