For general undergraduate

enquiries contact:

The Enquiry Centre

t: +44 (0)115 951 5559
e: undergraduate-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk
w: www.nottingham.ac.uk/faqs

Nursing
Undergraduate study 2016
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Contents

Welcome to the
Division of Nursing

3 Welcome
4 Why study nursing at Nottingham?
7 Degree courses
13 The nursing fields of practice
18 How will I study?
20 How will I be assessed?
22 Career and employment prospects
24 Graduate profile
26 Your student experience
30 Applying for a place
33 Frequently asked questions
34 Visiting and contacting us

This is an incredibly exciting time to become a

nurse. Our profession is undergoing a radical
educational and professional transformation,
with nurses taking on greater responsibilities
and enjoying more opportunities than ever, to
progress in a range of fascinating specialist
areas.

Front cover image:

A student nurse learning how to check IV fluids with their mentor.

Nursing today is dynamic, challenging and

rewarding, and needs graduates who not only
have the passion to care for people, but a high
level of analytical and decision-making skills,
underpinned by the latest contemporary evidence
in order to provide high-quality care.
To meet these ever changing demands and create
this new generation of healthcare professionals,
from 2016 all new registered nurses must
be educated to degree level. This requires
fundamental changes in education changes
pioneered by The University of Nottingham.
Our innovative nursing degrees blend novel
teaching methods, exciting clinical experiences
and rigorous academic knowledge, all designed to
prepare you for a professional nursing career.
As one of the worlds leading universities and
one of the largest nursing schools in the UK, we
have a hard-earned reputation for teaching and
research excellence. Nottingham is in the top
10 for nursing in The Guardian University Guide
2015. The Research Excellence Framework 2014
ranked us 5th in terms of research power in our
units of assessment.

Students based in Nottingham or Derby will

learn in a stimulating environment, with access
to great facilities and support from experienced
practitioners. We are based in the dynamic
settings of the Queens Medical Centre, and the
Royal Derby Hospital, with exciting healthcare
placement opportunities available through our
healthcare provider partners in the East Midlands,
around the UK and overseas.
We welcome people from a diverse range of
backgrounds: whether theyre young adults
leaving school, mature students, or those simply
looking to retrain for a more rewarding career.
More and more students are considering a career
in nursing, and with so many opportunities, a new,
higher level of training and no course fees, there
really has never been a better time to enter the
profession.
We look forward to welcoming you to The University
of Nottingham and the start of an incredible career.
Elaine Cook
Head of the Division of Nursing
School of Health Sciences
UoNHealthSciences
@UoN_SHS
Dont forget to watch our videos and hear from
staff and students from across the Faculty of
Medicine and Health Sciences:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/watch-mhsfaculty

Undergraduate students studying in the

Students Union, Royal Derby Hospital.
2

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Why study nursing at

Nottingham?
The University of Nottingham is a pioneer
in nursing education. As one of the largest
nursing schools in the UK, we offer innovative
courses informed by powerful research and
delivered by high-quality teachers in an inspiring
environment.
At any one time, 2,500 students from all walks of
life are learning and growing with us, developing
their skills with one clear aim in mind: to be the best
healthcare practitioners they can be and improve
the lives of patients wherever they work.
As a university, we have an impressive worldwide
reputation for academic excellence. Not only are
we part of the Russell Group of 24 leading UK
universities, but we are also placed in the top 1%
of universities globally, according to the QS World
University Rankings.
In the latest Research Excellence Framework,
Nottingham was ranked 8th overall in the UK
in terms of research power (5th for nursing
research). This in turn informs our teaching, which
is excellent.

University Park Campus has lots of green spaces

that are perfect for studying or socialising.

Our international links mean you will have the

opportunity to develop a global perspective
of nursing and, on some courses, experience
healthcare abroad.

Highly skilled graduates

We are renowned for producing graduates

who are highly skilled and sought after. Our
approach to blending practical experience with
sound academic knowledge makes our nursing
graduates very attractive to employers locally,
nationally and internationally.
In addition to their studies, students are
encouraged to build a broad range of outside
interests an important part of becoming a
well-rounded individual. We are proud to have
one of the most active students unions at any
UK university, with over 200 societies and 70
sports clubs where you can have fun, gain new
skills and meet like-minded people. Students
can also participate in the Nursing and Midwifery
Association (NMA), aiding interprofessional
collaboration.

Both the school and our students are consistently

represented in national awards. At the time of
writing, we had been shortlisted for four categories
including Education Provider of the Year in the
2015 Student Nursing Times Awards. We have
had further successes in the Cavell Nurses Trust
Awards 2015, in which students Natasha McVey,
Nicola Fisher and Robert Gorton were placed as
runners up in their award categories.

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Degree courses

Degree title

Branch

UCAS
code

Duration

A levels

IB

Location

Places*

BSc (Hons) Nursing

Adult

B740

3 years

BBB

30

Nottingham

264

BSc (Hons) Nursing

Child

B730

3 years

BBB

30

Nottingham

44

BSc (Hons) Nursing

Mental
Health

B767

3 years

BBB

30

Nottingham

63

MSc Graduate Entry Adult

Nursing

3010

2 years

See detailed
requirements
on page 11

Derby

75

MSc Graduate Entry Child

Nursing

3310

2 years

See detailed
requirements
on page 11

Derby

20

MSc Graduate Entry Mental

Nursing
Health

3110

2 years

See detailed
requirements
on page 11

Derby

44

Single honours

The BSc (Hons) Nursing course is carefully

designed to meet the needs of a new generation of
nurses for a changing healthcare landscape. It will
give you everything you need to launch an amazing,
rewarding career.

