Nursing (Public Health) – MSc

This is a post-registration, post-graduate course designed for nurses who wish to specialise as a health visitor or school nurse. It equips you with the knowledge and skills to work with children, young people, their families and carers to improve health.

The emphasis is on developing a pragmatic public health philosophy for family healthcare and an evidence-based skill set applicable to the challenges of current practice.

You also take a research-based module, potentially leading to the dissertation and MSc qualification.

Health visitor and school nurse lecturers deliver the course.

We designed this course

• to prepare you to apply knowledge, understanding and skills in a public health environment
• to deliver safe and effective health improvements to the individual, group and community
• to give you an awareness and understanding of accountability and responsibility inherent in these roles to ensure public protection is developed

Successfully completing the course

• enables you to fulfil the requirements for entry onto the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Specialist Community Public Health Nursing register as a health visitor or school nurse
• gives you a deeper awareness of the need to maintain and develop your own competence and that of others in the changing context of school nursing, with a specific focus on the leadership required
• equips you to use policy and research to underpin and develop innovative practice and gives you the skills to frame a research question, take empirical research and write up an academic dissertation
• develops and enhances your leadership skills to foster excellence in public health practice and shape services to meet the identified needs of individuals, groups and communities

Inclusion on the professional register for Specialist Community Public Health Nurses has a unique position in the healthcare professions, offering an exciting and variable career pathway. Gaining an MSc qualification enhances your employability in advanced and specialist roles available to health visitors and school nurses.

The course meets NMC standards of 50% practice and 50% theory. We structure it to reflect this important balance and it includes a ten-week consolidation of practice. Consolidated practice enables you to practise independently while under the supervision of a practice teacher. You also take a three-week period of alternative practice.

The theoretical elements of the course involve a mix of learning approaches including self-directed study days. We also provide further theoretical learning and support in the practice areas.