Course in brief

Studying adult nursing at the University of Brighton enables you to work closely with patients and their families as part of a versatile team of health and social care professionals including doctors, psychologists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.  You will learn how to tailor individual care for adults with a range of clinical needs.

We will support you in becoming a caring and compassionate professional who delivers skilled, evidence-based care in partnership with patients, families and communities. Our focus on interdisciplinary learning across all our health courses enriches your experience while also preparing you for the reality of professional practice.  You will also have the opportunity to experience nursing abroad through our international placements.

Your teaching will be based at either our Falmer campus in Brighton or our Eastbourne campus,and there are varied placements across Sussex in both acute and community settings.

You’ll spend 50% of the course on placement in healthcare settings with local NHS trusts, private and voluntary organisations. You will participate in simulation learning in our well-equipped clinical skills and simulation suites, allowing you to apply theory to practice in a supported environment.

The recognition that patients come first in everything the NHS does, and the values of the NHS constitution – respect, dignity, compassion and working together for patients – are embedded in our curriculum.

Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). 

You can start this course in February or September.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer or Eastbourne

UCAS code B7L0

Full-time 3 years

Apply now for February 2019. 

This course meets NMC standards and course graduates are eligible for registration.

We are a top 10 university for world-leading research impact in allied health professions, nursing and pharmacy (REF 2014)

Start in February 2019

This course is now closed for September 2018, but you can still apply through UCAS to start in February 2019.

Apply now with UCAS for 2019 entry

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed here are our typical offer for this course and should be used as a general guide. For courses that require interview or portfolio review, this may also be considered in the level of any conditional offer we may make, if your application is successful.

A-levels
BBB, must include a science or social science subject at grade B.

BTEC
DDM in a health or science subject. 

International Baccalaureate
30 points.

Access to HE Diploma
pass with 60 credits overall. Health studies, nursing or science. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 30 credits at distinction.

GCSE (minimum grade C or grade 4)

  • with Access course – maths and English.
  • with A-levels, BTEC or K101 – at least five GCSEs including maths, English and science.

A wide range of other qualifications will be considered on an individual basis, eg. Open University K101.

For all nursing courses leading to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a nurse, you must demonstrate the following:

  • completion of 10 years general education    
  • successful completion of literacy and numeracy assessments during the interview process
  • evidence of study within the last five years is desirable    
  • evidence of commitment to the profession
  • passing of occupational health and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
  • ability to meet travel requirements to attend placements
  • ability to follow a shift pattern that could cover any part of a 24-hour seven-day cycle.

Foundation degree
Completion of our Health and Social Care Practice foundation degree with 120 credits at level 5 may enable you to start in year 2 of our nursing degrees – Nursing (Adult), Nursing (Child) or Nursing (Mental Health).

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

Interview and numeracy assessment

If you are invited to interview, we will need to see your certificates that allow you to meet our academic entry requirements for the course you have applied for. If you need copies of exam certificates, please contact the appropriate examination board. Schools do not usually keep copies of exam certificates. However they should have a record of your results and we will accept a certified letter from your school, listing the grades that you achieved.

When will I hear the result of the interview?

Normally, you should hear within two to four weeks of the interview date. However, during busy admissions phases and when public holidays fall in this period it may take a little longer.

What can I expect in the maths and English test?

There is a need for nurses to have the skills to calculate medicines, nutrition, fluids and to apply number skills to other areas. Therefore, on the day you come for interview, you will be set an assessment that tests your number skills. No calculators will be permitted during this test.

The tests last for 30 minutes and are designed to test basic competency in maths and written English. This is now a requirement of the Nursing and Midwifery Council for all prospective nursing students. We recommend the following website to brush up your skills: www.open.edu/openlearnworks.

See a sample numeracy assessment paper (pdf 54Kb).

Course in detail

Course structure

Students can start our Adult Nursing BSc(Hons) programme in February or September.

You will be based at either or Brighton: Falmer or Eastbourne campuses for the duration of the course. Clinical placements take place at locations across Sussex including Hastings, Eastbourne, Brighton, Haywards Heath, and Worthing.

You’ll share learning with other health specialisms, allowing you to benefit from interprofessional collaboration, sharing knowledge and expertise. 

In each year of the course you engage with both theory and practice learning. The course alternates between academic terms and blocks of practice. Theory sessions in academic terms take place at the university. You will attend Monday to Friday with independent study days. Practice placement blocks are either 24 or 32 hours per week and vary in length from 4–12 weeks. Your communication and interpersonal skills will be developed throughout.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through our applicant portal.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

Year 1

You are introduced to the profession of nursing and begin your development of the required knowledge and skills. You will develop an understanding of the structure and function of the human body. 

