BSc (Hons) Nursing (Children's) with Foundation Year

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Derby

Program Overview

This four-year degree (including a foundation year) is designed to help you become a confident, compassionate children’s nurse. You’ll gain the skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience needed to care for children, young people, and families, and graduate ready to register as a professional nurse. The foundation year is perfect if you’re passionate about nursing but don’t yet meet the direct-entry requirements — it gives you the confidence and academic grounding to succeed.

Curriculum Structure:

Foundation Year (Year 0): This year lays the groundwork for your nursing studies. You’ll explore health and social care basics, develop essential academic and study skills, and gain an introduction to nursing science. It’s all about building a strong foundation so you can thrive in the honours degree.
Year 1: You’ll dive into Introduction to Nursing, Health Sciences for Nursing Practice, and Person-Centred Nursing Care for Health and Wellbeing. Here you’ll start learning the fundamentals of anatomy, communication, professional values, and holistic care for children and young people.
Year 2: Building on your first year, you’ll study Research for Health and Well-being, Pharmacological and Psychosocial Interventions, and Developing Nursing Practice. This is where you apply theory to practice, explore evidence-based care, and gain confidence managing more complex situations.
Year 3: In your final year, modules like Leadership for Nursing Practice, Innovation and Improvement in Nursing Practice, and Transition to Autonomous Practitioner prepare you to graduate as a skilled, independent, and professional children’s nurse, ready to take on real-world challenges.

Focus areas: Child and young-person nursing, clinical practice skills, leadership, and innovation in healthcare
Learning outcomes: Deliver safe, effective children’s nursing care; apply research and evidence to practice; lead improvements in healthcare; and transition confidently into a professional nursing role
Professional alignment (accreditation): Approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so graduates are eligible to register and practice as children’s nurses
Reputation (employability rankings): Around 94% of graduates from this programme are in work or further study, and the University of Derby is ranked 2nd for employability in the Uni Compare Annual Student Review 2026

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Derby, you won’t just learn about children’s nursing in lectures — you’ll experience it first-hand. From your very first year, you’ll practice your skills in realistic hospital settings, use cutting-edge simulation technology, and spend plenty of time in real clinical placements. You’ll build confidence, make decisions in safe environments, and gain the practical know-how to care for children and young people from day one.

Here’s how this hands-on learning comes to life:

Clinical Skills Suite: Practise core nursing procedures on lifelike mannequins and simulation dolls, so you can make mistakes, learn, and improve in a safe space.
Immersive Interactive Simulation Suite: Use virtual reality, 360° projections, and realistic scenarios to rehearse complex paediatric care situations before stepping into real wards.
Mock Hospital Ward: Experience a full-scale NHS-standard ward with treatment rooms and nurses’ stations, giving you the feel of a real hospital environment.
Placement Learning: Spend significant time in real hospitals and community settings, caring for children and young people under the guidance of experienced supervisors.
Digital Tools: Access online learning platforms like the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Clinical Skills Net, and WileyPLUS to support anatomy, physiology, and nursing practice.
Inter-professional Learning: Work alongside students from other nursing and healthcare disciplines to gain teamwork experience and understand how multidisciplinary care works in practice.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduating from Derby’s Children’s Nursing programme opens the door to a meaningful and rewarding career where you can make a real difference in young people’s lives. You’ll leave ready to register as a children’s nurse and step straight into roles such as Children’s Nurse, Community Child Health Nurse, School Health Nurse, Specialist Paediatric Practitioner, Neonatal Nurse, or Paediatric Nurse Team Leader:

Here’s how Derby supports your career and future success:

Careers & Employability support: The university helps you with CV writing, interview practice, employer fairs, and one-to-one guidance — even up to three years after graduation — so you’re fully prepared to enter the workforce.
Strong employment outcomes: Around 94% of graduates are in employment or further study, and Derby is ranked 2nd for employability in the UniCompare Annual Student Review 2026.
NHS and industry partnerships: Clinical placements and strong links with hospitals and community services give you real-world experience, and many students secure job offers before even finishing their degree.
Professional accreditation: This degree is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), meaning your qualification is recognised for professional registration in the UK and beyond.
Diverse career paths: Graduates work in hospitals, community healthcare, private or voluntary sectors, and can progress into advanced roles, leadership positions, or even international nursing opportunities.

Further Academic Progression:
After your BSc, there are plenty of ways to continue your learning and specialisation. You could pursue a Master’s in children’s nursing, child health leadership, or healthcare management, undertake doctoral research (PhD) in paediatric nursing or child health policy, or take post-registration CPD courses to become an advanced practitioner, specialist nurse, or nursing educator.