24 monthsProgramme duration
31 Jul, 2026Application Deadline
SepStarting Month
Programme overview
Main Subject
Nursing
Degree
MSc
Study Level
Master's
Study Mode
On Campus
Course summary
What does it take to care for a child when they’re at their most vulnerable? How do you support their family too, while making confident clinical decisions in situations that can change quickly?
If you want to become a registered Children’s Nurse and make a difference to children, young people and their families, this two-year master’s is for you. It’s designed for graduates and career changers, as well as qualified nurses who want to gain a second field of registration.
At Southampton, science, compassion and practical action come together. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to care for babies, children and young people across different stages of health and illness, from routine care to complex and acute needs. As your experience grows, you’ll learn to assess changing health needs, coordinate care, make informed decisions and advocate for your patients and their families.
You’ll learn with students from across Health Sciences and from all three fields of nursing – adult, child and mental health – while also developing specialist expertise in children’s nursing. This shared learning reflects the way healthcare professionals work together in practice.
Get stuck into professional practice throughout your degree. The programme combines theoretical study with 2,300 hours of practice learning, including simulated learning and placements in hospital and community settings.
You’ll join a nursing community ranked 3rd in the UK for Nursing and 13th in the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026), supported by experienced educators, researchers and registered nurses as you build the competence and confidence for your future career.
Key features of this course
Learn by caring for children and young people - Placements give you experience across different healthcare environments, helping you connect what you learn at university with the realities of children’s nursing.
Experience different areas of practice - Placement settings can include neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, general and specialist paediatric wards, emergency departments, outpatient services, special care baby units and community services such as health visiting, school nursing and community children’s nursing.
Build specialist expertise as your responsibilities grow - In your first year, you’ll develop your understanding of person-centred care and physical and mental health needs. In your second, you’ll strengthen your skills in managing complex care, recognising acute deterioration and preparing for the leadership responsibilities of a registered nurse.
Learn across nursing fields - Study alongside adult, child and mental health nursing students on shared modules, while completing field-specific learning focused on the particular needs of children, young people and families.
Develop skills beyond clinical practice- Alongside specialist nursing knowledge, you’ll strengthen your leadership, communication, teamwork, research, critical thinking, adaptability and problem-solving skills.
Find support throughout your journey- An experienced registered nurse will support you as your Personal Academic Tutor, while practice assessors and mentors help guide your learning during placements.
Your future career
Children’s Nurses support patients and families through moments that can be challenging, uncertain and life-changing.
You’ll graduate able to provide compassionate care, make complex clinical decisions, evaluate practice, coordinate care and advocate for the needs of children, young people and their families.
After successfully completing the degree, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Children’s Nurse. Career opportunities include paediatric and neonatal nursing, children’s intensive care, emergency care, community nursing and school nursing, with further opportunities to progress into specialist practice, leadership, education and research.
Further information
This is a two-year, full-time master’s based at Highfield Campus. You must pass both the theoretical and practice elements of the programme.
We accept applicants from all degree programmes. Previous students have come from subjects including Psychology, Biology, English, Fine Art, Ship Science, Business Studies, Accountancy, Law and Archaeology.
As this is an accelerated pre-registration nursing programme, applicants must also meet Recognition of Prior Learning requirements relating to previous theoretical learning and supervised healthcare practice.
What does it take to care for a child when they’re at their most vulnerable? How do you support their family too, while making confident clinical decisions in situations that can change quickly?
If you want to become a registered Children’s Nurse and make a difference to children, young people and their families, this two-year master’s is for you. It’s designed for graduates and career changers, as well as qualified nurses who want to gain a second field of registration.
At Southampton, science, compassion and practical action come together. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to care for babies, children and young people across different stages of health and illness, from routine care to complex and acute needs. As your experience grows, you’ll learn to assess changing health needs, coordinate care, make informed decisions and advocate for your patients and their families.
You’ll learn with students from across Health Sciences and from all three fields of nursing – adult, child and mental health – while also developing specialist expertise in children’s nursing. This shared learning reflects the way healthcare professionals work together in practice.
Get stuck into professional practice throughout your degree. The programme combines theoretical study with 2,300 hours of practice learning, including simulated learning and placements in hospital and community settings.
You’ll join a nursing community ranked 3rd in the UK for Nursing and 13th in the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026), supported by experienced educators, researchers and registered nurses as you build the competence and confidence for your future career.
