Course summary

This new MSc course offers graduates from a range of backgrounds the opportunity to enter the nursing profession in two years. You will explore the value of people with learning disabilities as equal citizens and people who have a real contribution to make to your development as a caring professional nurse in this field of practice. You will have the opportunity to study and develop specialist skills in communication, comprehensive health assessment, equality and issues related to professional practice. This includes the study of complex health needs, profound and multiple needs, care packages and therapeutic approaches to service users with learning disabilities. The course is designed to equip you with the hands-on clinical and care skills to prepare you to practise autonomously and compassionately, providing person-centred care and building therapeutic relationships to support people with a learning disability across all ages, regardless of personal characteristics or aspects of their lifestyle and circumstances, together with their families, carers, and friends.The Pre-Registration Master’s in Learning Disability (LD) Nursing is a two-year postgraduate course which leads to eligibility to register as a Learning Disability Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The course is aimed at individuals with a prior undergraduate degree and evidence of experience in health and social care. Previous undergraduate degrees may include (but are not limited to) health-related disciplines, psychology, criminology or sociology degrees. Those with non-health-related degrees must demonstrate extensive experience in the clinical health and social care sector. It is also suitable for existing nurses looking for dual qualification. The MSc in Learning Disability (LD) Nursing course will enable you to apply a wide range of creative interventions that will facilitate quality care in varying settings, allowing service users to experience valued and fulfilled lives across their lifespan. The course aim is to develop nurses to achieve a high level of clinical expertise to take a lead role in the provision of holistic, person-centred care in a range of health and social care settings. The MSc course will facilitate the LD Nurses to lead in the implementation and coordination of positive behavioural approaches, adapted mental and physical health interventions and additional clinical specialism including the provision of care in forensic and secure environments. The Master’s aims to ensure that knowledge and skills acquisition will allow the LD Nurses to provide effective support for individuals with learning disabilities, including profound and multiple disabilities within healthcare and educational settings. The course will be equipped with the necessary theory-practice skills in trans- and multi-disciplinary assessment, which is at the core of best practice. This innovative course requires individuals with excellent communication skills and a person-centred and empathetic approach to those with healthcare needs. Clinical placements are integral to the MSc Learning Disability Nursing, accounting for 50% of the course. This includes clinical practice in a healthcare setting (organised by the University) and practice learning with local practice partners. Learning Disability nurses work in collaboration with the individual experiencing Learning Disability issues and with a range of other health professionals to provide a multidisciplinary approach to person-centred care. You will complete placements across four practice modules in a variety of areas such as community, in-patient, primary care and other Learning Disability Nursing services. Practice assessment is divided into three parts which build on proficiencies required to become autonomous nurse practitioners.