Specialist Neonatal Care - PgCert
Advance your specialist knowledge and clinical practice in neonatal care with this Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accredited Postgraduate Certificate. Designed for registered nurses and midwives working in neonatal services, you'll develop the knowledge, clinical judgement and confidence to deliver safe, evidence-based care for newborn infants requiring specialist and intensive care.
Month of entry
- September
Mode of study
- Part time
Fees for 2026/27 academic year
-
£2,975 for 2026 entry
Fees
Duration of study
- Part time - 2 years
This course is no longer accepting applications from international students for the 2026/27 academic year.
Why study Specialist Neonatal Care at Keele University?
About the course
On our Specialist Neonatal Care programme, you'll develop the specialist knowledge, clinical skills and professional confidence needed to care for newborn infants with complex healthcare needs across neonatal services.
The programme combines academic study with simulation based learning and workplace practice, enabling you to apply current evidence and clinical expertise within your own professional setting. You'll explore neonatal physiology, assessment, clinical decision making and the management of babies requiring specialist and intensive neonatal care, while developing your understanding of the legal, ethical and professional issues that influence contemporary practice.
Family Integrated Care is embedded throughout the programme, helping you build the skills to work in partnership with parents and carers while delivering safe, compassionate and evidence based care. You'll also strengthen your ability to critically evaluate research, apply national guidance and contribute to the ongoing improvement of neonatal services.
Keele is the first education provider in England to achieve Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accreditation mapped against the NHS England Neonatal Qualified in Speciality (QIS) Standards. This provides assurance that the programme aligns with nationally recognised benchmarks for neonatal practice.
Course structure
This part time programme is studied over two years, allowing you to develop your specialist neonatal knowledge alongside your professional role.
Your learning follows a structured pathway that builds from the fundamental principles of neonatal care to the assessment and management of critically ill newborn infants. As you progress, you'll apply your learning within your own clinical setting, supported by workplace supervision and opportunities to develop your clinical competence.
Level 7 Module Rules
To be eligible to undertake the Practice Focused Neonatal Intensive Care module, applicants must first have successfully completed the Foundations in Neonatal Care module. Successful completion of this foundation module ensures that students have acquired the underpinning knowledge and skills required to progress to advanced neonatal intensive care practice.
E.g. Foundations in Neonatal Care offered in September followed by Practice-Focused Neonatal Intensive Care in January. Alternatively, students can study Foundations in Neonatal Care offered in March followed by Practice-Focused Neonatal Intensive Care in June.
What you will study
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.
Compulsory modules
NUR-40115: Foundation in Neonatal Care (15 credits)
This module provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of neonatal care, supporting learners to develop the knowledge, skills, and professional values required to care for newborn infants and their families. Students will enhance their understanding of neonatal physiology, evidence-based practice, family-centred care, and the neonatal care environment. Key skills developed include clinical reasoning, critical thinking, communication, reflective practice, and the application of theory to support safe, effective, and compassionate neonatal care.
NUR-40075: Practice-Focused Neonatal Intensive Care (45 credits)
The module is designed for registered nurses and midwives working in neonatal intensive care who wish to advance their specialist knowledge, clinical expertise, and problem-solving abilities. Through blended learning and practice-based competency assessment, students develop advanced skills in the assessment and management of critically ill neonates, application of neonatal technologies, evidence-based decision-making, family-centred care, communication, leadership, and the critical evaluation of legal, ethical, and professional issues within neonatal intensive care practice.
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:
All applicants will hold a current registration with the Nursing Midwifery Council. They must work within a Neonatal Unit environment with access to support and supervision from an appropriate clinical mentor. All applicants must demonstrate previous successful study at level 5.
You will also need: an English language qualification (see below)
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.
Professional qualifications and work experience
The majority of our courses will consider relevant work experience and/or professional qualifications at the appropriate level, as an alternative to an undergraduate degree for entry. The work experience should be for a sustained period and at a suitable level, based within a relevant sector to your chosen course.
Admissions staff will review your work experience and/or professional qualifications during the assessment of your application to ensure suitability in terms of relevancy, level and appropriate learning outcomes.
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 scholarshipsFees, funding and scholarships
Fees
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
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.
Scholarships
We are committed to rewarding excellence and potential. Please visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage for more information.
For continuing students, fees will increase annually by RPIX, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.
Scholarships
We know that understanding what support is available for postgraduate students is an important step in planning your future and we are committed to rewarding excellence and potential.
Visit our scholarships and bursaries webpage to find out more about our scholarships, including:
- Keele Global Scholarship – up to £5000 tuition fee discount for international students (2027/28)
- Keele Graduate Scholarship – up to £3000 tuition fee discount for home students (2027/28)
Terms and conditions apply.
Additional costs
There are no additional costs for this course. However, students may incur general expenses related to university study, such as for printing, textbooks and other materials. Students who undertake a placement may be responsible for additional costs, such as travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs. For further information, please refer to the additional costs information.
Teaching, learning and assessment
You'll learn through a blended approach that combines in-person and online teaching, simulation based education and workplace learning. This flexible approach enables you to balance postgraduate study with professional practice while applying your learning directly within the neonatal care environment.
Teaching methods include seminars, workshops, simulation activities, group learning, guided independent study and online learning through the Keele Learning Environment (KLE). Throughout the programme, you'll receive academic support from experienced tutors and have opportunities to learn from your peers and specialist clinicians.
Assessment reflects the academic and practical nature of the programme. You'll complete a range of assessments designed to develop and demonstrate your knowledge. These include clinical reasoning and professional competence such as written examinations, case studies, presentations and clinical competency assessments completed within practice.
