Nursing (Learning Disability), BSc (Hons)

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Key Course Details

UCAS Code: B762
Mode of Study: Blended Study
Typical Offer (view equivalents): BBB-BCC
Location: Singleton Park Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees - Year 1
Sep 2026	NHS

Course Overview

Our internationally recognised Learning Disability Nursing degree will give you the skills and experience to enter a rewarding career in this diverse and essential profession.

Over the course of this NMC-approved and HEIW-commissioned programme, you will learn about the diverse and complex needs of people with learning disabilities of any age.

Grounded in the philosophy of person-centred, evidence-based, and values-driven care, the programme emphasises compassion, inclusivity, and partnership with people, families, and communities.

We aim to develop reflective, accountable practitioners who can respond to the complex and changing health needs of society, and can contribute to improving health outcomes in Wales, the UK, and internationally.

Approximately half of your teaching is formed of university-based learning, and the other half takes the form of placements in healthcare settings. We have excellent relationships with many healthcare providers, so you will have access to a wide range of placements across Southwest Wales, which take place in the NHS and the independent sector, in hospitals and community settings.

Why Learning Disability Nursing at Swansea University?

During your university-based learning time, you will study at our Singleton Park Campus, in beautiful parkland, overlooking Swansea Bay on the edge of the Gower Peninsula.

We have an outstanding reputation for nursing, and are currently ranked:

3^rd in the UK for Career Prospects (Assessed under General Nursing, Guardian University Guide 2026)
4^th in the UK for Research Quality (Complete University Guide 2026)
6^th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Complete University Guide 2026)
7^th in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Times Good University Guide 2026)

Our academic staff are all qualified nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals, many of which are also practicing clinicians, ensuring we can provide an exceptional combination of theoretical rigour, professional insight and practical expertise.

We have very strong links with Welsh health boards, opening up clinical placement opportunities for you in a variety of settings in both urban and rural locations. Meanwhile, the nearest hospital shares a border with our Singleton Campus.

If you are a UK student who can commit to working in Wales for two years after graduating, you could get your tuition fees covered in full through the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme, as well as maintenance funding and a reduced rate loan from Student Finance.

See our NHS Funding webpage to check your eligibility for funding before applying.

Your Learning Disability Nursing Experience

Our nursing programme is purposefully designed to develop safe, effective, compassionate nurses who are prepared for the realities of modern, multidisciplinary healthcare environments.

You will have access to excellent facilities, including a realistic clinical suite so you can put your theoretical knowledge into practice, in an environment that closely reflects the actual conditions that you will experience when you go on placement in a hospital or community setting.

Nursing students also benefit from having access to SUSIM on both our Swansea and Carmarthen campuses; the largest installation of immersive wall technology in the world. This unique facility means you have the ability to practice key skills and teamwork in a variety of simulated real-life scenarios.

The programme comprises 4,725 hours of learning, balanced equally between theoretical learning and practice. Key aspects of nursing including research, leadership, digital literacy, the law, safeguarding, consent, pharmacology, medicines administration and optimisation, and evidence-based practice are integrated into each module.

The course is full-time and consists of nine sequential 40-credit modules, with three completed in each year of study. Learning and teaching methods have been designed to facilitate independent learning, and to make use of your existing study skills, prior knowledge and experiences. All modules encompass taught sessions, practice, independent study and e-learning.

Nursing Careers

This programme offers a strong foundation for a lifelong career in nursing, whether in direct patient care, advanced clinical roles, leadership, education or research. Graduates are highly employable, with opportunities to work locally, nationally, or internationally.

After graduating, you will be eligible to apply for Registered Nurse (Learning Disability) status with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and to register as a nurse for work in the EU and EEA.

UK students will also be able to access NHS funding to meet the cost of training. Those who receive the bursary will need to commit to remaining in employment in Wales in the public/private/independent health and social care sectors for up to two years following registration with the NMC.

The NHS Wales Shared Service Partnership (NWSSP), in agreement with NHS Wales health boards and universities across Wales, has developed and manages a matching process under the Student Streamlining Scheme. At the end of your programme, you will be able to apply for vacancies across Wales through the scheme.

You can expect a starting salary of £28,407 rising to £57,349 for a highly experienced staff nurse. Specialist nurses and practice managers can earn £50,056.

Modules

We're currently reviewing our curriculum to enhance your learning experience and embed skills that will benefit your future career. This means that some modules may be subject to change.

Year 1 (Level 4)

FHEQ 4 Undergraduate / HECert

Students choose 120 credits from the following:

None found.

Optional Modules

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Introduction to nursing and health care (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN183
Cyflwyniad i nyrsio a gofal iechyd (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN183W

AND

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Understanding health and Illness (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN184
Deall Iechyd a Salwch (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN184W

AND

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Contexts of Care (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN185
Cyd-destunau Gofal (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN185W

Year 2 (Level 5)

FHEQ 5 Undergraduate / HEDip

Students choose 120 credits from the following:

None found.

