Studies
Become an Expert in Development and Leadership of Nursing
Are you a nursing professional (nurse, midwife, public health visitor, paramedic) ready to take your career to the next level? The Master’s Degree in Development and Leadership of Nursing is designed for individuals like you who are eager to deepen their expertise and step into advanced nursing and leadership roles. This program equips you with the advanced skills needed to lead, innovate, and transform healthcare environments, while driving your own career growth.
Through this Master’s degree, you will gain cutting-edge competencies in advanced clinical nursing, leadership, teaching, and research & development (R&D) that empower you to lead the future of patient care. Whether you aim to become an expert in Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) or take on national and international leadership roles, this program prepares you to excel in dynamic healthcare settings.
Become a change-maker in healthcare—shape the future of nursing with us!
Who is This Programme For?
The Master’s Degree Programme in Development and Leadership of Nursing is designed for nursing professionals who aspire to take on more advanced roles in nursing practice, research, teaching, or leadership. If you have the right qualifications and work experience and are eager to expand your expertise and influence in the healthcare field, this programme is your next step toward a more dynamic and impactful career.
Enjoy an International and Multi-disciplinary Approach
The Master’s Degree Programme offers a dynamic, English-taught curriculum with a diverse, international, and multi-disciplinary perspective. Our students benefit from collaborations with other Master's programmes, such as Health Business Management, and work alongside partner universities from around the world. This unique approach broadens your global and professional outlook, while also giving you the opportunity to take elective studies offered in Finnish, making your learning experience even more flexible and enriching.
Content of studies
The extent of the studies is 90 ECTS and currently include:
- Research and Development Studies 10 ECTS,
- Advanced professional studies 40 ECTS,
- Elective studies 10 ECTS,
- Master’s Thesis 30 ECTS.
It is recommended that the topic of the Master Thesis is related to your own place of work. For completing a Master’s thesis, the students get support and guidance form the school in the form of
- starting from first weeks in the programme, working in a guided Master’s thesis process
- group supervision and individual support from instructors; instruction on the R&D methods and problem-solving skills for excelling in your project
- students’ self-directed learning, motivation and hard work make the necessary element of success.
At Metropolia, you have an opportunity to complete part of your studies in our Future Proof Health and Wellbeing innovation hub. Read more about the Research and Development Programs and Collaboration Platforms in innovation hub.
See more specific course description and curriculum in study guide.
Mode of study: Flexible, Blended Learning
You can complete your degree in 1.5 years by following a well-organized schedule that suits both full-time study and employment. While balancing studies with work, strong self-management skills will be beneficial.
Our program follows a blended learning approach, combining online and face-to-face learning through lectures, seminars, and workshops. The program includes intensive study periods on campus in Helsinki, typically 2-4 periods in total. There are 2-5 teaching days per month, with sessions offered both during the day and in the evening.
Much of the learning is independent group work, encouraging collaboration and self-directed study. The detailed schedule for autumn 2025 will be released in June 2025.
Scholarships and tuition fees
Student has the right to complete the studies in accordance with the curriculum for the degree in question and with the approved personal study plan. Metropolia organizes the Master's degree studies and study guidance in such a way that the student can aim to complete the studies in a period which is equivalent to 1,5 academic years for 90 ECTS.
The tuition fees concern students who are not citizens of EU/EEA countries. Students pay annual tuition fees based on their study right. The payment obligation concerns all the academic terms during which a student is registered as attending.
Annual tuition fee for non-EU/EEA applicants 12 500 €.
This fee applies only to non-EU/EEA degree students.
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You will receive information 1–3 times a year about our Master's degree programmes, application schedules, and studying with us.
Applying
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2025
- Health Care and Social Services
Instructions for applying
In the spring 2025 Joint Application to higher education, you can apply to degree programmes that start in the autumn of 2025. The application period starts on the 8 January 2025 at 8 am and ends on the 22 January 2025 at 3 pm (local time in Finland).
All the information needed to apply can be found on the national Studyinfo.fi portal. At Studyinfo.fi you can find descriptions of degree programmes, application criteria, application instructions, application forms and much more.