Both of our dynamic courses are pathways to

becoming a qualified, registered nurse.
* Places are for 2016 and may be subject to change.

For those who already have a degree and are

looking for a fast way into nursing, our two-year
MSc Graduate Entry Nursing is a popular choice.

Studying in the Medical School

Foyer, Queens Medical Centre.
6

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

BSc (Hons) Nursing

Our innovative three-year full-time degree

course is carefully designed to create highly
skilled nurses who are ready to make a real
difference to peoples lives.

When and where will I study?

Why choose this course?

You will study at our Nottingham centre where

you will enjoy high levels of teaching facilities
and support. Lessons take place at the Queens
Medical Centre next to University Park Campus.

In todays healthcare environment, nurses have a

pivotal role to play as part of a multi-professional
team, caring for a diverse range of patients and
working in a wide variety of specialist areas.
This course has been specially developed to give
you the wide-ranging, high-level skills you need: not
just in terms of the physical work you will do, but
also by sharpening your creativity, critical judgement
and ability to lead. Nursing is, and always will be,
about caring for people its just that nurses will
now be operating at a much higher level.

What will I learn?

The course is an integrated blend of modules

reflecting the field of practice you would like to
work in, whether thats caring for adults, children, or
people with mental health problems.
Each module is informed by the latest academic
thinking and has been designed to develop the real
skills and knowledge you will need to become a
registered nurse. Half of the course is dedicated to
working in practice, giving you broad experience in
a variety of healthcare settings at each stage of a
patients journey.
Over the three years, you will study in a challenging
yet incredibly supportive environment. Alongside
the huge range of University support services that
all students can enjoy, great time and care has been
given to developing a course that supports you as
you become more confident and independent.
In the first year, you will take part in personal tutorial
groups, while getting more clinical supervision in
years two and three. You will also have plenty of
guidance and support during your placement.
8

The course starts in September and follows similar

dates to the majority of University undergraduate
courses, with extra time required in the summer.

You will also have the exciting opportunity to work in

nursing practice in another country for four weeks,
broadening your perspectives on how healthcare
delivery varies internationally.

Ready for the challenges ahead

At the end of the course you will be a highly

qualified, registered nurse ready to work in your
chosen field. Not only will you have developed
confidence and competency in areas such as
delivering and managing care, but also in
communication and leadership.

Financial support

Your tuition fees will be paid for by the Department

of Health. All eligible students will receive a nonmeans-tested grant, a means-tested bursary and a
non-means-tested reduced rate student loan.

Selection and interview

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a selection

day, where you will be able to find out more
about the course, chat to lecturers and also take
part in a group interview. We will be looking for
you to demonstrate your potential for academic
progression, along with fundamentally sound
communication and interpersonal skills that are so
important to nursing.

Typical modules
Year one

Year two

Year three

Core modules:
Personal and Professional
Effectiveness for Nursing
Practice (Level 1)
Communication, Innovation and
Leadership (Level 1)
Person-Centred Nursing
Practice: Foundations (Level 1)

Core modules:
Personal and Professional
Effectiveness for Nursing
Practice (Level 2)
Innovation, Communication and
Leadership (Level 2)
Person-Centred Nursing Care:
Delivery and Decision Making
(Level 2)

Core modules:
Personal and Professional
Effectiveness for Nursing
Practice (Level 3)
Leadership, Innovation and
Communication (Level 3)
Person-Centred Nursing Care:
Leadership and Management
(Level 3)

Entry requirements

We accept the following qualifications:

Five GCSEs at grades A-C including English,
maths and a science, plus one of:
A levels
Three A levels at grades BBB
BTEC Extended Diploma in Health Studies
Overall DDM
International Baccalaureate Diploma
Minimum score of 30
Access to HE Diploma
45 credits at level three (including 30 credits at
merit, with minimum of 15 from science units). The
Diploma must include maths in a nursing context
at level two. Plus GCSE English and maths or
acceptable equivalents.

We also warmly welcome mature applicants who

have experience and qualifications equivalent to the
ones listed opposite.

How to apply

Please apply online at www.ucas.com

The UCAS codes for this course are:
B740 adult
B730 child
B767 mental health

More information

If you have any questions or would like to find out

more about the course, please contact us:
t: +44 (0)115 823 0839 or +44 (0)800 316 8974
e: nursing-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk
w: www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

We no longer accept Functional Skills qualifications

in maths and English in lieu of GCSEs.
Additional requirements such as age on entry,
occupational health and English language
requirements are on our website.

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

MSc Graduate Entry Nursing

(GEN)
This is a two-year full-time course for those who
already have an honours degree and are looking
to become qualified, registered nurses.

Why choose this course?

This course is for those who already have a

degree and want to become a registered nurse in
just two years. Your prior undergraduate degree
and relevant practical experience is accredited
to enable you to complete the course in two
years. This programme leads to a masters-level
qualification and registration with the Nursing and
Midwifery Council (NMC). There are excellent
career prospects in a range of avenues including
clinical practice, management, research and
education. Previous graduates from this programme
have performed extremely well in competing for
sought after positions within the nursing profession.

What will I learn?

