Nursing: Child (PGDip)

You’ll need a 2.2 degree as well as GCSE English language, mathematics and science, grades 4 to 9 or A* to C.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Our pre-registration postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees in nursing are accelerated courses, so they're shorter than usual.

To make sure we meet the requirements of the NMC, we must assess your previous learning and healthcare experience. This happens as part of our Recognition of Prior Learning scheme which recognises elements of your previous academic and practice learning. 

To be considered for the postgraduate diploma you must submit evidence of:

• 990 hours of relevant theoretical learning from your first degree or employment
• 110 hours of practice worked in a healthcare environment under the supervision of a registered healthcare professional

You can still apply for the PGDip without any practice experience. We offer an option to complete these hours during the first 8 months of the course.

To be considered for the master’s degree you must submit:

• 325 hours of relevant theoretical learning from your first degree or employment
• 675 hours of practice worked in a healthcare environment under the supervision of a registered healthcare professional

Your RPL submission must be made directly to the University. Our admissions team will guide you through this process and explain how to prepare your portfolio of evidence.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need an overall score of 7.0 and the following scores for reading, writing, listening and speaking:

We accept other English language tests. Find out which English language tests we accept.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000

You must pass every module and there are no optional modules to choose from. Your modules include a mix of theoretical and practice learning.

In your first year you'll gain skills in providing person centred care to meet the basic physical and mental health needs of people of all ages.

In the second year you will develop specialist skills in managing and co-ordinating the care of children and young people and preparing for your leadership role as a registered nurse within the workforce.

This course is full-time so you must be available for study and practice placements.

Want more detail? See all the modules in the course.

We don't have module information for this course yet. Please check again later.

Learning

You'll complete practice learning to gain the experience and skills needed to work as a registered nurse. Some of this will be in a simulated environment, but most will be in placements throughout your course.

You'll be an active member of a child nursing ‘Professional Practice Development Group’. This will support and refine what you learn and assess what you do and do not know.

Conference days are a forum for our professors to share the latest research with you. They provide opportunities for you to learn, build networks and experience a conference environment.

The University will set up your placements in a variety of hospital and community settings in local NHS Trusts and other healthcare providers.

Assessment

Assessments on this PGDip in child nursing take the form of essays, exams, projects and professional conversations. Your assessment is designed to demonstrate your knowledge, understanding, competency and professional values.

Your practical skills will be refined and assessed while you’re on placement and your practice supervisor will record these. You’ll need to pass both practice and theory components of the course. This means you cannot make up a lower score in one component with a higher score in another.

Timely and constructive feedback will develop your confidence and give you the support to work on learning needs, and get extra educational support. We’ll assess each module to help you demonstrate that you’ve met the required learning outcomes.

Academic Support

We’ll organise your practice placements and support your learning in practice working with your practice assessor.

Throughout your course, during your academic studies and in the many periods of practice placement, you'll be supported by:

• a PGDip personal academic tutor from within your action learning group
• the module team
• the programme lead

You'll also be able to access the University's student support services including specialist librarians and our Student Services teams.

You’ll be actively supported to identify where you may wish to work for your first post as a registered nurse.

We have a dedicated School Lead for Employability. As well as timetabled careers activities, we’ll invite you to attend the School's annual Health Sciences Careers Fair. You’ll meet potential employers and gain invaluable early careers advice about your options.

As a child nursing graduate from the University of Southampton, you’ll have the ideal platform to move into more senior positions. For example consultant nurse, leading a team or working in advanced clinical practice.

Careers services at Southampton

We're a top 20 UK university for employability (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020). Our Careers and Employability Service will support you throughout your time as a student and for up to 5 years after graduation. This support includes:

• work experience schemes
• CV/resume and interview skills workshops
• networking events
• careers fairs attended by top employers
• a wealth of volunteering opportunities
• study abroad and summer school opportunities

We have a thriving entrepreneurship culture. You'll be able to take advantage of:

• our dedicated start-up incubator, Futureworlds
• a wide variety of enterprise events run throughout the year
• our partnership in the world’s number 1 business incubator, SETsquared

Tuition fees

Fees for a year's study:

• UK/EU students pay £9,250*
• This course is not available to International students

Postgraduate Master’s Loans (UK nationals only)

This can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate master's course. Find out if you're eligible.

