Curious about studying Learning Disability Nursingat Birmingham City University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
City South Campus, Edgbaston
Full Time
Sep 2027
3 Year
Learning disability nurses can make a difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families. Study learning disability nursing at one of the country’s largest nursing colleges, with 100% graduate employability rate, to gain all the knowledge and experience needed to fulfil the role of a learning disability nurse. Our aim is to develop you into a graduate nurse who is able to work flexibly across a range of settings and meet the health needs of the whole person throughout their lifespan. We will work with you on your development to help you become a skilled, knowledgeable, emotionally intelligent nurse, able to lead and co-ordinate compassionate, evidence-based, person- and family-centred care while working as an integral member of interdisciplinary teams. The university-based elements of the first two years of your course are integrated, with all fields of nursing working together. In your final year, the theory you learn will be specific to learning disability nursing. You will study five modules each year. In year one, you will complete a year-long practice module which will prepare and support you to develop your confidence and competence in practice as you work towards independently leading and co-ordinating care. In your first year, you will gain theoretical and practice knowledge to develop a range of key skills. This will include: exploring the evidence that underpins person- and family-centred care; professional values; self-leadership; and the role of the registered nurse. Second year modules will further enhance your first-year learning and explore evidence-based complex care incorporating a wide range of research, skills, team leadership and principles of co-ordinating care. During your third year you will continue build on your previous learning and develop proficiency in learning disability nursing. The modules you study will develop you as a leader who uses research-informed critical thinking to co-ordinate care, supervise other health professionals and gain confidence in the safe management of medication. You will also have access to personal tuition throughout the course which will enrich your learning experiences and will enable to reflect meaningfully on your practice and the development of your individual field identity. Your practice placements will be specific to your field, learning disability nursing, throughout the three years. To help you become a more rounded nurse, you will also have opportunities to learn across the four fields of nursing. Your placement learning experiences may be within community, hospital or home environment settings and at a location anywhere within the West Midlands and potentially into neighbouring counties. While on placement you will be supported, supervised and assessed by practice and academic staff to develop your knowledge and skills. We are committed to providing excellent, innovative, learning, teaching and assessment experiences through the use of technology, which we use to enhance your learning, through lectures, seminars, skills simulation and virtual learning. Engaging with practice partners and service users is also integral to our approach. Our BSc (Hons) Nursing course has been designed to comply with the new Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards (2018) meaning that successful completion of this course makes you eligible to apply and be entered onto the NMC register in one of the four fields of nursing: Adult, Child, Learning Disabilities or Mental Health.
Distinctive Feature of this module: A comprehensive introduction that combines academic preparation with early professional identity development, giving you the confidence to begin your nursing journey. This module will provide you with the foundational knowledge of the art and science of nursing plus academic skills, to start developing your career as a nurse. You will learn how to learn at university where the development of knowledge is personally driven, and opportunities are provided for you to stretch and challenge yourselves. It is your gateway into nursing, preparing you for the transition into higher education and clinical practice. It builds your core academic, professional, communication, and evidence-based practice skills, laying a strong foundation for all future learning by providing you with the mindset and skills to remain up to date in the ever changing, developing world of healthcare. The module content and delivery will support your orientation into university and help you plan your studies and identify where to find support. It runs throughout level 4, providing you with opportunities to directly integrate what you are learning into other modules, placements and academic assessments. You will explore the professional values that will be expected of you throughout your nursing studies, being provided with an introduction to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and an overview of the NMC Code of Conduct.
Distinctive Feature of this module: Connects evidence informed knowledge directly to patient assessment and care, helping you translate theory into the practical skills required for early placement experiences. This module equips you with the foundations of anatomy and physiology (A&P) to support nursing assessments and practical skills. You will have the opportunity to review, refresh and extend any previous learning you may have on A&P. You will draw upon knowledge gained from module 1 and consider how this can be applied to understanding of A&P. You will explore how healthy body systems function and how illness impacts vital signs and homeostasis. In addition, you will examine physical and cognitive development across the lifespan, from foetus to older adult, considering how life stages influence physical and mental health. Setting the foundations required for future bioscience knowledge acquisition and application. The core content for this module is Anatomy and Physiology (A&P), which will underpin practical skills such as assessment, documentation, communication and professional standards. Learning connects A&P to nursing skills through theory and practice, emphasising the links between scientific knowledge, vital signs and the nursing process whilst ensuring incorporation of cultural awareness (e.g., skin tones, body types, cultural contexts). You will consider how cultural beliefs influence assessment and bias (e.g., pain scales, cognitive tests).
Distinctive Feature of the Module: Your first field module emphasises the integration of theory and practice, helping you to build the confidence to navigate care scenarios while beginning to develop and explore decision making skills. This first field specific module in Learning Disabilities Nursing will focus on linking theory with practice. It will support the development of confidence when working in care settings and introduces decisionmaking skills needed for safe nursing practice in Learning Disabilities Nursing. The module will help you to begin to understand and develop your role as a Learning Disabilities Nurse and how theory informs everyday care. You will be supported to continue to apply academic learning, professional values, and basic nursing care theories to your practice experiences. Through skills development and reflection, you will start to build the foundations needed for decision-making in practice. The module will continue to develop evidence-informed practice, helping you to learn how to find, understand, and use information to support safe and effective care.
