Course summary
Our Learning Disability Nursing degree course will give you the skills and experience to launch a rewarding career in this diverse and essential profession. Over the course of this carefully-integrated, three year BSc programme, you will learn how to support people who have a learning disability, of all ages and backgrounds, throughout all stages of their lives. As you progress, our range of learning and teaching strategies will develop your critical thinking to enable you to identify the diverse and complex needs of people with learning disabilities; make an accurate nursing diagnosis and plan and evaluate the care required to maximise service users’ participation in society. You will learn how to meet the needs of people with mental, physical, cognitive, or behavioural health challenges, enabling practitioners to be able to support people with learning disabilities of any age. Half of your teaching takes place in the university and the other half in healthcare settings. We have excellent working relationships with many healthcare providers, so you will have access to a wide range of clinical experiences across south west Wales. We have an outstanding reputation for nursing at Swansea and are ranked in the Top 10 in the UK for Nursing (Times Good University Guide 2024. Our academic staff are qualified nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals, many of whom are also practising clinicians, providing 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 is right next door to our Singleton Park campus on the edge of the beautiful Gower Peninsula. Our excellent facilities include a realistic clinical suite so you can put your theoretical knowledge into practice in an environment that reflects as closely as possible the actual conditions that you will experience when you go on placement in a hospital or community setting. You can also study part of your nursing degree through the medium of Welsh and may be eligible for internal scholarships or financial support through Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.
Modules
Introduction to Nursing and Health Care (Learning Disability); Understanding health and illness (Learning Disability); Contexts of Care (Learning Disability); Acute Care (Learning Disability); Care of the Person with a Long-Term Condition and Palliative Care Needs (Learning Disability); Ensuring quality care (Learning Disability); Care of the Service User with complex needs (Learning Disability); Advancing nursing practice (Learning Disability); Preparation for professional practice (Learning Disability)
Assessment method
Assessments will include practical OSCEs, written exams, oral presentations, written assignments, practical observations, and clinical skills assessments. The range of assessment methods is chosen to develop and demonstrate a range of skills transferable to the modern healthcare environment including reflection, oral and written communication, confidence and competence in care delivery and the ability to research, appraise and evaluate evidence. Placement competency will be assessed by your practice assessor.
How to apply
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
Please select a course option – you will then see the application code you need to use to apply for the course.
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
This course is not open to applications from International applicants
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - 120 points
A level - BBB
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - DDM
Access to HE Diploma - D: 24 credits M: 18 credits P: 3 credits
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 32 points
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (first teaching September 2015)
GCSE/National 4/National 5
You will need to have a satisfactory educational reference and if your application is successful, you will be offered an interview, video calls may also be considered. If you are successful at interview we will need a police check/DBS equivalent from your home country and a health declaration within six months of your proposed start date. Further details will be sent if you receive an offer. 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.
Additional entry requirements
Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
Health checks
Student Outcomes
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Sponsorship information
If you 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. Please see our NHS Funding webpage <https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/fees-and-funding/student-loans-and-grants/nhs-funding/> to check your eligibility for funding before applying.
Provider information
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Swansea
SA2 8PP