Nursing Dual Award

Nursing is a profession built on both scientific knowledge and human connection. Registered nurses must be able to assess a patient's condition accurately, make clinical judgements under pressure, administer treatments safely, and communicate with sensitivity and clarity, all while working within complex multi-disciplinary teams and rapidly evolving healthcare systems. A dual field qualification in adult and child nursing prepares you to care for the full lifespan, from neonates to older adults, and makes you exceptionally versatile as a practitioner.

This four-year, full-time programme at the University of Derby is designed as a holistic learning experience, enabling you to develop both the clinical competence and the emotional resilience that transformational nursing requires. The programme allows applicants without a prior degree to achieve a Masters level award alongside registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in two fields of practice. You will study the theory and science underpinning adult and child nursing, from anatomy and physiology to pharmacology, safeguarding, and long-term condition management, while also spending substantial time on placement in clinical settings across both fields.

The dual award structure means your training is broad as well as deep, preparing you to work confidently with patients of all ages and in a range of care environments.

Graduates of this programme are registered nurses in two fields, which significantly broadens their employment options. Many enter the NHS in hospital or community settings, while others work in private healthcare, hospice care, school nursing, or the third sector. The dual qualification is particularly valued in services such as paediatric intensive care, children's community nursing, transitional care services, and family-centred settings where patients span age groups.

The Masters level award also opens paths into clinical leadership, advanced practice, specialist nursing roles, and postgraduate research for those who wish to develop further expertise.