All students study their chosen field of nursing,

selected from adult, child or mental health. Our
dynamic curriculum is underpinned by enquirybased learning, developing your clinical leadership
skills and preparing you for practice.
Practice-based learning is a key part of the course
and you will experience a comprehensive range of
placements, working with healthcare professionals
in a variety of areas. You will spend 50% of your
time in a clinical practice setting.
Our innovative curriculum incorporates service
users and carers involvement within taught
sessions. You will be required to complete an
8,000-10,000 word masters-level dissertation,
which is submitted in your final year.
As with all our courses, you can expect to
experience a stimulating blend of learning activities,
from lectures and clinical skills workshops through
to innovative web-based activities.

10

When and where will I study?

This intense course is delivered at our Derby

Course and School Centre at the Royal Derby
Hospital, where you will enjoy a high standard of
teaching, facilities and support. The course will start
in January.
You will undertake practice placements
predominantly throughout the Derbyshire region in
a comprehensive range of inpatient and community
settings.

Ready for the challenges ahead

By the end of the course you will have the

essential practical skills and theoretical knowledge
to join a new generation of nurses delivering
outstanding healthcare.

Typical modules
Year one

Year two

Core modules:
Foundations for Professional and Personal
Effectiveness in Nursing
Diverse Perspectives on Care Assessment,
Planning, Delivery and Decision Making for Nursing
Practice
The Social Context of Health Care Provision and
Delivery
Research Proposal (Research 1)

Core modules:
Complex Care Delivery and Decision Making for
Nursing Practice
Field specific module in either adult, mental health or
child nursing
Professional Development, Leadership and
Innovation for Nursing Practice
Research Dissertation

Entry requirements

Your tuition fees will be paid for by the Department

of Health. All eligible students will receive a
non-means-tested grant and a means-tested
bursary, but not the student loan.

You should have the following qualifications:

An honours degree (2:2 or higher). At your
interview you will be asked to demonstrate
how your knowledge, skills and experience are
transferable to nursing
GCSEs in English, maths and a science subject
at grade C or above

Selection and interview

You will also need to have some paid or voluntary

experience in a healthcare related environment.

Financial support

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed, and

selection made based on academic qualifications
and personal attributes suitable for nursing.
Candidates will take part in multi mini interviews
for selection. As part of this process, they will be
required to present a short account of how their
prior learning and experience relates to nursing
practice. Healthcare experience is essential to
meet NMC advanced standing requirements for
this course. This will involve demonstrating a basic
level of care experience (under supervision) through
the submission of an online portfolio of evidence.
Examples could include experience as a healthcare
assistant, mental health support worker, or volunteer
with a healthcare charitable institution.

More information

If you have any questions or would like to find out

more about the course, please contact us:
t: +44 (0)115 823 0839 or +44 (0)800 316 8974
e: gen-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk
w: www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing
You can also get in touch with staff at our
Derby Course and School Centre at the Royal
Derby Hospital:
t: +44 (0)1332 724 900

How to apply

Please apply online at www.ucas.com

The UCAS codes for the course are:
3010 adult
3310 child
3110 mental health

11

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

The nursing fields of practice

Alongside learning the fundamentals of nursing,

you will be asked to specialise in a particular
area when you apply.
Each field of nursing brings its own challenges and
rewards, and enables you to develop vital skills
and experience. You will learn to deliver care in a
range of settings and contexts, in both clinical and
community environments.

The three fields explored over the next few pages

are:
Caring for adults
Caring for children and their families
Working with people with mental health
problems

Students in the Clinical Skills Centre.

12

13

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Caring for adults

Caring for children

and their families

Nurses who provide care for adults must be

critical thinkers, reflective practitioners and
effective communicators, using clinical
judgement to improve the quality of life of
people with a broad range of conditions.
By providing care that is completely focused on
the needs of the patient, you will help people
manage long-term illnesses, regardless of their
disease or disability.
As you probably know, nursing is not a career to
be entered into lightly; it is demanding physically,
emotionally and psychologically. However, it is
also incredibly rewarding and offers a genuine
opportunity to make a difference to peoples lives.
The role of a nurse is diverse and there are many
career opportunities. For example:

Community nurses

As more care is offered in patients own homes,

the role of the community nurse is expanding. As
a community nurse, you will meet the needs of an
increasingly complex patient population, providing
vital care up to, and including, the end of a patients
life.

14

Ward nurses

Working on a ward opens up a diverse range

of settings. For example, in Nottingham these
include a regional cardiac centre, a specialist
haematology and bone marrow transplant unit, an
ophthalmic specialist unit and a regional trauma
unit. In Derby, the Royal Derby Hospital provides
a modern working environment and an emergency
department with a purpose built helipad, the first
in the East Midlands.
You will have the chance to specialise in one
particular field of healthcare, becoming a nurse
specialist or nurse consultant. These roles require
you to study at a higher academic level, so you can
develop advanced clinical skills in areas such as
non-medical prescribing and clinical assessment.
For more details on adult nursing and the range of
career opportunities available, visit
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nursing

Working with children of all ages, with a variety

of conditions, brings a unique set of challenges,
including the provision of a high level of support
for often very worried families.
Focusing on quality care and developing cuttingedge clinical skills, the child field explores the pivotal
roles and interactions between you as a nurse and
the child and their family, building your knowledge of
professional and ethical practice.
Your studies will be informed by the very latest
research, ensuring that everything you learn is at the
forefront of nursing practice and innovation.
To be a good childrens nurse, you will need to
understand how a healthy child develops into
adulthood, as well as how to minimise the impact
of illness or hospital admission on a child. As you
can imagine, not only can health problems have a
serious effect on a childs development, but there
can also be a lot of stress placed on the patient and
their families. It can be very scary, and your care and
support right from the start will play a huge part in
helping them cope with the situation.

