BSc (Hons) Specialist Community Public Health Nursing

Why choose this course?

  • If you want to work in the community, using a public health approach with children and their families, then this course is for you. You can apply for funding from an NHS community health provider, and if you’re successful you won’t have to pay any tuition fees.
  • You'll develop both your theoretical knowledge and practical skills by studying modules that will help you to further your career and keep your practice up to date.
  • You'll spend half your time on placement, so you will be able to get hands on experience and apply what you've learned in the classroom.
  • You can apply for funding from a Primary Care Trust, and if you're successful you won't have to pay any tuition fees.

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Fact file

Start date: September (UK and EU students only)

Course length: full time: one year, part time: two years

Campus: Kedleston Road, Derby

About this course

This course is for qualified nurses who want to gain a professional qualification in either health visiting or school nursing. If you have either a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in nursing studies this course can be studied at degree level to top up your qualification. You will build your skills in clinical practice, leadership and management, and public health, while developing research skills which will help when looking at the quality of care.

During this course you'll:

  • develop the skills you need to become a practitioner in your own area of expertise, and work as a specialist public health nurse.
  • learn how to share the core values of a practitioner with your colleagues to help them with their professional development.
  • build up your skills in clinical practice, care and programme management, leadership, and public health, which will be essential when you become a practitioner.
  • develop research skills that will help you to look at the quality of care in your current practice and suggest improvements.
  • improve your understanding of professional roles and functions by networking, team building and communicating with other professionals.

You'll spend half of your time on placement and the other half of your time in university. This means you'll gain an equal mix of theory and practical experience ensuring you are ready to provide effective individual, group and community care when you graduate. You'll also have the opportunity to go on an additional placement applied to a theme of your own choice for three weeks. Throughout the course you'll study the following topics:

  • Specialist professional issues
  • Public health
  • Supporting vulnerable people within a family context
  • Evidence based practice
  • Leadership and management
  • Independent study

What you will cover

Entry requirements

  • An entry on an appropriate part of the NMC Register.
  • Employed by the Primary Care Trusts providing sponsorship.
  • 120 credits at Diploma level or equivalent academic credits or Accreditation of Prior Learning.

You will need to be working in an area that enables achievement of the individual pathway aims and module learning outcomes.

If you are undertaking a registerable pathway, you must have completed a period of sufficient length to have consolidated pre registration outcomes and to have gained a deeper understanding in relevant professional practice. This will normally be one year.

It will be the Employers responsibility to ensure that any necessary CRB checks and health checks are carried out prior to confirming the offer of a course place.

How to apply

Please contact us for details on how to apply for this course

Fees and finance

Please contact us for details of the fees for this course.

How you will learn

We’ll teach you in a variety of ways, through clinical practical sessions, group discussions and lectures. You will spend half of your time on practice placement, so you will get the hands-on experience as well as learning the theory at University.

How you're assessed

You will be assessed through exams, observations, assignments, a presentation and a practice portfolio. You will also be assessed on your placement by your practice teacher.

Careers and employability

When you’ve completed this course, you will be able to apply for registration on part three of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register. This will allow you to practise as a specialist community public health nurse in the UK. Specialist community public health nurses practise in areas including occupational health, health protection, health visiting and school nursing. You could also find a career within safeguarding, teaching or family nurse partnerships, or work with various agencies in the community.

What our students say

Jess Williams, one of our current students
"I would recommend this course at Derby as it adequately prepares you for practice and the aspects of the role that you will encounter when qualified."

Contact details

General enquiries about admissions and applications, UK and overseas

T: +44 (0)1332 591167
F: +44 (0)1332 597724
E: askadmissions@derby.ac.uk

‌Course enquiries

Suzanne le Blond - 01332 591703

Where will I study?

Kedleston Road, Derby