Application fee
From January 2025 onwards there is going to be an application fee of 100 euros. The application fee is collected for applicants from countries outside EU/EEA seeking education leading to a degree in higher education. The Finnish National Agency of Education will collect the application fee in connection with filling in the Studyinfo application form. The application fees are introduced for applications starting 1 January 2025 and onwards, when applying for degree programmes beginning on or after 1 August 2025. There is no application fee for Finnish or EU citizens.
More about application fee in Studyinfo.fi.
Questions about application fees? Contact applicationfee [at] oph.fi (applicationfee[at]oph[dot]fi)The application fee does not guarantee that you will be offered admission to studies.
In order to be considered for student selection, you must pass the degree programme's own entrance examination as described in Studyinfo.fi. Entrance exam invitations are sent approximately one week before the entrance exam by email to the email address provided by the applicant on the application form.
- Application period-Start of studiesspring 2025Apply now!
- Health Care and Social Services
The Application on the Basis of Metropolia’s Open UAS Studies is aimed at those who have completed open UAS studies at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Studies are considered to be Metropolia's if they are entered in the Metropolia's study register, and open studies if they have not been completed with the right to study for the degree-leading education.
Application period: 1 November 2024 at 8:00 am - 30 April 2025, all times refer to local time in Finland https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/finland/helsinki.
Application instructions: published at Studyinfo.fi
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2025Apply now!
- Health Care and Social Services
The Separate Application for International Degree Programmes is aimed at those applying on the basis of GMAT/GRE test, SAT test, the Edunation Pathway Diploma or a top-up degree for an education leading to a higher education degree in English. Application period for studies starting in autumn 2025 starts on 31 December 2024 08:00 am (local time in Finland).
Application instructions have been published on Studyinfo.fi Check the individual selection methods for each degree programme in Studyinfo.fi .
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2025
- Health Care and Social Services
The transfer application is aimed at all students enrolled in studies leading to a Finnish higher education degree and:
- who wish to transfer their study rights from one Finnish higher education institution to Metropolia so that the degree title remains the same or changes
OR - who wish to transfer their study rights within Metropolia from one degree programme to another, so that the degree title changes.
Students transferring within Metropolia in such a way that the degree title remains the same, are not considered as "transfer students" and have their own separate application procedure available on Metropolia intranet (OMA). Please note that it is not possible to transfer from abroad.
Students applying for a transfer should note that their maximum study period or the period for which they are entitled to receive student financial aid will not be extended due to the transfer. The maximum study period is calculated from the date on which the student accepted the study place in the previous higher education institution.
All the information needed to apply can be found on the national Studyinfo.fi portal. At Studyinfo.fi you can find descriptions of degree programmes, application criteria, application instructions, application forms and much more.
Application fee
From January 2025 onwards there is an application fee of 100 euros. The application fee is collected for applicants from countries outside EU/EEA seeking education leading to a degree in higher education. The Finnish National Agency of Education will collect the application fee in connection with filling in the Studyinfo application form. The application fees are introduced for applications starting 1 January 2025 and onwards, when applying for degree programmes beginning on or after 1 August 2025. There is no application fee for Finnish or EU citizens.
More about application fee in Studyinfo.fi.
Questions about application fees? Contact applicationfee [at] oph.fi (applicationfee[at]oph[dot]fi)The application fee does not guarantee that you will be offered admission to studies.
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2025
- Health Care and Social Services
The Application on the Basis of Metropolia’s Open UAS Studies is aimed at those who have completed open UAS studies at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Studies are considered to be Metropolia's if they are entered in the Metropolia's study register, and open studies if they have not been completed with the right to study for the degree-leading education.
Application period: 1 May 2025 8:00 am - 31 October 2025, all times refer to local time in Finland.
In flexible admission (i.e. rolling admission) the study places are filled in the order in which applications are received, so that all applicants who meet all the student selection requirements are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until the application ends or the study places are filled.All the information needed to apply can be found on the national Studyinfo.fi portal. At Studyinfo.fi you can find descriptions of degree programmes, application criteria, application instructions, application forms and much more.
