Choose a career where you can make a difference every day. We will equip you to deliver exceptional care as a confident, capable and compassionate adult nurse.
- A good application/performance will be taken into account if you do not meet the criteria/offer conditions
- Our nursing courses are ranked 11th in The Guardian University Guide 2019
- Benefit from some of the best university facilities of their kind, including clinical skills suites and our state-of-the-art immersive suites
- Learn from a highly experienced and enthusiastic teaching team who provide full support to help you achieve your ambitions
- The Foundation Year course leads on to the full Adult Nursing degree. that is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council meaning when you graduate, you’ll be eligible to register and practise as a nurse, as long as you meet the NMC’s requirements.
If you already hold a degree and are looking to qualify as a nurse, find out more about our MSc Nursing (Adult).
Nursing is challenging, satisfying and life-changing. This highly respected course represents your first step into a profession it is a privilege to join.
Beginning with a foundation year
Studying BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) with a Foundation Year is for you if you have the ability to study for a degree, but don’t have the necessary formal qualifications to enter directly on to the honours degree programme. It provides you with a firm grounding in the skills and knowledge you need and introduces you to the subject area, enabling you to achieve your full honours degree in four years.
On completion of the Foundation Year you will then commence study on the full Adult Nursing degree.
Foundation Year - helping you to achieve more
Including a foundation year as part of your four-year study programme will give you a head start in your academic and professional life. The foundation year offers the chance to strengthen your skills, knowledge and confidence – with extensive support from our expert staff – before you advance to stage one of your honours degree. It could also be beneficial if you are planning a career change and want to get to grips with aspects of subjects which are new to you.
Our degrees with a foundation year are continuous, meaning that you won’t need to apply again once you have successfully completed the first year.
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
From day one you’ll get all the benefits of being a University of Derby student, plus extra support to help you build your knowledge, skills and confidence.
Who you will meet
Our teaching team includes qualified health professionals with extensive experience of nursing and leadership roles within the NHS as well as nurse education. They have professional interests ranging from surgical nursing care to cardiac rehabilitation, A&E to public health.
Your Programme Leader, Claire Williams, has taught at the University for eight years and prior to this worked as a lecturer at Salford University. She is now a Senior Lecturer and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, teaching on a number of pre-registration education nursing modules. In addition she is the Assistant Discipline lead for Chesterfield Campus.
Personal academic tutoring
Your personal academic tutor will work with you to help you get the most out of your time at university. Having someone to talk to about your academic progress, your university experience and your professional aspirations is hugely valuable. We want you to feel challenged in your studies, stretched but confident to achieve your academic and professional goals.
Find out more about personal academic tutoring
2023 entry
These are the typical qualification requirements for the 2023-24 academic year which includes September 2023 and March 2024 entry.
| Requirement | What we're looking for | | UCAS points | 80 |
| A Level | CDD |
| T Level | Pass (C or above in the core) |
| BTEC | MMP |
| GCSE | GCSE Maths and English are preferred, however if you don't have these qualifications you will be able to undertake Maths and English at Level 2 as part of your course of study |
| Access to HE | Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 0, Merit: 30, Pass: 15 |
Additional entry requirements
English language requirements
IELTS: 6.5 (with at least 6.0 in each skills area)
2023/24
| | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|
| UK | £9,250 per year | N/A |
| International | N/A | N/A |
Funding for nursing and allied health courses
By studying on this programme, you are eligible for a Tuition Fee Loan of up to £9,250. The loan will support your studies and enable you to start a rewarding career in healthcare.
All new and continuing nursing and allied health students on pre-registration courses will also receive a grant of at least £5,000 per year that is not means-tested and will not have to be repaid. This is provided through the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) and is not managed by the University. Please check with the LSF for residency requirements and eligibility criteria.
If you're eligible, you can get:
- A training grant of £5,000 per academic year
- Parental support of £2,000 if you have at least one dependent child under 15 years or under 17 years if registered with special educational needs
- Money back for excess travel and temporary accommodation costs while you're on your placement
- £1,000 if studying a shortage specialism
Among others, the shortage specialisms have been confirmed to include:
- Mental health nursing
- Learning disability nursing
- Diagnostic radiography
In addition to this non-repayable grant, you are also able to access a maintenance loan of up to £9,488 per year to support your studies, giving you access to over £17,000 per year of funding. Training grant payments will be paid in three instalments over the academic year. This is to provide you with a consistent flow of funding throughout the academic year as far as possible.
All NHS LSF applications must be submitted within six months of the start of the academic year and you will need confirmation of your Student Finance in order to complete your application. You need to set up an NHS Learning Support Fund online account to apply.
Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.
Additional costs and optional extras
How to apply
Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.
This course is only available to students who have applied for the equivalent three-year degree and have been offered this as a more suitable alternative by our Admissions team.
We are not currently accepting direct applications.
We offer full support to help you achieve your career goals, including guidance on applications, CVs and interview techniques. Health care organisations large and small attend our annual employer fairs as part of their recruitment drives. Some of our students are fortunate enough to have several job offers by the time they complete their course.
Our graduates from our BSc (hons) Adult Nursing course have gone into hospital-based roles on a variety of wards, intensive care units, coronary care units, theatres and A&E departments. Others have secured posts within community teams, private hospitals, nursing homes, health and social care settings, and the voluntary sector. Many take up roles in settings where they gained experience on placement.
As a registered nurse, you could also pursue career opportunities in the armed services, prisons, travel companies and charitable organisations, to name but a few. Some of our graduates have even gone on to work overseas.
Take your studies to the next level
We offer a full range of post-registration courses to help you gain more advanced and specialist skills to take the next step in your career. You could, for instance, focus on areas such as district nursing, health visiting, school nursing or the management of long-term conditions.
You could also explore broader issues such as leadership for healthcare improvement or inter-professional practice. If you would like to conduct independent research into a specialist aspect of health and social care practice, there are opportunities to progress to doctorate level study too.
Many of our post-registration courses and modules can be incorporated into your workplace practice as part of a programme of continuing professional development. Find out more about our Health and Social Care short courses.
If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.
Contact us Contact us This course is only available for applications for March 2023.
September 2022 entry is only available to students who have applied for the equivalent three-year degree and have been offered this as a more suitable alternative by our Admissions Team. We are not currently accepting applications for September 2022.
Teaching hours
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Additional costs and optional extras
We’re committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.
The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.
Included in your fees
- Travel and accommodation expenses associated with placements are to be met. Travel will be reimbursed if it exceeds travel to and from the University campus base
- Uniforms
- Markers, name badges and ID holders
- DBS check
- Occupational Health check
Mandatory costs not included in your fees
- Suitable footwear for skills sessions and placements approx. £40
- Mandatory vaccinations mandatory training
Optional costs not included in your fees
- Travel to elective placement in Year 3, if the student chooses to go out of usual placement locations
- Textbooks to supplement anything available through the library various prices depending on content
- Printing costs of course materials if hard copy is desired approx. 5p per sheet
- Students may opt to engage in international trips and activities that are not fully funded, though bursaries may be available
- Optional outings and trips will also require self-funding
- NMC membership required to practice
Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.
Minimum numbers
Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.
