BSc in Professional Nursing (Learning Disabilities)

BSc in Professional Nursing (Learning Disabilities) three-year degree program integrates theory and practice, preparing our students to be world-class practitioners in the area of Learning Disability Nursing. Students in this program will begin in September 2023.

Students will spend 50 percent of their time in University learning the latest nursing theory and clinical skills, and 50 percent of their time with one of our internationally-recognized training partners in a wide variety of clinical and community settings throughout Northern Ireland.

Our highly-trained lecturing staff is actively engaged in areas of specialty practice. Our personal tutor system for student support is very well regarded, and we were awarded the Best Student Experience award in the 2021 Student Nursing Times Awards.

On successful completion of this program of study, you will become a Registered Nurse in Learning Disabilities (RNLD) possessing a distinct set of knowledge, skills, and expertise of the health and wider education and social care needs of people with learning disabilities and their families and carers in the context of person-centered care and co-production that promotes and maintains health and well-being.

The Learning Disability Nurse adopts a life span approach to nursing assessment, treatments, interventions, education and care, and support across a diverse range of settings, including, home, in-patient assessment and treatment units, nursing homes, secure settings, schools, daycare, residential care homes, and community-based teams to contribute to meeting the care needs of people with learning disabilities and their families and carers.

On successful completion of this program of study, you will be able to

Provide person-centred care for people with Learning disabilities and their families across the lifespan.

Deliver effective care to people with learning disabilities who may have multiple health morbidities and additional interrelated physical, psychological, emotional, social, and educational needs. Be respectful, kind, caring, compassionate knowledgeable, and skilled nurse practitioners.

Be effective communicators

Act as advocates for people with learning disabilities their families, health care professionals, and other stakeholders within dynamic health and social care contexts

This program is fully funded by the Department of Health for Home students, including full fees and a bursary. Students in this program are ineligible to apply for funding from the Student Loans Company. It is not available as a part-time program.

Professional Nursing (Learning Disabilities) Degree Highlights

Students may be eligible to have their fees paid by the Department of Health, (DoH), and may receive a bursary,

Professional Accreditations

Professional Registration with the NMC (2020) as a Learning Disabilities Nurse

Career Development

Nurses and Midwives learn to be an integral part of a healthcare team. Within this School, multidisciplinary teams of medical students and nursing students work together using interprofessional learning scenarios.

World Class Facilities

Learn and test your clinical skills through the use of state-of-the-art simulation equipment. Our revolutionary Intersim facilities, which opened in 2021, allow our educators to role-play scenarios in response to the student's actions. This activity often takes place behind a one-way mirror and provides the teaching team with the opportunity to observe and monitor the students' responses to specific scenarios.

Students work in multidisciplinary teams in our state-of-the-art simulation center, using the latest technology for learning.

Queen’s University Belfast is ranked in the Top 200 Universities in the World (QS World University Rankings 2019)

140 in the world for graduate prospects (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020)

Founded in 1845 as Queen's College Belfast, one of three Queen's Colleges in Ireland, it became an independent university in 1908 and is the ninth oldest university in the UK. Today, Queen’s is a member of the Russell Group, combining excellence in research and education with a student-centred ethos.

Queen’s is ranked 8th in the UK for Research Intensity (REF 2014/ Times Higher Education) with over 75% of its research assessed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in REF 2014.

We’re A Global University

Students enjoy being educated by world-leading academics working at the forefront of their disciplines and a significant investment in the student experience has resulted in high levels of student satisfaction and employability rates.

Global Research Institutes

Building on its disciplinary excellence, the University has created four flagship Global Research Institutes which bring leading academics together to tackle some of the greatest global challenges of our time in the areas of: Global Peace, Security and Justice; Cyber Security; Health Sciences; and Food Safety.

The Faculty Of Medicine, Health & Life Sciences

The Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences at Queen’s deliver high quality, leading-edge education, through world-class staff, focused on the needs of society. We provide an educational experience that is research-led and enriches our students intellectually, socially and culturally.

Our hope is that students from around the world will join with us to both learn and also bring new ideas and approaches to help drive forward our ambitions to enhance and advance life. Queen's is at the heart of Belfast's culture, as well as its art and social scenes. We're proud to be part of a bustling, cosmopolitan city boasting a vibrant social life and rich cultural heritage.

Addressing Global Challenges

Through our education and research, we strive to address some of the world’s greatest challenges, our academic staff undertake world-leading research through our Schools and Global research institutes in Health Sciences and Global Food Security. This has resulted in new treatments for patients and greater levels of protection for the food we eat.

Faculty Schools

The School of Biological Sciences The School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences The School of Nursing and Midwifery The School of Pharmacy