Undergraduate BSc (Hons)

Nursing / RN Adult (First Year Taught at Bury College)

Attendance

Full-time

Course

Three year

Next enrolment

September 2025

Introduction

In a nutshell

Adult nurses work in hospitals or in the community, offering support, education and care to adults and their families and carers.

On this course, you will experience the realities of contemporary 24-hour service provision when caring for adult patients across all aspects of the health/ill health continuum. Your first year will be taught at Bury College, and then you will undertake the second and third year at University of Salford.

50% of your studies will be spent in hospital and community settings, within the NHS and independent sector, where you will spend time in a well-supported environment, working alongside qualified practice assessors and supervisors. 

On successful completion of this course, you will have a recognised degree qualification that leads to registration as a qualified nurse, with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

International applicants requiring a Student Visa are not eligible to apply for this course.  Instead, please select the BSc (Hons) Nursing - (Adult) programme at our main campus. 

Adult Nursing Blog Image - Hannah's story

Click here to hear from recent graduate Hannah

You will:

  • Learn the essential knowledge, skills and professional attitudes needed to meet the needs of the service users, carers and significant others.
  • Develop knowledge of concepts of wellbeing, public health and global health including an awareness of factors affecting health within a diverse and multi-cultural society.
  • Have the opportunity to go on an international placement to experience care outside of the UK.
Placement

options available

This is for you if...

1.

You want to undertake your first year of studies at Bury College.

2.

You are prepared to work shifts.

3.

You are a compassionate and caring character.

4.

You can see yourself working with people from all kinds of backgrounds.

5.

You want to make a real difference.

6.

You are up for a challenge.

Course details

All about the course

When attending both Bury College and the University of Salford, you will be welcomed into a relaxed and friendly environment in which to learn. A wealth of facilities are available to you including formal teaching, group and one-to-one sessions, a comfortable and enriching learning space, and state-of-the-art clinical setups with child, infant and adult simulators.

You will apply the essential knowledge and skills needed to deliver and promote holistic care of mental and physical health across the life span by analysing decision-making, problem-solving and prioritising skills in nursing practice. We also explore which people access adult services and consider how we protect patients, carers and relatives who use our services.

You will prepare for the transition from student nurse to qualified professional nurse both professionally and autonomously in order to manage yourself and others effectively. You will be able to develop practice using the best available evidence that incorporates both nursing expertise and knowledge, together with that of the patient/service user.

  • Please be aware that in order to successfully complete the programme and be eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Nurse (RN), you will need to evidence 2,300 hours of theoretical learning and 2,300 practice learning (4,600 hours in total). This is a programme requirement and may not be reflected in the allocated specified hours of learning on the academic module specifications.
Year one (at Bury College)

Transdisciplinary Science

The ability to understand anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology, and the ways in which our biological systems interact with our environment, our behaviour and the social systems we live in are integral to your interprofessional work as a student nurse.  You will begin in year one with a dedicated module to develop foundational knowledge in transdisciplinary science and evidence based practice.

Voices and Choices

You will acquire the essential knowledge, skills and professional attitudes needed to provide personalised care and support planning for service users, carers and significant others. You will develop knowledge of strength-based approaches to assessment and care planning (salutogenesis), including an awareness of political, legal and socioeconomic factors that influence the voices and choices of people you work with.

Foundations of Integrated Nursing Practice

You will demonstrate the required NMC proficiencies commensurate with your stage of learning and development in year one in relation to your chosen field of practice and interprofessional practice (NMC part 1 progression). This will include developing skills in self-awareness/assessment and personal and professional development planning, working with different professions/non-professional groups within clinical placements.

Year two

Adult Field Specific Care Needs

This follows on from year one and you will deepen your knowledge of the key principles which underpin healthcare and begin to apply these to your chosen field of practice. This will be achieved through the exploration of case examples and the participation in simulated scenarios, providing you with the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge, skills and behaviours you are developing as a nurse of the future.

Exploring Care Intervention and Evidence

A key component to ensuring that your future practice stays up to date is your understanding and interpretation of the best available evidence.  During this module you will develop your ability to be able to find, evaluate and apply a range of different types of evidence to support both your own practice, and that of the multi-professional teams within which you work. Further to this you will also explore strategies to ensure that the personal preferences and needs of the patients and carers you are supporting are still maintained during your interactions with them.