Modules

  • The Nurse as a Professional: An Introduction
  • Human Qualities in Nursing
  • Introduction to Human Structure and Function Applied to Nursing
  • Psychosocial Studies in Nursing
  • Professional Nursing Practice Year 1
Adult nursing students

Year 2 

You continue to build your skills and knowledge in professional practice. You will start to develop the principles of adult nursing and gain an insight into the wide range of clinical settings in which nurses work such as public health, acute services, community and research.

Modules

  • Public Health for Nursing Practice
  • Appreciating the Research Process in Nursing
  • Acute Care Across Care Settings
  • Adults with Long-term Conditions
  • Professional Adult Nursing Practice Year 2

Options*

  • Extended International Nursing 
  • Introduction to Global Health
  • International Nursing
  • Student Community Engagement
  • Arts and Health
  • Developing Clinical Research Nurse Careers
  • Exploring Spiritual Health Needs in a Multicultural Society
  • Emergency First Aid (Nursing)

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

ECG workshop

Final year

You will complete an extended project and develop your professional practice further in the areas of leadership, physical assessment and complex care needs.

Modules

  • Leadership
  • Dissertation
  • End of Life Care
  • Enhanced Patient Assessment and Clinical Decision Making
  • Professional Adult Nursing Practice Year 3
Nurses Brighton

Facilities

Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite

Our Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite in Brighton is an invaluable tool for assessment and monitoring students' progress throughout the course.

You will benefit from practising a range of nursing skills in an environment that simulates nurses’ real-life professional experiences. Learning by simulation means you will be confident in your ability to apply your knowledge and skills in your day-to-day professional life.

If you study in Eastbourne, you will have the opportunity to simulate practice in our on-campus Clinical Skills and Simulation rooms.

nursing suite

Nursing skills zone – practice independently in a safe environment
Located on both our Falmer and Eastbourne campuses, the nursing skills zones are fully equipped open access areas so that you can practice your skills at a time to suit you.

You can practice skills including ECG electrode application, sterile glove application, nutritional assessment, basic life support, aseptic technique, urinalysis, physical measurements, personal hygiene, catheterisation, peak flow measurement, administration of medicines, A-E assessment and physical assessment.

You can book a nursing PASS leader to help you in the skills zones. Our PASS (Peer-assisted Study Sessions) project is a student-led scheme where issues relating to your course material and student life can be discussed in an informal environment with peers and trained student facilitators.

Nursing skills zone

Flexible Learning Environment 
The Flexible Learning Environment is an adapted home environment in a residential location where you'll be able to practise skills and learn from other students while taking part in a realistic training experience.

Every room is fitted with cameras and microphones, so that students can be directed and monitored from the control room while the observation room provides the opportunity to review, playback and debrief.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

Study abroad

Within the School of Health Sciences we are committed to providing a global perspective to nursing and midwifery education. As such we offer a range of international English-speaking exchange placements to nursing, midwifery and paramedic practice students. All of our international placements are fully supported and academically credited.

International placements are only with partners with which we have an agreement – this ensures a good quality learning opportunity and safe experience.

There are no costs for organising the placement for students who wish to travel to Europe, USA (midwifery) or Australia (nursing). If you wish to experience nursing in Africa, Asia or South America then your trip will be arranged through the Work the World organisation, for which there is a cost.

European

Active placement of up to three months in year 2 with one of our partner universities.

  • University College, Denmark
  • University College of Borås, Sweden
  • Universidad del País Vasco, Spain (reasonable Spanish speaking required)

Two-week observational placement with one of 25 institutions across 13 European countries in our European Nursing Module Network. For more information on our European partners and network please visit the  European Nursing Module Network website.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

International

  • Placement of up to eight weeks in Australia at the University of Monash, Melbourne.
  • Observational placements of up to three weeks in Africa, Asia or South America through  Work the World.
  • Hong Kong Polytechnic University – two-week summer school experience (not credited) which focuses on Chinese medicine and nursing. There is no cost for attending this summer school.

We provide guidance with sourcing accommodation, visas, occupational health checks and insurance. You will be connected with a key personal contact for each partner and have access to online support from the university whilst you are abroad.

All students who take part in a study abroad experience identify its immense value, whether through hosting visiting students or participating in an exchange. We share all students' experiences through our newsletters and through the student ambassador project.

If you wish to learn more about these opportunities you are welcome to discuss this at interview.

Staff profile

Jessica Mills

Course leader

Jessica has great enthusiasm for nursing and for her subject area of acute clinical practice. She is renowned for the many innovative and fun methods that she uses to teach students.

Jessica started her nursing education at the University of Brighton, in 1998. The novel European nursing course that she undertook meant that she learnt Dutch and worked for 6 months as a student nurse in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Following her graduation she commenced a rotational post in Hurstwood Park Neurological Centre.