Distinctive Feature of this Module: This module places nursing within a societal context, highlighting the nurse’s role in promoting equity, health, and wellbeing for individuals and communities. Expanding the focus beyond individual patients, this module examines the factors that influence health and drive health inequalities. You will explore how social, cultural, and economic determinants shape health outcomes and consider evidence-based strategies to reduce disparities and promote wellbeing at individual and community levels. Topics such as safeguarding, frailty, dementia, adverse childhood experiences, and cultural awareness are investigated within a population-health framework. Throughout your learning so far, you have been learning the principles of person and family centred care. Understanding that people are influenced by their culture, values and beliefs as well as the environment they are living in, is essential in ensuring holistic and individualised non-judgemental care. Alongside this, you will continue to develop academic, communication, leading care, and professional skills. You will begin to learn how to advocate for vulnerable groups, tailor care to diverse needs, and apply inclusive approaches to practice.
Distinctive Feature of the Module: The professional practice modules are where academic knowledge, nursing skills, and professional judgment combine, preparing you to deliver safe, evidence-based, patient-centred care. The module provides you with an introduction to and ongoing support for practice elements of your course. The module is designed to enable you to achieve practice proficiencies within your chosen field of practice through ongoing guided participation in care within the practice learning environment. The module offers preparation, development and consolidation to grow your confidence and acquire competence within the practice learning environment. This module spans your whole level 4 journey to combine all the elements of learning into a practicebased environment. Communication, leading care, and professional accountability are explored in the context of real-world practice. Anatomy and physiology will underpin many clinical assessments with your developing holistic and field specific knowledge supporting you in learning how to deliver person and family centred care.
Distinctive Feature of this module: This module positions nurses as evidence-informed practitioners, who will coordinate care, and may, within their nursing career develop into leaders of teams and services. Nurses are increasingly engaged in and leading research to improve outcomes for patients and families. Being at the forefront of care, they are uniquely placed to understand the diverse nature of the lived experience of patients, service users and their families. This module will equip you with the knowledge and skills to apply research, patient perspectives, and innovations to improve care and influence healthcare practice. With a professional responsibility in delivering evidence-informed practice you will explore research bias, the impact of your personal values on this, and the legal and ethical principles of obtaining consent for research purposes. You will learn how researchers work with and listen to patients and service users to support knowledge development.
Distinct Feature of this module: This Level 5 module will equip learning disabilities nursing students with the knowledge and skills required to assess, recognise, and respond effectively to acute health needs and crisis situations experienced by people with learning disabilities. Individuals with learning disabilities are at increased risk of physical and mental health deterioration, often presenting atypically, which can lead to delayed or inappropriate care. The module emphasises person-centred, rights-based, and evidence-informed assessment approaches, addressing diagnostic overshadowing and health inequalities. You will explore signs and symptoms of acute physical illness, mental health crises, behavioural distress, safeguarding concerns, and environmental or social triggers. You will continue to develop competence in holistic assessment, risk identification, communication strategies, and multi-disciplinary decision-making. As part of the module, you will undertake reflective practice, ethical reasoning, and partnership working with families, carers, and other professionals.
Distinctive Feature of this module: This Level 5 module explores the complex nature of illness in people with learning disabilities, focusing on long-term health conditions, genetics and co-morbidities across the lifespan. You will build on prior knowledge to further develop their understanding of the learning disability nurse’s role in assessing, planning and delivering care across a range of healthcare and community settings, including areas where gaps in provision may exist, such as palliative and hospice care. The module supports the development of emerging leadership skills and professional accountability within practice. You will be introduced to the foundations of genetics from a physiological perspective and will explore genetic risk, epidemiology and long-term condition management relevant to learning disability nursing. Emphasis is placed on applying this knowledge to practice experience learning, enabling you to recognise how theory informs assessment, risk management and care planning for individuals and families across health care settings (community, acute, in-patient etc).
Distinctive Feature of this module: This module focuses on safeguarding and the use of serious case reviews to spark critical debate and strengthen professional decision-making, combining evidence-informed knowledge and ethical leadership skills to foster resilience, advocacy, and the ability to navigate complex, real-world healthcare environments. Leading on high quality nursing care is the role and aspiration of all nurses, however achieving this consistently is challenging. This module will support you in building skills to lead on care and overcome common challenges and barriers which impact on the quality of care. Safeguarding vulnerable people, processes, challenges and good practice will be a focus of the module. Building on previous content gained at level 4 and in prior level 5 modules where you have started to develop your professional identity and nursing care specific knowledge, you will learn how agencies work collaboratively to support vulnerable people such as those with dementia, cognitive impairment, children or those in mental health crisis. You will be introduced to multi-agency processes and debate related legal and ethical frameworks. Through analysing contemporary evidence and real-world scenarios you will explore ways to navigate and overcome the challenges of working within, and eventually leading interprofessional teams, exploring the impact of poor communication, cultural bias and misunderstanding, hierarchical culture or interpersonal tensions. You will critically reflect on your own values, morals and resilience and supportive strategies in maintaining wellbeing in challenging environments. You will consider decision making under pressure and how you can motivate a team. You will analyse human factors such as fatigue, workload, environment, and debate the personal and professional impact of whistleblowing, raising concerns, and duty of candour.