Application fee
From January 2025 onwards there is an application fee of 100 euros. The application fee is collected for applicants from countries outside EU/EEA seeking education leading to a degree in higher education. The Finnish National Agency of Education will collect the application fee in connection with filling in the Studyinfo application form. The application fees are introduced for applications starting 1 January 2025 and onwards, when applying for degree programmes beginning on or after 1 August 2025. There is no application fee for Finnish or EU citizens.
More about application fee in Studyinfo.fi.
Questions about application fees? Contact applicationfee [at] oph.fi (applicationfee[at]oph[dot]fi)The application fee does not guarantee that you will be offered admission to studies.
- Application period-Start of studiesautumn 2025
- Health Care and Social Services
The Application on the Basis of Finnish Higher Education Studies is aimed at those who have completed higher education studies in Finland. Studies are taken into account regardless of whether they have been completed as open studies or in education leading to a degree, or whether the right to study is valid or has expired.
Application period: 1 May 2025 8:00 am - 31 October 2025, all times refer to local time in Finland.
In flexible admission (i.e. rolling admission) the study places are filled in the order in which applications are received, so that all applicants who meet all the student selection requirements are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until the application ends or the study places are filled.
All the information needed to apply can be found on the national Studyinfo.fi portal. At Studyinfo.fi you can find descriptions of degree programmes, application criteria, application instructions, application forms and much more.
Application fee
From January 2025 onwards there is an application fee of 100 euros. The application fee is collected for applicants from countries outside EU/EEA seeking education leading to a degree in higher education. The Finnish National Agency of Education will collect the application fee in connection with filling in the Studyinfo application form. The application fees are introduced for applications starting 1 January 2025 and onwards, when applying for degree programmes beginning on or after 1 August 2025. There is no application fee for Finnish or EU citizens.
More about application fee in Studyinfo.fi.
Questions about application fees? Contact applicationfee [at] oph.fi (applicationfee[at]oph[dot]fi)The application fee does not guarantee that you will be offered admission to studies.
Useful links
More information
For more information on the application process please contact
Metropolia's Student and Admission Services:
+358 40 712 5100
admissions [at] metropolia.fi (admissions[at]metropolia[dot]fi)
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Starting studies
How to start your studies in Metropolia
Welcome to study for a degree at Metropolia!
Congratulations! You have been admitted to Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and we are delighted to have you as a new member of our vibrant community of more than 16 000 students!
You have made an excellent choice - Metropolia offers you unique multidisciplinary opportunities throughout your studies with its strong connections to working life and active role in innovations built around socially significant phenomena.
We are happy to have you with us and help you with any questions you might have. Welcome to Metropolia!
The below information applies to students who have been accepted to study for a full degree at Metropolia. Make sure to complete all the steps in order to secure your study place.
Confirming a place of study requires certain formalities to be completed by the deadline. More detailed instructions below:
Non-EU/EEA students need a student residence permit. You can begin the student residence permit application online at Enterfinland.fi. Remember that you must personally visit a Finnish embassy or consulate as part of this process. Start your residence permit process as soon as possible, carefully following the immigration authorities' instructions and regulations, so that you can receive your permit in good time before your studies begin! You can find detailed information and advice on the residence permit requirements and procedures on the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) website.
Note that participating online programmes does not entitle you receiving residence permit. See more about the topic in Finnish Immigration Service websites.
All Metropolia's students who do not have a Finnish personal identity code, have to apply for it before their arrival or register at the local registry office after their arrival to Finland to apply for one.
Students who have to apply for residence permit (i.e. non-EU/non-EEA citizens) before their arrival to Finland should ask to be registered in the Finnish Population Information System when they apply for their first residence permit. This way they will receive a Finnish personal identity code at the same time as they are issued with the permit. More information on this for residence permit applicants
Other students have to apply for the personal identity code from the local registry office of the city where you are living in.
More information on Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV).
More information on registration to the Finnish Population Information System
After you have received the personal identification code, remember to inform it to the Student and Admission Services.
