Nursing Studies (Top Up)
Full-time
Part-time
One year
Three year
January 2025
In a nutshell
Our Nursing Studies (Top Up) programme has been purposefully designed to enhance your skills as a registered nurse in your home country and allow you to top up your previous studies with Level 6 modules to achieve a BSc (Hons) degree in as little as a year.
This course builds on your nursing skills to help you develop your leadership, clinical decision-making, research skills and clinical skills. It also provides the additional culturalization needed to bridge the gap between working as a nurse in your home country and the UK, giving you confidence in your practice.
If you’re an international student who wants to work as a nurse within the UK, you will need to register separately with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). This programme will help to prepare you for the NMC registration by providing you with the academic and clinical skills the NMC are looking for and will test in their Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Once registered, you will be able to work as a nurse in the UK usually at Band 5 scale either within the NHS or another healthcare organisation. At this point, your career opportunities are the same as any nurse who has trained in the UK.
Applying from overseas? Check if you can get one of our scholarships for international students.
You will:
- Enhance your nursing skills through the development of your leadership and advanced clinical skills to become an empowered healthcare leader and decision maker.
- Be supported by a personal tutor who will provide both academic and pastoral support as you adapt to studying and working in the UK.
- Develop your English Language skills in timetabled sessions throughout the programme.
- Get the opportunity to engage with the largest healthcare provider in the Northwest of England, and, like many of our students, you may be able to work part-time as a nursing assistant/care support worker alongside your studies.
students accepted
This is for you if...
You want a one-year programme that will top up your previous study to bachelor’s degree status in the UK.
You are a registered nurse with a nursing qualification in your home country.
You want to explore opportunities to work in the UK healthcare sector during and after your studies.
All about the course
The BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Top Up) programme aims to enhance your leadership qualities whilst expanding your advanced clinical skills. All modules have a clinical focus relevant to your field of interest, making this course suitable for registered nurses within a wide range of service delivery contexts. Leadership development is taught throughout each module to push you to become a confident and competent clinical decision-maker who can thrive in any setting.
This programme runs full-time (one year) or part-time (three years), starting in either September or January. If you study part-time, you will complete two modules per year.
If you are an international student, you must study the full-time route. Please note, if you start your full-time studies in January, you will have a break over the summer period and start your second semester in September.
Professionalism in Nursing
This module provides students the opportunity to critically explore the key concepts of professionalism and nursing practice within the global arena.
You will discuss the development of the nursing profession with consideration to the politico-social agenda within the global context.
Clinical Decision-Making Reasoning and Judgement
Completion of this module will provide students with the models and tools for the effective assessment of patients/clients’ requisite in making safe decisions regarding patient care.
This will include a critical discussion of the concepts of integrated care pathways, evidence-based practice, clinical effectiveness, and clinical governance in relation to effectively responding to the health needs of specific client groups.
Leading Change for Patient and Service Improvement
In this module, you will plan for real and sustained change to bring about patient and service improvement within your healthcare organisation and learn how to inspire and create an environment for people to make change.
Clinical Decision Making In Action
This second ‘skills module’ leads on from Clinical Decision-Making Reasoning and Judgement and will further develop each practitioner’s depth of knowledge and understanding in the clinical practice that is required for graduate practice.
You will be introduced to contemporary and evidence-based approaches to the provision of effective care and develop reflective and analytical skills enabling the development of autonomous and contemporary clinical practice.
Some sessions within this module will be taught in our state-of-the-art simulation suite.
Research for Healthcare Practice
This module focuses on evidence-based practice that underpins effective healthcare.
You will learn how to critically analyse and appraise evidence/research that should inform effective practice and demonstrate knowledge of research and methods of inquiry relevant to your area of practice and is required for graduate practice.
Preparation for Graduate Practice
This module will consolidate your prior learning and prepare you for graduate practice.
You will reflect on your own personal learning, development, values and beliefs that will underpin your practice as a graduate nurse.
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.
School of Health and Society
The School of Health and Society is a forward-thinking, dynamic school with a commitment to lifelong learning and real-world impact.
