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Nursing (Child) BSc(Hons)

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    Overview

    This course is now full and closed to new applications.

    Providing care for children, young people, and their families is a rewarding career choice. If you’re keen to provide committed, compassionate and professional care for children and young people and their families, this Nursing (Child) BSc(Hons) degree course – which is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – could be the course to help you pursue your future career.

    From the very start of this child nursing course, you’ll get the chance to develop the vital skills, values, and confidence you’ll need to care for children, young people, and their families, whatever their circumstances. These includes those with acute illness, long-term conditions or those who need help to maintain their health.

    Why study Nursing (Child) BSc(Hons)

    On the course, you’ll develop key clinical skills in our fully equipped simulated children’s ward, using our patient simulators, as well as hearing first-hand experiences and viewpoints from service users and carers, who are part of the Public Partnership Group.

    You'll be taught by a team who understand what it is like be a child nurse and are able to demonstrate the latest techniques and procedures, supporting you to put these skills into practice. You’ll learn in an innovative environment, too, which is designed to give you the very best opportunities for in-classroom and hands-on learning.

    Your time on the course will be divided between learning theory and applying your knowledge in a clinical environment, with clinical placements providing opportunities for you to put what you’ve learned into practice in a variety of settings. These include children's wards, children’s hospitals, accident and emergency departments and neonatal intensive care. Opportunities are also available to work with specialist nurses in a range of community settings, including health centres, children's hospices, and mainstream and specialist schools. You'll be supported throughout your practical experiences by academic staff and experienced practice assessors and supervisors.

    The University’s new Daphne Steele Building is now open on the site of the National Health Innovation campus, enabling you to enhance your learning, this will allow child nursing students to benefit from specialist clinical teaching facilities and world-leading research facilities.

    Following successful completion of this Nursing (Child) degree course, you’ll be able to register with the NMC and work as a Registered Nurse for Children.

    Students on this course may be eligible to receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each year – find out more on the NHS Learning Support Fund website.

    Not quite ready to start Nursing (Child) BSc(Hons)? Successful completion of our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree will equip you with the foundation knowledge to study Child Nursing.

    Entry requirements

    BBB-BBC at A Level . If you are studying A Level Science, the endorsement for practical work is essential and a requirement for entry to our degree course.

    120-112 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications. If you are studying A Level Science, the endorsement for practical work is essential and a requirement for entry to our degree course.

    Merit in T Level

    DDM-DMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

    • NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma/Level 3 Extended Diploma at grade B.
    • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits, 15 at Distinction, and 30 at Merit.
    • 120-112 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

    In addition, you must have GCSE English Language or English Literature and Maths at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme, or Ofqual regulated Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English.

    If you do not have the appropriate qualifications for direct entry to this degree you may be able to apply to our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree.

    You must demonstrate that you have a broad understanding of child nursing, as well as relevant work experience (employment or voluntary) highlighting your transferable skills.

    • Offers will be subject to an interview and references. Please note all the information provided in support of your application may be checked and must be verifiable as a true record.
    • You also need satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearances prior to registration on the course. We arrange these as part of the application process. You'll be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year and at the end of the course. All police contact during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination. We will request an Overseas Police Check if you have lived in a country outside of the UK for 6 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years before applying to us and whilst aged 18 or over.
    • You may be eligible to gain accreditation for your prior learning towards this course. Please note that the course you are applying for is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which allows a maximum of 50% of credits for the award to be conferred through accreditation of prior learning.

    Placement providers for this course may require you to have received a number of vaccinations, unless medically exempt, and provide evidence of these. As a student on a course with a clinical or healthcare placement, we strongly recommend that you complete any courses of vaccinations required under current guidelines for your future profession. Failure to do so may result in your inability to undertake a placement in certain clinical settings, therefore impacting upon your academic progression, and may result in academic failure of your course.

    If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

    If you have alternative qualifications, including the nursing associate foundation degree, you may wish to contact us for advice before applying. Please note places are limited and attainment of the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an interview or offer. You must include details of any previous study. Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

    Please note places are limited and attainment of the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an interview or offer. You must include details of any previous study.

    Course Detail

    Core modules:

    Becoming a Professional - Child Nursing

    This module involves exploring your development as a professional, examining your personal and professional attitudes and beliefs, as well as relating these to your future professional role as a child nurse. You’ll gain an understanding about how you can develop as a learner and maintain your physical and mental health, so you are able to promote and support children and young people with their health. You’ll also learn how to manage the transition to university and explore ethical and professional codes underpinning child nursing.

    Introduction to Child Nursing

    This module provides the opportunity for you to develop the fundamental knowledge and skills required to care specifically for children, young people and their families, as well as people of all ages from conception to end of life, with a range of physical, mental health and cognitive care needs. You’ll learn about the principles of holistic assessment and management of well and sick people of all ages. You’ll gain an understanding of development through the lifespan by exploring the principles of anatomy and physiology. You’ll also be introduced to pharmacology and medicines administration.