Distinctive feature of this module: Recognising the value of reflection in creating a framework for you to critically explore experiences generating the self-awareness required to be an emotionally intelligent nurse, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have embedded reflective practice into the standards of proficiency for nursing. Your Part 2 professional practice module will therefore support you to reflect on and explore your practice experiences, creating a space for you to develop your professional identity as a nurse. Through reflective conversation and activities, you will develop your skills of reflection, revisiting and exploring practice experiences with growing self-awareness. You will explore your role as an emerging newly qualified nurse, and consider the skills and qualities required as a developing leader and provider of care within different care settings. On completion of the module, you will have the skills and knowledge required to engage in the sustained reflective practice to be an emotionally intelligent nurse. This module will also focus on the ability to evaluate practice and explore the professional and clinical skills required to complete your EPAD. to support the development of safe, confident, and competent professional practice. In addition, you will have the opportunity to practise hands-on clinical skills that directly relate to the proficiencies and expectations outlined in your EPAD.
Distinctive feature of this module: This module develops and extends your academic skills to the systematic searching for, appraisal and critical application of literature towards an evidence-informed approach to quality improvement and high-quality safe practice in nursing. This module will develop your skills as a research-minded nurse, with a focus on the importance of safe practice and practice-led research. You will learn to apply a systematic approach to searching for evidence, to critically appraise that evidence and to synthesise findings to answer research questions that are practice-led. You will also develop an understanding of the principles of different research paradigms and different research methodologies that address different research questions. This module will also develop your understanding of healthcare audits, quality improvement strategies, approaches and change management theory so that you can utilise findings from research to rationalise and improve patient outcomes and experiences of care. During this module, you will consider approaches that are appropriate when conducting research with vulnerable groups. You will utilise previously gained knowledge of ethical principles and procedures related to healthcare research.
Distinctive feature of this module: This module will consolidate clinical, scientific, and leadership knowledge to enable effective coordination and delivery of person/family-centred, evidence-based nursing care across a range of health and social care settings in learning disabilities nursing. This module develops your capacity to lead and contribute to interprofessional collaboration in the care of people with learning disabilities who present with complex, multiple and intersecting needs. You will critically explore how health, social care, education, criminal justice and third-sector agencies work together to safeguard individuals, manage risk and promote rights-based, person-centred practice across the lifespan. You will integrate your advanced understanding of pathophysiological processes, pharmacology, communication, and leadership to make safe and effective clinical decisions. You will use learning from national and local safeguarding practice reviews and inquiries to analyse organisational culture, professional accountability and systemic failures. The module integrates advanced clinical knowledge related to profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD), long-term conditions and complex physical healthcare as well as implementing Positive Behavioural Support and trauma-informed approaches for those who may challenge services due to behavioural presentations. The module returns to the concepts of self-awareness, resilience, and professional identity that you have been developing throughout the course, as you prepare to lead and advocate within complex multidisciplinary teams. Throughout this module, you will consider the inclusion of service-user and carer narratives from diverse communities, explore structural inequalities affecting marginalised groups (e.g. Gypsy/Traveller, asylum seekers, LGBTQ+) and examine power imbalance, discrimination of vulnerable groups and institutional bias.
Distinctive feature of the module: This module spans your final part (part 3) of your studies, supporting you to develop confidence in the application of your skills, knowledge, behaviours and attributes required at the point of registration. You will explore new skills in relation to supervising and supporting others and understanding what it means to be “prescriber ready”, and employability will be a strong focus in this module. You will prepare for your transition to a registered nurse, reflecting on your practice to develop selfawareness, understanding the changing scope of your practice, and accountability. As you progress through this year-long module, you will be supported in understanding the recruitment process and in activities that prepare you to participate in it. During this module, you will engage in developing your knowledge of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA) to prepare for taking on the role of Practice Supervisor when you qualify. Developing your skills to provide supervision and feedback to others whilst also receiving feedback, which will become an important standard of your practice. You will also engage in knowledge development of pharmacology, developing further understanding of medication management in order to become ‘prescriber ready’, which will prepare you to engage in further study as a qualified practitioner. Problem-based learning and peer feedback will support the development of these skills, supported by professional feedback from your clinical placements. You will be allocated practice placements which support your progression as a third year nursing student, allowing you to strengthen your leadership and management of patient care and the interpersonal and clinical skills required.
BBB Grades/points required
Not currently available, please Contact University for up to date information.
4.2
