Course overview
Working in healthcare
Hear from a range of health professionals, including Teesside University graduates, working at James Cook Hospital. Discover the variety of health professions and learn about their roles, why they chose a healthcare career and why its so rewarding.
Gain specialisations in learning disabilities nursing. Explore the changing and challenging nature of providing healthcare in the 21st-century and the evolving, diverse role of the learning disability nurse. Leadership is embedded throughout the course, recognising the crucial role nurses play in moving practice forward. Benefit from shared learning across all four fields of practice (adult, child, mental health and learning disabilities nursing).
Become part of a course that educates and develops you while playing a crucial role in retaining and reforming the future nursing workforce.
The start of the course prepares you for placement experiences and assessments, so you can link theory with practice. In your first year, you focus on core elements across nursing before moving into field-specific elements in theory and practice. You gain practical experience early, ensuring you are well-prepared for your future career.
This course meets the NMC (2023) requirements of 4,600 hours of learning (a minimum of 2,300 hours of theory and 2,300 hours of practice). It also aligns with the latest NHS Workforce Plan, ensuring you're at the cutting edge of healthcare education and practice. Theoretical knowledge is balanced with practical experience, meeting the latest standards and requirements in the healthcare industry.
Top reasons to study this course:
- Experienced teaching team: benefit from the practical and academic expertise of our teaching team, who have a collective wealth of experience as learning disability nurses. Receive fully supported learning both in University and in clinical practice.
- Placement opportunities: our excellent partnerships with local NHS trusts and independent sector partners offer you a wide variety of placement types including hospital, community, GP and potentially prison. With strong connections at local, national, and global levels, you benefit from a rich, diverse learning environment.
- Industry-standard facilities: our state-of-the-art simulation facilities support your practical skills.
- Service user/carer involvement: gain the opportunity to work with and learn from service users in University and in clinical practice.
- Financial support: study this course and you may be eligible for a £5,000 maintenance grant each year from the NHS Business Service Authority. Find out more. You can also apply for our Placement Support Fund if you are experiencing financial difficulties attending your placement. Find out more.
Where you study
You study at our Middlesbrough campus and attend a variety of clinical placements.
Supporting information for applicants
Course details
Course structure
Year 1 core modules
Fundamentals of Nursing Practice
You develop fundamental knowledge and skills that pre-registration nurses must demonstrate when caring for people of all ages and care settings. Content is linked to the NMC platforms and proficiency statements, combining theory and practice elements. You take part in theory, practical skills and placement experience, incorporating the four fields of nursing across three semesters, in mixed field theory groups. You attend a skills rehearsal week, then practice placements start with two days in role socialisation (into the healthcare environment), followed by four weeks in practice in your hub placement.
This is a 40-credit module.
Nursing Decision-making and Evidence-based Practice
Build your knowledge and skills in the role, nature and use of evidence to support decision-making, health and social care practice and service improvement. You develop your ability to critically appraise and explore how evidence is used to underpin national guidelines, decision-making, and high-quality nursing practice. Decision-making theory is explored and applied to contemporary nursing practice, and how using evidence is vital to ensure high-quality and safe person-centred care.
This is a 40-credit module.
Professionalism, Relationships and Communication
With content linked to the NMC Code (2018), you develop professionalism, relationship building and communication skills that pre-registration nurses must demonstrate when caring for people across all care settings. Professionalism is promoted through understanding the role of the nurse, professional behaviours and attitudes, working within interprofessional teams and ensuring effective communication delivery. You are expected to reflect and develop strategies in emotional intelligence, resilience and stresses, and understand fundamental leadership skills.
This is a 20-credit module.
Understanding Health and Illness
You develop your understanding of health and illness across the lifespan, exploring factors contributing to human development from conception to death. You develop an awareness of the multi-factorial considerations associated with optimum health and wellbeing by exploring anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology along with contemporary psychology and sociology theory across the lifespan.
This is a 20-credit module.
Year 2 core modules
Fundamentals of Learning Disabilities Nursing Practice 2
You combine theory and practice elements, building on the earlier module. Promote your ability to assess and meet fundamental, complex physical and mental health needs of service users and their families in a diverse variety of locations, including both community and acute care settings. You must complete a planned skills week before going into practice.
This is a 40-credit module.
Learning Disabilities Nursing Decision-making and Evidence-based Practice 2
You explore person-centred evidence-based decision-making within learning disabilities nursing practice. You develop the knowledge required to actively manage the health care needs of people accessing learning disabilities nursing services within primary, secondary and tertiary care settings. You explore the knowledge and skills required to promote evidence-based decision-making and nursing care within a multidisciplinary and multi-agency integrated team.
