Specialist Community Nursing - District Nursing Pathway - PgDip, MSc
Would you like to specialise in District Nursing? Our School of Nursing and Midwifery has developed an NMC-approved programme.
This programme is available for Home students who are employed in a community nursing role and are seconded by their employer or funded to undertake the apprenticeship route. It is also available to self employed and self funded students with placements agreed with an approved Health Care Organisation.
Month of entry
- September
Mode of study
- Full time, Part time
Fees for 2026/27 academic year
-
UK - The PgDip is an NHS-commissioned programme with no student tuition fees. The MSc (60 credit) top-up fee is £4,400. This programme is also available via an apprenticeship route.
Duration of study
- 1 year full time, 2 years part time
This course is no longer accepting applications from international students for the 2025/26 academic year.
Why study Specialist Community Nursing - District Nursing Pathway at Keele University?
Course summary
Care and support of people is increasingly being delivered in the community, in peoples homes, and settings close to their homes and therefore the role of the District Nurse is changing and expanding (NMC, 2022).
District Nurses are advanced autonomous practitioners who manage a wide range of complex conditions, which requires not only advanced clinical skills, but also the management of risk skills, case load management and care coordination to ensure that people are cared for in their place of choice, reducing hospital admissions and improving quality of life, whilst also providing education to staff, patients, families and carers (QICN, 2023).
The aim of this programme is to support the development and enhancement of essential knowledge and skills in the registered practitioner to equip them for a career in specialist community nursing. This will be actualised through building upon the theoretical and clinical basis of your specialised area of practice, through the delivery of a coherent programme of study. The award options will have a contemporary focus and initially serve to meet the NMC Standards for proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications (NMC, 2022) for those aspiring to work within the field of District Nursing. The programme provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes.
The purpose of the programme is to enable nurses, who hold a first level nursing registration with the NMC and can demonstrate success at degree level study, to prepare for a role of District Nurse.
It will enable you to gain 120 credits, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Nursing (District Nursing) and a recordable NMC qualification. You can, at a later stage, complete your full Masters' award by undertaking a 60-credit advanced project module or dissertation module.
Professional Accreditation
The programme is an approved NMC programme for Standards for Proficiency for Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualifications (NMC, 2022). On successful completion students will recorded on the NMC registered as Specialist Practitioner: District Nursing and Nurse Independent / Supplementary Prescriber.
Course structure
The programme is an approved NMC programme for the proficiency for community nursing specialist practice qualifications (NMC, 2022).
The programme has been redeveloped and approved to reflect the new NMC (2022) Standards of Proficiency for Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualifications and the new Apprenticeship standard (ST1419 Community nurse specialist practitioner (NMC 2022) commencing from September 2024 and is available as a full-time, part-time and apprenticeship route.
The Postgraduate Diploma Specialist Community Nursing award – recordable with the NMC - comprises five taught modules and can be undertaken full time over one year or part time over two years (or as an apprenticeship route, part time over two years).
In order to prepare a practitioner who is able to contribute positively to delivering the health and social care needs of individuals and communities, the educational and learning process will concern itself with the integration and application of theory to practice. Consequently, the student will develop the ability to reflect on practice and respond proactively to change, whilst maintaining quality within patient/client care. Critical thinking skills, leadership skills and a sound evidence base to their practice are essential for competent practice.
The learning methods selected are used to support students to meet the stated learning outcomes by providing a balance of independent, supported study with choice in relation to topics of relevance and importance to individuals’ teaching contexts, the provision of dialogic development of skills and knowledge through peer and expert support.
Some of the core modules are shared with other advanced programmes; this enhances inter-professional learning with colleagues from a range of disciplines and clinical areas.
The option to 'top up' to MSc is available to those who have already completed the PgDip within the last 5 years. The 60 credit top-up fee is £4,250.
Modules
The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.
Programme modules
Core modules
Health Assessment in Clinical Practice (30 credits)
This practice-focused module aims to equip practitioners with the skills and knowledge to take a comprehensive patient history and a thorough physical and psychosocial assessment. The module is designed to augment and enhance assessment skills along with the ability to apply the findings from a comprehensive health assessment to clinical decision making relevant to the practitioners clinical role.
Research Application in Clinical Practice (15 credits)
Provides you with the opportunity to understand the importance of best evidence in contemporary nursing and healthcare practice, and the ability to locate, evaluate, and use best evidence in developing aspects of the healthcare that you deliver. It also provides you with the ability to critically reflect upon clinical effectiveness while demonstrating creativity, reasoning, and evaluative reflection.
