BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Registered Nurse Children and Young People Nursing)

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Surrey

Program Overview

Surrey’s Children & Young People Nursing BSc is perfect if you want a career caring for babies, children, and adolescents. The programme blends scientific learning with lots of hands-on practice, giving you the skills and confidence to support young patients and their families in hospitals, community care, and other healthcare settings.

Curriculum structure

Year 1

In your first year, you’ll learn the essentials of human biology, anatomy, and physiology — the building blocks of all nursing care. Through Children and Young People Nursing 1 (NUR1056), you’ll practice core clinical skills in simulation labs, focusing on assessment, communication with children and families, teamwork, and person-centred care. You’ll also explore childhood growth, development, and public health basics, preparing you for real-world practice.

Year 2

Year two dives deeper into caring for children and young people with a range of health needs. Children and Young People Nursing 2 (NUR2188) covers long-term conditions, altered physiology, mental and physical health, safeguarding, and family-centred care. You’ll gain more hands-on experience in clinical placements and simulations, learning how to manage complex cases while supporting families holistically.

Year 3

In your final year, Children and Young People Nursing 3 (NUR3327) brings together everything you’ve learned. You’ll refine leadership and critical decision-making skills, manage complex or urgent health scenarios, and practise ethical, safe, and compassionate care. By the end, you’ll be ready to register as a qualified children’s nurse and make a real difference in young patients’ lives.

Focus areas

"Paediatric & adolescent nursing; child development & growth; holistic family-centred care; clinical skills & safeguarding; evidence-based practice; ethical, legal & social aspects of child health; leadership in child-health settings."

Learning outcomes

"You will graduate able to deliver safe, compassionate, evidence-based care for children, young people, and families; assess physical, developmental, and psychosocial health; respond to acute and long-term conditions; apply safeguarding, ethical, and legal standards; communicate effectively with children, families, and healthcare teams; and lead or contribute to child-health services in hospitals and community settings."

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), so upon graduation, you can register as a fully qualified children’s (paediatric) nurse in the UK.

Reputation (employability & rankings)

Surrey’s nursing courses are ranked 11th nationally in the QS World University Subject Rankings 2025 for Nursing.
The programme combines around 50% theory and 50% practical training, ensuring you’re well-prepared for real-world nursing from early on.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Surrey, studying Children and Young People Nursing is all about learning by doing. You won’t just sit in lectures — from day one, you’ll be gaining hands-on experience, practicing real nursing skills, and building the confidence to care for children and young people in a variety of settings. The programme mixes classroom learning with clinical practice, so what you learn in theory is immediately applied in real or simulated healthcare environments.

Here’s how your experiential learning journey looks:

Practice in a realistic Simulation Centre – Surrey’s Clinical Simulation Centre is like a mini hospital, complete with paediatric and neonatal manikins, hospital wards, and even actors playing patients. You can safely practise procedures and communication skills before heading into real-life settings.
Learning alongside other healthcare students – You’ll work with peers from midwifery, paramedic science, and other health disciplines. This helps you understand teamwork in a real hospital and prepares you for the collaborative world of healthcare.
Early and continuous clinical placements – Over the course of your degree, you’ll spend thousands of hours in real NHS settings: children’s wards, neonatal units, emergency departments, community clinics, and hospices. This hands-on experience is where your classroom knowledge truly comes alive.
Leadership and autonomy in your final year – In your third year, placements are designed to let you take on more responsibility, make decisions, and practice leading care teams under supervision, preparing you for your role as a registered nurse.
Support for your career journey – Beyond practical skills, the programme helps you get ready for life after graduation with CV workshops, interview practice, and guidance on applying for professional registration.
Access to top-notch facilities and resources – You’ll benefit from well-equipped laboratories, libraries, and digital tools that support both your learning and research.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduating from Surrey’s Children and Young People Nursing degree means you’ll be ready to step straight into a career making a real difference in the lives of children, young people, and their families. Many graduates go on to become children’s nurses in hospitals or community settings, neonatal or paediatric intensive‑care nurses, school nurses, or community children’s nurses — roles that are both rewarding and in high demand.

Here’s what your future could look like:

High employability: Around 95% of Surrey nursing graduates are working or continuing their studies within 15 months of finishing their degree.
Competitive starting salary: Graduates typically earn around £28,000 early in their careers, with growth to £34,500 within five years.
Work in top hospitals: Alumni often join leading NHS trusts, such as Guy’s and St Thomas’, Hampshire Hospitals, and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare — giving you access to excellent paediatric training environments.
Professional recognition: This degree is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), meaning you can register as a qualified children’s nurse and practise in the UK and internationally.
Ongoing career support: Surrey’s careers team will help you with CVs, interviews, job applications, and transitioning from student to professional life.

Further Academic Progression:

After your BSc, there are plenty of ways to grow and specialise:

Take a Master’s in paediatric nursing, community health, or public health to move into advanced clinical roles.
Pursue specialist nursing qualifications, such as community children’s nursing or school nursing, which can lead to leadership or advanced practice roles.
Explore research or teaching pathways — if you’re interested in shaping the next generation of nurses or contributing to healthcare research, further study could open doors to academia or policy roles.