BSc (Hons) Nursing (Children's)

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Worcester

Program Overview

If you’re passionate about helping children and their families through health challenges, this course is the perfect start. The Nursing (Child) BSc (Hons) gives you a strong foundation in healthcare before moving into specialised child nursing, teaching you how to care for young patients in hospitals, community settings, and family environments.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1 – Child Nursing Foundations

In your first year of the core degree, you’ll begin to focus on child nursing. Modules like Communication and Professional Values for Health and Wellbeing, Human Anatomy and Physiology for Person-Centred Care, and Principles of Children’s Nursing give you the knowledge to support children’s physical and emotional needs. Alongside this, Essential Skills for Practice Learning 1 and Practice Learning in Nursing 1 placements let you start practising your clinical skills in real-world settings.

Year 2 – Building Clinical Confidence

Year 2 deepens your understanding of children’s health conditions and development, as well as family-centred care. You’ll continue placements in hospitals, community teams, and schools, applying your classroom learning to real situations and gaining confidence in assessing, planning, and delivering care. This year strengthens your ability to make decisions and collaborate with other health professionals.

Year 3 – Ready for Professional Practice

In your final year, you’ll refine your clinical and decision-making skills, taking on more responsibility in placements. Working across hospitals, community settings, and schools, you’ll graduate ready to register as a qualified children’s nurse, equipped to care for young patients and their families with confidence and compassion.

Focus areas:

Child-centred nursing, professional values, anatomy and physiology, clinical decision-making, family-centred care, placement-integrated practice.

Learning outcomes:

Deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care to children and young people, build strong therapeutic and family relationships, apply professional standards, and work confidently across different clinical environments.

Professional alignment (accreditation):

Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) — graduates are eligible to register as a Children’s Nurse in the UK.

Reputation (employability & outcomes):

Worcester is recognised for supporting student success and strong graduate outcomes, with most graduates securing NHS or related roles, often before completing the course.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At Worcester, you won’t just be sitting in lectures — you’ll be learning by doing from day one. The Child Nursing degree with a foundation year is designed to get you comfortable with real-world nursing skills early on. You’ll practise hands-on care in state-of-the-art simulation suites, work with realistic manikins, and gain confidence in a safe, supportive environment before stepping into real clinical settings. You’ll also learn how to make quick decisions, communicate effectively, and work as part of a team — skills you’ll use throughout your career.

As you move through the course, you’ll spend plenty of time on professional placements, caring for children and young people under the guidance of experienced nurses. This hands-on experience is what makes you confident and ready for registration as a nurse.

Here’s what your experiential learning journey looks like:

What you’ll get to do and where you’ll learn:

Simulation Suites & Skills Labs: Practise clinical procedures in fully equipped labs that replicate hospital and community settings.
High-Fidelity Manikins & Feedback: Work with advanced manikins and use video feedback to reflect and improve your skills.
Team Projects & Interdisciplinary Learning: Collaborate with peers across health courses to solve real-life clinical problems and strengthen teamwork.
Clinical Placements Across the Midlands: Gain experience in hospitals, schools, hospices, clinics, and community settings with NHS partners.
Hands-On Practice in Different Settings: Learn from varied patient cases, building confidence in your nursing skills.
UK or International Placement Options: Choose to broaden your experience through elective placements, in the UK or abroad.
Library & Digital Tools: Access The Hive, one of Europe’s largest libraries, for research, study, and support.
Personal Academic Tutors: Have a dedicated tutor guiding you throughout your degree to help with learning and career development.

With this combination of labs, placements, teamwork, and expert support, you’ll graduate ready to make a real difference in children’s lives.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from the University of Worcester’s BSc (Hons) Nursing (Children’s) programme are well prepared to step straight into rewarding healthcare careers. Many go on to work in the NHS or community health settings, making a real difference in children’s lives. Typical roles include Children’s Nurse, Health Visitor, Newborn Hearing Screener, and Child Protection Officer.

• Support from the university:
– You’ll get help with CVs, mock interviews, and networking events so you feel ready for your first job.
– Personal Academic Tutors guide you through your career planning and placements.

• Graduate success & salaries:
– Most graduates are already using their skills in their jobs within months of finishing.
– Starting salaries are around £25,500–£28,000, with great opportunities to grow.

• Placements & industry links:
– The course has strong ties with NHS Trusts and healthcare providers across Worcestershire, Birmingham, Shropshire, and beyond, giving you real-world experience.

• Professional accreditation:
– This programme is accredited by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), so you can register as a professional nurse right after graduation — a huge advantage for your career.

• Where graduates go:
– Many find roles in hospitals, clinics, community settings, or private practices, gaining hands-on experience and specialist skills.

Further Academic Progression:
Once you’ve completed your Children’s Nursing degree, you can choose to continue studying with a Master’s in Advanced Clinical Practice, Child Health, Paediatric Care, or Nursing Leadership. These qualifications can open doors to advanced practitioner roles, management positions, research, or teaching in healthcare.