BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing Practice

Overview

Are you passionate about helping people? Do you want to develop your clinical skills and embark on a thriving career in nursing? Our BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing Practice degree could be for you.

Adult nursing involves delivering care to a wide range of patients with various health conditions, from minor injuries to long-term illnesses. We've developed this adult nursing course in collaboration with regional NHS Trusts and you'll be taught by expert practitioners with first-hand experience of nursing. Your learning will take place both on-campus in our interactive mock hospital wards and alongside our Patient, Carer and Public Involvement (PCPI) participants, and out on placement where you'll gain real-life experience.

On successful completion of the Adult Nursing degree, you'll be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a registered adult nurse.

Why us?

• Our Nursing and Midwifery courses are in the UK top 30 for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025)
• Our Nursing courses are 1st in the North East for teaching quality (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)
• Undertake a range of clinical placements by taking advantage of our strong links with regional NHS partner Trusts. Work on real-life cases in a real working environment in practices and community settings throughout the North East.
• A nursing degree will make you highly employable and you can work anywhere in the world as your degree will be accepted both nationally and internationally
• A distinctive partnership with 251 Medical Squadron, the local military base, provides our trainee adult nurses with innovative experiences to develop leadership and collaborative skills via simulated trauma days and team building events
• The starting salary for adult nurses in the NHS is band 5 and experienced senior nurses who've achieved additional qualifications can progress to band 8 and beyond

Course Structure

During your first year on the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing degree, you'll be introduced to the requirements of becoming a registered adult nurse through studying and completing modules in professional practice and nursing practice. This, combined with learning about physical and human science, will prepare you for your first clinical placements which will be held in local NHS Trusts.

50% of your time over the duration of this adult nursing course will be in clinical practice under the supervision of registered practitioners, in a range of clinical settings, in and out of hospital. A key aspect of our course is patient involvement and patient centred care, and you'll have regular contact with our Patient, Carer and Public Involvement (PCPI) members throughout the course, who all have experience and expertise as patients or carers.

As a nurse, you'll need to demonstrate compassionate and caring approaches to patients and interprofessional working in the healthcare workforce, and this adult nursing degree provides you with opportunities to learn and work alongside other students and staff from a range of disciplines.

Course Modules

Year 1 (national level 4):

• Critical Enquiry for Nursing Practice (10 credits) Develop the required skills for evidence-based practice in adult nursing. Gain insight into engagement with learning styles, teaching methods and the assessment process. Practise using source materials for the purpose of referencing and citation. Present work to a variety of audiences, for example, peers, academic staff, practice colleagues, and Patient, Carer and Public Involvement (PCPI) participants.
• Bio-psychosocial Principles of Health and Wellbeing (20 credits) Learn through a systems-based approach to anatomy and physiology, psychology and microbiology using patient journeys as illustrations to enhance learning. Explore human health and wellbeing in the context of public health and symptoms of disease. Learn to communicate complex medical terminology to both colleagues and patients in an understandable manner. Develop your understanding of the physiological processes, anatomical and cognitive structures of the human body. Explore overarching themes in anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and neurology.
• Foundations of Nursing Practice (30 credits) Explore the core skills of adult nursing and take a holistic view of the individual focusing on health promotion, comprehensive assessment and the application of evidence-based practice. Understand models of reflective practice to support professional development while building effective relationships with clients and others involved in the provision of healthcare. Focus on core elements that reflect the competence, professionalism and underpinning knowledge which characterise a high-quality nursing workforce. Gain psychomotor skills to perform essential nursing practice through interactive clinical sessions with PCPIs. Explore the consequences of negligence in a risk-free environment through simulated experience.
• Practice Placement 1 (60 credits) Apply theoretical components to clinical practice. Study models of reflective practice together with an overview of interprofessional working. Gain experience and insight into lived patient experience. Understand the importance of respecting an individual’s autonomy and right to make decisions about their own health and wellbeing.

