BSc (Single Honours) Children's Nursing

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Roehampton

Program Overview

If you’re passionate about helping children and young people stay healthy, this course will prepare you to become a qualified children’s nurse. You’ll gain both the knowledge and practical experience needed to care for kids in hospitals, GP practices, community settings, or at home, supporting their physical and emotional wellbeing every step of the way.

Curriculum structure

Year 1: You’ll start with modules like Foundations of Children’s Nursing, Fundamentals of Life Sciences, and Promoting Health and Preventing Ill-Health, giving you a solid grounding in anatomy, physiology, child development, and core nursing principles. Early Practice Learning placements let you experience real healthcare settings, helping you build essential skills in communication, basic care, safeguarding, and care planning.

Year 2: This year focuses on caring for children with more complex needs. Modules such as Nursing Care of the Acutely Ill Person (Child) and Nursing Care in Long-Term Conditions (Child) teach you how to manage acute and chronic illnesses, administer medication, and provide holistic care for young patients. You’ll also explore interdisciplinary collaboration and safeguarding in paediatric contexts.

Year 3: In your final year, modules like Delivering Complex and Integrated Care in Children’s Nursing, Transition to Newly Qualified Nurse, and Innovate and Impact in Life and Health Sciences prepare you for professional practice. Advanced clinical placements and a capstone project help you develop leadership, care coordination, and evidence-based practice skills, so you can confidently start your career as a children’s nurse.

Focus areas: children’s nursing, paediatric care, acute and long-term conditions, hospital and community care, child and family-centred care, integrated physical and mental health support
Learning outcomes: assess and meet children’s health needs from infancy to adolescence, deliver safe and person-centred care, manage acute and chronic conditions, collaborate effectively in multidisciplinary teams, uphold ethical and safeguarding standards
Professional alignment (accreditation): meets Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards for registered children’s nurses in the UK
Reputation (employability / ranking): Top 10 in the UK for Nursing (Guardian University Guide 2024), 2nd in the UK for student satisfaction in children’s nursing (Complete University Guide 2025)

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Roehampton, learning to become a children’s nurse isn’t just about lectures — it’s about doing. From the very first year, you’ll practise your skills in realistic, purpose-built simulation wards and then take them into real hospitals, clinics, community centres, and even home visits. This hands-on approach helps you build confidence, develop practical skills, and understand what it really means to care for children and young people.

Here’s how you’ll gain practical experience:

Clinical Simulation Centre: Train in mock hospital wards, GP rooms, and home-care setups using hi-tech patient simulators and role-play with service users.
Real-world placements: Experience hospitals, community health services, primary care, hospices, and specialist paediatric units, giving you exposure to a wide variety of children’s healthcare settings.
Team-based learning: Work alongside students from other healthcare courses to understand how children’s nursing fits into broader care teams.
Blended teaching: Combine lectures, seminars, group projects, online modules, reflective exercises, and simulation-based assessments to develop both academic knowledge and clinical skills.
Flexible campus options: Study at the main Roehampton campus or Croydon University Centre, both offering excellent simulation facilities.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduating from Roehampton’s Children’s Nursing degree gives you the skills and confidence to start a rewarding career caring for children and young people. You could work in hospitals, community settings, or specialist care, taking on roles such as Children’s Nurse, Paediatric Ward Nurse, Community/School Nurse, or Neonatal Care Nurse.

Here’s how Roehampton helps you make that leap:

Dedicated careers support: The Student Futures team offers guidance on CVs, interviews, placements, and connects you with employers to help you start your career successfully.
Strong employability: Around 85% of graduates are working or studying 15 months after finishing, many in highly skilled nursing roles, with starting salaries around £28,000.
Professional accreditation: Completing the course allows you to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a qualified children’s nurse — the essential qualification to practice in the UK.
Employer partnerships: The course collaborates with hospitals, community health services, schools, hospices, and specialist children’s units, giving you valuable placements and professional connections.
Flexible career paths: You can work in general paediatrics, neonatal units, school or community nursing, hospice care, or even progress into research, education, or leadership roles.

Further Academic Progression:
After your BSc, you could continue your studies with postgraduate courses in advanced paediatric practice, neonatal care, child and adolescent mental health, or nursing leadership. This can lead to senior roles such as Advanced Practitioner, Nurse Specialist, Ward Manager, or Nurse Educator, as well as opportunities in research and public health.