BSc (Honours) Nursing (Child) with Foundation Year

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Sheffield Hallam University

Program Overview

This four-year course (including the Foundation Year) is perfect if you want to become a confident, caring children’s nurse. You’ll learn how to support the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of children and their families, while the Foundation Year gives extra support to build your confidence and academic skills before starting degree-level study.

Curriculum structure:

Foundation Year (Year 0):
In the Foundation Year, you’ll focus on getting ready for degree-level study and developing the essential skills needed for healthcare. You’ll explore topics like Developing the Fundamentals of a Healthcare Professional and Promotion of Contemporary Issues in Healthcare, covering subjects from basic sciences to healthcare policy. This year is all about building your confidence and understanding the foundations of nursing practice.

Year 1 (Level 4):
Your first year of the degree introduces you to both the theory and practice of nursing. You’ll study modules such as Sciences for Nursing Practice, Personal and Professional Development, and complete your Part 1 Placement. This is where you start applying what you learn in real-life settings, getting a feel for caring for children while developing your understanding of health and wellbeing.

Year 2 (Level 5):
In your second year, your skills and responsibilities grow. Modules like Fundamentals of Nursing Practice, Collaboration for Individual and Community Wellbeing, and Evidence and Enquiry for Practice guide you as you deepen your knowledge of child development, safeguarding, and community care. You’ll also spend more time in placements, learning to work confidently as part of a healthcare team.

Final Year (Level 6):
The final year is all about preparing you to step into the profession. You’ll take modules such as Complexity & Leadership in Professional Practice, Consolidating Sciences for Nursing Practice, and Transition to Registration in Children’s Nursing Practice. Here, you’ll refine your leadership, decision-making, and clinical skills while gaining the confidence to start your career as a registered children’s nurse.

Focus areas:
“Children’s nursing, child & family-centred care, teamwork in healthcare, leadership, evidence-based practice, safeguarding, community and hospital settings.”

Learning outcomes:
“Become a skilled, compassionate, and professional children’s nurse ready to provide safe, effective care, work with multidisciplinary teams, lead improvements, use research in practice, and meet the complex needs of children and families.”

Professional alignment (accreditation):
This programme is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so you’ll be eligible to register as a children’s nurse in the UK after graduation.

Reputation (employability rankings):
Sheffield Hallam’s nursing courses are highly respected, ranking 6th in the UK for graduate outcomes (Complete University Guide 2026).

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

From the very start, you’ll be learning by doing. This programme is designed so you gain real hands-on experience, whether that’s practicing nursing skills in our simulated clinical suites, working alongside experienced professionals on placements, or using cutting-edge digital tools to prepare for real-life scenarios. You’ll develop confidence, teamwork, and professional skills in environments that mirror the realities of children’s healthcare:

Here’s how you’ll get practical experience throughout the course:

Simulated clinical suites where you can practise nursing skills safely before working with real patients.
Oxford Medical Simulation – Virtual Reality software for immersive, realistic clinical scenarios.
Replicated community settings to experience care outside of hospitals.
Integrated workshops, tutorials, and lectures that connect directly with your placements.
Practice-based placements (50% of your time) in hospitals, community settings, and other children’s care environments, following NMC-approved guidelines.
Group projects and inter-professional learning with students from other health and social care courses to reflect real teamwork in healthcare.
Access to Sheffield Hallam’s 24/7 libraries and study spaces to support independent learning and research.
Exposure to a variety of children’s nursing environments across acute, community, and emergency care settings, giving you a full picture of the profession.

By the time you graduate, you won’t just have knowledge—you’ll have real experience, confidence in clinical settings, and the practical skills needed to start your career as a children’s nurse.

Progression & Future Opportunities

When you finish this course, you’ll be ready to start your career as a registered children’s nurse, confident and capable of making a real difference to children and their families. Many graduates move straight into roles such as:

Children’s Nurse
Paediatric Ward Nurse
Community Children’s Health Nurse
Nursing Team Leader in a children’s setting

…and there are plenty of other paths in children’s healthcare too. Here’s how the university supports your career journey and what you can expect:

Careers and placement support: Sheffield Hallam’s dedicated careers service helps you find placements, prepare for interviews, and connect with employers in the NHS and beyond.
Strong employment prospects: Graduates from the child nursing route have excellent outcomes, with most entering work or further study shortly after graduation, and typical starting salaries around £28,000.
Professional accreditation: This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so you’ll be eligible to register as a children’s nurse in the UK.
University–industry partnerships: The programme works closely with NHS trusts, private healthcare providers, commissioning groups, and service users, ensuring your learning reflects real-world practice.
Graduation outcomes: 100% of recent graduates were in work or further study within 15 months, and 86% were in highly skilled roles.

Further Academic Progression:
If you want to keep learning after this degree, there are opportunities to specialise in areas of children’s health through postgraduate courses like an MSc in Child Nursing, healthcare leadership programmes, or even research and teaching roles in nursing.