Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £9,250 per year
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How long will I study?
1 Year
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
September 2025
Course summary
- Enhance and develop your leadership and management skills.
- Foster excellence in practice to meet the challenges involved in complex care provision.
- Develop detailed knowledge and meet the Standards for Specialist Practice.
- Develop personal resilience as an autonomous and independent decision maker.
Aimed at students who can demonstrate their ability to study at the required level, this course helps you to extend and develop a critical understanding of the advances in district nursing practice. You will learn how to maximise relationships with key partners and coordinate care for people in their own homes and other environments.
Please note this course is not currently accepting applications as it is being replaced by a similar programme that will be advertised shortly.
Accredited by
Successfully completing the course allows you to be on the NMC register as a
• specialist practitioner – district nursing
• community practitioner – nurse prescriber
Come to an open day
Find out more at our postgraduate open days. Book now for your place.
How you learn
Your lecturer's view
You have the opportunity to select full time or part-time study. You learn through a combination of University based and practice learning. The course is made up of 50% practice and 50% theory.
University-based and practice learning experiences are effectively combined in order to achieve the learning outcomes for the programme as a whole. This culminates in a consolidated block of learning at the end of the programme.
The teaching team consists of academics and experts in practice. The curriculum design is innovative in the way in which it integrates learning from practice and theory throughout.
You can study individual modules from this course and gain academic credit towards a qualification. Visit our continuing professional development web page for more information.
You learn through
- group work
- lectures and seminars
- workshops
- learning in the workplace
- independent study
- insight visits and alternative practice
Course leaders and tutors
Abigail White
Senior LecturerI am Module Leader for Practice Learning on the Community Specialist Practice, Primary Care Nursing-District Nursing course, and contribute to other CSP modules, suc … Read more
Applied learning
Work placements
You must have sponsorship (employment) with a health care provider for the duration of the course. Students will be assigned a placement and practice teacher/mentor within their sponsoring healthcare organisation. Practice experience occurs as a combination of block and day placements. Alternative practice placements are negotiated with the practice teacher and would normally be spent in a different placement or organisational setting.
Future careers
Further opportunities, usually with experience or further study include
- leading and managing district nurse teams
- leading and managing integrated care teams
- working in other areas, such as general practice, independent sector, voluntary and charitable organisations
- in complex case management
- as a community matron
Where will I study?
You study at Collegiate Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
Collegiate campus
Collegiate Campus can be found just off Ecclesall Road, a bustling student district.
Collegiate Campus map | Campus facilities
Collegiate library
Collegiate Library can be found just off Ecclesall Road. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEntry requirements
All students
To complete the course you typically need
• at least 120 credits at level 6 (or pending results prior to the course starting)
• current registration on part one (nursing) of the Nursing and Midwifery Council-s (NMC) register
• normally at least one year's post-registration experience
• to be working as a community staff nurse working in a community team
• self-declaration of good health and character as required by the NMC
• to have successfully applied for a student district nurse NHS training post
• to have a sponsoring health care organisation and be employed by the NHS for the duration of the course
If you are shortlisted you attend a joint NHS and Sheffield Hallam Interview. You must bring original copies of your qualifications, certificates, NMC registration, course application form and references with you. This interview is your opportunity to demonstrate that you have the personal, NHS values based and intellectual qualities to complete the course and meet the required standards to become a district nurse.
You must show how you strive to improve health and wellbeing and peoples experience of the NHS.
You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more
Course enrolment - professional requirements
Before enrolling, you must fully declare during the admissions process any
• unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. For further information on convictions that must be declared see the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) website.
• disciplinary proceedings during paid or voluntary employment or educational establishments
• involvement with safeguarding proceedings, social services or related organisations
You also need to complete
• a DBS Enhanced Disclosure, and provide us with a copy of your DBS Enhanced Disclosure Certificate if requested. Enrolment also depends on the DBS check being deemed suitable for professional training.
• occupational health screening to determine your suitability to undertake the course and an approved programme of immunisation, as recommended by the Department of Health. Health screening and immunisation are provided by your employer.
If your personal circumstances change in relation to any of the professional requirements - from when you apply to the end of your course - you must tell the Professional Issues Team immediately by calling 0114 225 3995 or 0114 225 5786.
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 in all skills, or a recognised equivalent. If your level of English language is currently below IELTS 7.0 we recommend you consider an appropriate Sheffield Hallam University Pre-sessional English course which will enable you to achieve the required level of English.
Additional information for EU/International students
This course is not open to international students who require a Tier 4 (General) student visa to study in the UK. If you are an international applicant but do not require a Tier 4 (General) student visa, email our Admissions Team to find out whether you’re eligible to apply.
Modules
Important notice: The structure of this course is periodically reviewed and enhanced to provide the best possible learning experience for our students and ensure ongoing compliance with any professional, statutory and regulatory body standards. Module structure, content, delivery and assessment may change, but we expect the focus of the course and the learning outcomes to remain as described above. Following any changes, updated module information will be published on this page.
Final year
Compulsory modules
Advanced Physical Assessment And Consultation Skills For Community Nursing
Advancing Specialist Practice In District Nursing
Leadership In Practice (Distance Learning)
Non-Medical Prescribing
Practice Learning - Pgd District Nursing
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting full-time study in 2025/26 is £9,250 for the course. For part-time study the fee will be calculated pro-rata each year based on the number of credits studied. These fees are regulated by the UK government and are therefore subject to changes in government policy
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
Postgraduate student loans
Up to £12,471 is available in 2024/25 for home students on most masters courses.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Health and Social Care (PDF, 165.7KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