Metropolia does not have housing services to offer. Thus, it is the student's responsibility to find an accommodation for the period of their studies. There is a lot of competition in affordable housing, so it is important to start searching for a room many months prior to arrival. More information on accommodation
All foreign students (who are not EU citizens or citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland) who come to Finland for the purposes of studying are required to have a health insurance, if the studies endure longer than three months.
More information on insurances
Student financial aid is for Finnish citizens. Foreign citizens are entitled to student financial aid if they live in Finland on a permanent basis for the purpose other than studying and they have registered as permanent residents in the Finnish population register system.
- Find out where your campus is located
- If you have a smart phone you can download the free HSL mobile app to get access to the public transportation Journey Planner and tickets (e.g. for travelling from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport to your apartment or from your apartment to the campus).
- If you have a smart phone you can download the Tuudo mobile app for free to get your digital student ID and student discounts (ID and discounts are available from the first day of the studies onwards)
- Information on student life and well-being, costs and finance, study environment etc.
When you start as a new student you need to activate your user account. Activation is possible when the right to study begins. For joint application, activation is possible from 1 August.
The purpose of the activation is that you personally accept the rules of the account usage policy and start using your account. Activate your user account primarily using Mobile Certificate and Netbank User ID. Please read first the instructions in IT Services wiki.
Tuudo is a mobile app with which you can use various Metropolia web services easily on your smart phone. With Tuudo you can get VR, HSL, Matkahuolto and Kela student discounts immediately. The benefits are free for all Metropolia students.
In Tuudo you can check Metropolia, Admission Services, and student union METKA announcements, your schedule, study attainments, and cafeteria menus.
Get Tuudo on your phone from the app store for free and start using it!
During your studies, your support of well-being and health is Finnish Student Health Services (FSHS). The specialist in student health care offers you general, mental and oral health services and supports the well-being of study communities.
Our services can be used by students completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree at a university or a university of applied sciences who have registered as attending for the semester.
Master the facts! Familiarize yourself with our services and user instructions on the address fshs.fi, and the Health information resource on the address yths.fi/en/health-information-resource. You can also find information about appointments as well as current information about your service unit on the address yths.fi/en/service-units.
Start using Self! Self is the student’s own online service for health care issues at FSHS. In Self, you can manage appointment bookings, communicate via SelfChat and start a remote consultation. Log in to Self as a user immediately from the beginning of the semester and keep your contact details up to date for as long as you are a student. Read more: yths.fi/en/self-info.
The health care fee for students in higher education will be paid to Kela on your initiative (kela.fi/web/en/healthcare-fee-for-students-in-higher-education).
If you have social security coverage in another EU/EEA country or in Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you do not have to pay the healthcare fee. However, you can to use the FSHS’s services.
Already excited about starting your studies in Metropolia and meeting new people? On this page you will find welcome letters for each degree program.
Welcome letters are information packages prepared by your future tutors. They include, for example, important dates as well as information about studying, student benefits, or student life.
Create your own profile and sign up to JobTeaser portal now and stay up to date on job vacancies, training and upcoming recruitment events promoted especially to Metropolia students. There are hundreds of job opportunities available and a lot of information to support your career planning.
JobTeaser is a career portal where you can find lot of career information in one platform.
- Open jobs and traineeships
- Working life events
- Advice & guidance
- Employer profiles
Sign up and start exploring
Sign up to JobTeaser using your @metropolia.fi email address: https://metropolia.jobteaser.com/
You can also download a Jobteaser application.
Starting Nursing Master's studies 2025
You are welcome to study Development and Leadership of Nursing!
Congratulations – for starting your studies in the Master’s Programme Development and Leadership of Nursing at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences! A warm welcome to our international learning community!
As you have accepted a study place, please make sure that you have also followed the instructions (e.g., registering for the academic year) given by the Admission Services. You will not be able to start your studies if some of the steps are not completed. If you have any enquiries regarding these steps, please follow the instructions provided via the above link.
The teaching of this Master’s Programme is mostly delivered online, but the studies will include some days at the Myllypuro campus each term. The only face-to-face day on campus in the autumn semester is the first orientation day on 1.9.2025.
