Intro

This course is for registered nurses and midwives wanting to gain another professional qualification in specialist community health, including health visiting and school nursing.

Successful completion of the course means that you will have met the ten key areas of public health practice required for second level registration as a specialist community public health nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2004).

The Specialist Community Public Health Nursing BSc(Hons) equips you to be responsive to the needs of client groups across different settings for public health practice.

The course allows you to specialise in health visiting or school nursing. Under the guidance of a personal tutor, you will map out a development plan before the start of the course so that you have a clear focus on your intended direction.

You will be taught and supported by passionate and experienced staff who are informed by current research, meaning teaching is up to date and adheres to best practice.

The values of the NHS constitution – respect, dignity, compassion and working together for patients – and the recognition that patients come first in everything the NHS does are embedded in our curriculum.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code Not applicable. Apply via NHS Jobs before university application.

Full-time 1 year
Part-time 2 years

This course meets NMC standards and course graduates are eligible for registration (part 3 NMC registration).

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Course content

Course structure

The course is made up of a blend of practice placements and classroom-based learning.

Your placements will be arranged by your employing trust, and you will be assigned a practice teacher to support your learning in practice. You will also be given the opportunity to go on an additional placement where you can spend a week experiencing practice in a different environment that is of demonstrable value to your role.

You will complete personal development plans and learning contracts that are agreed between yourself, the university and your employer.

Delivery is typically via e-learning, lectures, seminars, workbooks for work-based learning and simulation in our Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite, and Flexible Learning Environment.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Syllabus

As a student on the course, you will share your learning with other community nursing specialities, allowing you to benefit from intra-professional collaboration. Our programmes are designed to allow students from other disciplines, and in some cases other professions, the opportunity to exchange knowledge and expertise.

During the course you will develop your ability to: assess risk in complex situations, cultivate effective relationships based on trust and openness, work flexibly with other services in a range of settings, deal with conflicting priorities and ambiguous situations, and know when to use different and sometimes contradictory theories and perspectives.

Modules

Work-based Learning
Developing Practice: the Challenge of Change
Practising Public Health
Capacity-building for Early Interventions

Options*

Prescribing from the Nurse Prescribers' Formulary for Community Practitioners
Mentor/Educator/Sign-Off Mentor in Practice Preparation
Child Protection
Health Promotion

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Facilities

Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite

Clinical skills and simulation rooms on both our Brighton: Falmer and Eastbourne campuses provide an invaluable tool for assessment and monitoring students' progress throughout the course.

You will benefit from practising nursing skills in an environment that simulates nurses’ real-life professional experiences. Learning by simulation with state-of-the-art mannequins enables you to practice in a safe environment under supervision, so you can apply your knowledge and skills in professional practice with confidence.

We have skilled technicians on every campus to support you.

Flexible Learning Environment

The Flexible Learning Environment is an adapted home environment in a residential location where you'll be able to practise skills and learn from other students while taking part in realistic training scenarios.

Every room is fitted with cameras and microphones, so that students can be directed and monitored from the control room while the observation room provides the opportunity to review, playback and debrief.

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How this course is delivered

Our approach

We want you to spend as much time on campus as possible. From semester 1 of the academic year which starts in September, every student will have some face-to-face, on-campus learning in their timetable. Your timetable is being designed to make sure that you can make the most out of your time on campus, and all of the usual campus facilities – libraries, learning spaces, restaurants, gyms and more – will be open. Your timetable will be available in My Studies from late September.

Teaching on your course
In semester 1 practical skills learning activities such as learning in simulated environments and with mannequin patients will take place on campus. You’ll also be on campus for seminars, tutorials and some of your lectures. Your on-campus learning will be supplemented with additional recorded lectures, online content and taught sessions that you'll access on MS Teams.

Placements are a required element of your learning experience and take place in a range of settings. Placement arrangements will be informed by the requirements of the accrediting professional body and the government guidance in operation at that time. We are not currently planning to run activity outside the UK in semester 1 of the 2021–2022 academic year.

COVID-19

Like all universities we will be following government guidance and will be monitoring the pandemic very closely with our local Director of Public Health. Should a worsening of the pandemic occur and Public Health advice require us to make changes, we have robust plans in place for students to continue their studies remotely and for additional safety measures to be introduced on campus.