While most adults can express the way they

feel or what they need, a child may not be able
to communicate so easily. Therefore, childrens
nurses must be skilled communicators, interpreting
behaviour and reactions intelligently while being
able to spot when a patients health may take a turn
for the worse. You may also need to teach parents
or carers how to provide treatment at home. Such
support is invaluable.
Technological advancements, the modernisation
of the NHS and changes in public expectations,
mean you will be expected to acquire a variety of
skills and the flexibility to care for children with ever
more complex needs in constantly evolving settings.
As with other fields of modern nursing, care is
becoming more community-based, so alongside
hospital care, nursing also takes place in day care
centres, child health clinics and patients homes.
For more details on child nursing and the range of
career opportunities available, visit
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nursing

Working closely with families is a major part of the

role. Not only will you provide clinical care to the
patient, you will give reassurance and confidence to
worried parents, siblings and other carers, learning
when to stand back and when to become more
involved. You will require a special set of attitudes
and open-mindedness to peoples different ways of
relating to their children.

15

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Mental health nursing students learn about

creative approaches in care.

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Working with people with

mental health problems
Mental health problems affect one in three
of the UK population, and presents major
challenges not only for the individual but also
their friends, families and the health services
supporting them.
Despite such prevalence there remains a lot of
prejudice, with many people struggling to find
employment, being viewed with fear and even
feeling completely excluded from society. The
majority of people with mental health problems are
more likely to harm themselves than other people
and need professional help if they are to recover
and have an improved quality of life.
Mental health services work with people who
experience common problems such as depression,
anxiety and dementia and other, rarer problems such
as schizophrenia.
As a mental health nurse you will have the rich
and rewarding opportunity to progress your career
in a number of settings and specialist areas.
Although the majority of services are delivered in
the community, you could work in a hospital ward,
special unit, charitable trust or private-sector care
home. You could even find yourself working in an
Emergency Department, as part of a team assessing
patients mental health.
Alongside the different settings, there are various
specialist areas open to you, such as working
with children and adolescents, families, women
with postnatal depression, older people, people
with drug and alcohol issues, or forensic services.

16

Some choose to go on to specialise in particular

therapeutic interventions, such as cognitive
behavioural therapy, counselling or one of the other
many and varied psychosocial approaches.
The course you choose at Nottingham will
develop your clinical skills and give you invaluable
experience, but you will also need to develop a
broad range of personal qualities in order to be
a mental health nurse. You will need an interest
in working with people, good listening and
communication skills, a compassionate nature
and a willingness to help people develop the skills
they need to live their lives. Sometimes, people
who experience mental distress lose some of the
simple abilities many of us take for granted, such as
getting on a bus, doing the shopping or cooking a
meal. Helping someone regain such skills and live
independently can be highly rewarding.
Mental health nurses work in close partnership
with many other healthcare professionals. Social
workers, occupational therapists, psychiatrists,
psychologists, physiotherapists and many others
contribute to the team approach in facilitating the
recovery, social inclusion and comfort of the person
in mental distress.
For more details on mental health nursing and the
range of career opportunities available, visit
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nursing

17

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

How will I study?

The practice learning experience

We believe that teaching should be inspiring,

engaging and challenging. Thats why we employ
a variety of learning methods and exploit the
latest innovative technologies to create a fresh,
vibrant study environment that will enhance your
university experience.

Structured support at every stage

Nursing is a richly rewarding profession that

will challenge and inspire you. One of the main
reasons nurses love what they do is because
they make a positive, and sometimes lifechanging difference to peoples lives on a daily
basis.

A step-by-step experience

Our teaching is among the very best in the UK

and youll learn from a wide variety of experienced
lecturers and practitioners. You will take part in
lectures, demonstrations, dynamic small-group
projects, debates, tutorials, workshops, computerbased projects, seminar presentations and
simulated skills lessons; at times working alongside
other healthcare students such as those on
medical, physiotherapy or pharmacy courses.

All students have a personal tutor who works with

them for the whole course. Regular one-to-one
meetings with tutors are common, giving you the
opportunity to discuss academic progress and
assessment feedback, or seek confidential help and
advice.

Caring for people is not easy and although you can

gain a lot of knowledge from the classroom, its only
by working in practice, with real patients and other
healthcare professionals, that you can develop the
skills and experience to become a competent nurse.

Year one
You will develop essential care and assessment
skills, learn safeguarding issues (such as infection
control and detecting vulnerable people) and learn
how to work in a professional setting.

Your time on whichever course you choose will be

split between study (50%) and practice placement
(50%). The University has introduced an innovative
hub-and-spoke model; your hub placement will
be your main base and will provide you with
experience in a particular area. In addition to this
hub placement, the spoke placement allows you to
go to a related area to see another aspect of the
patient journey. For example, you may be based
on a hospital ward, but you will also experience a
GPs surgery and the care outpatients receive in
the community once they go home. Patients could
be adults or children and suffer a physical injury or
psychological illness. This holistic approach will give
you a wider perspective and demonstrate some of
the challenges that both patients and healthcare
professionals face at various stages.

Year two
Building on your experience, you will begin to take
on more responsibility, progressing your clinical
reasoning skills as you start to look after one or two
patients of your own.

