BSc in Nursing - Learning Disability

Learning disability nurses can make a difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families. Study learning disability nursing at one of the country’s largest nursing schools, with a 100% graduate employability rate, to gain all the knowledge and experience needed to fulfil the role of a learning disability nurse.

What's covered in this 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 learning disability 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 practical 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 to build on your previous learning and develop proficiency in learning disability nursing. The modules you study will develop you as a leader who uses research-informed critical thinking to coordinate 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 you to reflect meaningfully on your practice and the development of your individual field identity.

Your practice placements will be specific to your field, learning disability 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. Experience different placement opportunities - benefit from our excellent relationships with medical institutions including the NHS and private, voluntary and independent sectors to carry out your work placements. Birmingham is one of the UK’s most diverse cities outside of London, which provides you with a wide variety of placement experiences that will be valuable to take forward into your future career. 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 prepare you for practice and time on placement via live scenarios, encountering some of the most difficult situations in the safety of a practice environment, so that you feel confident and competent. Student finance - have you already had a student loan to study for 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.

With around 29,000 students from 100 countries, (HESA Student Record 2020/21 © Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited) Birmingham City University is a large and diverse place to study. We put students at the heart of everything we do, giving them the best opportunities for future success.

The University for Birmingham

We put £270 million into the regional economy and support thousands of jobs in the area. We're investing £340 million in our estate, including a major expansion of our city-centre campus at Eastside, providing students with an enviable range of facilities.

Social responsibility

At Birmingham City University we are committed to transforming students’ lives and enhancing opportunity through education and advancement. We play a key role in supporting the economy and public sector in Birmingham and the West Midlands, as the University for the city of Birmingham.

Whether developing research to enable people to lead healthier lives, decrease bullying in schools or help talented children in South Africa reach their musical potential, Birmingham City University undertakes a wide variety of work to ensure that we operate as a socially responsible University.

On Monday 17 September 2018, we announced that staff had voted for Acorn’s Children’s Hospice and Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid to be the University’s Chosen Charities.