Information and Orientation for New Students – Academic Year 2025 - 2026
The studies will start on 1 Sept at 9 a.m. in the Myllypuro campus, Myllypurontie 1, Helsinki. We hope and recommend that you attend the orientation in Myllypuro campus. The orientation is a good way to meet and connect with peer students and teachers alike. Also, familiarization with our campus facilities at the beginning of the studies and taking care of the practicalities related to the studies will make your forthcoming studies smoother.
However, if you are not able to join us in person, please let us know. It is also possible to join the orientation via zoom. Please let us know if you will attend the first orientation day on campus or online by 24.8.2025. You can register here.
The second orientation day on 2 September will be organized online at the Zoom. The rest of the autumn 2025 teaching is online.
The orientation includes welcoming words by the management, familiarization of the fellow students and faculty members, safety issues, introduction to Metropolia’s IT and digital tools, library, core curriculum, recognition of prior learning, and practicalities relating to the studies.
PROGRAMME OF THE ORIENTATION
Monday 1 September 2025 at Myllypuro campus MPC3001 and Zoom https://metropolia.zoom.us/j/63392439921
09.00 Welcome to Metropolia & getting to know each other & campus tour
13.00 Lunch
14.00 Study guidance & RPL
Study skills master's degree
16.00 End of the day
Tuesday 2 September, Zoom link: https://metropolia.zoom.us/j/64450101641
09.00 IT services & IT tools
10.30 Wellbeing services
11.00 Introduction to the library services, Metropolia library services
12.00 Lunch
13.00 Research methods and skills: course begins (SK&ST)
16.00 End of the day
Timetable and curriculum
The timetables for the autumn 2025 can be found from https://lukkarit.metropolia.fi/ with the group code S2725S6.
The full core curriculum, including courses / semester, is available from Metropolia’s web page for students for orientations in Master’s Degree Programme in Development and Leadership of Nursing | Study Guide, Metropolia.
Studies during autumn semester 2025
- Research Methods and Skills, XX00EJ16-3113, 5 ECTS
- Evidence-based Practices in Health Care, S000FW77-3001, 5 ECTS
- Strategic Management and the Future of Leadership, S000FC90-3003, 5 ECTS
- Sustainable Leadership and Manage, S000FC92-3003, 5 ECTS
- Master’s Thesis, XX00FB87-3039, 10/30ECTS (lasts for three semesters)
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Students of Metropolia have an opportunity to benefit from RPL according to their own work or study experience. Students studying at Higher Education Institutions can apply for recognition of their prior learning no matter where and how this knowledge has been acquired. However, the competences have to meet the objectives of the learning outcomes of the degree programme.
A student has an opportunity to make earlier learning visible and to get a decision on the recognition of these competences. In practice, this means that if a certain study unit is accepted via the RPL procedure, it is not necessary to study it again.
The RPL procedure will be explained in more detail during the orientation day. However, to facilitate speedy processing of the application, it is advisable to start getting prepared by collecting any references, certificates or similar documents which could be used as evidence for prior learning.
Literature to be used during the autumn 2024
- Cleland Silva, T. & Fonseca Silva. P. (2022) Making sense of work through collaborative storytelling. Building narratives in organisational change. Palgrave Pivot. Open Access. Switzerland: Springer.
- Creswell, John W. (2017) Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches.
- Salem, D.N. (Ed). 2020. Quality Measures: The Revolution in Patient Safety and Outcomes. Springer.
- Gray, J. & Grove, S. 2020. Burns and Grove´s The Practice of Nursing Research. Elsevier.
- Fagerström, L. (2021) A Caring Advanced Practice Nursing Model. Switzerland: Springer.
- Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in Finland – a clinical nursing career model. Finnish Nurse Association. (www pages)
On behalf of the Advanced Practice Nursing learning team, I extend a warm welcome to you!
With kind regards,
Jukka Kesänen, RN, PhD
Principal Lecturer
Head of MDP in Advanced Practice Nursing
email: Jukka.Kesanen [at] metropolia.fi (Jukka[dot]Kesanen[at]metropolia[dot]fi)