This is a 40-credit module.
Learning Disabilities Nursing Intervention 1
You focus on nursing actions, procedures or treatments that promote positive expected outcomes for patients and their families. You build on your knowledge and understanding of altered pathophysiology, physical, cognitive, emotional, and developmental needs across the lifespan. You aim to improve, maintain health or prevent ill-health, prioritising family and person-centred care. Service user/carer involvement, the lived experience and case scenarios from across all fields, enhances your knowledge by exploring the patient journey using problem-based learning.
This is a 20-credit module.
You explore the quality improvement agenda and use a systematic approach to improve the safety, effectiveness and people’s experience of care. You further develop your knowledge and understanding of the nursing role and evidence in the context of service improvement. You gain the opportunity to consolidate, enhance and apply your skills and attributes to develop and carry out service improvement recommendations in the workplace.
This is a 20-credit module.
Final-year core modules
You develop and build on your ability to take on analytical enquiry relating to a professional point of view. You complete a robust and evidence-based literature review on an area of professional nursing practice of your choice. You are allocated an academic supervisor who supports you with your choice of topic and the development of your work.
This is a 40-credit module.
Fundamentals of Learning Disabilities Nursing Practice 3
You build on your nursing skills from year one and two to support you in the co-ordination, delivery, and evaluation of nursing care for individuals and groups across the lifespan. You lead and manage the nursing assessment. You plan, implement, and evaluate care for a caseload of patients based on evidence-based practice, demonstrating your ability to make complex, dynamic decisions in diverse practice settings.
This is a 40-credit module.
Learning Disabilities Nursing Decision-making and Evidence-based Practice 3
You are equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to make evidence-based decisions to support the delivery of high-quality patient-centred holistic care. You collaborate with people who access learning disabilities nursing services, their families, and carers across a range of primary, secondary and tertiary care environments. You develop your ability to complete a comprehensive and holistic assessment and create a person-centred, evidence-based plan of care.
This is a 40-credit module.
Learning Disabilities Nursing Intervention 2
You apply the nursing process to promote the health and wellbeing of service users within learning disability services. You build on your emotional intelligence, therapeutic engagement skills and holistic assessment to recognise the deterioration of mental or physical health and promote their quality of life. This involves promoting the advocacy of the service user, the ability to refer to the wider multi-disciplinary team and being proactive in health promotion/wellbeing activities. You prepare to engage in good clinical supervision while working with service users to prioritise person-centred care with more complex mental and physical health needs with a diagnosis of a learning disability.
This is a 20-credit module.
Modules offered may vary.
How you learn
Learning Structure
You spend 50% of your time learning theory in the classroom or independently and 50% of your time on placement. Theory sessions are held Monday to Friday and may include some evening classes. Placements may require early starts, night duties, and weekend shifts, and may not be near your home or within your local trust. You are expected to travel to different areas. Due to the structured sequencing of University and placement-based learning, taking holidays outside the set dates is not possible. This ensures you get the most out of your theoretical and practical learning experiences.
Blended Learning Approach
All modules adopt a blended approach to learning and teaching. Theory is delivered through teacher and student-led activities, including lectures, discussions, group activities, seminar presentations, tutorials, skills workshops, experiential learning or simulations, service user-focused activities, and e-learning. Learning through digital platforms is an essential component, providing a flexible and interactive way to engage with course materials.
Diverse Placement Experiences
You engage in practice placements in a range of healthcare environments, including hospital and community settings. This includes nursing closer to home, preventative, acute, and long-term healthcare provisions, allowing you to explore the learning disabilities service users' journey comprehensively. You also gain experience with client groups from other nursing fields, giving you a broad understanding of the health and nursing needs across all areas of practice, which intersect with learning disabilities nursing services.
Comprehensive Service User Journey
The combination of theory and practice allows you to explore the service user’s journey and develop a deep knowledge and experience of nursing and healthcare needs. Each year, a module involves active participation from service users, ensuring you gain first-hand insight into their experiences and needs, enriching your learning and professional development.
How you are assessed
You are assessed through written assignments, reflections, case studies, exams, poster presentations, and projects. Theory modules are closely integrated with practical experiences, with content directly linked to practice proficiencies. This provides a realistic and relevant evaluation of your understanding and skills. To ensure assessments reflect real-world practice, some scenarios and case studies are developed in collaboration with practitioners and service users. This helps you develop a comprehensive and practical skill set, preparing you for a successful career in nursing.