Key features of this course
Learn by caring for children and young people - Placements give you experience across different healthcare environments, helping you connect what you learn at university with the realities of children’s nursing.
Experience different areas of practice - Placement settings can include neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, general and specialist paediatric wards, emergency departments, outpatient services, special care baby units and community services such as health visiting, school nursing and community children’s nursing.
Build specialist expertise as your responsibilities grow - In your first year, you’ll develop your understanding of person-centred care and physical and mental health needs. In your second, you’ll strengthen your skills in managing complex care, recognising acute deterioration and preparing for the leadership responsibilities of a registered nurse.
Learn across nursing fields - Study alongside adult, child and mental health nursing students on shared modules, while completing field-specific learning focused on the particular needs of children, young people and families.
Develop skills beyond clinical practice- Alongside specialist nursing knowledge, you’ll strengthen your leadership, communication, teamwork, research, critical thinking, adaptability and problem-solving skills.
Find support throughout your journey- An experienced registered nurse will support you as your Personal Academic Tutor, while practice assessors and mentors help guide your learning during placements.
Your future career
Children’s Nurses support patients and families through moments that can be challenging, uncertain and life-changing.
You’ll graduate able to provide compassionate care, make complex clinical decisions, evaluate practice, coordinate care and advocate for the needs of children, young people and their families.
After successfully completing the degree, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Children’s Nurse. Career opportunities include paediatric and neonatal nursing, children’s intensive care, emergency care, community nursing and school nursing, with further opportunities to progress into specialist practice, leadership, education and research.
Further information
This is a two-year, full-time master’s based at Highfield Campus. You must pass both the theoretical and practice elements of the programme.
We accept applicants from all degree programmes. Previous students have come from subjects including Psychology, Biology, English, Fine Art, Ship Science, Business Studies, Accountancy, Law and Archaeology.
As this is an accelerated pre-registration nursing programme, applicants must also meet Recognition of Prior Learning requirements relating to previous theoretical learning and supervised healthcare practice.
Programme overview
Main Subject
Nursing
Degree
MSc
Study Level
Master's
Study Mode
On Campus
Course summary
What does it take to care for a child when they’re at their most vulnerable? How do you support their family too, while making confident clinical decisions in situations that can change quickly?
If you want to become a registered Children’s Nurse and make a difference to children, young people and their families, this two-year master’s is for you. It’s designed for graduates and career changers, as well as qualified nurses who want to gain a second field of registration.
At Southampton, science, compassion and practical action come together. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to care for babies, children and young people across different stages of health and illness, from routine care to complex and acute needs. As your experience grows, you’ll learn to assess changing health needs, coordinate care, make informed decisions and advocate for your patients and their families.
You’ll learn with students from across Health Sciences and from all three fields of nursing – adult, child and mental health – while also developing specialist expertise in children’s nursing. This shared learning reflects the way healthcare professionals work together in practice.
Get stuck into professional practice throughout your degree. The programme combines theoretical study with 2,300 hours of practice learning, including simulated learning and placements in hospital and community settings.
You’ll join a nursing community ranked 3rd in the UK for Nursing and 13th in the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026), supported by experienced educators, researchers and registered nurses as you build the competence and confidence for your future career.
Key features of this course
Learn by caring for children and young people - Placements give you experience across different healthcare environments, helping you connect what you learn at university with the realities of children’s nursing.
Experience different areas of practice - Placement settings can include neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, general and specialist paediatric wards, emergency departments, outpatient services, special care baby units and community services such as health visiting, school nursing and community children’s nursing.
Build specialist expertise as your responsibilities grow - In your first year, you’ll develop your understanding of person-centred care and physical and mental health needs. In your second, you’ll strengthen your skills in managing complex care, recognising acute deterioration and preparing for the leadership responsibilities of a registered nurse.
Learn across nursing fields - Study alongside adult, child and mental health nursing students on shared modules, while completing field-specific learning focused on the particular needs of children, young people and families.
Develop skills beyond clinical practice- Alongside specialist nursing knowledge, you’ll strengthen your leadership, communication, teamwork, research, critical thinking, adaptability and problem-solving skills.
Find support throughout your journey- An experienced registered nurse will support you as your Personal Academic Tutor, while practice assessors and mentors help guide your learning during placements.
Your future career
Children’s Nurses support patients and families through moments that can be challenging, uncertain and life-changing.
