Course contact details
Course Enquiries Team
Email:courseenquiries@bcu.ac.uk
Phone:0121 331 6295
Birmingham City University
Curzon Building
4 Cardigan Street
Birmingham
B4 7BD
Learning Disabilities Nursing
- Bachelor of Science (with Honours)
- 3 Years
- Full-Time
- September 2027
- Undergraduate
- City South Campus, Edgbaston
Course summary
Your journey to becoming a confident, compassionate, and future focused nurse starts here.
The BSc (Hons) Nursing Course has been designed to enable you to meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses. When you successfully complete the course, you will be eligible for entry onto the NMC register in one of the four fields of nursing: Adult, Children, Learning Disabilities or Mental Health.
The course integrates evidence-informed education and high-quality practice learning environments to shape nurses who will lead, advocate, and innovate within diverse health and social care environments whilst meeting the complex needs of people, families, and communities across the lifespan.
The course will equip you with the practical skills, knowledge and experience you need to become a confident professional nurse. Your time is evenly balanced between campus-based learning and practice learning experiences, ensuring strong confident integration of theory to practice.
As a learning disability nursing student, you will make a real difference to people with learning disabilities and their families. People with learning disabilities are unique and you will develop knowledge, skills and experience to provide a holistic care approach to enable them to live fulfilling lives by improving their health, promoting inclusion, and advocating for their needs. You will be working across community, hospital, and social care settings with multi-disciplinary teams to address health inequalities and complex needs. This will involve helping with daily living, access to services, mental/physical health, and empowering individuals to gain independence across the life span and a range of healthcare environments.
After studying this route, you could go on to a variety of different roles, including working in specialist residential support units, forensic settings or as a hospital liaison.
What's covered in this course?
Practice Learning Experiences
Your practice learning experiences will be based in a variety of settings such as in the community; primary care; social care settings; hospital or in home environments. Practice learning environments will be in the main in the Midlands and at locations where you can be exposed to the learning required.
Your professional practice modules will run across each year of your course and in parallel to your theoretical modules to support strong integration and application of theory to practice. You will be prepared for practice learning to ensure you feel confident when entering each stage of the course.
Teaching and Learning
You will experience excellent, innovative, learning, teaching and assessment experiences using technology to enhance your learning, through lectures, seminars and group work. Practical skills sessions and simulation will underpin your learning, supporting you to regularly apply theoretical concepts in a variety of different ways. Engaging with practice partners and people who use services throughout the course is also integral to our approach.
Virtual learning is critical to being able to perform in today’s increasingly digitally supported healthcare systems, therefore your digital literacy and development are explored within online and virtual learning environments. Online learning will be independent, guided and directed, allowing for flexibility of learning.
This course is subject to validation. You can still apply for this course while it is being approved.
Ways to study this course
Campuses
- City South Campus, Edgbaston
Study options
- Bachelor of Science (with Honours) • Full-Time • 3 Years
Start dates
- September 2027
Apply by
13 January 2027
This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 1304
- Institution code:
- B25
- Campus name:
- City South Campus, Edgbaston
- Points of Entry:
- Year 1
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)
Birmingham City University has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.
See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?
How to apply
Apply by
13 January 2027
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- 1304
- Institution code:
- B25
- Campus name:
- City South Campus, Edgbaston
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
Entry requirements
Typical qualification requirements
UCAS TariffOffer: 120
If your level 3 qualifications do not meet the UCAS tariff for this course, you may be offered a place on our Foundation Year instead. You do not need to submit a separate application but will automatically be considered for this if your predicted grades fall below the UCAS entry tariff.
A levelBBB
120 UCAS tariff points from three A Levels. Grades BBB (or equivalent). Required subjects: Health and Social Care, Psychology, Sociology or a Science subject at A Level or level 3 equivalent. Excluded subjects: General Studies; Critical Thinking; Extended Project.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
120 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Health and Social Care; Science. National Diploma/Extended Certificate - accepted subjects: Either this qualification or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health and Social Care, Psychology, Sociology or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits. At least 45 credits at level 3 with 30 credits at Merit or Distinction. Accepted subjects: Health or Science-related pathway.
