BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child)

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of South Wales

Program Overview

The BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child) at the University of South Wales is designed to prepare you to become a confident, professional children’s nurse, ready to make a real difference in young lives. This hands-on degree combines classroom learning with practical placements from the start, so you’ll build the skills, knowledge, and confidence you need to thrive in your career.

Curriculum structure

Year One:
In your first year, you’ll focus on the essentials of nursing and start understanding what it means to care for children and young people. Modules like The Essentials of Nursing Practice, Assessing Needs and Creating Therapeutic Opportunities, and Promoting Health & Wellbeing give you the foundation in both theory and hands-on practice. You’ll also spend time in supervised placements, learning to apply what you’ve studied in real-world settings.

Year Two:
Year Two builds on your foundation, helping you handle more complex situations. You’ll study Enhancing Assessment & Evidence-Based Interventions, Professional, Legal & Ethical Issues in Nursing, and Informed Decision Making in the Practice Environment. More time in clinical placements helps you develop confidence in making decisions and caring for children across different health settings.

Year Three:
In your final year, you’ll bring everything together and prepare to graduate as a qualified nurse. Modules like Leading and Managing Quality Care across Settings, The Nurse as an Educator, and Becoming a Proficient Practitioner focus on leadership, quality improvement, and professional readiness. By the end of the year, you’ll be ready to step into the workforce with confidence and independence.

Focus areas:

Child nursing practice, health assessment, evidence-based care, professional and ethical decision-making, clinical leadership, and quality improvement.

Learning outcomes:

Deliver safe, compassionate child-centred care, make informed clinical decisions, lead and manage nursing interventions, communicate effectively with families, and integrate theory with practice across different settings.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

Fully accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so once you graduate, you’re eligible to join the professional register and start practising as a children’s nurse in the UK or internationally.

Reputation (employability rankings):

The University of South Wales is ranked top 20 in the UK for General Nursing by the Guardian League Table 2023, reflecting strong teaching quality, excellent placements, and high graduate employability.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At the University of South Wales, learning goes far beyond lectures — you’ll gain real, hands-on experience that prepares you for the real world from day one. This programme blends classroom study with immersive, practical placements and simulation, so you develop the skills, confidence, and professional judgement you need to succeed as a children’s nurse:

Real clinical placements: You’ll spend time in NHS hospitals, community health services, and partner organisations, working alongside qualified nurses who mentor you as you put theory into practice. This is where you start experiencing real shift patterns and patient care.
Clinical Simulation Centre: USW has a state-of-the-art simulation facility that includes hospital bays, a paediatric unit, a special care baby unit, emergency department with ambulance simulator, and a home-care flat. Here you can safely practise essential nursing skills before heading into real placements.
Interactive patient simulators: High-tech manikins respond like real patients, giving you the chance to practise assessments, communication, and decision-making in a safe environment.
Team-based learning: Workshops and group activities let you collaborate with peers to solve clinical scenarios, building the teamwork skills every nurse needs.
Structured learning progression: Your study alternates between university theory blocks and practice placements, so you steadily grow your academic knowledge and clinical expertise at the same time.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduating from the BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child) at the University of South Wales means you’re ready to make a real difference in the lives of children and families, straight away. Many graduates step into roles such as Children’s Nurse, Paediatric Community Nurse, School Health Nurse, or Clinical Nurse Specialist, gaining hands-on experience and responsibility from day one:

Support to help you get employed: USW’s Careers and Employability team provides one-to-one guidance, CV and interview coaching, job alerts, and connections with employers. During placements, experienced mentors guide you and help you build professional networks.
Strong employment outcomes: Around 94% of graduates are working or continuing their studies within 15 months, showing how valued USW nursing graduates are in the workforce.
Salary insights: Starting salaries in the NHS for children’s nurses are around £27,000–£28,000, with potential growth to £33,000+ as you gain experience.
Hands-on industry partnerships: You’ll complete placements with NHS health boards and community providers, giving you real-world experience and professional contacts even before you graduate.
Accreditation and professional recognition: This degree is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), meaning you can register as a qualified children’s nurse in the UK and your credentials are recognised internationally.
Graduate outcomes: USW nursing graduates are confident, capable, and well-prepared, often moving into senior nursing roles, specialist areas, education, leadership, and international opportunities.

Further Academic Progression:

Once you graduate, there are many ways to continue growing professionally:

Postgraduate studies: Master’s programmes in children’s nursing, paediatric advanced practice, public health, or healthcare leadership.
Specialist nursing qualifications: For example, Community Children’s Nursing or School Nursing to develop advanced clinical skills.
Research-focused pathways: MSc or PhD programmes if you’re interested in evidence-based practice, shaping future policy, or moving into academic research.

This degree not only prepares you for a rewarding first role as a qualified nurse but also gives you the skills, confidence, and opportunities to grow into leadership, specialist practice, or academic roles throughout your career.