Nursing Studies (Registered Nurse Children's Nursing) BSc (Hons) – 2019 entry
Why choose this course
Surrey is one of the UK’s top universities for nursing, ranked 3rd in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2018 and in the top 10 of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2018.
Our child nursing course combines theory and practice, and is taught by a dedicated team of inspiring and passionate staff, all committed to taking the profession forward through research and innovation.
You will be challenged and supported throughout the course to become a highly competent children’s nurse. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to apply for professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
What you will study
This course is firmly based on the philosophy of individualised care that meets the needs of the child or young person. You'll learn how to support and educate families to enable them to be involved in their child's care.
You will be supported to care for infants, children, young people and their families, from the neonate to the adolescent, in a variety of settings.
An important aspect of the course will be the opportunity for you to take part in simulated practice learning. As well as developing a range of clinical nursing skills, you will take part in simulations to explore many of the key principles within children’s nursing, such as communication, child development, ethical care principles and children’s rights, and to develop decision-making skills.
Registered practitioners: If you are a registered practitioner looking for an undergraduate programme to further your learning, please visit our continuing professional development page.
Course facts
Qualification | Course length | Professional Training | UCAS | KIS code |
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BSc (Hons) | 36 months | B745 | View KIS data set |
Professional recognition
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
Recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of registration as a qualified nurse (child).
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.
Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the country and nurses play a role in the delivery of most healthcare services.
Although many qualified nurses work in hospitals, they can also work in general practice surgeries, community settings, home healthcare, outpatient day surgeries, nursing homes, schools, mental health agencies, hospices, the military and industry.
Our nursing graduates have excellent employment prospects. Many of our graduates are first employed by the NHS Trust where they had their practice experience, before going on to further studies and employment opportunities.
Some nurses develop careers in education or research, promoting advances in many areas of healthcare and health promotion practice.
For more information about careers, visit the NHS careers website.
Study and work abroad
We give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities or by completing a Professional Training placement abroad. In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV. Visit our global exchanges pages to check where you can go.
Placements
All nursing programmes consist of 50 per cent theory and 50 per cent practice time. The practice component is gained within clinical placement areas.
You’ll be allocated to a specific locality in Surrey, West Sussex or north Hampshire where you will take your acute practice experience. You’ll spend time in the safe environment of our Simulation Suite before going on placement, and will only go out to nurse patients and clients when you have satisfactorily completed instruction in essential clinical skills.
Placement experiences may be within NHS, private or charity organisations, and will include children’s units within acute hospitals, as well as working with children and families within their own homes and care settings within the community.
As you progress through the programme and your skills and confidence develop, you’ll be encouraged to perform increasingly complex activities in practice, until you are considered by your mentors and teachers to be competent for registration at the end of your third year.
Further information about localities and accommodation
We’ll provide you with further information about localities and accommodation opportunities within each of the localities at the start of the course and during your local induction to the practice environments.
University accommodation is usually available for the first year of your programme.
Clinical-practice placements commence in your first year, so you may need to travel to practice placements some distance away from Guildford while still living in University accommodation.
From the start of the second year, you’ll need to find your own accommodation. Lots of our students find that it is advantageous at this point to move to their allocated locality. This lets you travel to and from placements easily at low cost, and makes it easier to get to placements for the start times of shifts (which can be as early as 7am) and back home when they finish (which can be after 9pm), and attend night duty (which is a requirement of the programme).
The accommodation provision varies between the localities. Students who don’t live locally often organise privately-rented flat-sharing or house-sharing if they want to live within the locality in which their placement happens.
The theory component of the programme is taught on the University campus in Guildford for all students regardless of the locality they are assigned to for the duration of the three-year programme.
Process for allocating students to localities
You’ll be emailed a locality-allocation form around six weeks before you start the course. Once you have completed and returned the locality-allocation form, we’ll consider your allocation to a locality.
It’s important you return the form by the deadline on the form. There are limited placements within each locality, so we distribute students across the localities to make sure everyone gets a high-quality practice experience.
We prioritise students when allocating localities, and consider the following:
- Sponsored students are placed within the locality where the sponsoring Trust has placements.
- Students with dependants are placed in the locality nearest to their home address, as far as capacity allows.
- Students living in their own homes (or the parental home) at the start of the programme are placed in a locality as near to their home address as possible, as far as capacity allows.
- Students who opt to live in University accommodation are allocated to the nearest possible locality to their address, dependant on capacity and availability.
Placements within a locality may still be some distance from your address, and travelling to placements within a commutable range of the allocated locality will be required in order to meet the practice component of the nursing programme.
There are limited opportunities to change your allocated locality, but this depends upon capacity at the preferred locality.
Student placement localities
We have a broad range of excellent placements across Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire.
You’ll be allocated to a distinct area within this large region and become a member of a community of healthcare practitioners. We refer to these distinct areas as ‘localities’.
There are five localities serving children’s nursing courses at the University of Surrey. Each includes acute hospital placements, community-based placements and independent-sector placements. These placements are what give our students practical experience.
Each locality has a strong community of healthcare practitioners who work together to provide a high standard of care to children, young people and their families and carers. You’ll soon become familiar with the areas of your placements, and you’ll be well supported by mentors in your practice.
Many of our students choose to find their first post within their locality after registration.
Academic year structure
The academic year is divided into two semesters of 15 weeks each. Each semester consists of a period of teaching, revision/directed learning and assessment.
The University operates a credit framework for all taught programmes based on a 15-credit tariff. All taught modules are 15 credits. Project modules and dissertation modules can be either 15, 30, 45 or 60 credits.
Programme dates and holidays
The programmes run over 43 weeks each year, with nine weeks’ holiday over the winter, spring and summer vacations. The length of the programme year and the holiday entitlement are requirements of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as the professional regulator for nurse education.