In addition to interactions with your lecturers and

peers, you will be expected to take part in directed
and self-directed independent learning. We invest
greatly in new technologies and innovative online
teaching methods so that this independent learning
is enhanced and supported. These include: lecture
podcasts; bite-sized chunks of e-learning on
specific healthcare topics; a virtual portfolio tool that
allows you to access an online central resource for
course material; and a virtual exchange programme.
There is a dedicated team within the school who
help to create bite-sized reusable learning objects
which are award winning, peer-reviewed and used
by healthcare professionals globally. They are
completely free to use. Visit
www.nottingham.ac.uk/helmopen

Support is a vital part of the learning process and

we have spent a lot of time learning from previous
student experiences to create an integrated
structure that supports you as you become a more
confident, independent learner and practitioner.

Dont forget you can also access a wealth of

University support on a wide range of issues at
www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices
The Students Union is also a great place to find
help. Find out more at www.su.nottingham.ac.uk

Key Information Sets

Key Information Sets (KIS) are comparable sets of

information about full or part-time undergraduate
courses and are designed to meet the information
needs of prospective students. All KIS data is
published on the Unistats website:
www.unistats.com
For Nottinghams KIS data, please see individual
course entries at www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy

Working in a practice environment is exciting, but it

can also be a little daunting at first. We want you to
get the most out of your time on placement, which is
why we ensure you receive continuous support from
a dedicated mentor and practice learning teams,
made up of lecturers and practitioners. In recent
evaluations students have rated the level and quality
of support they get as exceptional.
We also run student forums in the first few weeks of
year one, giving you and your peers the chance to
meet and discuss your initial experiences and offer
each other support.

18

From day one of your practice experience you will

start to gain the practical and clinical judgement
skills needed to be a successful nurse. For
example, students on our three-year degree course
can expect the following:

Year three
Under more distant supervision, you will be
responsible for a small group of patients making
confident, proactive decisions for their health.

International opportunities

If you are a student studying BSc Nursing you

will have the opportunity to undertake an elective
placement in your second year. This placement
gives you the opportunity to decide where you
want to go; this might be a specialist area of your
choice in the UK or you might choose to carry
out your placement overseas. You can choose
your placement so that it complements your
career ambitions and interests. It is through these
placements that many students discover their
career trajectory of choice. Elective placements
are self-funded unless you are taking part in the
Erasmus+ scheme, through which you may have
the opportunity to study in an EU country for
up to 12 weeks at one of our European partner
universities. A bursary is available for this and is
dependent on academic and practice achievements
commensurate with the stage of education.
19

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

How will I be assessed?

In order to complete any of our nursing courses

successfully you must demonstrate that you are
competent in both the practice and the theory
of nursing.
Throughout the courses, modular assessments
are based on the principle that theory and practice
are strongly linked, and assignments will require
you to integrate research-based knowledge with
examination of nursing practice specific to your field.
Assessment of your competence in practice will
also include a system of continuous assessment
while in practice placement against Nursing and
Midwifery Council (NMC) competencies for
your field of practice. Assessment will follow the
requirements of the NMC and include requirements
for assessment in Essential Skill Clusters.

A mentor and student going through

an Ongoing Achievement Record.

As you progress through each module, we will

assess your ability to integrate discipline-based
knowledge and research with practical skills.
We do this through a range of methods including:
case studies
clinical exams
dissertations
essays
journal papers
a portfolio of work
presentations
written exams
Your performance and demonstration of clinical
skills on your placements will contribute towards
your final degree outcome.

We have outstanding staff here at The University

of Nottingham. They have a passion that permeates
teachingand our curriculum is really informed by some
of the leading research in the country.
Patrick Callaghan, Head of School

20

21

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Career and employment

prospects
Nursing is changing. A whole new generation of
passionate, caring, highly skilled and ambitious
graduates are set to enter the profession and
help improve the lives of millions of people.
Nursing is a richly rewarding and unique
occupation that involves a diverse range of
abilities, including being able to lead, make clinical
decisions, communicate well and provide comfort
and support to people in real need. How many
jobs can say that?
One of the myths of nursing is that the profession
lacks challenges or career progression. The reality
is very different. Nurses have extensive knowledge
and provide sophisticated levels of care in a wide
range of settings including hospitals, surgeries,
prisons, schools and highly technical specialist
units. Employment opportunities exist all over the
UK and even throughout the world.
As diseases and conditions become more
complex, the opportunities for nurses to work
in specialist areas are growing all the time.
New roles have developed, such as clinical
nurse specialists and consultant nurses, where
practitioners have a great degree of autonomy and
influence.
Nurses work covers areas such as physical
injuries, mental health problems, cancer and much
more; they become managers of wards, health
centres and hospitals; they branch out into areas
of research, contributing to the body of knowledge
that shapes healthcare policy and practice; and
they become clinical directors, practice partners
and departmental leaders.

As part of a dynamic, multi-professional healthcare

team, you will have great responsibilities to
contribute to that team, but also retain a degree
of independence, trusted to make important
decisions that could have far-reaching implications
on a persons health.
As a nurse you will never stop learning. You will
continue to develop your skills, broaden your
horizons and move into new and challenging roles.
There are few careers as worthy, rewarding and
fascinating as nursing. This is your chance to be
part of a truly special profession.

What can I earn as a nurse?