District Nursing Specialist Practice (30 credits)
This module aims to prepare Community Nursing Specialist Practice (District Nursing) students to develop advanced knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to deliver evidence based holistic care, lead and manage teams, complex caseloads, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, and promote patient comfort and safety
Independent and Supplementary Nurse Prescribing (30 credits)
Equips nurses and midwives to prescribe safely, appropriately and cost effectively as independent and supplementary prescribers. This enhances their roles within clinical practice, enabling them to contribute to effective patient outcomes and improved service delivery. This module has been developed in response to the Department of Health's expansion of prescribing rights for nurses and midwives, to enable them to prescribe a wider range of medications for a broader range of conditions
Applied Advanced Health Care Leadership (15 credits)
This faculty-wide module is designed to enable you to develop your understanding and awareness of advanced health care leadership and management to support the complex, demanding needs of current and future health sector environments. You will learn through a range of flexible blended learning modalities, within a supportive community of practice.
Optional modules
Students, on completion of their PGDip in Specialist Community Nursing (District Nursing) can undertake, and successfully complete the NUR-40037 Advanced Work-Based Practice Project (60 credits) or NUR 40019 Dissertation module and gain their MSc Specialist Community Nursing (District Nursing). Students will have to source additional funding to complete the top up to MSc.
Entry requirements
The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.
Typical offer
Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.
Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information
UK
Successful completion of an undergraduate degree
and
current first level Professional Registration on Part 1 of the NMC Register
and
sponsorship from an NHS Trust / Organisation
or
Self employed / self funded with placements agreed with an approved Health Care Organisation
Bangladesh
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Canada
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
China
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Ghana
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
India
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Kenya
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Nepal
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Nigeria
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Pakistan
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
South Africa
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Sri Lanka
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Uganda
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
Zimbabwe
This course is for students with Home fee status only
and
must be sponsored by an NHS Trust or Organisation
- The selection process is undertaken in association with the sponsoring NHS Trust/Organisation.
- Please note this programme is available for Home students only who are employed in a community nursing role and are seconded by their employer to undertake the PgDip HEE funded full time (1 year) or part time (2 year) routes or the part time (2 year) Apprenticeship route.
English language requirements
All of our courses require an English language qualification or test. For most students, this requirement can be met with a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please see our English Language guidance pages for further details, including English language test information for international students. For those students who require an English language test, this course requires a test from Group E.
References
Normally, you will need to provide at least one academic reference to support your application unless you have been out of study longer than two years. If it has been more than two years since you last studied on a degree-level programme, you will normally need to provide an employment reference instead. For more information about Academic References, please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages.
Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose
Please see our Postgraduate how to apply web pages for guidance on what to include in your personal statement.
Recognition of Prior Learning
The Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which enables applicants to receive recognition and formal credit for learning acquired in the past through formal study or work and life experiences.
RPL can also be requested for admission onto the start of a programme in lieu of the admission requirements. For more information, see our Recognition of Prior Learning web pages.
General information
The entry grades outlined in this section indicate the typical offer which would be made to candidates, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary offer conditions depending upon a candidate's application. For international students, find out how we work with approved agents as part of our admissions process.
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Postgraduate funding and scholarships
Funding
Whether you're continuing from undergraduate study or returning to education, our dedicated financial support team is here to help.
Please note, if your course offers a January start date, the January 2026 start date falls in the 2025/26 academic year. Please see the tuition fees archive for the 2025/26 fees.
Planning your funding
It's important to plan carefully for your funding before you start your course. Please be aware that not all postgraduate courses and not all students are eligible for the UK government postgraduate loans and, in some cases, you would be expected to source alternative funding yourself. If you need support researching your funding options, please contact our financial support team.
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
Additional costs
Teaching, learning and assessment
Our educational and learning process concentrates on the integration and application of theory to practice. This will prepare you as a practitioner who is able to contribute positively to delivering the health and social care needs of individuals and communities.
Consequently, you will develop the ability to reflect on practice and respond proactively to change, whilst maintaining quality within patient and client care. Critical thinking skills and a sound evidence base to your practice are essential for competent practice.
In your programme you will sometimes be expected to role play and engage in simulated clinical scenarios with other students, such as the practice and observation of practical skills in physical contact with other students. For some specific practices, this may necessitate modification of dress - e.g., to shorts and t-shirt. These activities will be conducted in a professional, safe, respectful and culturally sensitive way, under the supervision of academic staff, according to a defined protocol.
Assessment
Keele University Education Strategy (2019) has informed the development of assessments within this programme. The purpose of the assessments is to measure students’ achievement of the programme learning outcome. Assessment methods include portfolios, practice assessment documents, presentations and professional discussions, essays, reflective analysis/accounts and examinations, and clinical assessment of competence in practice.