Exploring the Fundamentals of Integrated Nursing Practice

You will demonstrate the required NMC proficiencies commensurate with your stage of learning and development in year two in relation to your chosen field of practice and interprofessional practice (NMC part 2 progression). This will include developing skills in looking outwards from one’s own profession to consider relationships with other professional/nonprofessional people and the impact this has on care delivery.

Year three

Being an Autonomous Adult Practitioner

You will develop the knowledge, skills and professional attitudes to facilitate the critical, systematic and contemporary application of the evidence base required to demonstrate autonomous nursing practice. This will be achieved through the delivery of a blended learning approach by way of seminars, master classes, action learning sets, simulated practice and guided independent study. A feature of this module will be that some of the master classes will be delivered by specialist clinicians focusing upon quality, safety and personalised care across health and social care.

Being an Inspiring Adult Practitioner

You will build upon your developing knowledge, skills and professional attitudes to facilitate the critical application of the evidence base required to demonstrate inspirational nursing practice. Aspects of leadership, management, team working and exploration of evidence-based nursing practice, linked to both pathogenesis and salutogenesis will be implicit throughout.

Leading and Empowering in Integrated Nursing Practice

You will demonstrate the required NMC proficiencies commensurate with your stage of learning and development in year three in relation to your chosen  field of practice and interprofessional practice (NMC part 3 progression). This will include developing skills to enable you to practice independently and confidently, as a role model, and in so doing demonstrate systematic critical understanding of accountable, safe, compassionate, person-centred, evidence-based, nursing care which represents and maintains dignity and human rights and promotes this through reflection within recognised professional/inter professional, ethical, socio-political and legal frameworks.

Please note that it may not be possible to deliver the full list of options every year as this will depend on factors such as how many students choose a particular option. Exact modules may also vary in order to keep content current. When accepting your offer of a place to study on this programme, you should be aware that not all optional modules will be running each year. Your tutor will be able to advise you as to the available options on or before the start of the programme. Whilst the University tries to ensure that you are able to undertake your preferred options, it cannot guarantee this.

What will I be doing?

Teaching

Our blended learning approach combines various methods, including seminars, masterclasses, and workshops. Theoretical learning is supported by practical application and group discussions, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. The course has an equal split between time spent in theory and time spent in practice.

Your first year will be taught at Bury College and your second and third years at the University of Salford. 

Assessment

Assessment methods are varied and include assignments, presentations, observed structured clinical examinations, exams and portfolio assessments.

Facilities

A brand-new, purpose-built Health, Innovation and STEM Centre is due to open in autumn 2022 at Bury College, and will give you access to the facilities you need to train for your future. Facilities include a simulated hospital ward, advanced IT facilities, a simulated domestic home, and theory classrooms.

At the University of Salford, Clinical Practice Wards are located in the Mary Seacole Building. There are four rooms designed to give the look and feel of a hospital environment. The rooms are furnished with patient's beds, lockers, chairs, sinks and curtains as well as audio-visual equipment, internet and a teaching area. We also have a number of clinical skills rooms that enhance student learning from taking blood pressure, to giving CPR and more complicated procedures. Along with nursing skills rooms where you can practice in a ward situation, there are basic skills rooms for sessions such as moving and handling.

Simulation Suites

Our Simulation Suites offer a safe environment to handle real-life scenarios. Designed like a hospital ward, our labs feature advanced patient simulators that can replicate a wide range of health conditions.

The equipment includes:

  • Emergency Care Patient Simulators: Detailed mannequins for demonstrating various clinical signs.
  • iStan Patient Simulators: These add a human touch to simulation, exhibiting movements and vocal expressions of discomfort.
  • Pedia Patient Simulator: A replica of a six-year-old child for practising pediatric scenarios.
  • Baby simulator: Allows interaction with newborn patients in a realistic yet safe setting.

All simulators can connect to high-tech computer and audio-visual aids. Students participate in diverse scenarios, with a coordinator overseeing the process remotely.

The lab not only helps you hone your clinical skills but also enhances your communication abilities, which are crucial for patient care.

Employment and stats

What about after uni?

As a graduate and qualified staff nurse in your chosen field of practice, you will be able to apply for a job in either an acute setting such as a hospital or in the community. You may want to work within the NHS or in the public and private sectors for example, wards, health centres, prisons, care home or hospices.

