Program Overview

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Nursing Associate Foundation Degree

Course Overview

A registered nursing associate plays a crucial role in patient care, administering a variety of treatments, monitoring health and preventing ill-health and supporting individuals and families. Working as part of a team alongside registered nurses, you’ll provide hands-on care in diverse clinical settings, including hospitals and community health and care environments.

Key Features

• Successful completion of this course makes you eligible to apply for professional registration as a Nursing Associate with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).
• Explore healthcare holistically, going beyond physical wellbeing to recognise the emotional, social and psychological aspects of patient needs.
• Practice-based learning, simulation and clinical placements develop your hands-on experience under the guidance of experienced professionals.
• Develop your ability to provide compassionate, empathetic care and effective communication, essential qualities that lie at the heart of your practice.
• Advocacy and social justice are integral to the course, empowering nursing associates to champion patients’ rights and promote equitable health and care access.
• Study locations in Coventry, London, Scarborough and Salisbury.

Course Start Dates

• September 2025 entry – all locations
• January 2026 entry – all locations
• May 2026 entry – Coventry University (Vauxhall, London) and Wiltshire College & University Centre (Salisbury) only

What You'll Study

This course gives you the opportunity to develop a range of practical skills and the underpinning knowledge to allow you to make a real difference to quality of life and care of people of all ages and in a range of healthcare settings.

Year One

• Holistic Person-Centred Care - 20 credits
• Promoting Health and Care Equity - 20 credits
• Practice 1: Introduction to Person-Centred Care - 20 credits
• Practice 2: Contributing to Person-Centred Care - 20 credits
• Becoming a Professional Practitioner - 20 credits
• Evidence: Your Profession in a Global Context - 20 credits

Year Two

• The Nursing Associate’s Role in Safe Administration of Medication - 20 credits
• The Nursing Associate’s Role in Complex Care - 20 credits
• Journey from Student to Registered Nursing Associate - 20 credits
• Practice 3: Provide and Monitor Person-Centred Care - 20 credits
• Practice 4: Becoming an Autonomous Nursing Associate - 20 credits
• Exploring Knowledge Through Curiosity - 20 credits

How You'll Learn

We understand that everyone learns differently, so this course will consist of structured teaching sessions which can include:

• On-campus lectures, seminars and workshops
• Clinical skills teaching
• Group work
• Self-directed learning
• Online learning activities
• Videos
• Quizzes
• Practice placement opportunities

Teaching Contact Hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching Hours

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 10-12 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Practice-Based Learning

Practice-based learning forms an essential and significant part of your learning experience. Practice hours will differ between placements and different health and care courses. You will have access to university staff, but should expect to spend the majority of your contact time with practice collaborators undertaking placement activity. Overall, the hours you undertake in practice-based learning will need to satisfy the eligibility requirements set by the professional body regulating profession, the NMC. No less than 1150 practice-based hours gained from a combination of placement and simulated learning will need to be completed over the course of your degree.

Guided and Independent Study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

Online Learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

• Coursework
• Practice placement
• Formal examinations
• Simulations
• Objective Structured Clinical Examinations
• Presentations
• Case study
• Reflections

Entry Requirements

Typical entry requirements:

• UK
  • UCAS Tariff: Minimum qualification for 32 tariff points (excludes General Studies)
  • A level: 32 UCAS points
  • GCSE: GCSE maths and English at grade 4 / C or Functional Skills Level 2, or other equivalent Level 2 awards
  • BTEC: 32 UCAS points
  • IB Diploma: 24 points
  • Access Diploma: 32 UCAS points from an Access to Higher Education Diploma, Access to Nursing or NVQ Level 3

Additional Requirements

Other requirements include commitment to completing a Foundation Degree programme, intermediate IT skills, evidence of time management skills and ability to prioritise. An ability to work within multidisciplinary teams, escalate concerns, and show initiative are essential requirements for the role.

In line with the National Health Service constitution we use a values-based recruitment approach in seeking candidates with the appropriate values to support effective team working in delivering excellent patient care. You will also be required to attend a selection event, which provides detailed information about the course and assesses numeracy, literacy and aptitude as part of the selection process.

Students will be subject to satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure. Please refer to the full requirements in the disclaimer section.

Fees and Funding

Student | Full-time | Part-time ---|---|--- UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man | £9,535 per year | Not available

Facilities

Our learning and simulation facilities, housed within our campus locations, provide hands-on experiences across diverse scenarios.

• Coventry University
• Coventry University (Vauxhall, London)
• CU Scarborough
• Wiltshire College & University Centre, Salisbury

Our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building features a range of mock healthcare settings, including hospital wards, ambulance, therapy suites and community houses, giving you the opportunity to replicate real-life situations before you go on placement.

You’ll have the opportunity to make use of our extensive simulation facilities – from basic life support manikins to high tech simulation manikins, which emulate patient responses and test resuscitation skills. You will also use healthcare devices found in the real world of practice.

Careers and Opportunities

Whether you choose to continue your education or embark on a fulfilling career as a nursing associate, this foundation degree equips you with the essential skills and knowledge you will need.

Beyond the nursing associate role, this degree can serve as a stepping stone to various nursing pathways. On successful graduation, you are eligible to apply for other pre-registration degree courses.

Where Our Graduates Work

Our graduates are employed in acute care organisations, community care settings and within general practice and social care.

How to Apply

HF12

Foundation Degree

Apply via UCAS

C85

Institution code

View our courses on UCAS

Visit UCAS

UK students

Full-time students applying to start from September 2025 can apply for this course through UCAS. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

• SHCF001 running at Coventry University
• SHCF001B running at CU Scarborough
• SHCF001H running at the Hudson Building
• SHCF001W running at Salisbury

How to apply

Apply via UCAS

Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

1Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

2UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

3Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement, the University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2025/26. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

4Facilities

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

5Placements

Satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure is also required. As part of the health clearance checks, you will be required to provide information about your immunity and vaccination status. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility to go on placement(s). Placements are provided at the placement provider’s discretion. The University is, therefore, unable to guarantee the provision of placements or the location and type of placement offered.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2025/2026 contract will apply for the 2025/2026 intake. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.