MSc Nursing (Public Health)
PgDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting and School Nursing)
Full-time, Part-time, Distance learning
This course is subject to approval
Location • Collegiate Campus
Subject area • Nursing and midwifery
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Find out more information about studying a distance learning course.
One of our students talks about his experiences of studying a distance learning course.
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.
School nurses make a significant difference to people's lives and are recognised leaders of primary care.
Postgraduate diploma
full time one year
part-time two to four years
distance learning one to four years
MSc
full-time two years
part-time three to six years
distance learning two to six years
Start date
September 2011
Places on the course are limited to NHS-funded student health visitors and school nurses. Check www.jobs.nhs.uk for details of available posts locally.
You do not need to submit an application to Sheffield Hallam until you are invited to interview at an NHS Trust. Download an application form from www.shu.ac.uk/study/form
Contact us for further information.
2013/14 academic year
Full-time typically £4,590 for the course
Part-time and distance learning typically £1,530 a stage for PgCert, PgDip and MSc stages
Some of the modules on this course may be funded by the Department of Health.
The course fee may be subject to annual inflationary increase. For further information on fees and funding see www.shu.ac.uk/funding
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Successfully completing the course enables you to register with the NMC as a registered specialist community public health nurse health visitor or school nurse.
Successfully completing the course enables you to be annotated on the register with the NMC as a community practitioner nurse prescriber.
Distance learning study
Distance learning is a rewarding and flexible way to learn. You study at the time, place and often pace of your choosing, to fit around your personal and working life. Like all types of learning, you need skills in personal organisation, time management, self-motivation, and a commitment to academic study.
As a distance learning student, you normally learn away from the University in your own home or place of work. Most of our distance learning courses are delivered online via a portal called Blackboard.
We prepare you for your distance learning course with an online induction package. It helps you develop and practise your skills and allows any issues, concerns or development needs to be addressed prior to commencing a course of study.
You're fully supported by our learning centre, with library database searches and information enquiries, journal article supply and other help in accessing library and information services, all without having to travel to Sheffield.
We believe that you learn best when you engage in prolonged debate. Your course provides an active learning experience, with an ongoing dialogue between you, your peers and your tutors via discussion forums, blogs and others. You carry out a series of structured tasks, which build towards a successful final assessment submission.
John Sharpe (1:34)
John Sharpe, Rolls-Royce employee, and one of our MSc Total Quality Management and Organisational Excellence graduates talks about his experiences of studying a distance learning course while working.
Download the transcript of this video.