Another common myth about nursing is that pay is

low and there are few opportunities to earn more.
As a newly qualified nurse in the NHS, you can
expect an annual salary of between 21,692 and
28,180. And thats just the beginning.
As you progress in your career you will earn
considerably more. For example, a nurse specialist
can be paid more than 35,000, while a team
manager can have a salary of just over 40,000.
Some nurse consultants earn around 67,000 a
year.*
In 2014, 100% of first-degree graduates in the
school who were available for employment had
secured work or further study within six months
of graduation. The average starting salary was
21,446 with the highest being 26,000.**

The Universitys Careers and

Employability Service

Our Careers and Employability Service, which

is based on University Park Campus, offers an
extensive range of careers-oriented services,
including CV-writing sessions, interview advice,
presentations by major employers and general
career advice. As a University of Nottingham
graduate, you will receive lifelong support from
the service. This means that you can ask a
careers adviser to look over your job application
by email or Skype, or in person, and you can also
access a database of graduate vacancies.
For more information see
www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers

Nottingham Advantage Award

The Universitys Advantage Award is a programme

of activities developed to recognise and reward
extracurricular responsibilities. It allows you to
gain recognition for participating in a wide range
of activities accredited by the University and
delivered by top graduate employers, professional
services and members of staff of the University. It
also shows employers that you have gone above
and beyond your degree and gained valuable
transferable skills. For further information, please
visit www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/advantage

Postgraduate study

Some of our best students decide to stay on

at Nottingham and join our lively community
of postgraduate research students within the
department, from masters level through to PhD.
For more information, please see
www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy

The University of Nottingham is consistently named

as one of the most targeted universities by Britains
leading graduate employers.
The Graduate Market in 2013, 2014 and 2015, High Fliers Research.

* These figures are based on band rates as of April 2015.

By the time you graduate, salaries may well have risen.
** Known destinations of full-time home and EU first-degree
graduates, 2013/14.

The possibilities that lie ahead are wonderfully

diverse. You can work with patients of all ages, and
their families, from different types of communities,
improving their health and quality of life.

22

23

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Hayley working as a nurse in the community.

As a mature student I was worried about studying

again but The University of Nottingham encouraged
and supported me throughout, helping to make
my time as a nursing student both enjoyable and
interesting. I was able to go on placement to Malta
as part of the Erasmus programme, as well as
being selected to be a team leader.
In my final year the University held Q&A sessions
on how to prepare your personal statement and
mock interviews. These were very useful and
helped me to secure interviews at both of my
applied hospitals. Since qualifying 18 months ago
I have worked at the Medical Assessment Unit at
the Royal Derby Hospital, which is a fast-paced,
demanding, but interesting assessment unit, that
gave me the key skills to secure my current job,
which is working in the community in Nottingham.
Hayley Halstead/BSc Nursing graduate

24

25

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Your student experience

Youve read lots about the degree programme

youre interested in, now its time to explore life
outside the lecture theatre. Theres so much
for you to get involved in and explore at the
University and around the city. We are proud to
be one of the leading universities for student
experience in the UK*, which will ensure that you
have a university experience youll never forget.

Your University of Nottingham

at home and around the world

We are proud of our stunning campuses and are

continually investing in our grounds, buildings and
amenities to ensure that you only have the best
surroundings in which to live and study. Our main
UK campuses have a mix of state-of-the-art facilities,
including sports centres, places to eat and excellent
learning facilities on every campus. Weve made
getting from campus to campus as easy as possible
and students can benefit from our free inter-campus
Hopper Bus, so youre never far away from the
striking architecture and innovative technology of
Jubilee Campus, the rolling parkland and period
buildings at University Park, or the cutting-edge
features of Sutton Bonington.
If you are a student on the Graduate Entry Nursing
course, youll be based at our Education Centre
at the Royal Derby Hospital. The centre is fully
equipped with academic, social and administrative
facilities and provides a unique opportunity to
promote interprofessional learning. Youll have the
opportunity to join in with activities and events at
Derby, many of which are organised by the students
themselves. Its a friendly, enthusiastic community
that caters for students of all ages and backgrounds
and is complemented by easy access to a lively city
and beautiful countryside.
The University of Nottingham is Britains global
university with campuses in the UK, China and
Malaysia. We also have links with more than 300
universities in over 40 countries, adding a truly
global flavour to your degree and giving you the
chance to explore the world. Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/campuses
Take a look at our accommodation
video for a taster of what to expect
at Nottingham:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/yourhome
26

Students preparing a meal

together in a self-catered kitchen.

Your new home from home

At Nottingham we offer a range of different

accommodation options; rooms are available as
single or shared, en suite or shared bathroom, all
the way through to studio flats, and vary from
self-catered to fully catered (19 meals per week).
We also offer a guarantee of University
accommodation for one year to all new full-time
undergraduate students, subject to the following
conditions: you firmly accept your course place at
Nottingham, accept your offer of accommodation
by the deadline given in your offer letter, and have
an unconditional status no later than 31 August in
the year you intend to begin your studies. For more
information, including a breakdown of pricing, see
www.nottingham.ac.uk/accommodation

Your support network

Throughout your university journey there will

be numerous people on hand to support you,
including tutors and dedicated staff who will be
able to advise you on various aspects of life as a
student. We have Student Services Centres on all
three of our UK campuses, which provide a range
of support, information and specialist services to
enhance your student experience. This support
includes:
Academic Support can provide practical
advice on areas of academic study; the service
also provides specialist academic support for
students with dyslexia, dyspraxia and other
specific learning difficulties
Disability Support coordinates support
and access arrangements for students with a
disability or long-term medical condition
Financial Support provides information on the
sources of finance available from government
agencies and the University itself, and gives
advice about financial matters
Student Services also advises on issues
ranging from childcare, counselling and health
to international student support, chaplaincy
and faith support, as well as offering advice on
paying your tuition and accommodation fees
Whatever you may need support with, they will
either be able to help or point you in the direction
of someone who can. Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices
* Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey, 2015.