The structure of our programmes follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes.
Modules
Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
Year 1
Year 2
Timetables
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). Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities. Part-time classes are normally scheduled on one or two days per week, details of which can be obtained from the course administrators. View our Timetabling Policy (PDF).
Teaching
There may be occasions when the delivery of your teaching is supported by postgraduate research students. The University has a set of procedures that govern the use of postgraduate research students in this way.
Staff
This course is taught by academic staff from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.
Programme leader
DOPSON AJ Mrs (Health Sci.)
Personal tutor
All taught students are assigned a personal tutor before beginning a programme of study. Personal tutors offer support and advice to students in the areas of:
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Academic progress
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Pastoral/welfare issues
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Personal/professional development and employability.
Assessment
Modules are assessed individually and credits are awarded for the successful completion of each one. Assessment takes place through a combination of examination and/or coursework, practical examinations and reports. 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.
Policies and regulations
Please refer to our academic regulations and student policies and regulations. These may be amended from time to time.
Learning and disability support
We have two services, the Student Personal Learning and Study Hub (SPLASH) and Additional Learning Support (ALS) which can help develop your learning.
Student Personal Learning and Study Hub
SPLASH is a learning space in the Library where our learning development team is based. It comprises dedicated Student Learning Advisers and Information Skills Librarians who can help you develop your academic and research skills, including writing, presenting, revision and critical thinking.
Find out more about the study support available.
Additional Learning Support
ALS is the University’s disability and neurodiversity service which supports students with disabilities, long-term health conditions, specific learning differences (for example: dyslexia and dyspraxia) and other neurodiverse conditions (for example: autism spectrum and attention deficit disorder).
If you have a disability, we encourage you to disclose your condition and register with the service so you can be appropriately supported during your studies.
The ALS team can arrange exam and learning support adjustments, give advice on applications for the Disabled Students' Allowance and screen students for dyslexia and dyspraxia. Regular study skills and mentoring support is also available.
See the Additional Learning Support website for more information.
What qualifications do you need?
English language requirements
IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall with 7.0 in each element.
View the other English language qualifications that we accept.
If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here. The University of Surrey is also an IELTS test centre.
Selection process
Shortlisting
Admissions staff will review the information provided within the personal statement and reference to assess applications for evidence of academic ability, insight and motivation.
Relevant experience in a care setting and/or evidence of other involvement in the community (for example, school, voluntary or charity responsibilities) is normally required.
Personal statements should be comprehensive, with correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview and selection day.
Interview and selection day
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) will be conducted by University academics, assisted by staff from clinical practice areas. Numeracy and literacy exercises may also be included as part of the selection process.
Applicants selected to attend one of our interview days will be sent detailed guidance on these selection activities with their invitation.
All offers will be made subject to a health screening and DBS checks. Occupational health services are provided by The Robens Centre on behalf of the University of Surrey.
References
Read our guide to references to support your health sciences application.
Recognition of prior learning
The University of Surrey recognises that many students enter their higher education course with valuable knowledge and skills developed through a range of professional, vocational and community contexts. If this applies to you, a process called recognition of prior learning (RPL) may allow you to enter your course at a point appropriate to your previous learning and experience, or to join the start of a course without the formal entry requirements. This means that you may be exempt from certain elements of study in the course for which you have applied and be awarded credit based on your previous qualifications/experience. There are restrictions on RPL for some courses and fees may be payable for certain claims.
Please see the Code of practice for recognition of prior learning and prior credit: taught programmes (PDF) for further information. Please email Admissions with any queries.
Fees
Qualification | Course length | Professional Training | UK/EU fees | Overseas fees | Professional Training fees |
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BSc (Hons) | 36 months | To be confirmed | To be confirmed | Not applicable |
View a complete listing of all ongoing fees for our undergraduate courses.
The University will assess your fee status. If you are unsure whether you are likely to be considered a home, EU or overseas student for fees purposes, the UKCISA website offers more information.
Additional costs
There are associated costs with this programme.
Commuting (local travel expenses): Students are required to pay upfront cost of travel and accommodation expenses incurred when on placements, these may vary depending on the location. Students starting their studies in 2017/18 will be able to apply for reimbursement of travel and dual accommodation expenses as a result of attending practice placements (this model may not apply for the duration of students studies).
Essential expenses incurred over and above a student’s normal daily travel costs to the University are covered. NHS bursary rules on expenses must be followed and the rates applicable are to be confirmed by the NHS Business Services Authority (www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk). Students also have the option to undertake an additional elective placement, however, all costs for this must be met by the student.
Safety equipment and/or uniform: Although a uniform (tunics and trousers) is provided, you are required to supply your own suitable footwear and any additional uniform. Students are also responsible for the costs associated with maintaining/washing their uniform.
These additional costs are accurate as of September 2017 and apply to the 2018 year of entry. Costs for 2019 entry will be published in September 2018.
How to apply
Learn how to apply for an undergraduate course, see details about the UCAS application process and determine the steps you need to take if you receive an offer to study.
Admissions information
Our undergraduate admissions policy provides the basis for admissions practice across the University and gives a framework for how we encourage, consider applications and admit students.
Scholarships and bursaries
We're committed to making sure that we offer support for students who might need it.
Our students

Annie Wallace
"The Health Sciences staff are very friendly and work hard to help you achieve your best."
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Rachel Parsons
"My course has made me question the actions I make, both inside and outside of University. I feel that I have matured and am becoming a professional member of society."
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Our graduates

Abbey Anderson
"The teaching and support from staff, as well as mentors on placements, was excellent and I feel prepared me well for my career in nursing."
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Jocelyn Hall
"The support and teaching I received at Surrey gave me the self-cofidence to obtain my degree and take on a completely new career."
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