Profile
The three-semester Master's degree course in Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) is aimed at nurses who wish to deepen their clinical expertise and take on responsibility in extended care roles. The aim of the course is to qualify nurses for the increasingly complex requirements of the healthcare system and to provide them with the skills to provide nursing care independently and professionally.
The focus is on the development of advanced clinical skills, scientifically sound advice, research skills and the ability to manage care processes. Graduates are able to take on tasks in the areas of community nursing, school nursing, disaster nursing or in interdisciplinary teams.
The course is characterized by an innovative teaching concept with a high proportion of online teaching, making it easy to combine with a professional career. It begins each year in the summer semester, lasts three semesters and concludes with the academic degree of Master of Science (M.Sc.).
If you have any questions about the degree program, we will be happy to help: master-apn@ 8< SPAM protection, please remove >8 hwg-lu.de
Content & procedure
The course is divided into ten modules and is designed for three semesters. It combines in-depth scientific knowledge with practical application and promotes the development of advanced nursing skills for complex care situations.
Students acquire in-depth knowledge of nursing science, expand their clinical decision-making skills and learn to develop and implement innovative care concepts across sectors. A special focus is placed on theory-practice transfer and care research.
Modules:
- Qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Research management
- Fundamentals of extended nursing care in a social context
- Advanced skills in clinical decision-making
- Advanced skills in patient-centered long-term care
- Innovative cross-sectoral care concepts
- Current developments in care practice
- Advanced clinical assessment
- Practice module
- Master's thesis
An interdisciplinary exchange takes place in selected courses with the degree programs in Midwifery Science (Advanced Practice Midwifery) in order to promote joint learning in the healthcare sector.
The degree program combines attendance phases with a high proportion of online education, which makes it easier to combine with a parallel career.
Study days: Start summer semester 2026
The degree program is a full-time course of study, which is designed in terms of organization and time (e.g. online education, one day off per week, events in the afternoon/evening) in such a way that it is possible to work part-time at the same time. We recommend a maximum part-time workload of approx. 20 hours per week to allow sufficient time for successful study. The degree programs are not compatible with full-time employment.
Attendance days in the summer semester are on Thursdays and Fridays. Online education takes place on Monday and Tuesday afternoons . In weeks with public holidays, only online education is offered.
Winter semester 2026/27
Study days: Start summer semester 2026
| Online education | Attendance days at the HWG LU | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEEK 40 | No online education | Thursday, 01.10.2026 Friday, 02.10.2026 | all day | |
| CW 41 | Monday, 05.10..2026 Tuesday, 06.10.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Thursday, 08.10.2026 | all day |
| CW 42 | Monday, 12.10.2026 Tuesday, 13.10.2026 | each from 4 pm | Thursday, 15.10.2026 | all day |
| CW 43 | Monday, 19.10.2026 Tuesday, 20.10.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Thursday, 22.10.2026 | all day |
| CW 44 | Monday, 26.10.2026 Tuesday, 27.10.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Thursday, 29.10.2026 | all day |
| CW 45 | Monday, 02.11.2026 Tuesday, 03.11.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Thursday, 05.11.2026 | all day |
| CW 46 | Monday, 09.11.2026 Tuesday, 10.11.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Thursday, 12.11.2026 | all day |
| CW 47 | Monday, 16.11.2026 Tuesday, 17.11.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Thursday, 19.11.2026 | all day |
| CW 48 | Monday, 23.11.2026 Tuesday, 24.11.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Friday, 27.11.2026 | all day |
| CW 49 | Monday, 30.11.2026 Tuesday, 01.12.2026 | from 4 p.m. in each case | Friday, 04.12.2026 | all day |
| CW 50 | Monday, 07.12.2026 Tuesday, 08.12.2026 | each from 4 pm | Friday, 11.12.2026 | all day |
| CW 51 | Monday, 14.12.2026 | from 4 pm | Thursday, 17.12.2026 Friday, 18.12.2026 | all day |
| CW 52 | No online education | no presence | ||
| CW 53 | no online education | no presence |
Study Days: Start of the 2027 Summer Semester
This is a full-time degree program designed—in terms of both organization and scheduling (e.g., online education, one day per week without classes, afternoon/evening classes)—to allow students to work part-time while pursuing their studies. We recommend a maximum of approximately 20 hours of part-time work per week to ensure there is sufficient time to successfully complete the degree program. The degree program is not compatible with full-time employment.
In-person class days during the summer semester are primarily on Thursdays and Fridays. Online education takes place on Monday and Tuesday afternoons . These days may occasionally be rescheduled during weeks with holidays.
