CPD7053
20 credits
Module number: CPD7053 This is the first of three sequenced Specialist Practice modules. It introduces the core knowledge and skills of public health nursing...
PGDip Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nursing)
Explore how health is shaped across populations and communities, developing insight into prevention and wellbeing.
Key facts
- Duration
- Full time: 1 Year
- Part time: 2 Years
- Level
- Continuing professional development (CPD)
- Academic level
- 7
- Academic credits
- 120
- School
- Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Application deadline
- Deadline 1 December (for a January start)
About this course
Our innovative online Specialist Community Public Health Nursing School Nursing programme enables you to develop your practice as a specialist public health nurse.
The primary aim of this programme is to enable the foundation of specialist knowledge, professional identity, required skills, and competence as a specialist public health nurse. The programme will explore fundamental community public health practices in relation to the role of the contemporary school nurse, supporting the development of a resilient and competent practitioner in knowledge, skills, and future leadership.
This programme is mapped to contemporary high-impact areas in public health affecting children and young people; the programme is considerate of 0-19 service delivery models in the joint teaching of school nursing students for many aspects of university education, but with distinct fields of practice teaching and placement experiences
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
- Demonstrate either: achievement of an undergraduate degree or completion of a Diploma in Nursing, and it is desirable to have completed a recent level 6 (or above) module.
- Registered with the NMC as a Nurse or a Midwife and a UK resident.
- A Full UK driving licence is usually required to meet NHS Trust requirements (individual circumstances may be accommodated depending upon roles and responsibilities within supporting/sponsoring Trusts)
- Trust sponsorship/ or secured a sponsoring placement if self-funding via the Values-Based Recruitment Process is in place between the university and the NHS Trust
- A Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor as part of the sponsorship/ support for practice assessment.
This course is not available to international students who require a student sponsor to study in the UK.
Fees and funding
Fees
| Fee types | 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Home part-time | £1,260 per single module |
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page.
Questions about fees?
Learning and assessment
This programme recognises the value of theory and practice, with a mix of both being fundamental to student progression. It aims to build on the existing skills and knowledge you'll have as a qualified nurse or midwife by utilising practice experience in the online classroom and enhancing the links between theory and practice.
Academic assessment will support the integration of theory with professional practice, with many assessments drawing upon experiences and learning unique to the student's profession, speciality and personal identity.
The programmes consist of 7 compulsory modules.
You will learn through a distance learning approach, combining real-time learning with self-paced learning at a time that suits you.
As a full-time student, you will have one day allocated to university-planned education during semester 1, with one day of protected learning time and three days in placement. In Semester 2, 1.5 days are allocated for university education, comprising 1.5 days of protected learning time and two days of placement. In the final semester, there are 0.5 days of university education, 0.5 days of protected learning time, and up to 4 days in practice. Part-time students have a bespoke timetable.
You will have 45 scheduled weeks of learning, which includes a maximum of 138 placement days (this includes annual leave and bank holidays). The spread of practice days is the same for part-time.
Assessment
Your assessments will be diverse and support different learning styles, providing you with a real opportunity to showcase your strengths. A combination of individual or group coursework, examinations, and presentations may be used to assess your learning. The assessment methods chosen will be based on your learning needs, individual aims and the academic standards expected for the course.
Year 1
Compulsory modules
CPD7059
20 credits
Module number: CPD7059 Description: This module offers the opportunity to critically engage with leadership theories essential to healthcare development and...
NURS7061
10 credits
This module primarily aims to prepare advanced health and social care practitioners for practice-based research. This module therefore enables you to explore...
CPD7054
10 credits
Module number: CPD7054 The second module in the Specialist Practice series combines theoretical instruction with online learning and practical experience. It...
LOCAL-G40428
20 credits
Module number: CPD7058 Your programme will include a placement for the full programme, linked to this module. Your placement will begin in the first week of the...
LOCAL-G40425
20 credits
Module number: CPD7055 This module offers the opportunity to critically engage with leadership theories essential to healthcare development and delivery. It...
CPD7056
20 credits
Module number: CPD7056 Description: This module critically explores the concept of childhood in national and international contexts, with a focus on children's...
Careers
On successful completion of the course:
- You will receive a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nursing )
- Your details will be forwarded to the NMC for registration on the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nursing)
The successful completion of the Post Graduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Nursing) enables entry onto the register (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)) as a School Nurse. The specialist practice modules (Foundations School Nursing 1, 2, and Leading and Consolidating School Nursing) are distinct and unique modules that must be undertaken in full to meet the requirements of the NMC.
The modules have been mapped to the NMC SCPHN Standards of Proficiency (NMC, 2022) to fulfil the required standards to be met for entry to the NMC Register. This programme has been mapped to the Institute of Health Visiting recommended national curriculum for Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (School Visiting Nursing, 0-19 child public health nursing services, 2018).
How to apply
- Please do not apply to the CPD portal until you have received an offer of sponsorship from an NHS Trust or a Healthcare organisation.
- The application process involves applying for an advertised position as a trainee/ student School Nurse.
- Oxford Brookes University will jointly interview successfully shortlisted candidates.
- Once you have received an offer from a sponsoring Trust, we encourage you to then apply to the CPD portal.
- We will not process any applications in the CPD portal for candidates without Trust Sponsorship.
DBS and other pre-course checks required
A mandatory requirement for community placements for Oxford Brookes students is to have an enhanced check, including for both adults and children, before the start of the programme. This is the responsibility of Oxford Brookes University, which aligns with the Health and Life Sciences policy on ensuring that all students undergo enhanced DBS checks. The programme administrator manages this alongside the central admissions team as part of the recruitment phase.
Our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, so module availability and course structures may vary from what is listed here. On rare occasions, we may also need to make updates to our course programmes after publication; for full details, please visit our changes to programmes page (opens in a new tab)