27

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Getting involved in your

Students Union

As soon as you start at The University of

Nottingham, you are automatically enrolled as
a member of our Students Union, which is
considered to be one of the best in the country.
There are hundreds of activities that you could be
part of, providing you with the perfect opportunity
to take up a new hobby or pursue existing
interests. Choose from over 200 student-run
societies, covering all interests and abilities, as
well as local and national volunteering projects, to
which you can commit as much or as little time as
you wish.
Our Students Union is home to a number of
award-winning student-run media groups, which
give you the chance to gain practical work
experience both behind the scenes or centre
stage as a presenter, actor or journalist. The
Nottingham New Theatre, Impact magazine,
Nottingham Student Television (NSTV) and
University Radio Nottingham (URN) have all been
recognised as the best in their field, winning a
clutch of awards for outstanding achievements.
However you decide to become involved in the
Union, you can be sure you will make new friends
and learn new skills, all while having a lot of fun!
Find out more: www.su.nottingham.ac.uk

Sports

We offer sport at all levels and an excellent allinclusive student membership offer, so whether
you enjoy sport as a hobby or are an elite athlete
we will have just what you need. We have over
70 sports clubs, which means we have the
2nd highest number of sports clubs of any UK
university. If youre not interested in joining a team
but want to stay fit, we have sports centres on all
of our main UK campuses.
Find out more: www.nottingham.ac.uk/sport

Exploring your new city

Nottingham
With Nottingham city centre just a 10-minute
bus ride away from University Park Campus, our
students are always close to the action. Buses run
through campus regularly and many run late-night
services too, which is handy if youre a night owl.
28

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

For music lovers, you can take your pick from the
world-famous Rock City, Capital FM Arena or one
of the smaller gig venues for a more intimate live
show. Nottingham is rich in performance venues,
with comedy clubs and theatres catering for lovers
of drama, musicals, ballet and panto. We are very
proud of our sporting heritage, and with football
clubs Nottingham Forest and Notts County in the
city, as well as Trent Bridge cricket ground and the
National Ice Centre on your doorstep, you might
just become a sports fan if youre not one already.

Students socialising in a cafe bar at Derby

QUAD, an independent arts centre in Derby.

History and culture can be found in all corners

of the city, with Nottingham Castle, Nottingham
Contemporary arts centre, the Galleries of
Justice Museum, Nottingham Lakeside Arts the
Universitys public arts centre located on our
University Park Campus, arthouse cinemas and
three of the worlds oldest pubs all providing points
of interest. If you enjoy shopping, Nottingham is
perfect for you; independent boutiques and vintage
shops in the bohemian area of Hockley mix with
high street names in our large shopping centres to
make Nottingham a veritable shopping haven.
Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nottinghamlife
Derby
Derby will be your home if you are a Graduate
Entry Nursing student. For a small city, Derby
boasts a variety of cultural venues, such as Derby
Arena, the Guildhall Theatre and the QUAD arts
centre, while annual events include the Derby Folk
Festival, Darley Park Concert and an international
film festival. Different areas of the city offer different
shopping experiences: there are boutiques in the
Cathedral Quarter, traditional high street shopping in
St Peters Quarter and over 190 stores, restaurants
and a cinema in the intu Derby shopping centre.
For sports fans, Derby Countys football stadium,
Pride Park, is close to the city centre and there
are facilities for fitness, cycling, rock climbing and
sailing in and around the city. Derbyshire is also
known for its areas of natural beauty, for example,
Darley Park, Kedleston Hall, and the Peak District
National Park.
Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/derby
Download our city guides:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/downloads
29

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Applying for a place

We are looking for students who have

the ability and motivation to benefit from
our courses, and who will make a valued
contribution to the school and the University.
Candidates for full-time admission are
considered on the basis of their Universities
and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)
form. For more information on how to make
your application stand out, have a look at our
online prospectus:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugstudy/applying

Application process

All applications for an undergraduate place to

study at The University of Nottingham must be
made through UCAS. Applications should be
made online at www.ucas.com. Candidates will
be notified of decisions through UCAS Track at
track.ucas.com

Applying with achieved A level grades

If you apply to us having already completed your
A levels, your application will be considered in
exactly the same way as those from candidates
with predicted grades. Please tell us something
about your gap-year activities in your UCAS
personal statement.

Your personal statement

This is the section of your UCAS form that tells

us most about you, and you should make the best
use of it. Be as specific and detailed as you can
we would like to see that you are a student who
can work hard, be self-motivating and make the
best possible use of the opportunities this course
might have to offer you.

30

Entry numbers

Alternative qualifications

For information on how many students the school

plans to admit on each course, please see the
table on page 7.

In this brochure you will find our A level entry

requirements but we accept a much broader range
of qualifications. These include:

Deferred entry

Access to HE Diploma
Advanced Diploma
BTEC HND/HNC
BTEC Extended Diploma
Cambridge Pre-U
International Baccalaureate
Irish Leaving Certificate
Scottish Advanced Highers
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma

Applicants who wish to defer their entry by a year will

not be at a disadvantage. Please tell us something
about your plans for your gap year in your UCAS
personal statement.

