BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) (Pre-Registration) · Teesside UniversityBachelor's degree · 3 years
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BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) (Pre-Registration) Bachelor's degree at Teesside University

BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) (Pre-Registration) at Teesside University is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for registration as a qualified nurse specialising in learning disabilities.

BSc (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
85%
in work/study (15m)

About this course

BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) (Pre-Registration) is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Teesside University, based in Teesside University Main Campus. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.

For Learning disabilities nursing graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 80% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £29,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)

For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Nursing & Health, see the sections below.

Course evidence score

The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.

7.8
/ 10
Strong
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Strong69

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Excellent85

Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 85% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Excellent80

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 80% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Curriculum & modules

Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.

Year 1 4 modules
  • Fundamentals of Nursing PracticeCore40 credits
    Module details

    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 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 r

  • Nursing Decision-making and Evidence-based PracticeCore40 credits
    Module details

    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.

  • Professionalism, Relationships and CommunicationCore20 credits
    Module details

    With content linked to 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, resilienc

  • Understanding Health and IllnessCore20 credits
    Module details

    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.

Year 2 4 modules
  • Fundamentals of Learning Disabilities Nursing Practice 2Core40 credits
    Module details

    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.

  • Learning Disabilities Nursing Decision-making and Evidence-based Practice 2Core40 credits
    Module details

    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.

  • Learning Disabilities Nursing Intervention 1Core20 credits
    Module details

    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 knowled

  • Service ImprovementCore20 credits
    Module details

    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.

Final year 4 modules
  • Dissertation ModuleCore40 credits
    Module details

    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.

  • Fundamentals of Learning Disabilities Nursing Practice 3Core40 credits
    Module details

    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.

  • Learning Disabilities Nursing Decision-making and Evidence-based Practice 3Core40 credits
    Module details

    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.

  • Learning Disabilities Nursing Intervention 2Core20 credits
    Module details

    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

Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.

Course in depth

What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.

What you'll study

This degree prepares you for registration as a qualified nurse specialising in learning disabilities. A course like this typically progresses from foundations in Year 1, covering nursing practice, communication and person-centred care alongside anatomy and physiology, through Year 2 modules in acute and long-term care, medicines management and pharmacology. You'll usually move towards specialisations such as community and primary care, mental health support, and leadership in Year 3, where you'll also engage with evidence-based practice and complex care coordination. Throughout the three years, you'll undertake supervised placements in various settings, making up approximately 50% of your studies in line with Nursing and Midwifery Council standards. These placements are essential preparation for your final transition to NMC registration as a learning disabilities nurse.

Who it's for

This course suits those committed to nursing people with learning disabilities. Most recent entrants held an Access course (40% of accepted students), and the typical UCAS tariff among accepted students was 112–127 points. If you're returning to education or coming from a non-traditional background, you'll find peers with similar pathways. The university has around 19,290 students overall, so you'll study within a substantial community.

Careers & job market

Across Nursing & Health courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating, and 87% of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study. National earnings data shows starting salaries of £27,000–£30,500 at 15 months post-graduation, rising to £23,800–£33,600 after three years and £27,200–£38,400 after five years. These are national figures for the sector, not university-specific guarantees. Related specialisations in healthcare include Adult Nursing, Mental Health, Child Health, Midwifery, Public Health, Physiotherapy, Social Work, and Paramedic Science.

University & format

This is a three-year full-time Bachelor's degree (BSc Hons) at Teesside University, taught in English. Teesside University is a UK degree-awarding body founded in 1930, and the course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council for registration as a qualified nurse (learning disabilities). The university holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 assessment.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
80%
Learning opportunities
83%
Assessment and feedback
77%
Academic Support
52%
Organisation and management
38%
Learning resources
83%
Student voice
69%

Share of students responding positively.

Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Applicant information

The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.

Application timelineWhat happens next
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

AccreditationNMC

Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.

Open daysBook an open day

See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.

Entry & how to get in

Most entrants held an Access course40% of accepted students came in with an Access course (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 112 - 127 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Professionally accreditedApproved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for the purpose of registration as a qualified nurse (learning disabilities)
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check Teesside University's official course page for the current offer.

Who gets in

What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.

UCAS tariff of entrants

Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.

Qualifications held on entry

QualificationShare
an Access course40%
another higher-education qualification35%
A-levels or equivalent20%
a previous degree5%

Entry & your chances

An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.

Offer-based entry

Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.

Will you get in? Plot your grades

Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.

Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.

Add your grades to see where you land

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.

How to apply

Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.

Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesBBBA-level equivalent admitted students held
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write your personal statement

    A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results day & confirmation

    On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.

💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask Teesside University whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.

Fees & funding

What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.

