Program Overview

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Neonatal Critical Care (QIS) - BSc / GradCert / Module / MSc / PgCert / PgDip

Overview

This course is for neonatal practitioners who want to develop their knowledge and skills in caring for the neonate and their family. It has been designed to equip you with the knowledge, critical thinking skills, and proactive approach necessary to excel as a neonatal practitioner, ready to meet the complex challenges of modern neonatal care. You will explore both the underpinning physiology and care provision required for practice. All aspects of the role will be considered from the fundamentals to high dependency and intensive care.

What's covered in this course?

We have developed this Neonatal Critical Care post-registration course in collaboration with service providers to enable registered staff working in neonatal units to become equipped with the specific knowledge and skills required to practise safely and effectively in this critical care area (BAPM, 2012). You will develop the confidence to work as a competent practitioner within the speciality, committed to ensuring the best outcome for neonates and their families.

The course will develop your skills of enquiry, reflection and problem solving. You will be encouraged to think critically and share practice experiences as well as engage in both directed and self-directed learning activities. The course is delivered through blended learning, with a mixture of online and in-person sessions, in line with the university’s learning and teaching strategy.

We offer the option to study standalone modules as well as a full degree or Master’s qualification, so that you can build your learning to suit your needs.

On successful completion of part 1 and part 2, you will achieve the Qualified in Specialty (QIS) aspect of this course. You can then progress to further modules to enhance your knowledge and understanding of research, quality improvement and leadership, thus enhancing your practice and professional development.

Why Choose Us?

• The course has been developed in consultation with service providers to ensure it meets the needs of the sector.
• The course is flexible so you can adapt it to your needs – can choose to study standalone modules or a top up degree or Master’s qualification.
• The wide range of clinical experts that provide their breadth of know-how enables you to be really aware of how this knowledge can impact on your clinical practice. This ultimately helps develop your relationships with the families and improves their experience too.
• The detailed physiology taught on the course enables you to understand what is happening and gives you the confidence to deal with situations your encounter confidently and with a high level of competence.

Entry Requirements

• All students must be NMC registered nurses or midwives or HCPC registered professionals.
• They must be employed in a neonatal setting for the duration of the programme.
• The relevance of experience and prior qualifications will be determined by the relevant admissions tutor.
• Students undertaking modules as standalone rather than as part of an award may do so regardless of number of previous credits gained and must be working in a neonatal setting to achieve that module’s learning outcomes.
• Any Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) of external credits and / or optional modules must be discussed with the course team to be deemed as appropriate and in accordance with BCU RPL policy and procedures.

BSc

• Students must have a relevant United Kingdom Diploma in Higher Education or equivalent award, or 240 credits of which at least 120 credits are at level 5.

GradCert

• Students must have a BSc or BSc Hons degree.

PgCert

• Students undertaking the award must have a relevant Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, or a 60 credit Level 6 award in an appropriate subject area.
• Applicants with evidence of successfully completed Level 6 study within the preceding 2 years will also be considered.
• To prevent duplication of study, a student that has previously completed a Level 6 module or award within the last 5 years cannot access the equivalent award at Level 7.

PgDip and MSc

• Students will require a UK BSc or equivalent.
• If the student does not have a BSc Degree or equivalent, then they must have 2 years of healthcare experience and recent level 6 study in the past 5 Years.
• To prevent duplication of study, a student that has previously completed a Level 6 module or award within the last 5 years cannot access the equivalent award at Level 7.

Fees & How to Apply

• Please select your student status to view fees and apply
• UK Student
• International Student

UK students

• Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study.
• The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament.
• View fees for continuing students.

Award: BSc

• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: BSc

• Starting: Dec 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: GradCert

• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: GradCert

• Starting: Dec 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: Module

• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year (Level 6)
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year (Level 7)
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: Module

• Starting: Dec 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year (Level 6)
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year (Level 7)
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: MSc

• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 3 Years
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: MSc

• Starting: Dec 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 3 Years
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: PgCert

• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: PgCert

• Starting: Dec 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 1 Year
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: PgDip

• Starting: Sep 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 2 Years
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

Award: PgDip

• Starting: Dec 2025
• Mode: Part Time
• Duration: 2 Years
• Fees: £860 per 20 credit module
• Apply Online

International students

• Sorry, this course is not available to International students.

Included in your course fees

• Access to computer equipment
• Printing
• Field trips
• Access to Microsoft Office 365
• Key software
• Key subscriptions
• DBS check

Not included in your course fees

• Travel (mandatory)
• Excess printing (optional)
• Personal stationery and study materials (optional)
• Accommodation and living costs (optional)

Application deadlines

• We advise you to apply early to allow sufficient time for you to prepare to start your studies in September.
• Please apply by Friday 18 July to allow time to arrange accommodation, student finance and visas where required.
• Late applications will be accepted where places are still available, but please note that Welcome Week begins on Monday 15 September 2025, and teaching begins on Monday 22 September 2025.
• International students are invited to arrive from Monday 8 September 2025.

