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Nursing Associate Foundation Degree
This two-year Nursing Associate Foundation Degree is split between placements and on-campus learning. Train for a key nursing role, responding to the needs of patients and their families
Nursing associates support the delivery of high-quality care while allowing nurses and wider teams to focus on complex clinical duties. This role is highly valuable in responding to patient needs.
In the first year of this course, you discover more about the role and its values. You'll study anatomy and physiology to understand the biology behind ill-health, plus the psychological and social factors that affect health and wellbeing. In the second year, you learn more about disease processes, and how to deliver and manage planned care. You'll also learn about drugs and pharmacology for medicine management.
Successful completion of the course entitles you to register with the Nursing & Midwifery (NMC) council as a Registered Nurse Associate.
UCAS points
48 (full requirements below)
Course/institution codes
B715
School
Location
Duration
2 years full-time
Start month
September
Home fees
What you should know about this course
What you will study
About the course team
You will be taught by a wide range of academic staff and clinical experts who have varying nursing backgrounds and expertise. We also draw widely on the experiences of patients/ service users who share their knowledge and perspective of their illnesses and experiences of health care.
Come and meet us
We are offering virtual events so that you can still experience how Greenwich could be the right university for you.
Next Open Days
Entry requirements
You should normally hold three GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above, which must include English Language (or equivalent) and Mathematics (or equivalent)
And
Learning at Level 3 by qualification (normally 48 UCAS points).
Or
Two years of verifiable and relevant work experience.
Registered nurses can exceptionally apply for more than 50% of RPL/RPEL from a pre-registration nursing programme
For more information, contact courseinfo@greenwich.ac.uk or 020 8331 9000.
You can also read our admissions policy.
Further information about entry
Candidates will be required to:
- Attend an interview at a Selection Day
- Appropriate healthcare experience through work shadowing or observation either voluntary or paid is encouraged
- Provide an academic or professional reference. This reference should be included as part of your application and must be provided by an academic or professional referee from their professional email address (for example from your teacher or an employer from their work email address); we are unable to accept a personal or character reference provided by family or friends.
- Demonstrate within your personal statement an interest in, and understanding of, the specific discipline of nursing you are applying for.
- Appropriate healthcare experience through work shadowing or observation either voluntary or paid is encouraged.
- Complete a Suitability Declaration, Occupational Health Screening, and Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Programme not open to Overseas applicants requiring a Student visa.
COVID vaccine
An important part of many of our Health programmes is the opportunity to learn on placement and work with patients, service users and their families. On all our programmes leading to a professional accreditation with either the NMC or HCPC, placement in a health or social care setting is a compulsory learning outcome of the programme.
Prior to commencing on your chosen programme of study we strongly urge you to complete a full course of Covid-19 vaccinations. Although not currently compulsory, both the NMC and HCPC strongly encourage all registrants to be fully vaccinated. This is because There is a global scientific consensus, supported by our own medicines regulator in the UK, on the importance and value of full vaccination against Covid-19 and the benefits for people receiving care, vaccinated individuals themselves, their families, communities and the wider health and social care system.
While currently you can register with the NMC and HCPC as a non-vaccinated individual, their expectations and regulatory advice is clear, please see here for NMC position on Covid-19 vaccination and here for the HCPC’s position.
Available to overseas students?
No
Can I use prior learning?
Find out more on our Recognition of Prior Learning pages.
Enhanced disclosure
Applicants for this course are required to complete a suitability declaration, an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check, and an occupational health check.
How you will learn
Covid safe teaching and learning
We are looking forward to welcoming students to our campuses for 2022/23. In line with government guidance, we are committed to delivering as much of our teaching, learning and student activity as possible on campus for the 2022/23 academic year. Depending on the national situation, and government advice, the situation may change but we are confident we are ready to manage any changes quickly and safely. Find out more about how we are keeping our campuses safe.
Teaching
Learning takes place through a combination of timetabled learning and independent study.