Our courses are informed by the latest research and we work closely with organisations from both the public and private sector to ensure our teaching is at the forefront of practice.
Facilities
Our Clinical Practice Wards/Simulation Suites are located in the Mary Seacole Building on the second floor. There are four rooms designed to give the look and feel of a hospital environment. The rooms are furnished with patient 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.
Service Users and Carers Group (SU&C)
Our Nursing Service Users and Carers Group (SU&C) is a collective group of service users, carers and parents who have past and current lived experience of engaging with local healthcare services and or providing care for family or friends. The group shares their breadth and wealth of expertise and diverse lived experiences in an open genuine, generous and frank manner with students to ensure that the voices of the public, patients and carers are fully heard and represented in the nursing curriculum.
What about after uni?
A BSc (Hons) Degree is a requirement for many roles within the NHS and other health and social work organisations in the UK and worldwide.
All the modules within the Nursing Studies (Top Up) course reflect key requirements of successful nurses within the UK healthcare system and on completion of the programme, you will possess the key leadership attributes and clinical skills nurses in the UK need to succeed.
For international students who wish to work in the UK as a nurse before or after graduation, you will need to register independently with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Check the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) website for further details of how to register as a nurse for work in the UK.
Completion of this BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies (Top-up) programme will not lead to automatic registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Further study options
- MSc Leadership and Management for Health Care Practice
- MSc Midwifery
- MSc Nursing
- MSc Public Health
- Professional Doctorate Health and Social Care
Career Links
We work with over 100 health and social care organisations including the largest healthcare provider in the Northwest of England and although we cannot guarantee employment with these organisations, we can provide contact details and useful information that may assist you.
Until you are a registered nurse in the UK (NMC registration), you cannot work as a nurse, however, you can work part-time as a nursing assistant/care support worker while you are studying.
This experience will enhance your clinical and professional skills and provide additional preparation for your registration with the NMC if that is your choice. This may also lead to employment as a nurse with this care provider following registration with the NMC.
The teaching team also work closely with these organisations to be at the forefront of developments in the sectors to provide the most up-to-date practices in the course material.
What you need to know
APPLICANT PROFILE
You must be a qualified nurse, registered with the appropriate country regulatory body and have current experience. We will accept applications if you have a registration that has lapsed in the last six months.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
If you are an international student and not from a majority English speaking country, you will need IELTS 6.0 with no element below 5.5. We also accept a range of other English language qualifications. If you do not have the English language requirements, you could take the Pre-Sessional English course to gain entry onto this degree.
Qualifications and experience
This is a post-qualifying top-up degree programme. All applicants must be qualified nurses (Diploma at Level 5 or equivalent), be registered with the appropriate in-country regulatory body, and have current experience.
Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL)
If you have relevant UK academic credits from modules that you have studied previously at the University of Salford or elsewhere, you may be able to apply for Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) and use your existing credits towards the programme.
Up to three modules (60 credits in total) can be used in this way. Please contact the programme team for further information:
International Students
We accept qualifications from all around the world. Find your country to see a full list of entry requirements.
GCSE Requirements
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.
How much?
Your tuition fees are regulated by the UK government who has proposed changes to tuition fees for UK students studying in England from 1 August 2025. The fee stated reflects this proposed change, but remains subject to parliamentary approval. Your tuition fees may increase in your first and each subsequent year of your programme to the maximum amount permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year.
| Type of study | Year | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time international | 2024/25 | £15,720.00per year |
| Full-time home | 2025/26 | £9,535.00per year |
| Full-time international | 2025/26 | £16,500.00per year |
| Part-time | 2025/26 | Part-time costs will be calculated on a pro rata basis. |
Additional costs
You should also consider further costs which may include books, stationery, printing, binding and general subsistence on trips and visits.
Scholarships for international students
If you are a high-achieving international student, you may be eligible for one of our scholarships. Explore our international scholarships.
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
UCAS information
Course ID n/a
Institution S03