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The course aims to enable you to become:

• a dynamic person-centred leader influencing positive outcomes for children, young people, their families, community and wider population; and
• an autonomous, evidence-informed practitioner who demonstrates deep critical thinking, professional resilience and competence.

Structure and exit awards

You will exit with a PgDip (120 credits) and entry to Level 3 of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Professional Register for Nurses, Midwives with NMC registration: Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) – Health Visiting. A PgCert is awarded to students who achieve at least 60 credits, but do not complete the full course.

You can also register as an associate student to complete a single module for CPD. You can apply to study the module Ethical Judgements and Decision Making. Contact Lynne Darling for more information on single module study.

Teaching, learning and assessment

The course is 40% theory and 60% practice.

Person-centred practice philosophy is embedded in our teaching, learning and assessment strategies. The philosophy of persons, personhood and person-centredness where all persons are valued equally, creates an environment where students and teaching staff engage in mutual learning. Our approach is facilitative and consistent with the ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ Student Experience Strategy (2021-2026).

We create learning environments where all persons feel engaged and able to commit to humanist and transformational learning processes, both in the classroom and online. Facilitation of learning, critical thinking and reflexivity are central to the course.

Teaching across all six modules will be a mixture of online and face-to-face teaching. Modules will begin at the start of the semester and will follow an approach where teaching takes place on a set day either once a week or once per fortnight.

The core module content will be delivered on campus and you will be taught alongside students from both the PgDip Specialist Practitioner (Health Visiting) and PgDip School Nursing (Person-Centred Practice) courses, facilitating shared learning experiences. Field-specific seminars offer you opportunities to enhance your comprehension of how theoretical perspectives and frameworks relate to your individual professional practice.

The course will use a variety of methods to facilitate your learning depending on the topic being taught. The blended learning mix will offer a variety of teaching and learning styles, course materials and learning technologies.

Assessment strategies will encourage application of theory to practice. A variety of formative and summative strategies which draw on your own area of practice will provide diversity. Assessment will be personally and academically challenging and will facilitate the application of reflective skills, critical analysis and reasoned decision making .

Placement

Practice learning is a central element to the course. As a professional course, you will be required to demonstrate that you meet the NMC standards of proficiency for SCPHN Heath Visiting practice.

The course is approximately 60% practice-based and requires placement in an approved practice environment. To support you in your practice learning environment, you will be assigned to a Practice Supervisor and a Practice Assessor. The Practice Supervisor, Practice Assessor and an Academic Assessor support and assess your learning to meet the standards for student supervision and assessment (NMC 2023).

Placements will be allocated by the NHS health board area. There will be two practice learning periods within the course.

Teaching hours and attendance

The course is delivered full time over one year or par time over two years. Holidays are fixed throughout the course (seven weeks in total) and spread throughout the year.

You will begin your practice placement in week three of semester one. It will take place two days per week alongside university study days. Days in placement will gradually increase throughout the course. You will be in practice placement full time in semester three.

Class sizes

Class sizes will vary.

Teaching staff

You can read more about the teaching staff on this course at the bottom of this page. Please note that teaching staff is subject to change.

You will study the following modules:

• Person Centred Approaches to SCPHN Practice (20 credits): This module will enable you to develop an understanding of person-centred approaches, applied to the role of the Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Health Visitor. You will explore the principles of personhood, person-centred practice and salutogenesis to enable a robust foundation throughout the course modules and practice learning.
• Leading Public Health Priorities (20 credits): This module explores health priorities within the context of public health, from a global, national and local perspective. You will develop knowledge and understanding of social policy and challenges which influence health needs within demographics which are relevant to your field of practice. These health needs will be examined from the perspectives of epidemiology and sociology, to further enhance understanding of health inequalities within society. This knowledge will influence your role in facilitating and leading on the implementation of governmental health promotion strategies.
• The Child and Young Person in Situ (20 credits): This module explores the child and young person in their context, through their development, transitions, and the influences of the environment and wider communities on this. You will apply learning from theory and policy to your role as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse and working collaboratively to demonstrate assessment and support for the child, young person and their families in their community.
• Ethical Judgements and Decision Making (20 credits): This module focuses on exploring ethical judgment and decision-making skills. You will explore and apply ethical principles in various contexts, developing the ability to analyse judgements and decisions while considering person-centred application and moral implications. Through participation in this module you will enhance your understanding of ethical reasoning and decision-making both for yourself and in understanding the choices of others.
• Resilience and Adaptability when working with Children and Young People (20 credits): This module will allow you as a Health Visitor student the opportunity to discuss and explore the many aspects, influences, theories and professional challenges that arise when working with children, young people and their families within the context of vulnerability. Inequalities in health, child protection, safeguarding, risk and resilience are fundamental elements for the SCPHN professional to understand and apply theory to practice. Working in a strengths-based person-centred approach to manage risk and promote positive outcomes for children and young people.
• Evidencing SCPHN Practice (20 credits): This year long work-based learning module will enable you to undertake experiential practice, activities and learning in the practice learning environments. Evidence will be gathered throughout the programme that demonstrates your competence against the NMC (July 2022) SCPHN practice standards as you progress and transition to your professional role of Health Visitor.

NB The modules listed are correct at time of posting (October 2024) but are subject to change. In the event that modules change, ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ will seek to use reasonable endeavours to ensure that there is no detrimental impact on students. Please check back here for updates.

Graduates have taken up Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visiting) roles within NHS health board areas.

Entry requirements

Applicants will normally be UK honours graduates or equivalent.

At time of entry onto the course all applicants must be NMC Registered Nurses (Level 1) and/or Midwives.

Entry will be based on the following criteria:

Standard Entry

If an applicant has obtained a relevant degree within the last 5 years at the time of applying, then this meets the academic criteria for Standard Entry to the course.

Non-standard Entry Options

Applications for non-standard entry will be assessed by the Programme Admissions Team to ensure consistency of decision making.

• If an applicant has obtained a degree more than 5 years ago at the time of applying but has successfully completed further academic study at Scottish level 11 or equivalent within the last 5 years, then this meets the criteria for Non-standard Entry to the course.
• If an applicant has obtained a degree more than 10 years ago but has completed Scottish level 11 study within the last 5 years then this meets the criteria for Non-standard Entry to the course. 
• If an applicant has no degree but has successfully completed other academic study at Scottish level 11 or equivalent within the last 5 years, this meets the criteria for Non-standard Entry to the course. 
• If an applicant has obtained a degree or other academic study at Scottish level 11 or equivalent, more than 10 years ago, then a discussion with the programme leader is required prior to applying.

It may be appropriate for applicants without academic qualifications to be admitted initially as an associate student. Should they be successful in their first module as an associate student, they may then transfer to the full course having successfully completed the shortlisting and interview process.

Applying for this course

All candidates apply through a relevant health board. Most students are health board funded however there is the opportunity to self-fund.

Monitor the  or contact the relevant manager at your health board for more information.

You will be required to submit an application to your NHS health board, If you are short-listed for interview you will then be required to complete and submit a 1500 word admission essay to ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ. Following a successful interview and offer from your NHS health board an application is made to ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ which will include providing a degree certificate/academic transcript/reference.

Disability/health conditions

If you have a disability, long-term physical or mental health condition, or learning disability, it should not stand in the way of your studying at ÌÒ×ÓÊÓƵ. However, if you are not sure whether your disability might be a barrier in your studies or in relation to the professional standards, please contact the disability service who will be able to have a conversation with you about reasonable adjustments and supports available to you.

Application deadline

Health boards advertise locally and therefore application deadlines vary.

Start dates

There are intakes in either September or January each year. Partner NHS health boards normally advertise their recruitment opportunities around March – April for the September intakes, and Aug – Sept for the January intakes.

Terms and Conditions

The delivery of this course is subject to the terms and conditions set out in our 2025/26 Entry - Terms and Conditions (Postgraduate).

Contact Lynne Darling (Programme Leader) or contact Admissions 

More information on our forthcoming open events