Flexible admissions policy

In recognition of our applicants varied experience

and educational pathways, we employ a flexible
admissions policy. If we judge that your situation
has adversely affected your achievement, then we
will consider this when assessing your academic
potential. If you wish to mention information about
your experiences in your personal statement, then
you should ask the teacher or tutor writing your
reference to confirm what you have written. We may
ask for further evidence and may consider a range of
factors. For more information, please see
www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/admissionspolicies

Equal opportunities policy

The University aims to create the conditions

whereby students and staff are treated solely on
the basis of their merits, abilities and potential,
regardless of gender, race, colour, nationality,
ethnic or national origin, age, socio-economic
background, disability, religious or political beliefs,
trade union membership, family circumstances,
sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction.

This list is not exhaustive; we will consider applicants

with other qualifications on an individual basis. The
entry requirements for alternative qualifications can
be quite specific; for example you may need to take
certain modules and achieve a specified grade in
those modules. Please contact us to discuss the
transferability of your qualification.

Mature applicants

We encourage applications from mature students

(which means all those aged 21 or over when the
course begins). You should apply in the normal
way. While we accept a range of qualifications,
you should check our specific requirements on our
course entry profiles. If in doubt, please contact the
admissions tutor, who will be happy to answer any
specific queries you have about applying as a mature
student. Please email your questions to
nursing-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk

Selection and interviews

When applying for nursing courses at The

University of Nottingham we are looking for you to
demonstrate:
why you want to be a nurse
your commitment to your chosen field of nursing
an understanding of the demands of the role
academic achievements
a caring and committed attitude
teamwork, social, organisational and timemanagement skills
the skills youve gained from relevant work,
voluntary and other experiences
During interviews we are looking for candidates who
can:
explain why they want to be a nurse and offer
evidence, in what they say, that they understand
the role of a nurse in their chosen field
demonstrate that they understand the demands
of the course
communicate clearly and effectively
convey their enthusiasm for nursing
contribute to, and engage with others in the
interview situation
For tips and advice at every step of your application
journey, visit our undergraduate applicants area:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/ugapplicants

For more information about being a mature student,

please see www.nottingham.ac.uk/mature

31

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

A student training in the Clinical

Skills Centre at the Medical School.

Frequently asked questions

How much are the fees?

Course fees will be paid directly by the NHS for all

our nursing courses.

What bursaries are available?

Eligible students will receive a non-means-tested

grant of 1,000, a means-tested bursary of up
to 4,395 and a non-means-tested reduced rate
student loan of 2,324 per year (Graduate Entry
Nursing students are not entitled to the student
loan). In the final year of study the maintenance loan
is reduced. Additional allowances are available for
students with disabilities and dependants. Further
information is available at:
www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students

What support do you offer for

students with a disability or dyslexia?

The school, like the University, is committed

to promoting access for students who have
a disability, dyslexia or a long-term medical
condition. Services provided by the University
aim to enable students to fulfil the inherent
requirements of the course as independently as
possible. The Universitys Disability Statement,
which lists services, facilities and opportunities
available throughout the University, can be viewed
at www.nottingham.ac.uk/disability
Visit our website for more frequently asked
questions: www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

What support is available for students

with children?
There is a range of services provided to support
students with children, including a University day
nursery, a playscheme and playcentre day care.
There is also a scheme to help students fund
childcare. For more information, see
www.nottingham.ac.uk/child-care

32

33

Division of Nursing
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing

School of Health Sciences

www.nottingham.ac.uk/healthsciences

Visiting and contacting us

Open days

If youre considering applying to The University of

Nottingham we recommend that you attend one
of our nursing specific open days. Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/open-days
There are also University-wide open days, which
are held in June and September each year and
attract around 30,000 visitors. Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/opendays

Mini open days

Mini open days are much smaller than the main

open days but offer the same opportunities to
attend various talks and tours as well as speak to
current students and academics. Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/go/miniopendays or
call +44 (0)115 951 5559.

Virtual open day

If you cant attend one of our open days in person,

or would like to explore our campuses before
visiting, take a look at our virtual open day:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/virtualnottingham

UCAS visit days

Once youve been offered a place at Nottingham,

you may be invited to attend a UCAS visit day,
which is an opportunity for you to visit the school
and to find out more about your chosen course.
You will also be given a short tour of the campus
by current students.

Other visits

If you wish to make an informal visit to the University

prior to applying here, you are welcome to do so,
but you should contact us in advance if you wish to
visit the school or speak to an admissions tutor, and
we will do our best to oblige.

Contact us

Division of Nursing
School of Health Sciences
B Floor, South Block Link
Queens Medical Centre
Nottingham
NG7 2HA
t: +44 (0)115 823 0839 or +44 (0)800 316 8974
e: nursing-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk
w: www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing
You can also connect with fellow applicants and
current students on our applicants Facebook and
Twitter pages:

This publication is available

in alternative formats.
t: +44 (0)115 951 5559

UoNApplicants
@UoNApplicants

The University of Nottingham has made every effort to ensure that

the information in this brochure was accurate when published.
Please note, however, that the nature of the content means that it
is subject to change from time to time, and you should therefore
consider the information to be guiding rather than definitive. You
should check the Universitys website for any updates before you
decide to accept a place on a course.
The University of Nottingham 2015.
All rights reserved.

34

Printed May 2015

STUDY WHAT
YOU L VE
#STUDYWHATYOULOVE

Medicine and
Health Sciences

Your passion can

be your success.
Study what you love.
Our creative responses help make
us unique. Learn about the lives
of others, their thought processes
and their influences and explore
your own reactions. Well help you
turn an inspiring degree into an
inspiring career.
Find out more:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/
studywhatyoulove
35