Optional Modules

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Acute Care (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN2019
Gofal Aciwt (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN2019W

AND

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Care of the Person with a Long-Term Condition and Palliative Care Needs (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN2020
Gofalu am y Person â Chyflwr Hirdymor ac Anghenion Gofal Lliniarol (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN2020W

AND

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Ensuring Quality Care (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN2021
Sicrhau Gofal o Ansawdd (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN2021W

Year 3 (Level 6)

FHEQ 6 Undergraduate / Honours

Students choose 120 credits from the following:

Compulsory Modules
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code
Practice and theory hours requirement (Module data currently unavailable)			SHG3127

Optional Modules

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Care of the Service User with Complex Needs (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN3107
Gofalu am y Defnyddiwr Gwasanaeth ag Anghenion Cymhleth (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN3107W

AND

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Advancing Nursing Practice (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN3108
Ymarfer Nyrsio Uwch (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN3108W

AND

Choose Exactly 40 credits from the following Modules:

NOTE : Students must select one of the following modules.

Core Modules with Welsh Language Option
Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code	Guidance
Preparation for professional practice (Learning Disability)	Academic Year	40	SHN3109
Paratoi ar gyfer ymarfer proffesiynol (Anabledd Dysgu)	Academic Year	40	SHN3109W

Entry Requirements

We consider all applicants on their own merits and welcome applications from students with a wide range of qualifications.

Typical A-level Offer

BBB-BCC at A level. Health or science-related courses are desirable. We accept Welsh Baccalaureate as an A-level

Typical Access to HE Offer

21 Distinctions, 18 Merits, 6 Passes

Typical BTEC Offer

DDM - DMM

Irish Leaving Certificate

360

Please note, our grade range covers standard and contextual offers. If you meet one (or more) of our eligibility criteria for contextual offers, you will be made a lower offer. This will still be within the stated grade range. Please see our contextual admissions page for further information.

A minimum of five grade A-C GCSE passes including Welsh/English language, Maths and a Physical Science or Double Award Science are required.

In certain circumstances Key Skills Level 2 in Application of Number will be accepted in lieu of GCSE Mathematics and Key Skills Level 2 in Communication will be accepted in lieu of GCSE Welsh/English Language, if undertaken since September 2015.

You will also need to demonstrate:

A strong educational profile in the previous three to five years
A detailed understanding of and commitment to Adult Nursing

Care experience is helpful but not essential.

All applicants will need a satisfactory educational reference.

Applicants who meet the entry requirements and selection criteria will be invited to interview, which may take place in person or via telephone/video call. Our Interview Tips explain more about what to expect.

If you are successful at interview, any offer of a place will be conditional upon a satisfactory DBS/police check or equivalent from your home country as well as an occupational health declaration and assessment prior to starting your studies. Further details will be provided if you receive an offer.

You will be expected to participate in group discussions, teamwork, and individual tasks during interviews.

If you are offered a place you will also need:

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, or approved equivalent
An Occupational Health Check
You should also familiarise yourself with the NHS Wales Values and Standards of Behaviour.

All applicants will be required to have a satisfactory enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check and occupational health check. Any concerns arising from these may be considered at the School of Health and Social Care’s Professional Suitability and Fitness to Practise Panel and may result in admission to the programme being withdrawn.

How You're Taught

At Swansea, you will benefit from a high-quality, research-informed education that combines a range of effective and inclusive teaching methods, carefully tailored to suit the needs of your course. Most courses are taught in person, on campus, giving you the opportunity to actively engage with other students, academic staff, and the wider university community.

You can expect a mix of lectures, seminars, workshops, and practical sessions - including laboratory work, skills training, or studio-based teaching where relevant to your discipline. These sessions are designed to encourage active participation, collaboration, and the development of both subject-specific and transferable skills.

Digital learning tools are also used to enhance your learning experience. These may include:

Recorded lectures to support flexible study and revision.
Virtual labs or simulated environments, particularly in science, healthcare, and technical disciplines.
Online resources on the university’s virtual learning environment (Canvas), including videos, reading materials, quizzes, and discussion forums.

This approach enables you to engage with and review content at your own pace while benefiting from the structure and support of in-person teaching.

This course may offer some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.

N.B If you are an international student studying with a Student Route Visa, please note that your timetabled activity, along with any additional supervisory activity (with Swansea University staff present) will take place on campus. In line with UKVI protocol, these sessions will be monitored and data made available on request.

Welsh Provision

Some provision

There are opportunities for Welsh speakers to study some elements of this course through the medium of Welsh but there is not yet enough provision to reach 40 credits in each year*.

