Community Specialist Practice (District Nursing)

If you are an NMC Registered Nurse, this will enable you to:

• Expand your knowledge, skills and proficiency in the role of the Community Specialist Practitioner
• Work within a community/ primary care placement supported by a qualified mentor/ Practice Teacher
• Study modules that directly enhance your clinical practice, management abilities and patient outcomes
• Graduate with a greater understanding of a professional role so you can bring about integrated and high quality health and social care
• Develop specialist assessment, leadership and management skills
• Join with a first degree at 1:1 or 2:1 having 120 credits at degree level or equivalent academic credits or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

This course will enable you, as an experienced NMC Registered Nurse, to expand your knowledge, skills and proficiency in your role as a Community Specialist Practitioner, and to progress to independent scholarship.

You will study modules that are linked to clinical practice, such as public health and health promotion, research methodologies, principles of practice assessment and leading for quality to help your professional development. You will focus on the importance of leadership and develop an in-depth knowledge of professional roles, so you can bring about integrated and high quality health and social care.

Half of your time will be spent on placement*, giving you hands-on experience that will support the theoretical aspects you have studied. You will study the Postgraduate Diploma full-time for one year or part-time for two years in order to gain the specialist recordable qualification. The optional MSc stage will take a further year. You will be taught using a range of methods including lectures, workshops, seminars and problem solving. Assessment methods are varied and include assignments, exams and presentations.

*Placement hours are subject to change.

During the MSc stage you will carry out an extended, innovative and critical research study, systematic literature review or practice-based project which analyses and evaluates an aspect of your specialist nursing area.

This course meets Nursing and Midwifery Council standards, so you will gain a recordable qualification in District Nursing or General Practice Nursing.nu

We are proud to say that our courses are closely mapped against the health and social care sector. This ensures that our curriculum is up-to-date, providing you with the assurance that you’re learning is current and relevant. This does mean that we do have to respond to national changes such as government policy. As a result, some of the information about our courses may change. Please check the website for the latest information.

By completing this programme you will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of clinical practice, care and caseload management, clinical practise leadership and clinical practice development, to enable you to become an independent prescriber. Whilst studying on this programme you will spend equal amounts of time in clinical practice and the learning environment. This means you will gain a mixture of theory and practical experience, ensuring you're prepared to provide effective, high quality care with the patients’ best interests in mind.

You will study module such as:

• Principles of Clinical Practice and Assessment
• Innovation, Leadership and Team Development
• Public Health and Educating Communities
• Research, Management and Consolidating Clinical Practice
• Fundamentals of Long-term Condition Management (Non-medical Prescribing)
• Mental Health across the Lifespan (Non-medical Prescribing)
• Non-medical prescribing for nurses and midwives (Prescribing)

Applied V100 prescribing/V300 Non-medical prescribing.

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

This course involves a range of delivery, including lectures, workshops, seminars, group discussions, action learning sets and problem based learning.

How you're assessed

You will be assessed through assignments, exams, presentations, and the production of a practice portfolio. You will also be assessed on your placement by your practice teacher.

You will gain a qualification which meets the standards of proficiency, and fits with the current health agenda in the area of community specialist practice, so it will really boost your career.

You should:

• Be registered on part one of the Nursing and Midwifery Council register
• Have gained a student District Nurse or General Practice Nursing position from a seconding/sponsoring organisation
• Have a first degree at 1:1 or 2:1 having 120 credits at degree level or equivalent academic credits or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
• Have at least one year of post-registration experience due to the requirements for the V100 prescribing and three years if taking the V300 Non-medical prescribing qualification (NMC 2006)

The student will have successfully applied for a clinical secondment/sponsorship with a local Care Provider/employer prior to applying for this Programme.

It is the Employers responsibility to ensure that any necessary Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and health checks are carried out, proof of this and indemnity will be required prior to commencement of the Programme.

2024/25 (August 2024 - July 2025)

Please note fees normally increase in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees, which is reviewed on an annual basis. The total fee you pay may therefore increase after one year of study.

* UK full-time fees paid within one academic year are rounded down to the nearest £50 if applicable

About postgraduate awards

Please note at postgraduate level, you’ll need to gain the following number of credits in total to obtain the respective awards. If you have any questions please contact us.

This means you will gain 180 credits in total to complete the full MA or MSc. If you are studying part time you will normally complete your studies over two or three years, depending on the course structure.

Funding your studies

Find out more about fees, postgraduate loans and support you may be entitled to.

Find out about funding your studiesFind out about funding your studies

Alumni discount for Derby graduates

We offer a discount on postgraduate course fees for all Derby alumni.

Find out about the Alumni discountFind out about the Alumni discount

This course is currently under temporary review and not accepting applications.  

Additional information about your studies

Download programme specification

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Minimum numbers

Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.

Contact us

If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.