Year 2 (national level 5):

• Application of Evidence Based Practice for Nurses (20 credits) Develop an understanding of the key issues related to healthcare practice informed by the best available evidence to support shared decision making. Gain critical appraisal skills and debate how best available evidence can be integrated into healthcare practice and policy. Debate the ethical issues that underpin best practice including consent and risk management. Use a range of research methods and explore their merits and appropriate use. Explore the nature of clinical judgment and research integration.
• Holistic Nursing for Altered Physiology to Promote Wellbeing (40 credits) Gain knowledge of major pathological and physiological changes in the human body, occurring as a result of common diseases and disease processes. Explore the manifestations, impacts and interventions of illness and disease. Build on your knowledge of physical and human sciences and explore altered pathological and physiological change. Use a range of teaching and learning strategies to explore the impact of these changes and define the implications for adult nursing practice. Study co-morbidity and medico pharmaceutical treatments and modalities in order to enhance wellbeing and recovery, within the context of ethical and professional frameworks.
• Practice Placement 2 (60 credits) Develop knowledge and the application of adult nursing practice interventions to provide evidence-based, safe, and compassionate physical and psychological care. Effectively assess, plan and implement care and demonstrate a range of adult nursing interventions. Develop skills and knowledge to formulate a nursing plan of care and undertake observations and clinical interventions with less direct supervision.

Year 3 (national level 6):

• Dissertation (40 credits) Explore the evidence base of adult nursing practice and the range and hierarchy of evidence for particular healthcare issues. Select a particular area in your field of adult nursing and develop your ability to make informed use of published research and other sources of evidence to apply findings to enhance your practice. Enable your production of an independent, negotiated project that analyses an aspect of your discipline.
• Leadership and Interprofessional Learning (20 credits) Develop your knowledge of self-awareness, improving healthcare and working with others. Gain an understanding of key leadership theories and models. Explore your application to healthcare and reflect on your personal strengths along with areas for development. Examine the role of service improvement techniques and consider roles and responsibilities of all professionals alongside the values of team work in interprofessional care. Explore carer and user perspectives in interprofessional care settings to illuminate personal experiences of interprofessional care. Study ethical issues in the context of interprofessional working to gain insight into challenges faced from a variety of viewpoints. Study the impact of information technology, healthcare informatics and issues in transcultural healthcare provision.
• Practice Placement 3 (60 credits) Develop your knowledge and application of adult nursing to practice within a range of clinical settings. Study care provision across the human lifespan including the health and wellbeing continuum. Learn biological, psychological and sociological theory in the context of person-centred care. Focus on individuals with complex health needs with emphasis on the concept of co-morbidity and the implications for care this entails. Explore pharmacological principles and concordance.

Facilities

The University of Sunderland offers modern and well-equipped facilities at The John Dawson Sciences Complex.

Entry Requirements

Our typical offer is:

• Qualification | Minimum grade
  • Irish Leaving Certificate | 120 UCAS points – Students must have H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths & English.
  • QQI/FETAC 5| Pass profile overall. For entry we also require H1-H7 or O1-O4 in Maths and English from Irish Leaving Certificate.

If your qualification is not listed above, please contact the Student Administration team at for further advice.

Please note, we don't accept General Studies AS or A-Level and you must show evidence of recent academic study within the last five years at entry level.

Our admissions policy uses a range of flexible options to support you to study with us. This may include a reduced offer of up to 16 UCAS tariff points, (or equivalent). Find out if you are eligible.

We also require GCSE mathematics and English language or equivalent at grade C or above, or maths and English language functional skills level 2. If you've studied for a GCSE which has a numerical grade, you'll need to achieve a grade 4 or above.

Your completed application form will be reviewed by our Admissions team to ensure that you have the required entry qualifications. If you meet these requirements, your application will be individually assessed by the Adult Nursing Practice Admissions Tutor and, if successful, you'll be shortlisted for interview.

The selection process will include a multiple mini interview (MMI), which will assess you on your values, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

This is available to applicants who meet the course-specific APL requirements. It may apply to applicants who wish to transfer their NMC-approved nursing studies from another university where they've achieved 120 credits at Level 4 and a minimum of 675 placement hours. The APL entry route is also available to Nursing Associates who are aiming to become a registered nurse.

If you're interested in the APL route, please contact the nursing admissions tutors for further information by emailing .