A taste of what you could become

A Qualified Nurse

Career Links

You will work alongside qualified practice assessors and supervisors in practice learning areas where you will experience a wide variety of caregiving settings. You will be expected to work the same shift patterns as your practice supervisor (including weekends and night duty) and will need to be able to travel to and from clinical placements.

You will spend half of your time at the University and the other half working in hospital and community settings, within the NHS and independent sector. These practice learning opportunities will be across the Greater Manchester area including Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham and Rochdale.

Requirements

What you need to know

APPLICANT PROFILE

Nursing is not a nine-to-five job. Neither is being a student nurse:

  • You will be expected to work the same shifts as your practice supervisor in hospital and community settings
  • You do not get long holiday breaks; our course works on the basis of seven weeks annual leave per year (six weeks are allocated and non-negotiable plus one week of flexible annual leave)
  • Considerable travelling may be required for both hospital and community placements

As part of the application process, you may be invited to complete an assessment / attend an online activity. If this is the case, we will contact you with further details. 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Applicants will be required to show a proficiency in English. An IELTS score of 7.0, with no element below 7, is proof of this.

International applicants requiring a Student Visa are not eligible to apply for this course. Instead, please select the BSc Nursing - Adult (B701) programme at our main campus.

Standard entry requirements

GCSE

GCSE English and Maths at grade C/grade 4 minimum (or equivalent). 

You must fulfil our GCSE entry requirements as well as one of the requirements listed below. 

It is preferred that applicants already hold grade 4 or grade C or above in English Language/Literature and Mathematics GCSE or an approved alternative qualification, prior to making their application. Applicants who are in the process of completing their GCSE English Language and Mathematics or level 2 equivalents may also be considered. 

UCAS Tariff points

112 UCAS Tariff points.

A Levels

112 UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of three A-Levels (Grade C or above).

BTEC National Diploma

DMM

Access to HE

112 UCAS Tariff points. Health and Social Care related subjects preferred. 

Scottish Highers

The equivalent of 112 UCAS Tariff points.

To include specific subjects: at least one of the following: Biology, Human Biology, Psychology or Sociology at Higher Level in lieu of GCSE with Maths and English.

Irish Leaving Certificate

The equivalent of 112 UCAS Tariff points.

International Baccalaureate

The equivalent of 112 UCAS Tariff points.

Alternative entry requirements

Salford Alternative Entry Scheme (SAES)

We welcome applications from students who may not meet the stated entry criteria but who can demonstrate their ability to pursue the course successfully. Once we have received your application we will assess it and recommend it for SAES if you are an eligible candidate.

There are two different routes through the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme and applicants will be directed to the one appropriate for their course. Assessment will either be through a review of prior learning or through a formal test.

To be considered for the Salford Alternative Entry Scheme you must have already achieved or be working towards GCSE Maths and English Grade C/4 (or equivalent).

Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL)

Already have a nursing degree?

If you have an existing Honours Degree or master's in Nursing and would like to change your field of practice, you could be granted up to two-thirds of the credit value of the programme. Contact us to find out more about the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process and accelerated course options for existing registrants. 

How much?

Additional funding support for healthcare students

The NHS Learning Support Fund is available to students studying the following courses: Diagnostic Radiography, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Midwifery, and Nursing (including adult, child, mental health, learning disability, and joint nursing/social work).

Visit the NHSBSA website for further information. 

Type of study Year Fees
Full-time home 2024/25 £9,250.00per year
Full-time home 2025/26 £9,250.00per year

Additional costs

Students will be expected to contact their General Practitioner for provision of medical history on the ‘Pre-acceptance Health Assessment – Fitness to Train Questionnaire’ – there may be a charge for this by the Practice. The cost of uniform (three sets) and DBS clearance will be covered by the University. 

Students are expected to obtain their own immunisations prior to commencing the course. It is advised that you have commenced your Hepatitis B vaccinations as without this you will not be able to start your placement - full guidance will be given in your acceptance letter. 

You should also consider further costs which may include immunisations, books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits. 

Apply now

ALL SET? LET'S APPLY

Still have some questions? Register for one of our Open Days or contact us:

By email: enquiries@salford.ac.uk
By phone: +44 (0)161 295 4545

Enrolment dates

September 2025

September 2026

UCAS information

Course ID B700

Institution S03