BSc (Hons) Nursing (Learning Disabilities)
Launch your career in learning disability nursing, where you'll support individuals with diverse needs, collaborate with families and professionals, and promote independence to help people reach their full potential.
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Typical offer: 112–120
Entry requirements -
Fees: £9,535 per year (UK)
Full details -
UCAS code: B761
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Course length: three years
Find out more -
Location:
- University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield
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Institute code: H36
NHS Learning Support Fund
- Training grants of at least £5,000 a year are available for eligible healthcare students which you will not have to pay back.
- You may also be eligible for an additional £2,000 towards childcare costs to help balance your studies with family life and £3,000 for students who find themselves in unforeseen financial hardship.
The Janice Ann McNaughton Bursary.
£3,000 (paid in the first year of study) is awarded every year to two first year students studying on this course. Students are eligible to apply if they are care-leavers or care-experienced students aged 18-24. If the cohort does not include two students who meet the above criteria, students under the age of 25 who are the first in their family to attend university may be considered. Applicants must fill in a short application form.
4th in the UK for nursing (Guardian University Guide, 2025)
98% satisfaction for teaching on my course (NSS, 2024, based on the average of Q1-4)
Opportunities to learn across a diverse range of placements
Course overview
Do you feel passionate about health and social inclusion for those who are more vulnerable in society? Do you believe everyone deserves to live a fulfilling life whilst maintaining their independence? If so, our learning disabilities nursing degree is perfect for you. As a learning disability nurse, you’ll also work in partnership with family, carers and specialist healthcare professionals, promoting health and wellbeing, to ensure that people with learning disabilities reach their full potential.
Why choose this course?
Dynamic blend of theory and practical experience from day one: Our learning disability nursing degree allows you to spend half your time at the university and the other half gaining real-world skills in diverse settings, fuelling your passion for supporting individuals with learning disabilities and autism.
Find fulfillment through supporting the needs of those in your care: This learning disability nursing programme equips you with the essential knowledge and skills to support the physical, psychological, and mental health needs of those you care for. You'll find fulfillment in witnessing the profound impact of your work on individuals' mental and physical well-being. Your growth will be enhanced by learning alongside peers and faculty who share your commitment to making a difference.
Strong employment prospects: Be the advocate for those often overlooked by society and champion the rights of individuals with learning disabilities. With 98% of our Health and social care students in employment or further study after graduating (Graduate Outcomes, 2021-2022), Herts is the ideal place to launch your career as a learning disability nurse.
Professional accreditations
Successful completion of the learning disability nursing degree will entitle you to apply for entry onto the professional register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council UK for Learning Disabilities Nursing.
Your future career
Following successful completion of the learning disability nursing programme, you will be entitled to apply for registration as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council UK. This registration will allow you to take advantage of the diverse opportunities available, enabling you to put into practice all you have learned and make a positive contribution to the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families.
An impressive 98% of Herts health and social care graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes, 2021/22).
Typical areas of work for learning disabilities nurse graduates include:
- community nurse
- inpatient nurse
- forensic nurse
- learning disability nurse
- specialist nurse
- care manager
You will be able to seek employment in a wide range of organisations including the NHS, social services and private and voluntary organisations. Throughout your career, you will meet many interesting people, and each day will bring new experiences. You will continually learn and develop innovative skills through both experience and education, enabling you to diversify or specialise in a particular area of learning disability nursing, which offers opportunities for promotion and job satisfaction.
See what recent graduates are up to
Helen Scholes
Community Nurse at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
Meet Helen, who decided to change career after two decades in the police. After overcoming significant challenges with help from her tutors and friends at Herts, Helen is now a Community Nurse with ambitions to become a Sister.
A career change
Helen spent over two decades in the police as a dispatcher and special constable before deciding to retrain. Helen’s experience in the police had taught her many transferable skills, including how to manage difficult and emotional situations, which made her an excellent fit for a career in healthcare.
‘I became a reablement carer, spending three years at a local company helping people get back to normal and keep their independence after a stay in hospital. I wanted to do more to help older people and those with learning difficulties though, so I began working for an out-of-hours GP service, where I was responsible for managing medication and acting as a chaperone. My colleagues were very supportive of my development, and this experience helped me realise my ultimate goal of becoming a nurse.
‘Unfortunately, I had left school without A-levels, which meant I could not apply to study nursing at university. I completed an access course at my local college but had missed the university application deadline, so decided to try my luck with Clearing. I was fortunate enough to be offered a place at Herts and accepted immediately - I had heard great things about Herts and my daughter had graduated from here in another discipline.’
