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 2025	NHS

Tuition Fees Covered

If you can commit to working in Wales for two years after graduation

Course Overview

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 adopt a life span approach to nursing a person with a learning disability. 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. You will learn how to deliver effective care to people with a learning disability who may have multiple health morbidities as well as mental, physical, cognitive, or behavioural health challenges, enabling practitioners to be able to support people with learning disabilities of any age.

At the end of the course, you will be demonstrating person centred care for people with a learning disability and work closely with their families. As a qualified Learning Disability Nurse you will develop clinical and leadership skills to ensure that the gap between access to healthcare and people with learning disabilities is continuously shortened.

Why Learning Disability Nursing at Swansea University?

We have an outstanding reputation for nursing and are ranked in the Top 10 in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Times Good University Guide 2025).

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 hospitals or community mental health teams in both urban and rural locations.

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.

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

Your Learning Disability Nursing Experience

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 some modules through the medium of Welsh and may be eligible for internal scholarships or support through Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

Nursing Careers

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

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

Module Summary

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	Academic Year	0	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

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications.

Typical A level Offer

BBB-BCC

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 Rhagoriaeth, 18 Teilyngdod, 6 Llwyddo

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 scholarships or bursaries.
Access to modules taught wholly or partly in Welsh.
Access to the Arwain mobile app for the latest information about Welsh-medium courses and modules available to download free on the App Store and Google Play.
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 to improve your academic Welsh language skills.
An opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers.
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.

Professional Body Accreditation

Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Meet Your Lecturers

The teaching team consists of highly qualified lecturers who have been delivering clinical programmes for many years.

Tuition Fees

Start Date	UK	International
September 2024	NHS	N/A
September 2025	NHS	N/A

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.

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.

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 Values and Standards of Behaviour as well as maintenance funding and a reduced rate loan from Student Finance.

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

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

Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) 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.

We also provide help and advice for Swansea University Alumni up to two years after you graduate.

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.

Study Abroad and Global Opportunities

To learn more about study abroad, visit our Go Global webpages. Enrolment on a programme with a semester/year abroad does not guarantee you a semester/year abroad placement. Spaces are limited and subject to a competitive selection process. In the event you do not secure a semester/year abroad placement, you will be transferred to the standard variant of your degree scheme without a semester or year abroad.

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.

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