Seminars enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. You will also be able to meet your personal tutor. Timetabled learning may fall between 9am and 9pm depending on your courses and tutorials.
You can view more information about how each module is taught within our 'What you will study' section.
Class sizes
Information coming soon.
Independent learning
You study through blended learning, with a range of online resources, quizzes and other materials. This approach will enable you to develop increasing autonomy in your learning and gain feedback on your development.
Overall workload
If you are studying full-time, you should expect the workload to be similar to a full-time job. For part-time students, this will reduce in proportion with the number of courses you are studying.
The University is currently investing over £1.5 million to equip our newly refurbished skills / simulation laboratories to help you develop and rehearse the clinical skills you need as a nursing associate.
Assessment
Students are assessed through a combination of course work, exams and practical assessment where relevant. You can view more information about how each module on this course is assessed within our 'What you will study' section.
Each course has formal assessments which count towards your grade. Some courses may also include 'practice' assignments, which help you monitor progress and do not count towards your final grade.
Feedback summary
Information coming soon.
Dates and timetables
The academic year runs from September to June.
Full teaching timetables are not usually available until term has started. For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.
Official statistics on Discover Uni
Full time
Fees and funding
Your time at university should be enjoyable, rewarding, and free of unnecessary stress. Planning your finances before you come to university can help to reduce financial concerns. We can offer advice on living costs and budgeting, as well as on awards, allowances and loans.
2023/24 fees
| Full-time (per year) | Part-time (per 30 credits) | |
|---|---|---|
| View fees |
Accommodation costs
Whether you choose to live in halls of residence or rent privately, we can help you find what you're looking for. University accommodation is available from just over £100 per person per week (bills included), depending on your location and preferences. If you require more space or facilities, these options are available at a slightly higher cost.
Funding your study
There is a range of financial support options available to support your studies, including the Aspire@Greenwich award for study resources that many full-time students will receive.
Discover more about grants, student loans, bursaries and scholarships. We also provide advice and support on budgeting, money management and financial hardship.
Other costs
Information coming soon.
For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.
Careers and placements
Will I have a work placement?
When on placement you will be allocated a practice supervisor who will support your learning and development on placement. You will also be assigned a practice assessor who will complete the formal assessment of your practice learning.
What sort of careers do graduates pursue?
Graduates will be able to work as a Nursing Associate and make career progression within the health and social care sectors. You'll develop a wide range of transferable clinical, care and interpersonal skills (including medicines management) across different health and social care settings.
Successful completion of the course will allow you to:
- Attain a Foundation Degree of Science (FdSc) in Nursing Associate (Level 5).
- Register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
This award can also be recognised as prior learning (RPL) towards a BSc Hons Nursing course, allowing you to complete your nurse training within 18-24 months. You might be able to undertake this as an apprentice, so you earn as you are learning.
Do you provide employability services?
Our Employability & Careers Service (ECS) is committed to supporting our students and recent graduates in their transition towards a rewarding graduate destination. We aim to empower our students to achieve their potential, with support including:
- CV and cover letter checks
- Application support
- One-to-one careers advice
- Interview tips and support
- Careers fairs
- Internships
- Graduate jobs.
Support and advice
Academic skills and study support
We want you to make the most of your time with us. You can access study skills support through your tutor, our subject librarians, and our online academic skills centre.
Where appropriate, we provide support in academic English and mathematics. If you need to use particular IT packages for a specific module, we provide training for this.
Not quite what you were looking for?
We've got plenty of other courses for you to choose from. Browse our foundation prospectus or check our related courses below.
Nursing degrees at the University of Greenwich
Join us and gain the skills for a fulfilling career that makes a real difference. You’ll benefit from our excellent links with health service providers, and you could get extra support of at least £5,000 a year, which you won’t need to pay back.
Visit our nursing degrees page.
Nursing degrees courses
Mode of study
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Need more help?
020 8331 9000• Live chat• courseinfo@gre.ac.uk• More information