Conquering unexpected challenges
Not long after Helen started her BSc Nursing (Adult) degree at Herts, she began to experience similar challenges that led to her leaving school before completing her A-levels.
‘I knew I was intelligent, but my reading speed and other things were holding me back. I was assessed by the University’s wellbeing service and found out that I had both dyslexia and dyspraxia. Despite my diagnosis, the support I received from Herts was outstanding and I could not have completed my course without the encouragement of my tutors.
‘I also owe a debt of gratitude to the friends I met on the course. Being much older than many of my cohort, I was worried I would find it difficult to meet people, but that was not the case at all. We all helped one another, whether we were struggling or needed company during a study session.’
Proudest moment and future aspirations
Helen has fond memories of Herts and says her proudest moment was giving a speech at graduation as the ‘top scoring student’.
‘I would never have imagined doing this at the start of my course. Herts has made my dreams come true.
‘I’ve just had my first appraisal in my current role and my manager has recommended I apply for a promotion. Hopefully, it won’t be long before I become a Sister. I’m also looking forward to completing my district nursing and prescribing courses at Herts in the future.’
Sarah Sesay
Nurse at St George’s University Hospital
Meet Sarah Sesay, a newly qualified nurse who has landed her dream job and plans to further her career as a specialist in infection prevention and control.
Pathway into nursing
Sarah is a newly qualified nurse working in the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) at St George’s University Hospital in London. She was the first person in her immediate family to go to university and was so proud to be awarded a first.
Sarah first completed a BTEC course at college and then progressed to do her BSc at Herts. She now has her dream job as a registered nurse in the AMU department and plans to return to further study in future to become a specialised nurse in infection prevention and control, a specialism she particularly enjoys.
Nursing at Herts
Sarah says, ‘My studies at Herts have helped shape my career path by offering me different types of support, both theoretical and in clinical practice. There were always drop-in sessions for help with writing assignments and finding resources.
‘Herts lecturers are experts in research and are always willing to provide that extra support whenever needed. Also, the simulation sessions really helped me to prepare for placement. One of the most useful clinical simulation sessions that I attended was caring for a dying patient, and I am very grateful I was able to experience it.’
‘My favourite experience at Herts was finding friends for life. We all managed to complete the course together and we are all now registered nurses in different Trusts. I can call upon our shared experiences if I need to.’
‘My advice for current and future students is to start assignments as soon as you can. The sooner you start them, the better chance you’ll have to pass and get good grades!’
What you'll study
You’ll spend 50% of your time at the university, developing theoretical knowledge through lectures, seminars, and group tutorials, while practicing skills in our clinical labs. You’ll learn to assess health challenges and create holistic care plans that prioritise mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. We’ll teach you to motivate individuals to engage with their care plans, putting them at the center of their care. Your learning will be enhanced by online resources, virtual classrooms, and assessments that encourage innovative approaches to working with diverse perspectives.
The other 50% of your time will be spent in practice placements across the three years of your study and you will work alongside qualified health care practitioners. You could be working with the NHS Trusts in Hertfordshire, Essex, Bedfordshire, or London, as well as in private health sectors. Your practice experience may involve working with a broad range of health and social care professionals and carers who support children, adults and older people who have special needs/ disabilities.
Degree programmes are structured into levels, 4, 5 and 6. These correspond to your first, second and third/final year of study. Below you can see what modules you’ll be studying in each.
In your first year, you’ll learn about the role of a learning disabilities nurse and their impact on those they support and the services they work in. You’ll explore anatomy and physiology related to various physical and mental health conditions. We’ll work with you to reflect upon your communication skills and understand their importance while hearing firsthand accounts from individuals with learning disabilities and those in health and social care. Our teaching teams include individuals with learning disabilities and/or autism, and we engage others who contribute to our recruitment and curriculum development.
In your second year, you'll explore how young people transition to adult services and develop a deeper understanding of the specific health needs of those with learning disabilities, focusing on areas where learning disabilities nurses specialise. You'll critically analyze research methods, emphasizing evidence-based practice to improve your skills. There’ll also be the option to apply for an International module which will be delivered with students from five other higher education institutions within different countries. If selected, it’s likely you’ll be travelling to one of these countries, funded by Erasmus EU Project, to enjoy the programme delivery.
In your final year, your knowledge base will be stronger which will be impacting upon your confidence to demonstrate innovative practice. We dedicate a large part of the final year to developing your imaginative and innovative skills and require you to challenge existing practices with a firm eye on improving the care and lives of the people we support. The assessment for this part of the programme will see us help you create an evidence-based proposal to effect positive change in service delivery. You’ll study leadership and management within this field of nursing and be encouraged to take a more leading role within your practical learning to support you becoming a learning disability nurse.
What if I need support?
