Master’s Degree in Medical-Surgical Nursing – Area of Nursing Care to the Person in Critical Condition

General Objectives of the Course

To train for the acquisition of scientific, technical, and human skills for the delivery of specialized nursing care;
To train for the delivery of care to the person, family, and caregiver experiencing complex processes of critical illness and/or organic failure, in a responsible, ethical, and legal way and in respect for human rights;
To promote a response in emergency, exceptional, and disaster situations;
To maximize the prevention, intervention, and control of infection and antimicrobial resistance taking into account the complexity of the situation and the need for adequate and timely responses;
To train for the leadership of teams and projects and the management of human and material resources;
To train for the development of a professional identity and the creation of a safe therapeutic environment;
To develop lifelong learning skills;
To contribute to the delivery of evidence-based care;
To contribute to the development of the Nursing discipline.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the master's program is open to:
a) Individuals with a bachelor's degree or legal equivalent in Nursing from a Portuguese higher education institution;
b) Holders of a foreign first-cycle degree in Nursing that complies with the Bologna Process;
c) Holders of a foreign degree recognized as equivalent to a Portuguese bachelor’s in Nursing by the School's Technical-Scientific Board;
d) Individuals with an academic, scientific, or professional curriculum in the scientific field of Nursing recognized by the School's Technical-Scientific Board as demonstrating the ability to complete the program.

Candidates should check the admission requirements available on this site, in addition to the information provided here.

Professional Goals

Not applicable.

Mode of Study

Full time

Teaching / Evaluation language(s)

Portuguese

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

Assessment is an integral component of the teaching and learning process. It aims to evaluate the students’ knowledge and competencies, as well as their critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and proficiency in written and oral communication. The rules governing attendance, assessment, and classification are set out in the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra (RAUC). The grade awarded for each course unit is expressed as a whole number on a 0–20-point scale. A minimum final grade of 10 is required to pass a course unit. The final classification of the programme corresponds to the weighted arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in the course units. The weighting assigned to each course unit is equal to its ECTS credit value.

Learning Objectives and Intended Skills

To develop a professional practice based on ethical and legal responsibility, acting in accordance with the legal norms,
ethical principles, and professional deontology;
To act from a perspective of continuous quality improvement;
To manage the delivery of nursing care to patients;
To develop an evidence-based professional practice;
To care for the person and family/caregiver and manage the experience of complex processes of critical illness and/or
organic failure;
To promote a response in emergency, exceptional, and disaster situations, from design to implementation;
To maximize the prevention, intervention, and control of infection and antimicrobial resistance in patients with critical
illness and/or organic failure and taking into account the complexity of the situation and the need for adequate and
timely responses.

Course Coordinator(s)

Rogério Manuel Clemente Rodrigues
uc80164@uc.pt

Rui Carlos Negrão Batista
uc47142@uc.pt

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of prior learning is governed by the provisions set out in the Academic Regulation of the University of Coimbra (RAUC), Regulation No. 945/2025, and Article 45(1)(a) of the Legal Framework for Higher Education Degrees and Diplomas, approved by Decree-Law No. 74/2006 of 24 March, in its current wording.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

DL No. 74/2006 of 24 March, as amended by DL No. 107/2008, DL No. 230/2009, Declaration of Amendment No. 81/2009, DL No. 115/2013, DL No. 63/2016, DL No. 65/2018, DL No. 27/2021, and DL No. 13/2022.

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of the study plan, obtaining a total of 90 ECTS in the following scientific areas:

[723] - Nursing - 85
[345] - Management and Administration - 3
[226] - Philosophy and Ethics – 2

Access to Further Studies

The qualification of Master allows applying for the 2nd cycle of studies (Ph.D.) in accordance with section 8 of this supplement.

Study Programme

Despacho n.º 11807/2022, de 7 de outubro

Academic year
2026-2027

Course Type
2nd Cycle Studies - Advanced Specialisation Master Programme

DGES Code: MC76

Qualification Awarded: Mestre

Duration: 3.0 Semester(s)

ECTS Credits: 90.0

Category: Advanced specialization second cycle

Applications

Call for Applications

Accreditations

Agência de Avaliação e Acreditação do Ensino Superior: 2022-07-31 a 2028-07-31
Direcção Geral de Ensino Superior: Nº Registo: R/A-Cr 213/2022; 2022-09-09