Nursing - Adult - BSc (Hons)

Our BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing degree will provide you with the clinical skills and experience you need to be a professional nurse. You will spend time on placement in different hospital and clinical settings within the Birmingham and Solihull area, as well as learning from our experts at the University.

This course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and you will be able to apply for Registered Nurse Status on completion.

What's covered in the course?

Our aim is to develop you into a graduate nurse who is able to work flexibly across a range of settings and meet the health needs of the whole person throughout their lifespan. We will work with you on your development to help you become a skilled, knowledgeable, emotionally intelligent nurse, able to lead and co-ordinate compassionate, evidence-based, person- and family-centred care while working as an integral member of interdisciplinary teams. 

The university-based elements of the first two years of your course are integrated, with all fields of nursing working together. In your final year, the theory you learn will be specific to adult nursing. You will study five modules each year. In year one, you will complete a year-long practice module which will prepare and support you to develop your confidence and competence in practice as you work towards independently leading and coordinating care.  

In your first year, you will gain theoretical and practice knowledge to develop a range of key skills. This will include: exploring the evidence that underpins person- and family-centred care; professional values; self-leadership; and the role of the registered nurse. Second year modules will further enhance your first-year learning and explore evidence-based complex care incorporating a wide range of research, skills, team leadership and principles of coordinating care. During your third year you will continue build on your previous learning and develop proficiency in adult nursing. The modules you study will develop you as a leader who uses research-informed critical thinking to co-ordinate care, supervise other health professionals and gain confidence in the safe management of medication. You will also have access to personal tuition throughout the course which will enrich your learning experiences and will enable to reflect meaningfully on your practice and the development of your individual field identity. 

Your practice placements will be specific to your field, adult nursing, throughout the three years. To help you become a more rounded nurse, you will also have opportunities to learn across the four fields of nursing. Your placement learning experiences may be within community, hospital or home environment settings and at a location anywhere within the West Midlands and potentially into neighbouring counties. While on placement you will be supported, supervised and assessed by practice and academic staff to develop your knowledge and skills.  

We are committed to providing excellent, innovative, learning, teaching and assessment experiences through the use of technology, which we use to enhance your learning, through lectures, seminars, skills simulation and virtual learning. Engaging with practice partners and service users is also integral to our approach.

Our BSc (Hons) Nursing course has been designed to comply with the new Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards (2018) meaning that successful completion of this course makes you eligible to apply and be entered onto the NMC register in one of the four fields of nursing: Adult, Child, Learning Disabilities or Mental Health. 

Why Choose Us?

• Funding - Nursing students will receive at least £5,000 a year in additional funding for maintenance and associated study costs. Download the funding FAQs
• Excellent employability rate - over 99 per cent of our graduates are studying or in work within six months (DLHE 2016/17)
• You will study at our recently extended £71 million City South Campus, complete with real-life hospital environments and simulation equipment so you can practice your practical skills at all times – not just on placement
• We offer two intakes a year in January and September so that you can start at the right time for you. Contact our Admissions team to find out more
• Birmingham is one of the UK’s most diverse cities outside of London, which provides you with a wide variety of experience that will be valuable to take forward into your future career.
• Opportunities to go abroad, if this is something you would like to explore during your time studying with us
• Student finance - have you already had a student loan to study an undergraduate degree but would like to do a second degree in nursing, midwifery or the allied health professions? You may still be eligible for funding

We now recruit to the values of the NHS constitution. This influences our selection criteria and especially the values we are seeking to be demonstrated in both your application and interview, which we view as essential in any individual involved in patient care.

120 UCAS tariff points

The entry requirements here show our standard UCAS tariff points. However we review applications on a case by case basis and so some flexibility may be possible.

Essential Requirements

Other qualifications:

Qualifications that are not listed will be considered on an individual basis.

Further guidance on tariff points can be found on the UCAS website.

International candidates:

Those who meet residency/academic requirements of UK students but whose language is not English will need to hold IELTS with an overall score of at least 7.0.

In addition

• You must provide evidence of having been in general education for a minimum of 10 years
• You must provide evidence of study within the last five years
• No offers are made without a face-to-face interview
• All offers are subject to satisfactory Occupational Health Clearance, Disclosure and Barring Service report and, registration with Independent Safeguarding Authority
• You should be aware that qualifications, personal statement, interview and references all form part of the selection criteria for this course

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 2 and Level 3 qualifications we advise you to consider undertaking a course which will give you the opportunity to gain the correct entry criteria. For example, an access course in a health/science-related field at your local further education college. This course contains the right mix of level 3 and level 2 qualifications which allow you to access higher education.
• Alternatively, you could undertake the Open University K101 course, as long as you have the appropriate GCSE qualifications (as defined in our entry criteria) with another level 3 qualification.

Frequently asked questions

How will I know what has happened with my UCAS application when I have submitted it?

You'll be notified via UCAS if your application is unsuccessful. If your application is successful you'll be invited to attend an interview from our Health Admissions department.

What will the interview consist of?

You'll have a face-to-face interview with academic and clinical staff.

How will I know the outcome of my interview?

You'll be notified via UCAS track.

If I'm not offered a place, can I have some feedback?

Yes, you can request feedback from NMSW.Admissions@bcu.ac.uk

Learning Support Fund

From 1 November 2017 you may be able to apply for elements of the learning support fund if:

• you are studying a pre-registration healthcare course
• are studying in England and
• your course started on or after 1 August 2017

Visit NHS student services for more information

Course structure

The course is delivered using a modular approach which divides the content into manageable elements of study and practice learning opportunities.

The first year prepares you for further study and facilitates the understanding of the principles which underpin nursing. This is supported by numerous placement learning experiences over the year.

In year two there is an increasing field-specific focus. Core modules help to contextualise nursing while Field Specific modules prepare you for placement experiences which follow each period of study.

In year three all modules are Field Specific but there are opportunities for shared learning with the other fields of nursing and you will again complete placement experiences.

You'll experience a mixture of teaching, self-directed study and practice-based clinical placements, spending half of your time each year on placement.

Upon successful completion you'll graduate with a BSc (Hons) Nursing degree worth 360 credits and be eligible to apply for Registered Nurse status with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Additional support

If you're dyslexic, or have a specific learning difference or disability, we have a Disability Tutor who can help and support you. 

More on our disability tutor >>

We offer extra technical and learning support.

Further study

Nursing provides the opportunity for lifelong learning and our BSc (Hons) Nursing award forms the basis for progression on to further study.

So many opportunities exist for post-registration and postgraduate study. As a graduate, you may progress to a Masters degree, eg Masters in Advanced Nursing Practice, PhD.

A comprehensive portfolio of post-registration courses called Continuing Professional Development is available. These courses allow for academic and/or clinical development.

Many of the courses are taught as part-time flexible modules to fit around your work and domestic commitments.

Employment opportunities

Once qualified and registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council you can practice in the UK and many countries overseas. As a qualified nurse you could find yourself working within the NHS, the private sector, in the community, at GP surgeries, at schools, plus many more - the options are endless.

OpportUNIty

OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.

It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

• Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here.
• Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
• Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country.
• Learn where to find financial support for your studies.