Public Health Practice (SCPHN) (Health visiting) BSc (Hons)
Key information
- Start date:
- To be confirmed
- Attendance dates:
- To be confirmed
- Venue:
- Kate Granger Building, 30 Priestley Road, Surrey Research Park, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7YH
- Stag Hill campus, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH
- Contact details:
- Post-registration Administration team
- Tel: +44 (0)1483 683576
- Email: postreg_admin@surrey.ac.uk
Why choose this course?
If you’re a registered nurse or midwife, our course will set you on the path to qualify as a specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN) health visitor, working with children, young people and families, and making a significant impact to their lives. Through a combination of theory and hands-on practice, we’ll enhance your academic, professional and clinical prowess, transforming you into a critical and discerning practitioner, capable of driving innovation and change in health and social care.
This course meets the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) Standards of proficiency: Specialist community public health nurses (PDF).
What you will study
Throughout your hands-on clinical training, you’ll develop the values that employers and the public need from modern healthcare professionals such as, compassion, advocacy, good communication, teamwork skills and respect and understanding of patients.
You’ll critically examine and develop awareness of the key concepts of public health and health promotion. You’ll access and analyse data to identify health needs and develop health promotion interventions to address contemporary public health issues. We’ll teach you the fundamentals about safeguarding children, young people and adults, empowering you to play a proactive role in their protection.
You’ll study topics, including community nurse practitioner prescribing (V100), leadership, mental health and public health.
Sponsorship
To study on this course, you’ll need to be sponsored by a healthcare provider organisation. Your sponsor will provide you with your clinical placement and a community practice assessor and supervisor. They’ll simultaneously support and evaluate your practice abilities throughout the course. You’ll need to negotiate with your sponsoring organisation whether your clinical placements can be full-time or part-time.
Advertisements for sponsorship will be on NHS jobs. There is a joint selection process between the providers and the University.
Clinical placements
You’ll spend half of your training in clinical placements, allowing you to develop your knowledge, skills and practice within healthcare settings, under the supervision of qualified practitioners. You’ll complete 10 weeks of consolidated practice with your sponsoring organisation.
You’ll be supported by a community practice assessor and practice supervisor in your clinical setting and you’ll have a personal tutor at the University.
Facilities
You’ll benefit from our multi-million pound facilities, home to our Clinical Simulation Centre. Our virtual environments, lifelike mannequins and actors, will transport you to the centre of communities, so you can practise your skills and get a taste of scenarios you may face during your training and when you’re fully qualified.
You’ll also get exclusive access to our independent clinical learning room, set up each week with the necessary equipment required to practise the techniques you’ll be learning.
Teaching staff
We have a clinical-led focus to our teaching, ensuring everything you learn is up-to-date and relevant to the healthcare sector. You’ll be taught by lecturers who are qualified practitioners, which may include:
- Felicity Jones, Specialist Community Public Health Nurse
- Sarah Roberts, Specialist Community Public Health Nurse.
You’ll also be taught by guest lecturers, made up of local doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers.
Throughout your placements, you'll have an educational supervisor, who’s a senior clinician. They'll guide you through your experience and feed into your evidence portfolio.
Postgraduate nursing options
If you're looking to gain your specialist practice qualification but also want to complete a dissertation in an area of personal interest, you may want to explore our masters version of this course.
Professional recognition
BSc (Hons) - Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as an approved programme for the specialist community public health nursing part of the register.
Careers and graduate prospects
We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.
We’ll prepare you to meet the demands of modern healthcare, by equipping you with advanced knowledge and skills.
This course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which means that on successful completion of your studies, you’ll be eligible to register your specialist practice qualification with the NMC.
Our graduates typically take on school nurse roles within the NHS. Visit the NHS careers website for further information on health visiting.
Course leader

Sarah Roberts
Lecturer, Pathway Lead for Health Visiting
Timetables
Course timetables are normally available one month before the start of the semester. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday–Friday). View our Timetabling Policy (PDF).
Teaching
This course is 50 per cent theory and 50 per cent practice. For your theory elements, you’ll be in lectures, practical sessions and studying independently. You’ll spend half of your training in clinical placements, allowing you to practise the skills you’ll learn in the classroom out in the real-world, under the supervision of qualified practitioners, from a range of specialisms.
Assessment
We use a variety of methods to assess you, including case studies, examinations, presentations, simulated learning experiences and written work. When you’re out on placement, your knowledge, skills and professional behaviour will be assessed by your community practice assessor and practice supervisor.
Modules are assessed individually, and credits are awarded for the successful completion of each one. Check individual module information to see full details at a module level.
Contact hours
Contact hours can vary across our modules. Full details of the contact hours for each module are available from the University of Surrey's module catalogue. See the modules section for more information.
Entry requirements
You will normally hold a previously accumulated credit volume of 120 FHEQ Level 5 credits and 120 FHEQ Level 4 credits. However, applicants who do not meet these requirements should contact the post-registration team as it may not exclude you from applying.
You need to be registered on part one or two of the NMC register.
Sponsorship
You will also need to secure sponsorship from a community healthcare provider. Advertisements for sponsorship will be on NHS jobs. There is a joint selection process between the providers and the University.
Fees and funding
NHS sponsored course
How to apply
Applications should initially be made via NHS jobs. Eligible applicants will be given further information on how to submit an application to the University following a successful interview with the Trust.
If you have any questions please email postreg_admin@surrey.ac.uk.
Terms and conditions
When you accept an offer of a place at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to comply with our policies and regulations and our terms and conditions. You are also confirming you have read and understood the University's prospective student privacy notice.
If your sponsoring healthcare provider is funding you for this module, by submitting an application you agree to allow all information regarding your module (for example your exam results) to be shared with the sponsoring provider.
Cancellation policy
If you withdraw less than seven days before the module commences or do not attend on the first day (without informing the module administrator) the full cost of the module will be charged. Withdrawals after the module commences will also be charged.
Module availability
Places are confirmed approximately one month before the module start date. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand and/or class size caps.
Disclaimer
Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. The University of Surrey has used its reasonable efforts to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to module content) may occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the module. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a module with us. Read the full disclaimer.
Course location and contact details
Campus location
Stag HillStag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught.
- Email: postreg_admin@surrey.ac.uk
- Phone: +44 (0)1483 683576
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey GU2 7XH