Scottish Higher
120 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (CCC) or two Advanced Highers (CC) plus two Highers (CC). Required subjects: Health, Psychology, Social Science or Science subject at Higher level or above.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
120 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Health and Social Care; Science. National Diploma/Extended Certificate - accepted subjects: Either this qualification or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health and Social Care, Psychology, Sociology or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)
120 UCAS tariff points. Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Health and Social Care; Science. National Diploma/Extended Certificate - accepted subjects: Either this qualification or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health and Social Care, Psychology, Sociology or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
Scottish Advanced Higher
120 UCAS tariff points from three Advanced Highers (CCC) or two Advanced Highers (CC) plus two Highers (CC). Required subjects: Health, Psychology, Social Science or Science subject at Higher level or above.
International Baccalaureate Diploma ProgrammeOffer: 30
Obtain a minimum of 30 points overall. Required subjects: One of Biology, Chemistry or Physics at Higher level. For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at grade C/4 or above, grade 5 in Maths (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted. For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at grade C/4 or above, English Language (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted. For English A, this must be grade 4 or above; for English B, this must be grade 5.
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
Minimum of 120 UCAS tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects. Required subjects: Health, Psychology, Social Science or Science related subject at Higher level.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.
T LevelM
Merit overall. Accepted subjects: Health, Healthcare Science or Science
Welsh Baccalaureate: 120 UCAS tariff points. Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications. Required subjects: Either this qualification or an accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in a Health and Social Care, Psychology, Social Science or Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications: 120 UCAS tariff points. Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Health and Social Care or Applied Science. Diploma - accepted subjects: Either this qualification or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health and Social Care, Psychology, Sociology or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications: 120 UCAS tariff points. Accepted subjects: Childcare and Education; Children's Care, Learning and Development; Children and Young People's Workforce; Health and Social Care; Early Years Education and Care.
WJEC Level 3 qualifications: 120 UCAS tariff points. Required subjects: Either this qualification or an accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in a relevant Health and Social Care, Psychology, Social Science or Science subject (e.g Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics).
- Successful candidates will be required to obtain a satisfactory occupational health check, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority prior to enrolling on this course.
- Qualifications, personal statement, and references all form part of the selection criteria for this course.
- Applicants must demonstrate evidence of literacy, numeracy, and IT skills in line with the Nursing and Midwifery Council requirements.
- Applicants must normally have evidence of formal study within the last five years. However, we are sometimes able to waive this requirement if a candidate has a significant amount of professional experience in a relevant field, for example healthcare, social care, or education.
- You must provide evidence of having been in general education for a minimum of ten years.
"I really want to become a nurse but do not meet your entry requirements. What advice can you give me?"
All applicants must meet our academic entry requirements in order to be considered for the course. If you do not have sufficient level 3 qualifications, you could consider taking an Access to Higher Education Diploma qualification in a relevant subject such as Nursing, Midwifery or Health. You can search for Access course providers via www.accesstohe.ac.uk/course-search.
Maths and English language GCSE qualifications need to have been achieved at grade C/4 or above. In terms of acceptable equivalents to GCSEs, if you are taking an Access course we can consider Functional Skills level 2 in maths and English.
If you are applying to enter year 2 or year 3 of this course, we require a reference from your previous institution before enrolment.
Additional entry requirements
- Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) / Disclosure Scotland Check
- Health Checks
- Interview
- Applicants are required to undertake a face-to-face engagement, normally in the format of an interview. Interviews are currently taking place via Microsoft Teams.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | overall with no less than 6.0 in each band. |
If you do not meet the required IELTS score, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English courses. Please note that you must have a Secure English Language Test (SELT) to study on the pre-sessional English course.
Historical entry grades data
This section shows the range of grades that students who received offers were previously accepted on to this course with (learn more).
It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place.
Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
Not enough data available
We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.
Historical entry grades report
This report uses your grades to show how students with similar results have done when applying to this course in the past. Sometimes, there isn’t data for every possible set of grades. When that happens, universities and colleges occasionally fill in the gaps for sets of grades that are typically accepted.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
Per year tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland | £10050 | |
| EU & International | £19220 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
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