- Gain a professional qualification in health visiting or occupational health nursing or school nursing
- Build your understanding of clinical practice, wider public health and leadership and management
- Develop specialist assessment, leadership and management skills.
- Develop and build on your existing knowledge to ensure that you meet the competencies set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and you’re eligible to gain a registrable qualification
- Become part of the public health workforce working toward improving people's lives and their health outcomes
- Join with a degree at 1:1 or 2:1, having 120 credits at degree level or equivalent academic credits
This course is for NMC registered nurses who want to gain a professional qualification in health visiting or occupational health nursing or school nursing. If you have either a Diploma or Advanced Diploma in nursing studies there are a number of ways that we may be able to support your entrance onto the programme. Please do get into contact with the Programme Lecturers if this applies to you and we can offer academic counselling to assist you.
During this course you will:
- 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
- Enhance your 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.
Practice Assessment will encompass all the four domains of care, facilitation of learning, leadership and management, research and development.
We’re 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 your 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.
The Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Programme leading to Health Visitor or Occupational Health Nurse or School Nurse qualification accessed at Masters level gives you 120 credits at level 7 (Post Graduate Diploma). You can undertake this full time (1year) or part time (up to 3 years).
By completing this programme you will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of clinical practice, care and caseload management, clinical practice leadership and clinical practice development to enable you to become competent public health practitioner. Whilst studying on this programme you will spend equal amounts of time in practice and the learning environment.
You will also have the opportunity to go on additional placements of your choice for up to 2 weeks.
You will study modules such as:
- Introduction to Specialism and Clinical Practice (Health Visiting, Occupational Health Nursing or School Nursing pathway)
- Public Health and Educating Communities
- Innovation, Leadership and Team Development
- Research Based Practice, Consolidating Specialism
- Mental Health across the Lifespan
- Fundamental of Long-term Condition Management in Adults (Occupational Health Nursing pathway)
- Supporting Vulnerable People within the Family Context (School Nursing or Health Visiting pathway)
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.
During this course you will study in University and independently for 50% of your time and the other 50% of the time will be within a placement setting.
We will teach you in a variety of ways, such as:
- Role modelling
- Exposure to evidence-based practice
- Group discussions
- Presentations
- Lectures
- Action learning sets.
When you’ve completed the course you will have developed the skills you will need to become an effective specialist nurse in your chosen area of expertise.
To complete the Postgraduate Diploma stage this course will take you one year of full time study or two years of part time study, subject to your Strategic Health Authority contract.
When you have completed this course, you will be able to apply for registration on part three of the Nursing and Midwifery Council register. This will allow you to practice as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse in the UK.
When you graduate you will:
- Have the skills to become an effective specialist nurse in your chosen area of expertise
- Be committed to lifelong learning, encourage colleagues to be, and contribute to national debates
- Be able to master clinical practice, care and programme management, clinical practice leadership, and clinical practice development
- Show leadership and have a critical in-depth knowledge of professional roles and functions, so you can bring about integrated and high-quality health and social care, through working with other professionals effectively, networking and team working
- Have knowledge and skills in evaluating current research and evidence-based practice so you can influence and deliver high quality care.
This course is for NMC registered nurses who want to gain a professional qualification in either health visiting, occupational health nursing 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.
To study this course you must:
- Hold a current level 1 nurse or midwife qualification and have a current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council
- Possess a degree at 1:1 or 2:1 having 120 credits at degree level or equivalent academic credits or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
- Have gained a student Health Visitor or Occupational Health Nurse or School Nurse position from a seconding/sponsoring organisation
An interview will be needed for all applications. If applying for Health Visiting or School Nursing this will be held in combination with our partner organisations in the region. Initial applications should be made through the NHS Jobs Site for our partners in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire. For Occupational Health we hold an online interview to ensure your suitability for the course once your application has been submitted.
A DBS is required for all applicants. This is the responsibility of the employing organisation.
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. The student will have successfully applied for a clinical secondment/sponsorship with a local Care Provider/employer prior to applying for this Programme.
2025/26 (August 2025 - July 2026)
| Type | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|
| UK | £6,408 for the full course* | £712 per 20 credits |
| International | N/A | N/A |
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
Additional fee information
An interview will be needed for all applications. If applying for Health Visiting or School Nursing this will be held in combination with our partner organisations in the region. Initial applications should be made through the NHS Jobs Site for our partners in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire. For Occupational Health we hold an online interview to ensure your suitability for the course once your application has been submitted.
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.
| Award | Credits |
|---|
| Postgraduate Certificate | 60 Credits |
| Postgraduate Diploma | 120 Credits |
| MA or MSc | 180 Credits |
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
How to apply
Please look at our before you apply.
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.
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