Each year, you are assessed in practice through an electronic Practice Assessment Document (ePAD). The ePAD outlines essential practice proficiencies you must meet, aligned with the NMC standards. They are categorised into key platforms:
• being an accountable professional
• promoting health and preventing ill health
• assessing needs and planning care
• providing and evaluating care
• leading and managing nursing care and working in teams
• improving safety and quality of care
• coordinating care.
Our Disability Services team provide an inclusive and empowering learning environment and have specialist staff to support disabled students access any additional tailored resources needed. If you have a specific learning difficulty, mental health condition, autism, sensory impairment, chronic health condition or any other disability please contact a Disability Services as early as possible.
Find out more about our disability services
Find out more about financial support
Find out more about our course related costs
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
You are expected to have:
- a minimum of two GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above including English language and maths. Key Skills/Functional Skills Level 2 in Communication and Application of Number can be accepted in place of English and Maths GCSE.
Plus any of the following qualifications:
GCE and VCE Advanced Level
112 points from two or three A levels, or equivalent T levels.
AS Level
These are only acceptable combined with other qualifications. One AS level can be accepted when combined with two or three A Levels to meet the 112 points required.
Access course
112 UCAS points from a QAA-recognised Access course (any combination)
*We can accept level 2 Access units in communication and maths in place of English and maths GCSEs.
BTEC QCF Extended Diploma
112 points (DMM).
CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care
120 points (B) in health and social care.
Foundation degree
A pass in any subject.
Irish Leaving Certificate
112 points from four or five Highers/Honours subjects.
Open University
60 credits at Level 4 with the Open University or a CertHE pass in any subject.
Scottish Highers
112 points from four or five Highers.
Advanced Scottish Highers
112 points from three Advanced Highers.
For further detailed entry requirements for this course please visit www.ucas.com.
Shortlisting criteria
Your application will be measured against the following criteria:
- your ability to complete all sections of the application form fully and correctly
- the level of all qualifications and grades are specified
- appropriate academic entry requirements achieved or working towards qualifications
- personal statement supportive of chosen course and demonstrates the uniqueness of the profession and the role of the professional
- satisfactory appropriate supportive references (academic/employer/character).
If you are invited to interview and the date is not suitable we may not be able to offer you an alternative date due to the high volume of applications received for this course - but it is important that you contact the Admissions Office immediately.
Interview criteria
A mini multiple interview process will be used as part of the selection process. This will involve you moving through a series of three interview stations (approximately ten minutes per station). At each station you will explore a different scenario and will be measured against the six C's and the following criteria which has been mapped against the NHS Constitution:
- knowledge of chosen profession/career
- an appreciation of the demands of the course and chosen profession
- enthusiasm for the course/profession
- ability to communicate effectively both verbally and non verbally.
- a future plan for the specialism.
If you are successful in both shortlisting and interview you will receive a conditional offer which is subject to the following:
- evidence of achievement of the required academic qualifications
- a successful work-based risk assessment which will reflect the appropriate HEOPS recommendations. Find out more about all of the HEOPS standards
- an enhanced criminal history (DBS) check may be required for certain modules or placements which involve working with children and/or adults at risk. The DBS check is funded by the School of Health & Life Sciences so you do not need to pay for this process.
- satisfactory references.
Please note until 1 to 4 have been successfully completed the offer of a place on the course remains conditional. Advanced standing for a maximum of 50% of the course is available for suitable candidates, subject to them meeting the Recognition of Prior Learning criteria. This is only considered once a place has been offered and accepted.
International applicants
- International applicants must have a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 or equivalent in line with the University English Language Policy that equates to overall IELTS 7 with a minimum of 6.5 in writing (or equivalent), before an unconditional offer is made.
- If you are successful at shortlisting, you will be invited to attend an interview (which may be in person OR video call) in one of our international offices in either India, Malaysia or China, or through a secure web link (which will be arranged by the University).
- If you cannot attend an interview as stated, you will be unable to proceed with your application.
For international enquiries please email internationalenquiries@tees.ac.uk
For general information please see our overview of entry requirements
International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country
You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL
Employability
Career opportunities
On graduation you are eligible for registration with the regulator of NMC as a learning disabilities nurse. This can lead to a range of exciting and rewarding career opportunities within the NHS and private sectors, in the UK and overseas.
This course is designed to prepare you for the challenges and demands of contemporary and future nursing, health, and social care practice. It provides a stepping-stone so you can further develop your expertise in the fields of nursing practice, leadership, research, education and consultancy.
Information for international applicants
Qualifications
International applicants - find out what qualifications you need by selecting your country below.
Select your country:
Useful information
Visit our international pages for useful information for non-UK students and applicants.
BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities)
BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) 
BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) 
