MSc Public Health Practice (SCPHN) (Health Visiting)

Why choose this course

• Study a hands-on, clinical curriculum to develop the knowledge and clinical skills needed to work with children, young people, and families as a specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN) health visitor, and lead on innovation and change within public health
• Spend half of your training in clinical placements to practice your skills in healthcare settings, under the supervision of qualified practitioners
• Learn from a multidisciplinary team of lecturers, who are all healthcare professionals with experience of working in the NHS
• Register your qualification with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

What you will study

You’ll develop the values that employers and the public need from modern healthcare professionals, such as compassion, advocacy, good communication, teamwork skills, and respect and understanding of patients.

You’ll critically examine and develop an awareness of the key concepts of public health and health promotion. You’ll analyze data to identify health needs and develop health promotion interventions to address contemporary public health issues. We’ll teach you the fundamentals about safeguarding children, young people, and adults, empowering you to play a proactive role in their protection.

You’ll study topics, including community nurse practitioner prescribing (V100), early intervention work with families, leadership, mental health, public health, and safeguarding of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. You’ll have the opportunity to complete a research dissertation in an area of personal interest, which we’ll match with the expertise of our academic staff, ensuring you get the best support.

Professional Recognition

MSc - Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Recognized by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as an approved program for the specialist community public health nursing part of the register.

These one-hour webinars will provide you with more information about the next steps in your journey to studying at Surrey.

Full-time

This course can take a minimum of 1 year to 2 years to complete, depending on what qualification you wish to attain.

After 1 year, you’ll have gained a PGDip Public Health Practice (SCPHN) (Health Visiting) qualification and you’ll be eligible to register this with the NMC.

If you wish to progress to a full MSc qualification, you must complete an additional 1 year of part-time study, during which you’ll write a dissertation. You must submit this within four years of starting the course.

Part-time

This course can take a minimum of 2 years – 3 years, depending on what qualification you wish to attain.

After 2 years, you’ll have gained a PGDip Public Health Practice (SCPHN) (Health Visiting) qualification and you’ll be eligible to register this with the NMC.

If you wish to progress to a full MSc qualification, you must complete an additional 1 year of part-time study, during which you’ll write a dissertation. You must submit this within five years of starting the course.

The modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand, and/or class size caps.

The University operates a credit framework for all taught programs based on a 15-credit tariff. Modules can be either 15, 30, 45, 75 or 120 credits, and additionally for some masters dissertations, 90 credits.

The structure of our programs follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each program. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:

Full-Time

• Promoting sexual and reproductive health
• Public health and health promotion intervention
• Research design and methodology
• Advanced communication skills
• Application of Leadership and Management
• Higher level communication
• Promoting sexual and reproductive health
• Dissertation
• Early intervention work with children, parents and carers
• Mental health across the lifespan
• Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults
• Specialist practice in SCPHN
• Specialist practice in SCPHN including v100

Part-Time

Year 1

• Promoting sexual and reproductive health
• Public health and health promotion intervention 1
• Research design and methodology
• Advanced communication skills
• Application of leadership and management
• Higher level communication
• Promoting sexual and reproductive health
• Dissertation
• Early intervention work with children, parents and carers
• Mental health across the lifespan
• Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults
• Specialist practice in SCPHN
• Specialist practice in SCPHN including v100

Year 2

• Promoting sexual and reproductive health
• Public health and health promotion intervention 1
• Research design and methodology
• Advanced communication skills
• Application of leadership and management
• Higher level communication
• Promoting sexual and reproductive health
• Dissertation
• Early intervention work with children, parents and carers
• Mental health across the lifespan
• Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults
• Specialist practice in SCPHN
• Specialist practice in SCPHN including v100

Timetable

Course timetables are normally available one month before the start of the semester. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday – Friday). Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities. Part-time classes are normally scheduled on one or two days per week, details of which can be obtained from the Academic Hive.

We offer career information, advice, and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University. Our graduates have lifetime access to Surrey Pathfinder, our online portal for appointment and event bookings, jobs, placements, and interactive development tools.

This course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which means you’ll be eligible to register your qualification with the NMC on successful completion of your studies.

100 percent of our postgraduate health sciences graduates go on to employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes survey 2023, HESA). Our alumni typically take on specialist community public health visiting nursing roles within the NHS.

Clinical placements

You’ll spend half of your training in clinical placements, allowing you to develop your knowledge, skills and practice within healthcare settings, under the supervision of qualified practitioners. You’ll complete 10 weeks of consolidated practice with your sponsoring organization (please see the entry requirements section for further information about sponsorship).