Summer Semester 2027
Academic Days: Start of the 2027 Summer Semester
| Online Education | On-campus days at the HWG LU | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 10 | No online education | Monday, March 8, 2027 - Friday, March 12, 27 | All day | |
| Week 11 | No online education | Thursday, March 18, 27 Friday, March 19, 27 | All day | |
| Week 12 | No online education | Wednesday, March 24, 27 Thursday, March 25, 27 | All day | |
| Week 13 | No online education | Thursday, April 1, 27 Friday, April 2, 27 | All day | |
| Week 14 | No online education | Thursday, April 8, 27 Friday, April 9, 27 | All day | |
| Week 15 | Monday, April 12, 27 Tuesday, April 13, 27 Wednesday, April 14, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | No in-person education | All day |
| Week 16 | Monday, April 19, 27 Tuesday, April 20, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | Wednesday, April 21, 27 | All day |
| Week 17 | Monday, April 26, 27 Tuesday, April 27, 27 | Starting at 4 p.m. each day | Wednesday, April 28, 27 | All day |
| Week 18 | Monday, May 3, 27 Tuesday, May 4, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | No in-person education | |
| Week 19 | Monday, May 10, 27 Tuesday, May 11, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | No in-person education | |
| Week 20 | Tuesday, May 18, 27 Wednesday, May 19, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | No in-person education | |
| Week 21 | Monday, May 24, 27 Tuesday, May 25, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | No in-person education | |
| Week 22 | Monday, May 31, 27 Tuesday, June 1, 27 Wednesday, June 2, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | No in-person education | |
| Week 23 | Monday, June 7, 27 Tuesday, June 8, 27 | at 4:00 PM each day | Wednesday, June 9, 27 Thursday, June 10, 27 Friday, June 11, 27 | All day All day All day |
Winter Semester 2027/28
Winter Semester 27/28: Start of Studies in 2027
| Online Education | On-campus days at HWG LU | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 39 | No online education | Wednesday, September 29, 27 Thursday, September 30, 27 Friday, October 1, 27 | All day | |
| Week 40 | No online education | Thursday, October 7, 27 Friday, October 8, 27 | All day | |
| Week 41 | No online education | Thursday, October 14, 27 Friday, October 15, 27 | All day | |
| Week 42 | No online education | Thursday, October 21, 27 | All day | |
| Week 43 | No online education | Thursday, October 28, 27 | All day | |
| Week 44 | Tuesday, November 2, 27 Wednesday, November 3, 27 | All day | Thursday, November 4, 27 | All day |
| Week 45 | Monday, November 8, 27 Tuesday, November 9, 27 | All day | Thursday, November 11, 27 | All day |
| Week 46 | Monday, November 15, 27
| All day Starting at 4 p.m. | Thursday, November 18, 27 | All day |
| Week 47 | Monday, November 22, 27 Tuesday, November 23, 27 | Starting at 4 p.m. each day | Friday, November 26, 27 | All day |
| Week 48 | Monday, November 29, 27 Tuesday, November 30, 27 | Starting at 4 p.m. each day | Friday, December 3, 27 | All day |
| Week 49 | Monday, December 6, 27 Tuesday, December 7, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | Friday, December 10, 27 | All day |
| Week 50 | Monday, December 13, 27 Tuesday, December 14, 27 | Starting at 4 p.m. each day | Friday, December 17, 27 | All day |
| Week 51 | Monday, December 20, 27 Tuesday, December 21, 27 | Starting at 4:00 p.m. each day | No in-person classes | |
| Week 52 | No online education | No in-person classes |
Application & Admission
The following requirements apply for admission to the Master's degree program in Advanced Practice Nursing (M.Sc.):
...a first professionally qualifying university degree comprising at least 210 ECTS credit points in a dual, training-integrated degree program in nursing, which also includes a professional qualification in a nursing profession with permission to use the professional titles according to
- Healthcare and (pediatric) nursing (according to KrPflG) (in the version from 1985)
- geriatric nursing (according to AltPflG)
Nursing specialist (according to the Nursing Professions Act, PflBG)
was acquired.
...a vocational qualification in a nursing profession (as described above)
and
a first university degree comprising at least 210 ECTS credit points in nursing or with a subject related to nursing, e.g:
- Nursing Science,
- health science,
- nursing or medical education,
- nursing management,
- medical education
The examination board decides on the existence of the professional relationship.
Bachelor with 180 ECTS? No problem!
Applicants with a degree of 180 ECTS can also be admitted if they can provide evidence of additional nursing-specific skills through
a passing an oral entrance examination at the HWG Ludwigshafen as part of the application process
or
a specialist nursing training in the scope of at least 300 hours
(e.g. further training in practical guidance, intensive care, etc...).
The examination assesses whether there is sufficient understanding of nursing and health science issues and research methodology. A failed examination cannot be repeated.
If you have a Bachelor's degree with 180 ETC, please contact the head of degree program at an early stage to assist with the application process (entrance examination if necessary).