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Careers

The skills and knowledge that you acquire can be applied to a wide range of community nursing or public health roles in various settings.

Once qualified, you will have the opportunity to enhance your practice, progress to a higher-graded band and take part in research and practice development. The context of practice both within and outside the NHS is constantly changing and the opportunities for innovative approaches to service provision exist.

Most graduates go on to work, or continue working, within the NHS in a variety of community nursing and primary care settings.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

You need to be a registered nurse or midwife and have current NMC validation. Applicants will normally be required to provide evidence of recent academic study (within the last 5 years) and/or demonstrate the ability to study at level 6.

How to apply.

This course starts in September. Applications are accepted in February of each year, which is also when the relevant application form is made available by the School of Health Sciences. For more information, contact the programme administrator on communitynursing@brighton.ac.uk.

The Trust and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) will shortlist the applications and, if successfully shortlisted, your details will be forwarded to the university where you will be asked to complete an online application form and invited to interview.

Please note that it will not be possible to make an application to the university unless you have applied and been shortlisted. Any applications that do not meet this criteria cannot be considered.

Interview procedures
Normally, interviews are carried out with a representative from the university and representatives from the trusts (including a practice teacher representative).

At interview the following will be considered:

knowledge of the role
communication skills
potential for development as a specialist community public health nurse
potential for development to study at degree level.

Offers are subject to the identification and approval of a practice teacher. Offers may be held for a period of one year.

Module choice will be planned taking account of the requirements of your sponsoring trust and previous study.

A maximum of 40 level-6 credits RPL may be brought into the course if they meet the required learning outcomes and have been undertaken in the previous five years. For students who have obtained credit under the 4 HEI agreement, a maximum of 40 level 6 credits (not including dissertation module) may be brought into the course provided they meet the learning outcomes and have been undertaken in the previous five years.

Degree and experience
Candidates will have their name on the Parts 1 and/or 2 of the NMC register.

Applicants are expected to:

Have a health or social care-related diploma of higher education, or degree (minimum of 120 level-5 credits) OR hold a current registered qualification in health or social care with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Health and Social Care Professions Council or equivalent PSR.
Normally have successfully completed study within the last five years at level 5 or 6 OR successfully complete a level-6 module before registering on the award.
Demonstrate some knowledge of community health and practice.
Have appropriate clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service, organised by the sponsoring organisation.
Where a nurse or midwife has not yet received confirmation of registration from the NMC, the university will require evidence before commencement of the course that the student has successfully completed their pre-registration nursing or midwifery programme and that they have made an application for NMC registration.

Fees

Course fees

Most students obtain funding through a sponsoring trust.

How to apply

Applications are accepted in the February of each year, which is also when the relevant application form is made available by the school.

For more information, contact the programme administrator on communitynursing@brighton.ac.uk.

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Health Sciences are listed here.

Where your course includes a placement, travel costs which are over and above your daily journey to university and dual accommodation costs may be reimbursed by the NHS learning support fund. Paramedic Science students and overseas students are not covered by the NHS scheme and travel costs for this course will be your responsibility. Find out more about the NHS learning support fund.
Specialist clothing and uniforms, where required, are included in the course fees.
DBS checks, where required, are included in the fees.
Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £100 if buying your own copies.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2021–22.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. 7,000 students are based here taking subjects including criminology, English, education, nursing and medicine, paramedic science, psychology and sociology. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. Psychology students learn in our applied cognition and flexible creative method labs.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes, and a students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre and there is a BTN BikeShare hub on site. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

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Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students who apply by 30 June.

Halls of residence
We have halls of residence across Brighton in the city centre, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

You'll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
- Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on Falmer campus and offer a range of rooms
- Varley Park offers a mix of rooms. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent.

Private renting
There's plenty of support if you opt for private renting. This is an option which offers choice and flexibility – enabling you to choose where you live and who with. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. This lists accommodation offered by landlords who have signed up to our code of standards. Every summer we provide online events and resources, as well as other advice services, for students looking for a place to live and people to share with.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.