Fitness to Practise

Medical assessments of your mental and physical health and disclosure of criminal convictions apply to all nursing courses and are based on current NMC requirements. Nurses are registered healthcare professionals and the ability to practise safely, effectively, and professionally is essential, so all applicants are required to follow our fitness to practise procedures. This means you're required to complete the following:

• A health declaration form. Here, you must demonstrate that you're of good health, good character, and can satisfactorily pass occupational health screening. In addition, you'll be required to attend an Occupational Health Assessment with an NHS Trust. The University will, taking into account current NMC regulations, make any reasonable adjustments if required. Please refer to the HEOPS nursing student fitness standards.
• A self-declaration form about your conduct
• Obtain an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. The cost of the DBS check is covered by the University.

Instructions on how you complete these checks will be sent to you once you hold a conditional firm offer with us. These forms are then reviewed alongside your application, and you must meet both the academic and fitness to practise requirements before you'll be given an unconditional offer. If you're successful, you'll also need to complete an annual declaration form to confirm you're fit and there are no changes to your DBS.

We require international applicants to meet the equivalent UK entry requirements and IELTS with a minimum of 6.5 in each element with an overall score of 7. To be eligible for an interview, you must currently have attained an overall IELTS score of at least 7 with 6.5 in each element.

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and Finance

The annual, full-time fee for this course is:

• £9,535 if you are from the UK/Europe
• £16,500 if you are an international student

*Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2025/26 will be £9,535. You will pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

Read more about EU fees and funding in our Help and Advice article.

A non-repayable grant of £5,000 and extra payments worth up to £3,000 is available to eligible home students for each year of study. Read more about the Training Grant on The NHS Business Services Authority website.

If you currently serve (or have recently served) within the Armed Forces, then the Ministry of Defence's ELCAS scheme may be able to help cover your funding for this course. Read more about funding for Armed Forces personnel.

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

Career Ready

Nursing is a rewarding and challenging career where you have a real chance to make a difference to people's lives. Having an adult nursing degree will make you highly employable, and job opportunities are flexible both within the NHS and community settings, and in the UK and overseas.

Find out more about where a career in nursing could take you.

Adult Nursing Jobs

Adult nurses are key workers and make up the largest part of the NHS workforce. In the future, more adult nursing jobs will be based in the community rather than hospitals as more care is delivered outside of acute settings, including hospital wards, outpatient units or specialist departments, the community or nursing homes, and the prison service.

Adult nurses are a key part of the multidisciplinary teams that look after patients. You'll be at the centre of teams that can include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, radiographers and healthcare assistants. You'll also work closely with patients' families and carers.

Start your adult nursing career at the University of Sunderland and develop lifelong, transferable nursing skills in a collaborative and supportive environment. Many career opportunities are available post-qualification and with additional qualifications, adult nurses have the potential of earning an even higher salary.

Placements

At all levels of this adult nursing course, you'll undertake unpaid clinical placements in hospitals and the community. These occur in blocks of varying duration:

• Year 1 – two nine-week long placement blocks (18 weeks in total)
• Year 2 – three seven-week long placement blocks (21 weeks in total)
• Year 3 – two blocks, which are nine and 16 weeks long (25 weeks in total).

Your first placement will take place in the first term, after ten weeks of teaching.

Placements can take place at any of our partner Trusts in the North East: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, North Tees and Hartlepool Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Harrogate, and District NHS Foundation Trust.

During your adult nursing placements, you'll be assigned Practice Assessors and Practice Supervisors who'll directly assess and supervise you, as well as act as a means of support and guidance.

As you may be expected to travel long distances, start your shift in the early hours, or finish your shift late at night, you could be entitled to Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses (TDAE) which allows you to make a retrospective claim for excess travel costs and/or expenses for temporary accommodation near to the location of your placement. Find out more about the NHS Learning Support Fund.

Extracted Information on Adult Nursing Practice (BSc Hons) at the University of Sunderland:

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Degree Overview:

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Objectives:

• Develop the knowledge, skills, and attitude of nurses to meet the requirements outlined in the NMC Future Nurse Standards of Practice
• Offer a high-quality and innovative program that fosters the personal and professional development of graduates
• Enable graduates to become highly employable, contributing directly to the nursing workforce

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Description:

• Three-year program taught in a simulated environment and clinical settings
• Includes 50% practice placements with various NHS partners
• Focuses on patient involvement and patient-centered care
• Provides opportunities for interprofessional learning
• Develops students into compassionate, skilled nurses ready for the challenges of the healthcare field
### Outline:

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Program Content:

• Covers five main themes:
• Physical and Human Sciences
• Professional Practice
• Nursing Practice
• Critical Enquiry
• Nursing for Altered Physiology

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Course Schedule:

• First year focuses on theoretical foundations and introductory clinical placements
• Second and third years involve deeper dives into nursing practice through various clinical placements
• Course structure includes lectures, workshops, seminars, simulations, and independent study

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Modules:

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Year 1:

• Critical Enquiry for Nursing Practice
• Bio-psychosocial Principles of Health and Wellbeing
• Foundations of Nursing Practice
• Practice Placement 1

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Year 2:

• Application of Evidence Based Practice for Nurses
• Holistic Nursing for Altered Physiology to Promote Wellbeing
• Practice Placement 2

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Year 3:

• Dissertation
• Leadership and Interprofessional Learning
• Practice Placement 3
### Assessment:

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Assessment Methods:

• Variety of written and practical assessments, including essays, projects, presentations, and clinical examinations
• Continuous assessments throughout the program to track student progress and development

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Assessment Criteria:

• Based on NMC competencies and program learning outcomes
### Teaching:

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Teaching Methods:

• Interactive learning through lectures, seminars, workshops, simulations, and clinical placements
• Emphasis on student-centered learning and active participation
• Use of innovative technology and learning environments
• Focus on critical thinking and problem-solving abilities

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Faculty:

• Experienced and qualified nursing professionals with extensive clinical and academic expertise
• Dedicated to supporting student learning and development
• Passionate about nursing and the future of healthcare
### Careers:

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Career paths:

• Registered Adult Nurse in the National Health Service (NHS)
• Various specializations within the nursing field, such as critical care, emergency medicine, mental health, and public health nursing

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Career Opportunities:

• High employability rate with 94% of graduates securing jobs within six months of completion
• Opportunities for career progression and further study within the nursing field
• International career opportunities with nursing degrees recognized globally

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Other:

• Students can participate in research projects alongside staff and peers
• Access to the university's excellent facilities, including the Living Lab for simulations and interactive learning
• Strong links with regional NHS trusts
### Additional Notes:
• The program emphasizes patient involvement and patient-centered care.
• Students have opportunities to collaborate with other healthcare professionals through interprofessional learning activities.
• The program includes five modules dedicated to nursing practice and six modules to professional practice.
• All modules are designed to prepare students for their future careers as registered adult nurses in the NHS.

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Tuition Fees and Payment Information:

• £9,250 Current fee
• £16,000 International fee
• EU nationals will receive a £5,750 scholarship to reduce their fee to £10,250

University of Sunderland

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Overview:

The University of Sunderland is a public university located in Sunderland, England. It offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various disciplines. The university has a strong focus on providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment for its students.

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Services Offered:

The University of Sunderland provides a comprehensive range of services to its students, including:

Academic Support:

Access to libraries, learning resources, and academic advisors.

Student Support:

Counseling, mental health services, and disability support.

Accommodation:

On-campus and off-campus housing options.

Career Services:

Career guidance, job search assistance, and internship opportunities.

Student Life:

A vibrant student union, clubs, societies, and social events.

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Student Life and Campus Experience:

The university boasts a diverse and inclusive campus community where students can connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures. Students can participate in extracurricular activities, engage in personal and professional development opportunities, and enjoy a vibrant social scene.

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Key Reasons to Study There:

Top-Quality Facilities:

The university has modern facilities, including a state-of-the-art library, sports facilities, and dedicated learning spaces.

Inclusive Culture:

The university fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.

Vibrant City:

Sunderland is a dynamic city with a rich history and a low cost of living.

Strong Industry Links:

The university has strong connections with local businesses and industries, providing students with valuable career opportunities.

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Academic Programs:

The University of Sunderland offers a wide range of academic programs, including:

Arts and Design:

Fashion, Photography, Fine Art, and Graphic Design.

Sciences:

Pharmacy, Nursing, Medicine, and Biology.

Business and Law:

Business Management, Finance, Law, and Tourism.

Computing and Engineering:

Computer Science, Software Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.

Education and Social Sciences:

Education, Psychology, and Social Work.

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Other:

The university has campuses in Sunderland, London, and Hong Kong, offering students a global learning experience. It is also recognized for its commitment to sustainability and equality, diversity, and inclusion.