Nursing

Nursing (Adult) BSc

Nursing (Child) BSc

Nursing (Mental Health) BSc

Nursing is a very skilled and intellectually challenging profession. This means that nurses must have a range of qualities such as the ability to communicate, to solve problems, to work well in a team of people and, above all, to be caring. It is often said that nursing combines the art and science of caring.

Caring will always be at the heart of nursing, but the profession is also about much more – it’s about being the best nurse you can. Nurses are actively taking a more prominent role in the delivery of healthcare as part of a transformed NHS and this will develop further in the future. There has never been a more dynamic or exciting time to become a nurse.

With entry to the nursing profession now at degree level our innovative courses enable you to study for an undergraduate degree over three years and register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a nurse. If you already hold an undergraduate degree you can apply for our Graduate Entry Nursing course where after two year study you will be able to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a nurse and achieve a masters qualification.

The degree has a sharp focus on practical nursing skills at its core and is supported by rigorous theory and cutting-edge research based in a clinical hospital setting. 

Our BSc and Graduate Entry Nursing courses are delivered at Nottingham. We use a variety of teaching methods including formal lectures, demonstrations, small-group work, project work, debates, tutorials, workshops, practical computer-assisted learning, seminar presentations, problem-based learning and simulated-skills teaching.

In order to reflect the close integration of theory and nursing practice, 50% of the planned hours of learning associated with each module are practice-based. Learning in practice occurs in selected wards, departments, schools, health centres, primary healthcare teams and other settings within the local NHS and independent healthcare sector and the social services sector. In these settings, guided observation, critical incident analysis, clinical teaching and student portfolios are used to help you reflect on your experiences and examine the relevance of your theoretical learning to nursing practice.

Assessment

We use a variety of methods to test your knowledge and skills, varying from module to module, including essays, journal papers, presentations, written examinations, clinical exams, portfolios, case studies and dissertations. There is also continuous assessment of your practical skills, ensuring you are meeting the required standard. 

Visit our school website for more details on how you will study including an example first-year timetable. 

Successful completion of our courses leads to professional registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Nursing graduates enjoy careers in a range of diverse settings. Nurses are the largest group of staff in the NHS and a UK Registered Nurse qualification is widely recognised for employment in international nursing posts.

A newly qualified nurse working in the NHS can expect to be employed at Band 5 with a salary ranging from £23,023 up to £29,608*. With career progression and development there is the prospect of applying for senior clinical posts, for example, Band 6 Ward Manager/Band 6 District Nurse (salary range £28,050-£36,644) and Band 7 Specialist Nurse (salary range £33,222-£43,041)*.

* Correct as of 1 April 2018.

A newly qualified nurse working in the NHS can expect to be employed at Band 5 with a salary ranging from £22,128 up to £28,746*. With career progression and development there is the prospect of applying for senior clinical posts, for example, Band 6 Ward Manager/Band 6 District Nurse (salary range £26,565-£35,577) and Band 7 Specialist Nurse (salary range £31,696-£41,787)*.

In 2017, 98.6% of undergraduates from the School of Health Sciences who were available for employment had secured work or further study within six months of graduation. The average starting salary was £22,000**.

* Correct as of 1 April 2017.

** Known destinations of full-time home undergraduates who were available for work, 2016/17. Salaries are calculated based on the median of those in full-time paid employment within the UK.

All BSc* students have the opportunity to spend between two and four weeks undertaking an international clinical elective placement. Previous students have undertaken placements in Australia, Barbados, Cape Verde, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Romania, Seychelles, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda and USA.

In addition to the four week elective placement, students are also given the opportunity to apply for a 9-week Erasmus placement in Europe with one of our partner institutions in France, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Spain or Sweden.

*Not applicable to Graduate Entry Nursing students.

For all courses, selection is made on the basis of meeting entry requirements, academic potential and evidence of commitment to nursing. View advice for applicants and find out more about the selection process. All offers are subject to attending a selection day, satisfactory health screening and criminal records disclosure.

We usually hold nursing open days from May to October; please visit our School website for details. University-wide open days are held in June and September – for details, please see the University Open Days website.