Academi Hywel Teifi is here to support you throughout your time at Swansea University. We can offer you:

Access to generous Welsh-language study bursaries.
An interview through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place.
The option to receive your personal correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually.
The option to write and submit your coursework or exams through the medium of Welsh (even if you have chosen to study in English), and your work will be marked in Welsh.
A Welsh-speaking Personal Tutor.
One-to-one support through the medium of Welsh to improve your academic skills.
An opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers, namely the WJEC and Coleg Cymraeg's Welsh Language Certificate.
Opportunity to be a member of the Swansea University Branch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

To learn more about the above and all the opportunities available to you through the medium of Welsh, visit Academi Hywel Teifi's undergraduate pages.

* For the majority of scholarships, the standard benchmark is completing at least 40 credits per year through the medium of Welsh.

Professional Body Accreditation

Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Meet Your Lecturers

Our degrees are taught by qualified nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals, who have a wealth of knowledge to pass on to our students.

You can find out more about our academic expertise on our staff pages.

Tuition Fees

Start Date	UK	International
September 2025	NHS
September 2026	NHS

Fees for full time undergraduate UK students may increase in subsequent years of study in line with the maximum regulated fee level set by the Welsh Government

You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

Funding and Scholarships

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.

Additional Costs

Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

Travel to and from campus
Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
Purchase of books or texts
Gowns for graduation ceremonies

Careers and Employability

The Careers and Employability Team will support you at each stage of your career journey helping you build a bright future.

Our career support services include:

Employability workshops, employers’ talks, bespoke events and careers fairs
Individual advice and guidance from professionally qualified Careers Advisers
Help with finding jobs, internships, work placements and volunteering opportunities
Access to information resources on a wide range of career management topics
Advice and guidance on postgraduate study and funding
Funding to support student internship opportunities and Student Society/Club events.

As a Swansea University graduate, you can access lifelong careers and employability support.

Academic Support

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal tutor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

Academic writing
Maths and statistics
Critical thinking
Time management
Digital skills
Presentation skills
Note taking
Revision, memory and exam techniques
English language skills (if English is not your first language).

In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability, mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.

We want to support the development of your competence in using digital media, to enhance your learning, engage in technologies in clinical practice, and protect yourself and the profession when you are online.

Find out more about how we embed digital literacy in the nursing curriculum.

Study Abroad and Global Opportunities

To learn more about study abroad, visit our Go Global webpages.

International summer programmes are open to students from all schools. Programmes typically range from 2 to 6 weeks, across destinations such as Sri Lanka, South Korea, Fiji, Bali, the USA and across Europe. For more information about programmes and eligibility visit our Summer Abroad webpages.

How to Apply

Eligible applicants will be invited to interview and interviews for this course take place via Zoom. Check out our Interview Tips for more information on what to expect

Application Deadlines

We recommend that you submit your application to our courses as early as you can in advance of our application deadlines. Courses will close earlier than the application deadlines listed if all available places are filled. You can find further information on our Application Deadlines webpage.

Additional Information

We have two annual intakes for the nursing degree which does not follow the usual University term times. You will attend 42 weeks in total each year, and there are ten weeks non-term time each year over Christmas, Easter and the summer.

Our admissions department will contact you directly with your start date.

September intake: the academic year starts early September and ends late the following August.

March intake: the academic year starts late February/early March and ends the following February.

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Undergraduate Prospectus

Welsh Medium Study

Chat with a Current Student

The University will seek to deliver each course in accordance with the descriptions set out in the relevant course web pages at the time of application. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after enrolment.

The information below is for students starting their courses in 2016 or later.

The University will not normally make very substantial changes to courses (for example, a change to the course title, significant restructuring, substantial change in course content, or the introduction of a progression hurdle) which would impact on students who have already begun their course. In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary for the University to make such a change after acceptance of a place by an offer-holder. This will not happen less than 5 months before enrolment. The offer-holder will be notified of the change and will have the opportunity to withdraw their application and apply elsewhere.

Other changes could be made to course content, study location, delivery and teaching provision because of developments in the relevant subject, enhancements in teaching or assessment practice, requirements of external accreditation processes, changes in staffing, resource constraints or changes in the availability of facilities. Such changes will take account of the reasonable expectations of prospective and current students.

Summary of Changes

Date of Change

10/02/2026

Course Title(s)

Nursing (Learning Disability), BSc (Hons) 3 Year Full Time (B762)

Material Change

There are minor changes to this programme's structure that impact whether modules are compulsory and optional.

Reason for Change

These updates are designed to make your learning experience more streamlined, relevant and manageable.

If you have questions about this change, please contact curriculumreview@swansea.ac.uk.

Nursing (Learning Disability), BSc (Hons)

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Course Overview

Why Learning Disability Nursing at Swansea University?

Your Learning Disability Nursing Experience

Nursing Careers

Modules

Entry Requirements

Some provision

Discover your University

Take a Virtual Tour

Undergraduate Prospectus

Welsh Medium Study

Chat with a Current Student

Nursing (Learning Disability), BSc (Hons)