Learning Disabilities Nursing, BSc Hons
Study our learning disabilities nursing degree for a rewarding career supporting people with learning disabilities and helping to achieve equality in health care.
Learning disabilities nurses are crucial in supporting individuals with learning disabilities, along with their families and carers, addressing both health and well-being needs. These nurses aid people who have difficulties understanding complex information and developing skills, with needs ranging from mild to profound disabilities requiring extensive support.
They are vital in managing the increased health risks associated with learning disabilities through specialised care. Nurses in this field work across all ages in various settings, collaborating with a range of healthcare professionals in hospitals, schools, or independently within the community. Our degree equips you with the necessary skills to cater to individuals with learning disabilities, including complex needs, through practice-based learning in southeast London and Kent, preparing you for NMC registration.
The programme, aligned with NMC standards, balances campus learning with clinical placements in diverse environments. Nursing students benefit from a guaranteed support of £5,000 annually, with additional funding for those studying learning disabilities nursing, childcare support, travel, accommodation expenses, and a hardship fund, all non-repayable.
UCAS points
112 (full requirements below)
Course/institution codes
B761 A BSc/LD
School
Location
Duration
3 years full-time
Start month
September
Home* fees 2025/26
£9,535
What you should know about this course
* The Department for Education has indicated that it intends to raise the Home tuition fee limit from £9,250 to £9,535 for 2025/26.
What you will study
About the course team
You will be taught by an experienced team of experts, which includes senior academics, technical officers, and practitioners with industry experience. Trained postgraduate researchers may also contribute to seminar teaching with the module leader. Teaching is informed by our research and consultancy work, and 97% of our lecturers hold a teaching qualification.
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We are offering virtual events so that you can still experience how Greenwich could be the right university for you.
Next Open Days
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To find out more about our Open Days and Campus Tours or if you need any assistance, please email opendays@gre.ac.uk.
Entry requirements
Qualifications
Programme not open to overseas applicants requiring a Student Visa.
- 112 UCAS Tariff points. We accept A Levels, T Levels, BTECs, Access to HE and all other qualifications with UCAS Tariff points.
- In addition, you will need: GCSE Mathematics at grade 4/C and GCSE English Language at grade 4/C. Equivalent qualifications may be considered.
We make Contextual offers to this programme. Applicants that meet specific eligibility criteria will be made a contextual offer with a reduced tariff of up to 16 UCAS Tariff points. Other entry requirements such as GCSEs, Interview, etc., will still need to be met. For further information, please see our Contextual Admissions policy.
Application and selection
- Suitable applicants will be required to attend an interview.
- Applicants will also be required to:
- Provide an academic or professional reference.
- Demonstrate an interest in, and understanding of, the programme they are applying to within the personal statement.
- Complete a Suitability Declaration.
- Pass an Occupational Health check.
- Pass an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. - Applicants are encouraged to obtain appropriate healthcare experience through work shadowing or observation either voluntary or paid.
For more information, use our contact form or call us on 020 8331 9000.
You can also read our admissions policy.
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
Teaching
Learning takes place through a combination of timetabled learning and independent study.
You can view more information about how each module is taught within our 'What you will study' section.
Seminars and workshops 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.
Class sizes
Class sizes vary by module. Lectures are normally attended by larger groups, and seminars/tutorials by smaller groups. This can vary more widely for modules that are shared between degrees. All students will have opportunities for 1-to-1 time with their tutors.
Independent learning
Outside of timetabled sessions, you are also expected to dedicate around 30 hours a week to self-study. This may involve further reading and research, preparing coursework and presentations, and preparing for tests and exams. Our facilities are designed to support you in these activities.
We encourage you to join societies and participate in sporting and other activities to engage in the wider life of the university community.
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.
Each module you study towards this degree is worth 15 or 30 credits. These represent around 150 or 300 study hours respectively. If you receive 100 contact hours for a 30-credit module, you should expect to commit 200 hours to independent study to complete it successfully.
Assessment
You can view how each module 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
We aim to provide feedback on assignments and to release examination results within 15 working days.
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 use our contact form.
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.
| Cohort | Full time | Part time | Distance learning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home* | £9,535 | N/A | N/A |
* The Department for Education has indicated that it intends to raise the Home tuition fee limit from £9,250 to £9,535 for 2025/26.
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 £126.35 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.
Further costs may include (but are not limited to):
- Books and journals (estimate, £150 per year)
- Shoes (£60) and clothing (£100) (dependent on field and uniform policy)
- Travel costs to and from placements
- Parking (if appropriate)
- Meals while on duty.
The following financial support is available:
- An additional £1000 for studying learning disabilities nursing
- Students with dependents are eligible for £1000 to help with childcare.
- Additional expenses like travel or overnight accommodation can be claimed whilst on placement, if these exceed a student’s normal cost of travel to university.
- Hardship fund that students may be eligible for.
Careers and placements
Will I have a work placement?
We have excellent links with the National Health Service and other care providers. Through your placements, you have the opportunity to work in a range of different settings, including community learning disability teams, forensic services, assessment and intervention services and special needs schools. This will give you experience and knowledge of working with children, young people and adults with learning disabilities, including those who have more complex needs.
More on health placements.
How long is my placement?
You will spend 50% of your time each year in these valuable work placements, where you will be assessed by qualified practitioners. These placements will be in a variety of community settings, which will enable you to fully understand the needs of individuals with a learning disability. As a learning disabilities nurse, you will play a vital role in providing specialist support and interventions.
What sort of careers do graduates pursue?
Successful completion of this programme will equip you to work as a Registered Nurse Learning Disabilities in various settings, such as community nursing, inpatient services, specialist liaison roles, and within generic mental health services or child health services.
This course helps you develop a wide range of transferable skills to boost your career development and progression in nursing.
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.
Support from the department
Throughout your degree, we aim to make you aware of the range of opportunities available to you as a registered learning disabilities nurse.
We also promote multi-professional and collaborative working, with shared learning between nursing and midwifery students.
Not quite what you were looking for?
We've got plenty of other courses for you to choose from. Browse our undergraduate courses or check our related courses below.....
Health and social care at the University of Greenwich
You’ll learn from our expert, research-active tutors and be well supported during your work placement. You’ll benefit from great job prospects thanks to our strong links with NHS trusts and social care providers.
Visit our health and social care degrees page.
Health and social care degrees
Nursing 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.
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