You’ll be linked to a personal tutor to guide you through your course, all the way to graduation. We fully recognise that there are many styles of learning and varying degrees of support required. As a smaller group of academics and students it is widely recognised that we provide an excellent level of support for our students and this has been reflected within the National Student Survey in recent years. For help with study skills, including referencing, essay writing and presentations, you’ll have access to our academic support services. You can also attend workshops, 1-to-1 sessions, and online tutorials.
This learning disability nursing degree achieved 98% for teaching and 97% for learning opportunities in the National Student Survey (NSS), 2024.
Where you'll study
Your main campus is College Lane. This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus bar or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.
Who you'll learn from
We have a diverse academic team with an impressive profile of expertise. Learn from researchers, authors, clinical practitioners, qualified teachers and policymakers and our portfolio is enhanced by lived experience of intellectual disabilities and autism.
Additionally, you have access to an academic support team, a well-being team, and a personal tutor who will help you navigate university learning and living. Working together, your teaching and support team is committed to assisting you in realising and achieving your full potential.
Check out our student blogs
How we support our students
At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible.
We offer a range of support services, from childcare to counselling, ensuring that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying, having fun, and have the support you need.
Student Blogs
Rosemary - Week at a glance
My typical day
As I am balancing university with raising a family, I always try to keep up a good routine. I normally get up every day at 05:45 and make myself some coffee to wake me up as I am not a morning person. Before another exciting day at university, I do a few house chores like taking out the meat from the freezer for supper and just taking note that all the ingredients are there if not, I will then make a list to pick those up on my way from university in the evening.
About 07:00 I am ready to embrace my beautiful day. It takes me about forty-five minutes to reach university compass. So, it is a long commute for me, but I do enjoy this ride every day. I usually start my lessons at about 09:00. Lunch is an important thing for most of us as students we need to keep healthy. There are several food shops/restaurants within the compass and their food is excellent and delicious, at times I try to bring my own home-cooked food too as it is a good way of keeping healthy as well as saving some few pounds per day. After lunch, if we do not have a lesson, I usually go to the library with my classmates to do some researches or just to study for the next lesson. University lessons usually end at about 17:00. In the evening I sometimes help my teenage son with his homework, prepare the family meal and after the meal, my elder daughter does the washing up. During the times that I do not cook I use my time to do my research and to prepare for the following day of university and relax a bit. I do watch tv as a relaxation time before I go to bed. I also use this time to call my family. I am usually in bed at about 23:00 the latest so that I can be up on time and to be well-rested too for another day. This seems like a hard day, but the rewards are priceless.
Student Blogs
Rosemary - About my course
About my course
I had applied to three universities and had my interviews at the University of Hertfordshire and Aston University. I was offered a conditional offer at herts and at Aston university it was an unconditional offer. The condition was that I had to pass my access to nursing with certain grades to meet the UCAS points that were needed.
The night before the results day I was in a panic as most of my friends had already been granted unconditional offers. This made me more nervous as these results were more important in my educational life. Failing meant I was not going to make it to university. I remember getting agitated and restless the entire day. Tried to sleep but I could not. I kept on checking my clock just to make sure I would not oversleep and miss the important day of my life. Time went by and before I blinked it was already the special day everyone was waiting for. "Fingers crossed, fingers crossed, fingers..." I kept repeating the words as I got dressed and ready for the challenge. On one hand, I was excited and on the other, I was a nervous wreck. For others, it didn't mean much as they already had places to University. I couldn't eat my stomach was aching from panic. I arrived at College exceedingly early, the day was sunny and beautiful. Everyone looked busy and excited. We waited in the queue to collect our results and this took forever making me even more nervous. I could hear my heartbeat and my breathing getting intense. One of my college tutors came to have a talk with us and to reassure us that we had all passed. As soon as I collected my results, I took myself to a quiet place to check my results. It turned out that I was worrying myself for no reason as I had passed with flying colours. I was able to choose the university of my choice.
Herts was my dream University as I had heard so many good things about it. Most of my friends and relatives have been at this University and they had had a wonderful experience. I can say that for the past few months that I have been here I can gladly say this is the best of my Uni days and I know my years of education here will be the best.
Student Blogs
Rosemary - Why I chose Herts
Why I chose Herts
I have chosen learning disability nursing because I am passionate about helping people who have learning disabilities, to be their advocator their voice and their helper. I love to make a difference in their wellbeing so that they can live their lives as independent as possible. This nursing group has very few nurses and there are some shortages of learning disabilities nurses. I chose to be one of the learning disabilities nurses so that I can be part of the community of people who help people who have learning disabilities and their families.