Next, Jessica embarked upon critical care training and subsequently became a Clinical Nurse Specialist. Within this time she completed her Practice Teacher qualification and then continued to gain her Teacher status with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Jessica has successfully studied for a masters degree at the University of Brighton. This gave her the opportunity to join the School of Health Sciences in 2011.

jessica hargreaves

Course statistics

Unistats and key information sets

Unistats enable you to compare information when choosing a UK university course. All UK universities publish Unistats data on their website.

Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They are updated following course changes, and give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course.

Programme specification

These charts give an indication of how much time you will spend on different activities at each level of the course, and an indication of the balance of assessment by coursework, and written and practical exams. For courses with option modules, actual proportions will depend on the modules you choose.

Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked above). You can find out also about the range of support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Overall workload

Assessments

Careers and employability

This course provides a solid foundation for working in numerous healthcare settings and for further professional development in clinical practice, education, management and research. 

Our adult nursing graduates have developed successful careers in both hospital and community settings. Many of our graduates leave university with a firm offer of employment.

After a period of consolidation and further study you can work as a specialist practitioner in the community in areas such as practice nursing, health visiting or in the hospital as a clinical nurse or nurse consultant. Acute care offers a range of roles, for example caring for patients needing emergency and intensive care or surgery.

Successful completion of the course will enable you to access further academic study at masters and doctoral level.

Nurse and doctor using diagnostic equipment

Fees and funding

Your fees

UK/EU (full-time) 9,250 GBP

Funding arrangements for students starting this course from September 2017

From 1 September 2017, new students from England starting this course will have access to the standard government student finance support package which consists of loans to meet the cost of tuition fees and a means-tested loan for living costs. In addition, supplementary funding that is means tested as appropriate includes: travel costs for practice and clinical placements, dual accommodation costs during practice and clinical placements, childcare allowances and exceptional hardship fund. You can find helpful and up-to-date information about these changes on the Funding Clinic website.

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2018–19.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full- or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with the school that provides your course using the contact details in the Find out more tab (at the end of this page) for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly.

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and living here

Location

About Brighton

Forward-thinking and welcoming, the city of Brighton & Hove is a community of creative and diverse people who share values like sustainability and inclusivity – just like its university.

Miles of pebble beaches, hundreds of bars, restaurants and clubs, a packed calendar of culture, music and sport and great independent and high street shopping attract visitors from all over the world. By the end of your course you’ll still be finding new things to enjoy about the city.

The Brighton Festival, England’s largest arts festival, takes place every May – as does the Great Escape Europe’s leading industry showcase for new music, 300 bands perform over three days at venues across the city. Major events celebrate Pride, digital culture, cinema, photography, food and the winter solstice. Our own Brighton Graduate show is a highlight, turning the university into the largest exhibition space in the south east as we celebrate the outstanding creativity of our students.

As a student here you’ll have a unique opportunity to experience what the city has to offer. Volunteering and placement opportunities enable you to play your part in the events, organisations and communities that make Brighton such a compelling place to be.

i360 and ticket booth on the seafront What to expect enriching experiences

About Eastbourne

Sunny, friendly and relaxed, there’s lots to do and enjoy in Eastbourne – music and arts festivals, theatre, galleries and sports – and all against the backdrop of the beach and the beautiful South Downs.

Eastbourne hosts some major sporting events, from Eastbourne Extreme – one of the biggest extreme sports festivals in the UK – to Eastbourne International, an annual tennis tournament where some of the world’s finest players prepare for Wimbledon.

Eastbourne has a close-knit community feel. From where ever you are on campus every place you need to go is around 15 minutes away on foot – the beach, the town centre and the South Downs. There is a great selection of clubs, pubs, restaurants and shops and always plenty of student-friendly deals on offer.

   Eastbourne Festival

Campus where this course is taught

Eastbourne campus

Located in one of the sunniest towns in the UK, our Eastbourne campus sits between the hills of the South Downs National Park and the south coast.

The campus has extensive sporting facilities, including a sports hall, fitness suite, climbing wall, swimming pool, three gyms, a dance studio and an artificial training pitch. For sport and exercise students, there are also exercise physiology labs, a human movement laboratory and an environmental chamber.

Professional-standard facilities on this campus include the Leaf Hospital Clinic, specialist practical skills rooms, culinary arts studio and accredited sports science laboratories.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

Falmer campus

Surrounded by the South Downs National Park and just five miles from the centre of Brighton, our Falmer campus has benefited from over £60million of investment over the past 10 years. 7,000 students are based here, studying subjects including English, education, social science, nursing and medicine.

Recent developments include the Falmer Sports Centre – with its fitness suites and sports hall – and the innovative Checkland Building, which has natural ventilation systems and an insulating green roof.

