Research in hybrid coursework nursing Master degrees: A content analysis of university websites

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Research
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Master of Nursing degrees are pursued by numerous international nurses.
• Hybrid Master degrees combine coursework with a research project.
• Limited understanding exists regarding the research component of these hybrid degrees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To map the research project component of nursing hybrid Master degrees in Australia and New Zealand.
• To document the structure, components, and intended outcomes of these research projects.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of university websites from the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery of Australia and New Zealand.
• Content download and hyperlink analysis to gather information on research components.
• Descriptive statistics and content analysis of extracted data using a preset template.

Main Results:

• Twenty-seven university websites provided information on hybrid nursing Master degrees.
• Significant variation observed in the research component's proportion (8-50%), research type, final output (thesis, report, manuscript), and word count (2000-25,000 words).
• Learning outcomes (n=178) showed diverse focus and content.

Conclusions:

• The research pathway components of hybrid nursing Master degrees in Australasia exhibit wide variability.
• Inadequate information on many university websites hinders nurses' ability to choose programs aligned with career aspirations.