Course in Depth

BSc / PGCert / Grad Cert

• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete both of the following CORE modules (totalling 40 credits):
  • Neonatal Critical Care in Practice 20 credits
  • Holistic Approaches to Neonatal Critical Care 20 credits
• In order to complete this course you must successfully complete a further 20 credits from a choice of one of the following OPTIONAL modules:
  • Fundamentals of Neonatal Care – Option 1 20 credits
  • The Individualised Care of Multiple Birth Families from Conception to 1 Year – Option 2 20 credits

PGDip

• In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all of the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):
  • Year 1:
    • Neonatal Critical Care in Practice 20 credits
    • Holistic Approaches to Neonatal Critical Care 20 credits
  • Year 2:
    • Research: Methods of Enquiry 20 credits
    • Innovation, creativity and improvement in healthcare 20 credits
    • Understanding Personality, Potential and Performance for individuals, teams and organisations 20 credits
• In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete a further 20 credits from a choice of one of the following OPTIONAL modules in year 1:
  • Fundamentals of Neonatal Care – Option 1 20 credits
  • The Individualised Care of Multiple Birth Families from Conception to 1 Year – Option 2 20 credits

MSc

• In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all of the following CORE modules (totalling 100 credits):
  • Year 1:
    • Neonatal Critical Care in Practice 20 credits
    • Holistic Approaches to Neonatal Critical Care 20 credits
  • Year 2:
    • Research: Methods of Enquiry 20 credits
    • Innovation, creativity and improvement in healthcare 20 credits
    • Understanding Personality, Potential and Performance for individuals, teams and organisations 20 credits
  • Year 3:
    • MSc Dissertation 60 credits
• In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete a further 20 credits from a choice of one of the following OPTIONAL modules in year 1:
  • Fundamentals of Neonatal Care – Option 1 20 credits
  • The Individualised Care of Multiple Birth Families from Conception to 1 Year – Option 2 20 credits

How you learn

• The underlying principle and aim of the learning, teaching and assessment strategy for this course focuses on the relationship between theory and practice, highlighting the importance of the links between relevant, contemporary evidence-based theory and practice in the delivery of high-quality Neonatal care.
• A varied range of learning and teaching approaches are used throughout the module(s), for example:
  • A blended delivery utilising face to face and/or online resources
  • Lectures
  • Simulation
  • Group work
  • Discussions
  • Quizzes
  • Workshops
  • Case studies
  • Self-directed study
• A variety of assessment methods are used to enable you to demonstrate your knowledge, skills and understanding. The assessment methods are designed to enable you to apply theory to your developing Neonatal practice.

Course Specifications

• BSc course specification
• GradCert course specification
• MSc course specification
• PgCert course specification
• PgDip course specification

Employability

• This course will enable you to enhance your knowledge and understanding of research, quality improvement and leadership, which will enhance your practice and professional development.
• Previous students have gone on to roles such as clinical educator, promotion to band 6, family integrated care lead and infant feeding lead.

Facilities & Staff

Our Facilities

• Our Nursing and Midwifery courses are based at our City South campus in leafy Edgbaston.
• We’ve spent £41million expanding our facilities at City South. These facilities offer hands-on practical experience, replicating the spaces you will come across in professional practice.
• In a sector where new techniques are constantly being discovered, we work hard to ensure that you learn using the most up-to-date equipment available.
• Alongside physical spaces such as a mock operating theatre and wards, we also make use of online and virtual technology, such as our virtual ward and virtual case creator.

Centre for Skills and Simulation

• The Centre for Skills and Simulation offers a range of different spaces which replicate situations that you will encounter in practice. These include hospital wards, an operating theatre and a home environment room.
• Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. The hospital wards can be adapted from low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.
• The home environment room is the perfect space for teaching communications skills and allows us to simulate a community setting for our students. It is particularly useful for mental health nurses, learning disability nurses and midwives.

Simulation Manikins

• We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and simulation babies (SIM babies) which are anatomically correct manikins used for teaching specific techniques such as advanced adult and paediatric life support skills, acute and high dependency clinical skills, first aid and communication skills.
• The manikins contain software which replicates real symptoms, and can manipulate indicators such as blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM man can even ‘talk’ to the students as they are treating him, to add another dimension to learning.

Computer Facilities

• The Seacole building has two open-access IT Suites which offer PCs, printers, photocopiers and scanners.
• There is also an IT Helpdesk for quick and easy help with your computing or internet issues.
• Our PCs utilise the latest Intel i5 core technology, all with:
  • Fast (unrestricted) internet connectivity
  • Ability to save files to USB, DVD & CD
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Research and statistical software
  • Storage space which can be accessed from any PC across the University and from home
• Our PCs are also designed to support students who may have difficulties with reading and writing, featuring specialised software with zooming/magnification and screen reading capabilities, which may also be customised for individual student needs.
• In addition to desktop PCs, we also offer a laptop loan facility, allowing students to borrow a laptop for up to six hours while on campus.

Our staff

• Laura Maguire
  • Course lead for MSc Enhancing Neonatal Care and MSc Neonatal Critical Care
  • Laura has worked at BCU since 2021, has completed her PGCert in Teaching and Learning – Higher Education and is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE.
  • She qualified as a registered Children’s Nurse in 2009 and chose to specialise in neonatal nursing working as a Junior Sister in a busy Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
  • During this time she developed a passion for education and completed her PGCert in Education in 2013. She then went on to complete her MSc in Neonatal Care in 2015.