    Nursing Practice 1

    This module provides the opportunity for you to develop the fundamental skills of nursing practice including personal hygiene, infection control, undertaking observations and basic life support. You’ll complete a practice learning experience where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

    Nursing Practice 2

    This module provides you with a further opportunity to develop the fundamental skills of nursing practice including personal hygiene, infection control, undertaking observations and basic life support. You’ll complete a practice learning experience, where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

    Understanding Knowledge and Evidence for Nursing

    This module introduces you to the nature of knowledge and how it supports evidenced-based nursing practice. You’ll learn how to search for and read evidence to identify its value and relevance to nursing practice. You’ll explore how to evaluate published research and will be introduced to the concept of ethics within healthcare research. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop and use a variety of transferable skills including literature searching, critical appraisal of evidence and application of evidence to your own and the nursing practice of others.

    Core modules:

    Developing as a Professional

    This module builds on the year one Becoming a Professional and supports you to develop the professional knowledge and transferable skills needed to become a Registered Nurse. You'll gain an understanding of professional, legal, and ethical frameworks, and their role in your clinical decision-making. You'll also develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for effective leadership, management, and teamworking to enable you to positively influence management, decisions, and care delivery of patients and service-users in your care.

    Developing Critical Knowledge and Skills in Child Nursing

    This module builds on the knowledge and skills you developed in Year 1. You’ll expand your range of assessment skills and apply them to more complex care encounters with neonates, children and young people. Using your knowledge to recognise deterioration and begin to identify appropriate interventions to meet the care needs for people with a range of complex physical, mental health and cognitive care needs. You’ll plan care needs and begin to formulate care plans to meet the needs of individuals and groups of people in your care.

    Developing Knowledge and Evidence for Child Nursing Practice

    This module builds on the Understanding Knowledge and Evidence for Nursing module in Year 1, by introducing you to the design of research studies, including literature reviews and empirical studies. You’ll have the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills of research methods and design, preparing you to undertake a study relevant to child nursing in Year 3. You’ll learn about research ethics, data collection, analysis and research approaches including qualitative, qualitative and mixed method studies, literature reviews undertaken systematically, systematic reviews and audits. For those apprentices with a Nursing Associate qualification, this module may not be required. If so, you would spend this time back on base with your employer.

    Nursing Practice 3

    This module provides you with the opportunity to develop a wider range of skills of nursing practice including cannulation and phlebotomy. You’ll complete a practice learning experience, where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

    Nursing Practice 4

    This module provides you with the opportunity to further develop your skills of nursing practice including cannulation and phlebotomy. You’ll complete a practice learning experience, where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

    Core modules:

    Being a Professional

    This module builds on professionally themed modules in Year 1 and 2 to consolidate your preparation to become a qualified nurse. You’ll have the opportunity to develop future nurse leader skills to prepare you to positively influence care, undertake the role of teacher to individuals and groups, as well as the role of practice supervisor for future nurses.

    Enhancing Knowledge and Skills in Child Nursing

    This module builds on the knowledge and skills developed in Year 1 and 2. You’ll have the opportunity to expand your range of assessment skills and apply them under minimum supervision whilst managing and coordinating the care of neonates, children and young people with a range of conditions varying in complexity and in a range of settings.

    Nursing Practice 5

    This module provides the opportunity for you to gain fundamental skills of nursing practice including intravenous medicine administration. You’ll complete a practice learning experience where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

    Nursing Practice 6

    You’ll be supported in supervised practice in placement areas to develop your knowledge and skills related to practice. Simulated placement learning will focus on preparation for placement; mandatory skills and transition to registered nurse. Both formative and summative assessment will be provided with initial, intermediate, and final interviews in practice. Lectures will provide opportunities for preparation and support before and during placement.

    Using Evidence and Research to Enhance Child Nursing Practice

    This module builds on the evidence and research modules in Year 1 and 2, enabling you to systematically undertake a literature review or a small scale research project based on the research proposal developed in Year 2. You’ll have the opportunity to develop a detailed literature review report or research study report. You’ll use one of a variety of approaches including qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods, audit or a review of literature undertaken in a systematic way, within the child nursing field. You’ll also be involved in data collection and analysis.

    An average of 7% of the study time on this course is spent with your tutors (either face to face or online) in lectures, seminars, tutorials etc and 50% is spent on placement. You'll be taught by a team who really understand what it is like to be a children's nurse and are able to demonstrate the latest techniques and procedures whilst supporting you as you put these skills and qualities into practice.

    Learning and teaching on this course is delivered through seminars, lectures, group work, simulation and practical skills experience. The modules have been designed to embed transferable skills and enable you to progressively increase your knowledge and confidence. Your studies will also be supported by the University's virtual learning environment.

    The assessment methods on the course are varied and involve a combination of coursework, practice/proficiency based learning, reports, presentations and examinations. The nature of the assessment varies from module to module, and mirrors the modes of communication expected of graduates in this field, such as the ability to present to a range of audiences and provide reports to enhance the quality of care.

    Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results. Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

    Laboratory sessions, classroom based learning and the use of simulated patients enable you to practice your skills in a safe and controlled environment. You’ll undertake practice placement experiences, where you’ll learn and be assessed in a real practice setting, under the supervision of appropriately qualified practice supervisors and practice assessors. You’ll be assessed whilst on placement through a Practice Assessment Document (PAD).

    Throughout the course you’ll also have access to a Personal Development Plan, where you can identify your strengths and weaknesses, construct a record of achievement documenting the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies, as well as reflect and act upon your personal, professional, academic and long-term career goals.

    Further information

    Once you’ve submitted your application form to UCAS you may be invited to attend an interview.

    The teaching year normally starts in September and your breaks will be interspersed throughout the year depending on what stage you have reached in your three year programme. Timetables are normally available one month before registration. This is a full-time course, so you may have to attend every day of the week.

    Your course is made up of modules and each module is worth a number of credits. Each year you study core modules to the value of 120 credits, adding up to 360 credits in total for a bachelor’s qualification.

    If you achieve 120 credits for the current stage you are at, you may progress to the next stage of your course, subject to any professional, statutory or regulatory body guidelines.

    1. The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. We were the only university in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West to achieve Gold ratings in all three aspects of the TEF among those announced in September 2023. In fact only 13 Universities, out of the 96 that were announced in September 2023, were Gold in all three ratings.

    2. Our teaching staff rank first in England for the proportion with higher degrees and teaching qualifications, as well as being top five for those holding doctorates (HESA 2025). So you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.

    3. We are second in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 24 since 2008 (2025 data).

    4. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

    Visit ‘Our experts’ page where you’ll find in-depth profiles of all our academic staff

    At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive a GPA certificate from the University of Huddersfield, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

    Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

    *full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees.

    Placements

    Nothing can really replicate working in the real-world, which is why practice placements are essential and a compulsory part of the course. The Nursing and Midwifery Council require you to complete the minimum of 2300 hours over the three years in order to obtain registration. Each year you'll complete two blocks of placement.

    You'll have the opportunity to complete your practice learning experiences in a range of healthcare environments including NHS Trusts, a children's hospital, charities, hospices, schools and community settings. This may include Leeds Children's Hospital. You'll be supported throughout your practical experiences by a qualified professional who will provide you with any required help and advice. In order to provide you with the broadest professional experience possible, practice experiences are generally offered across West Yorkshire and occasionally beyond, covering 24 hour care including evening, weekend and nights.

    Please note that you will be required to travel to and during your placements. Your placement areas could be anywhere within the wider Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield districts of West Yorkshire and include both hospital and community-based placements. You need to think very carefully about how you’ll travel across this region for your placements with awareness that when in placement you’ll often be required to start a shift at 7.00am and may not finish until 8.00pm. Your placements will also incorporate night-shift and weekend working.

    “My placements have given me something to be proud about. I love seeing the journey and progress in families, where I’ve had the opportunity to use my skills and knowledge to help a child to get better, and know that I’ve played an important role in that.”  

    Summer Earnshaw, Child Nursing Student

    Summer Earnshaw, Currently studying Nursing (Child) BSc(Hons)

    Daphne Steele Facilities Tour

    Discover how we’re shaping the future of healthcare education. Join student Ruth as she takes you on a tour of the University’s state-of-the-art Daphne Steele Building, part of our Health Innovation Campus. Explore cutting-edge learning spaces, including immersive simulation rooms, clinical labs, and real-world training environments like the Simbulance, Acute Ward and Podiatry Clinic. Designed to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals, this facility offers hands-on experiences across a range of healthcare disciplines.

    Lifelike simulated nursing wards.
    Our virtual patients simulate health problems.
    Simulation baby receiving oxygen via a head box.
    We can simulate a range of illnesses and injuries.
    Simulation of a pre term infant, in an incubator.
    Learning how to pass a nasogastric tube on a baby.
    Learning about safe administration of medication.

    Discover more about the course

    Your Career

    Discover the job roles our graduates are working in now.

    Professional links and accreditation

    Recognised connections to give you an extra edge when you graduate.

    Inspiring Graduate

    Get inspired by real students and their careers.

    Careers advice

    Check out the personalised guidance we offer you.

    Student Support

    Discover all the support available so you can thrive.

    Further Study

    Learn about pursuing a Master’s or PhD at Huddersfield.

    Research Excellence

    See how our innovative research shapes what you'll learn.

    Important information

    When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

    Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons:

    Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

    If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and if you are unhappy with the change we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

    Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

    Changes to option modules

    Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

    Major changes

    We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff being unable to teach due to illness, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to pandemics, other disasters (such as fire, flood or war) or changes made by the government.

    Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will consult with affected groups of students and any changes would only be made in accordance with our regulations. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you let us know before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for any additional tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so and you may be eligible for an exit award depending on how far through your course you are.

    In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

    The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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