Tuition per year

Home£9,207 / yr

Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).

Check fees at Teesside University →

For students who normally live in England

illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,207tuition used per year, published course home fee
illustrative borrowing over 3 years

2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.

Starting on or after 1 January 2027?

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.

Paying for it

  • Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
  • Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
  • Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
  • Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.

England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.

Funding matched to this course

Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for

All Teesside University funding →

Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.

National funding for this subject

  • NHS Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. Official guidance

Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.

StudyKit · free

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Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check

Careers & earnings

What Nursing & Health graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.

Graduate earnings: this course

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£29,000£28,000 – £30,00015
3 years after£28,500£23,000 – £32,00060
5 years after£32,500£26,000 – £37,00055

Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23.

Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course

85%
in work or further study 15 months on
80%
in highly skilled work or study
80%
continue past their first year
100%
find their work meaningful
100%
say work fits their future plans
  1. 1Newly Qualified PractitionerPreceptorship / first post · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Registered PractitionerAutonomous practice · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / SpecialistSpecialist or team lead · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Advanced / Consultant PractitionerAdvanced practice or management · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Nursing & Health nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£29,000
£27,000 – £30,500
After 3 years LEO
£28,500
£23,800 – £33,600
After 5 years LEO
£32,500
£27,200 – £38,400
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £22,500 – £39,500

National figures for Nursing & Health graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.

Work out your pay

Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.

What happened to 100 students?

Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.

85 of 100

were in work or further study

15 months after graduation

75% working5% working and studying5% in further study80% in highly skilled work or study

Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2021-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.

Value compared with similar courses

How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Nursing & Health courses at the same study level.

This course £32,500Peer median £31,500Middle 50% £28,000–£34,000
61st percentile

Compared with 1,506 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.

UK occupations graduates enter

Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.

  • Nursing ProfessionalsSOC 2020 223 · 80% of published destinations · ASHE median £37,597
  • Caring personal servicesSOC 2020 613 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £23,668

Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 50; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.

Is BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) (Pre-Registration) worth it?

Generally yes. On its graduates’ median earnings, BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Learning Disabilities) (Pre-Registration) is worth about +£57,379 more over the first ten years of work than going straight to a job, a solid return once you net out the fees.

Solid payoff: pays for itself within the typical range for a degree
break evenyr 0yr 5yr 10yr 15graduateWorth it ≈ year 15

Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 3 years of wages given up while studying. The line clears zero around year 15. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.

+£57,379
10-year payoff
extra earnings over the first decade, after the fees you pay
3.1×
Return on investment
extra earnings over 10 yrs per £1 of fees
£27,621
Tuition over the course
£9,207/yr × 3 yrs (published course home fee)
£32,500
Grad earnings, 5 yrs on
£8,500 above a non-graduate (£24,000)

Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £9,207/yr over 3 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.

Job market & outlook

How Nursing & Health graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.

90%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Nursing & Health courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes
87%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
85%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

How AI is changing the work

AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.

What AI takes off your plate

  • Routine documentation and triage support
  • Scheduling and records admin
  • First-pass risk flags from data
  • Standard reference look-ups

More human than ever

  • Hands-on, compassionate care
  • Clinical judgement and accountability
  • Communicating with patients and families
  • Ethics and safeguarding decisions

The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.

Roles & employers

Where Nursing & Health graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.

Where they work

  • NHS trusts
  • Private healthcare
  • Care providers
  • Community & mental-health services

Is this course right for you?

The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.

💷

Student finance

Published home tuition is £9,207/year for this course. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.

📈

Where graduates go

85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £29,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.

🎯

Your entry chances

Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.

Official-data snapshot

Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.8 out of 10: NSS 68.9% · in work or study 85% · continued 80%.

Who studies here and in this subject?

Provider- and UK subject-level context.

Teesside University

All students21,570
International28.5%
Aged 25+57%

Subjects allied to medicine across the UK

Students360,360
Aged 25+51.5%

HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.

Local crime-data context

A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.

Around Teesside University Main Campus

2,900 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.

Violent Crime 963Shoplifting 389Anti Social Behaviour 331Public Order 257Criminal Damage Arson 199

Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.

Is Nursing & Health right for you?

Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.

International students

What applying to Teesside University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.

Tuition fees

International tuition is set per course by Teesside University; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.

English language

Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.

Student visa

You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.

Scholarships & funding

Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Teesside University’s funding pages.

Living costs

Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.

Working while you study

A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.

Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Teesside University and gov.uk before you apply.

Common questions

Entry is offer-based and set by the university. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 112 - 127 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by Teesside University. Most accepted students held an Access course. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Learning disabilities nursing graduates from this provider, 85% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 80% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £29,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
The published home tuition is £9,207 per year for this course. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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