You’ll graduate able to provide compassionate care, make complex clinical decisions, evaluate practice, coordinate care and advocate for the needs of children, young people and their families.
After successfully completing the degree, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Children’s Nurse. Career opportunities include paediatric and neonatal nursing, children’s intensive care, emergency care, community nursing and school nursing, with further opportunities to progress into specialist practice, leadership, education and research.
Further information
This is a two-year, full-time master’s based at Highfield Campus. You must pass both the theoretical and practice elements of the programme.
We accept applicants from all degree programmes. Previous students have come from subjects including Psychology, Biology, English, Fine Art, Ship Science, Business Studies, Accountancy, Law and Archaeology.
As this is an accelerated pre-registration nursing programme, applicants must also meet Recognition of Prior Learning requirements relating to previous theoretical learning and supervised healthcare practice.
What does it take to care for a child when they’re at their most vulnerable? How do you support their family too, while making confident clinical decisions in situations that can change quickly?
If you want to become a registered Children’s Nurse and make a difference to children, young people and their families, this two-year master’s is for you. It’s designed for graduates and career changers, as well as qualified nurses who want to gain a second field of registration.
At Southampton, science, compassion and practical action come together. You’ll develop the knowledge and skills to care for babies, children and young people across different stages of health and illness, from routine care to complex and acute needs. As your experience grows, you’ll learn to assess changing health needs, coordinate care, make informed decisions and advocate for your patients and their families.
You’ll learn with students from across Health Sciences and from all three fields of nursing – adult, child and mental health – while also developing specialist expertise in children’s nursing. This shared learning reflects the way healthcare professionals work together in practice.
Get stuck into professional practice throughout your degree. The programme combines theoretical study with 2,300 hours of practice learning, including simulated learning and placements in hospital and community settings.
You’ll join a nursing community ranked 3rd in the UK for Nursing and 13th in the world (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026), supported by experienced educators, researchers and registered nurses as you build the competence and confidence for your future career.
Key features of this course
Learn by caring for children and young people - Placements give you experience across different healthcare environments, helping you connect what you learn at university with the realities of children’s nursing.
Experience different areas of practice - Placement settings can include neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, general and specialist paediatric wards, emergency departments, outpatient services, special care baby units and community services such as health visiting, school nursing and community children’s nursing.
Build specialist expertise as your responsibilities grow - In your first year, you’ll develop your understanding of person-centred care and physical and mental health needs. In your second, you’ll strengthen your skills in managing complex care, recognising acute deterioration and preparing for the leadership responsibilities of a registered nurse.
Learn across nursing fields - Study alongside adult, child and mental health nursing students on shared modules, while completing field-specific learning focused on the particular needs of children, young people and families.
Develop skills beyond clinical practice- Alongside specialist nursing knowledge, you’ll strengthen your leadership, communication, teamwork, research, critical thinking, adaptability and problem-solving skills.
Find support throughout your journey- An experienced registered nurse will support you as your Personal Academic Tutor, while practice assessors and mentors help guide your learning during placements.
Your future career
Children’s Nurses support patients and families through moments that can be challenging, uncertain and life-changing.
You’ll graduate able to provide compassionate care, make complex clinical decisions, evaluate practice, coordinate care and advocate for the needs of children, young people and their families.
After successfully completing the degree, you’ll be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Children’s Nurse. Career opportunities include paediatric and neonatal nursing, children’s intensive care, emergency care, community nursing and school nursing, with further opportunities to progress into specialist practice, leadership, education and research.
Further information
This is a two-year, full-time master’s based at Highfield Campus. You must pass both the theoretical and practice elements of the programme.
We accept applicants from all degree programmes. Previous students have come from subjects including Psychology, Biology, English, Fine Art, Ship Science, Business Studies, Accountancy, Law and Archaeology.
As this is an accelerated pre-registration nursing programme, applicants must also meet Recognition of Prior Learning requirements relating to previous theoretical learning and supervised healthcare practice.
Admission Requirements
92+
120+
6.5+
67+
UK 2.2 Bachelor Hons degree or above or an equivalent standard in other qualifications approved by the University, GCSE English language and maths 4-9 or A*-C. You will be required to successfully complete a Recognition of Prior Learning as a condition of entry to the programme.. Subject to satisfactory health and DBS checks. 650 hours of relevant theoretical learning from your first degree or employment 620 hours of practice worked in a healthcare environment under the supervision of a registered healthcare professional
31 Jul 2026
2 Years
Sep
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