If you're considering applying for the PGDip to begin your studies in January 2022, you must be a resident of the UK or the Republic Of Ireland.

What your fees pay for

Your tuition fee covers the full cost of tuition and any exams.

Find out how to pay your tuition fees.

Accommodation and living costs, such as travel and food, are not included in your tuition fees. Explore:

• accommodation costs

• living costs

• budgeting advice

Extra costs you might have to pay

There will be extra costs for the following:

• suitable shoes for your practice placements
• your own fob watch
• your enhanced DBS certificate 
• your professional registration fee (on graduation)

You may be able to claim some travel and accommodation expenses when you're working on placement.

If you're a UK resident, visit the NHS 'Financial Support at University' page to learn more about financial support for your living costs. For example, you can apply for a training grant through the NHS Learning Support Fund. This is a minimum of £5000 per year. 

If you're a resident of Ireland you may be able to apply for financial support through the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme (SUSI).

10% alumni discount

If you’re a graduate of the University of Southampton you get a 10% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees.

Funding your postgraduate studies

A variety of additional scholarships, grants and bursaries may be available to help you fund your master’s study, both from the University and from other organisations.

Funding for international students

Find out about funding you could get as an international student.

UCAS
All applications for PGDip nursing are submitted through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). When you apply, you'll be taken to the UCAS website where you'll need to register an account to submit an application. 

As part of the application, you’ll need to use the codes below:
- UCAS Course Code: 3310
- UCAS Institution Code: S27

Application deadlines

Application assessment fee

We’ll ask you to pay a £50 application assessment fee if you’re applying for any postgraduate taught course that starts in or after September 2021.

This is an extra one-off charge which is separate to your tuition fees. It covers the work and time it takes us to assess your application. You’ll be prompted to pay when you submit your application which won’t progress until you've paid.

If you're a current or former University of Southampton student, or if you're applying for a Master of Research (MRes) degree, you will not need to pay the fee. Find out if you’re exempt on our terms and conditions page.

Supporting information

When you apply you’ll need to submit a personal statement explaining why you want to take the course. 

You’ll need to include information about: 

• your knowledge of the subject area
• how your personal values align with those of the nursing profession
• why you want to study a postgraduate qualification in this course
• how you intend to use your qualification

Your referee should relate to one of the following:

• academic studies in higher education completed in the last 3 years
• your current or most recent, main employer

Additional references may be requested later.  

Your application must include your education achievements from age 16 to date including any you're currently completing. You must include your IELTS score (if you are a non-native English speaker). Without these, your application may be delayed.

What happens after you apply

You’ll be able to track your application through UCAS. 

The University has 40 working days to respond but you’ll usually hear back much more quickly than that.

If your application is short-listed we'll invite you to attend an interview. Interviews will take place online if they aren't possible in person. The email invitation includes details on how to prepare and what to expect.

You’ll be interviewed by an Admissions Tutor or experienced nursing academic and there will be an opportunity to ask questions about the course.

After the interview, we'll decide whether or not to offer you a conditional place. The decision is usually uploaded to UCAS within 15 working days of the interview date. Our Admissions Tutor will contact you by email if we'd like to talk to you before offering you a place.

All offers are conditional on enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and health checks, as well as Declaration of Good Character.

We'll get back to you within 6 weeks with a decision about your application.

Equality and diversity

We treat and select everyone in line with our Equality and Diversity Statement.

Got a question?

Please contact us if you're not sure you have the right experience or qualifications to get onto this course.

Email: enquiries@southampton.ac.uk
Tel: +44(0)23 8059 5000