Nursing Science Registered Nurse (Learning Disabilities) BSc (Hons)
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Placement
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
Placement
Northumbria University has an established reputation for excellence and innovation in nursing education. We are working closely with our NHS partners to deliver a pre-registration Nursing Science course that embodies the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s ‘FutureNurse’ standards, to equip you to lead your profession.
You will study partially at our Coach Lane Campus, and partially on placement, with both strands running alongside each other to give an integrated approach to theory and practice. Study abroad opportunities may be available.
This programme will equip you to be curious, creative and collaborative in your care. It will allow your compassion to thrive within an evidence-based approach, and enable you to make a genuine impact on the health and wellbeing of your clients and patients with learning disabilities.
The BSc Nursing Science (Learning Disability) course will provide you with experience in a caring role and prepare you to become a Registered Nurse who is capable of prioritising people, practising effectively and promoting professionalism. Studying within the requirements of the NMC standards means that you will have the ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills in relation to complex healthcare issues and the health and wellbeing of service users with a learning disability.
The Personal Statement in the application is about you (as the name suggests) and it is an opportunity to tell us why you want to study here and why you want to study the chosen field of nursing. The Nursing Midwifery Council require universities to conduct a face-to-face interview (including online meetings via Blackboard Collaborate) with all nursing candidates and the personal statement is key to you being asked to attend an interview. The personal statement is your chance to sell yourself to the person assessing your application.
Universities want to know what interests you about your chosen field of nursing and that you understand what it takes to be a nurse. You will need to include transferable skills gained at school, work or in your personal life. You will need to think about the skills and qualities that are required to be a nurse. Universities are interested in knowing what bearing your current studies have on your selection to the chosen field of nursing, and what experiences you have gained from your studies. It is recommended you look at the NHS Constitution and the six NHS Values and to include some of the values within the personal statement. We also want to know what bearing your current studies have on your selection to the chosen field of nursing, and what experiences you have gained from your studies. Alongside this, we want to additionally learn you, your extra-curricular activities, what you do in your spare time, any relevant work/volunteer experience, and any other achievements. Through all this, you also have to pinpoint the skills and attributes you have gained from inside and outside of school/college. This is very important. For instance, if you have good powers of analysis and problem-solving ability then record this in the statement. If you are not sure where to start, write down a list of what you have done, and pick out the most relevant parts and link them to the field of nursing chosen.
Do not waffle. It is tempting to list everything you have done and let the selector 'pick out' the relevant bits - that does not happen. Think of it as a job application - keep it concise, keep it clear, and keep it logically organised. For everything you write, make sure it is relevant. For instance, do not say you just 'find something interesting' - that does not tell us much. We want to know why you find it interesting, and why that makes you a good candidate. Always remember that phrases such as 'for as long as I can remember' may sound good but they can sound cliched and at times simply are not true. Keep it honest - keep it meaningful.
You can talk about what you have learnt from team sports, part-time work or volunteer work. If you have health care experience then include this in the personal statement. You may might want to give examples of situations where you have demonstrated commitment, leadership and hard work. When have you adapted to new situations or managed a variety of commitments? Can you relate this to how you will cope with the demands of nursing? Have you had to deal with a difficult situation at work or at school or college? Whatever your experiences, tailor them to the chosen field of nursing.
We have tips on writing a personal statement or there is a wealth of information available online and from careers advisers. Access nursing journals and health care websites too so that information in the personal statement is relevant to the chosen field of nursing.
Other courses you may be interested in: Nursing Science, Registered Nurse (Mental Health) BSc (Hons). For our wider range of nursing courses, make sure to visit our NHS Funded Courses page and see if your eligible for NHS support.
UCAS Code
B741
Level of Study
Undergraduate
Mode of Study
3 years Full Time
Department
Nursing, Midwifery & Health
Location
Coach Lane Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2025 or September 2026
Fees
Fee Information
Northumbria's Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health offers students the opportunity to develop caring careers that can transform the lives of patients, families and communities
GET A TRAINING GRANT UP TO £5,000
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A video describing all the different skills you will learn at the clinical skills centre
Hear what it is really like to study Nursing Science (Learning Disabilities) from our current students.
NMC are the nursing and midwifery regulators for the UK. Watch the videos below to help you understand what is expected of nurses and the key aspects of the role.
The Clinical Skills Centre is devoted to excellence in health related professions, it is a place where our students can develop practical skills and gain valuable experience of real hospital situations in simulated situations.
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112 UCAS Tariff points
From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.
Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator: www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator
Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo
Subject Requirements:
There are no specific subject requirements for this course.
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.
Additional Requirements:
Applicants will be required to attend an interview. Admission is subject to a suitable DBS Enhanced Certificate and a satisfactory health check. Applicants must meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council's suitability for registration requirements.
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0, with a minimum writing score of 6.5 and all other components at a minimum score of 7.0, or Occupational English Test (OET) with at least a grade B (350 to 440) in reading, listening and speaking, and at least a grade C+ (300 to 340) in writing.
For further admissions guidance and requirements, please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/admissionsguidance Please review this information before submitting your application.
UK Fee in Year 1: £9,535
* This is the tuition fee for your first year of study. You should expect to pay tuition fees for every year of study. The University may increase fees in the second and subsequent years of your course at our discretion in line with any inflationary or other uplift, as decided by the UK Government, up to the maximum amount for fees permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year. To give students an indication of the likely scale of any future increase, the UK government has recently suggested that increases may be linked to RPIX ( Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments) * Fees subject to annual increases over the course of the period of study. Students will be liable for payment of any/all tuition fees which are not sponsored by their employer or other third party.
International Fee in Year 1:
ADDITIONAL COSTS
You will be required to purchase a fob watch and suitable footwear for use in placement, which will cost approximately £80. You will need to pay for your own travel costs, which may be approximately £800 per year depending on your placement location. You may be eligible to claim reimbursement of travel costs from the NHS Business Authority. Up to date information relating to this can be found at: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/student-services. If using a car to attend placement, you may also need to pay parking charges of approximately £200 per year. On completion of the programme you will be eligible to register with the Nursing Midwifery Council and the cost is approximately £120.
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To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
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Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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