Falmer has also recently installed more than 600 solar panels, which reduce the campus’s carbon emissions by more than 80 tonnes. The renovation has made us one of the top universities in the UK for on-site renewable energy production.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

Accommodation

Eastbourne

Our Eastbourne halls are in the residential Meads areas, close to the campus.

  • Welkin halls are catered and offer a choice of room types. The halls are across the road from Hillbrow and Welkin, and within walking distance of Darley Road. Public transport in the town is excellent.

You also have the option of Unihomes, student houses we rent out on behalf of private landlords. This option offers the most choice and flexibility and can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments.

There’s plenty of support if you choose private rented accommodation. We manage our own studenthomes database of available properties. And we run our housemates service over the summer for students, new and returning, looking for a place to live.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages.

East Welkin Halls

Accommodation for Eastbourne is in the nearby Welkin halls

Bedroom in Welkin halls

Brighton: Falmer

We have halls of residence across the city in Grand Parade, Moulsecoomb, Varley Park and Falmer.

  • Eligible students can apply for any of these options. Find out if you are eligible…
  • You’ll be prioritised for accommodation in the halls that are linked to your teaching base, subject to availability.
  • Falmer campus is linked to halls on the Falmer campus and Varley Park.
    • Varley Park offers a mix of rooms and catering options. Varley Park is less than a mile from Falmer and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls are on campus and offer a range of room types and catering options.

We also offer Unihomes and Unilets, student houses that we let out to our students on behalf of private landlords. This option offers the most choice and flexibility and can work particularly well when you’re balancing learning with placements and other commitments.

There’s plenty of support if you choose private rented accommodation. We manage our own studenthomes database of properties. And we run our housemates service over the summer for students, new and returning, looking for a place to live.

Find out more on our accommodation webpages.

Hillside hall of residence at Varley Park

Varley Park accommodation near to the Falmer campus

Student in our Moulsecoomb Place hall of residence

Maps

house Accommodation
campus University building

Eastbourne campus map

Falmer campus

Find out more

Nursing and midwifery news

Sign up for advice about open days, new courses and opportunities in this subject area.

  • Year of entry
  • Providing this information will help us make our updates even more relevant to you.
    Please make sure you read our privacy notice

Ask a question about this course

If you have a question about this course, our enquiries team will be happy to help.

01273 644644


Keep up to date at the School of Health Sciences blog. 

 

Latest from this subject area

Two new student prizes in mental health nursing

Two new student prizes in mental health nursing

Two new student prizes were announced on the recent World Mental Health Day for undergraduate nursing students on our Mental Health Nursing BSc(Hons).
Meeting our furry friends in Eastbourne – supporting good mental health

Meeting our furry friends in Eastbourne – supporting good mental health

Daisy and Beryl arrived early on our Eastbourne campus today, eagerly awaiting our popular ‘Walk the Dog’ event.
Starting a course with us soon?

Starting a course with us soon?

We’re really looking forward to seeing you!
Brighton students destined to be healthcare leaders of the future

Brighton students destined to be healthcare leaders of the future

Roch McClean (mental health nursing), Emma Miles (children’s nursing) and Clare Worgan (midwifery) have all just completed their training for the Council of Deans Health’s Student Leadership Programme.

Read more from our blog

Student views  

Gavin Woodgate 

"I can’t quite believe how quickly the three years has passed. It really does seem like only yesterday I was celebrating the offer of a place on the adult nursing course. However, when I stop and think about how far I have come in those three years, I am proud of the healthcare professional I have become – and continue to develop into.

The University of Brighton has provided the essential support needed to learn clinical skills, whilst also supporting and guiding me in practice. It’s fair to say I did not regard myself as the most academically minded student but the excellent help and guidance I have received has helped me obtain grades I am proud of. With qualifying just a few short months away, I am excited, if a little nervous, but I know I will always take the University of Brighton with me whatever happens, it's where my nursing career began!"

Gaving_Woodgate_1

Jo Complin

"I had reached a point in my life where I wanted to spend the majority of my time doing something that I felt was worthwhile, something that was people-orientated and not about making money. I also wanted a career with variety, where I would constantly be learning new things and have opportunities for professional progress as well as personal development. Nursing fulfils these criteria and lots more besides.

"I love being on placement where one can start putting the theory into practice by actually getting involved in procedures and in helping the patients; even as a student one can really make a positive difference to someone's day. I have also made some great friends and contacts."

Jo Complin

Alex Featherstone

"Studying for a degree in nursing has been a rewarding experience.  

"The staff I have met on placement have been inspirational to my future career and have helped me with both my independent learning as well as providing resources for my essays."

Alex Featherstone Nursing student

Search again

Find your course
Back to top