I love the positive changes that I know learning disability nurses can bring about. It makes me so happy to see the faces of parents lighting up when they can actively access the community activities with their children. It is a rewarding profession to me as at the end of the day I can look back and see what I have done, like putting a smile in someone's face or held someone's hand and be lost in their world. I love to be part of my patients and their families to feel how they are feeling and to be able to assist in knowing the best way to do the job.
At the University of Hertfordshire, I am incredibly lucky as I have the best of everything. The resources are so plentiful, we have two Learning Resource Centres (LRCs) one on each campus and all the people who work in the LRC are all so helpful. All the tutors are so happy to help even those who are not your actual tutors. Our class is small and everyone professionally is like family. I really appreciate our personal tutor; she is an amazing lady. She makes us feel at home, making learning funny and interesting. The University of Hertfordshire is the best thing that has happened to me as I am stress-free since I started my educational journey here. There is all the help that one needs here, be it financial, wellbeing and academic all you need to do is to ask for it. I will not change it for the world I am loving here at the University of Hertfordshire.
Entry requirements
The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.
| Typical offer (UCAS points) | (enter tariff range) |
|---|---|
| Typical A Level offer | (enter range) |
| Typical IB offer | (enter range) |
| Typical BTEC offer | (enter range) |
| Typical T Level offer | (enter range) |
| GCSE | EG: Grade 4/C in English Language and 4/D Mathematics |
| Access courses | EG: An overall merit profile in 45 credits at Level 3. |
| Additional information | Find out more about our standard and contextual Undergraduate Entry Requirements. |
| English language | All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS score of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band. If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level. |
|---|---|
| Additional information | Find out more about International Entry Requirements. |
| Typical offer (UCAS points) | 112–120 |
|---|---|
| Typical A Level offer | BBC–BBB |
| Typical IB offer | 112–120 points from a minimum of 2 HL subjects at grade 4 or above (the remaining points to come from a combination of HL, SL and Core) |
| Typical BTEC offer | DMM–DDM BTEC National Extended Diploma in Health and Social care or similar area of study |
| Typical T Level offer | Healthcare Science; Health; Science. |
| GCSE | Grade 4/C in English Language and Mathematics. |
| Access courses | 45 credits at level 3, which must equate to a minimum of 112 UCAS tariff points |
| Additional information | All offers will be subject to the applicants demonstration of the NHS constitution’s “Values and Behaviours”, satisfactory interviews, numeracy and literacy test, health screening and the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks. You can view the full NHS Constitution for England on the Government website here. Find out more about our standard and contextual Undergraduate Entry Requirements. |
| English language | All students from non-majority English speaking countries require proof of English language proficiency, equivalent to an overall IELTS overall score of 6.5 with scores of at least 6.5 in the listening, reading, writing and speaking sections with no less than 6.5 in any one band. If you do not have the required IELTS or equivalent for direct entry on to your degree programme, our Pre-sessional English and International Foundation courses can help you to achieve this level. |
|---|---|
| Additional information | Find out more about International Entry Requirements. |
Ready to apply?
UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK
| Start date | Study type | Apply |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | Full time - year 1 | Apply via UCAS |
| Full time - year 2 | Apply via UCAS | |
| Full time - year 3 | Apply via UCAS | |
| September 2026 | Full time - year 1 | Apply via UCAS |
| Full time - year 2 | Apply via UCAS | |
| Full time - year 3 | Apply via UCAS |
International and EU applicants without pre-settled status in the UK
Apply through Clearing
Fees and funding
At Herts, we’re dedicated to providing world-class teaching supported by industry-level facilities and incredible social spaces. We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to higher education, and we strive to keep both our standard and additional costs as low as possible.
| Study type | Fees | |
|---|---|---|
| UK students | Full time | £9,535 for the 2025/2026 academic year |
| EU students | Full time | £18,280 for the 2025/2026 academic year |
| International students | Full time | £18,280 for the 2025/2026 academic year |
Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.
| Scholarships, grants and bursaries | Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a non-repayable scholarship, grant or bursary to support your studies. |
|---|---|
| Disabled Students' Allowance | The Disabled Students’ Allowance can cover any study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability. |
| Student loans | Find out about securing a student loan, from how much you could be eligible for to when you need to start making repayments. |
| Accommodation costs | We offer a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget. |
| Additional course fees | Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet. |
More about the course
| Course fact sheets | |
|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) Nursing (Learning Disabilities) | Download PDF |
| BSc (Hons) Nursing (Learning Disabilities) | Download PDF |
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) Nursing | Download PDF |
| BSc (Hons) Nursing | Download PDF |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
|
Applications open to international and EU students |
Yes |
Course length |
Full Time, 3 Years |
