Step into a rewarding nursing career where you’ll make a lasting difference. This part-time nursing course is designed for compassionate, motivated individuals ready to become fully qualified professionals who can transform lives.
- Build the knowledge and practical skills to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care.
- Prepare for a fulfilling, high-demand role in the health sector with strong career progression.
- Develop confidence and a clear professional identity through reflective practice and critical thinking.
- Master the principles of person-centred care, ensuring dignity, respect, and individual needs are at the heart of everything you do.
- Gain real-world experience through clinical placements and hands-on learning in simulated settings.
You’ll explore the evolving nature of health, illness, and recovery, while developing an understanding of the vital relationships between healthcare professionals, individuals, and communities. By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to step into the workforce as a competent, reflective practitioner—prepared to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
Course Structure
What You’ll Study – Your Journey to Becoming a Registered Nurse
This course is carefully designed to build your confidence, skills, and understanding at every step. Whether you’re returning to education or starting something completely new, you’ll be supported as you grow into a compassionate and competent nursing professional. Each year blends academic learning with hands-on placement experience, helping you connect theory to real-life care.
Year 1 – Building Strong Foundations
Start your journey with the essentials of nursing care, health science, and working with others to support wellbeing.
- Collaboration for Individual and Community Wellbeing – 20 credits
Explore how different professionals work together to improve health and wellbeing, and how you can play a role in supporting individuals and communities. - Fundamentals of Nursing Practice – 40 credits
Gain the key knowledge and skills to deliver safe and effective care, learning what it means to be a nurse in practice. - Sciences for Nursing Practice – 40 credits
Discover how the body works, and how science underpins the care you’ll provide across physical and mental health. - Part 1 Placement
Apply your learning in real care settings, supported by experienced professionals who will help you build confidence in your role.
Year 2 – Developing Your Knowledge and Confidence
In your second year, you’ll go deeper into applied science and professional development while building your practical skills.
- Applied Sciences for Nursing Practice – 40 credits
Take your science knowledge further—understand how diseases develop and how nursing care can help people recover or live well with illness. - Developing Nursing Practice – 40 credits
Advance your hands-on skills and prepare for more responsibility in the workplace. - Personal and Professional Development – 20 credits
Learn how to reflect on your learning, set goals, and grow into a confident, professional nurse. - Part 2 Placement
Spend more time in real clinical settings, gaining experience across different types of care and patient needs.
Year 3 – Taking the Lead in Complex Care
You’ll start to take on more complex challenges and develop your leadership skills as you move closer to registration.
- Assessing and Addressing Complexity in Practice – 20 credits
Learn to recognise when patients need more complex care and how to respond confidently and safely. - Evidence and Enquiry for Practice – 20 credits
Find out how research and evidence help nurses make the best decisions in care, and how you can use it in your own practice. - The Advancing Professional – 40 credits
Build the skills and insight needed to take on more responsibility, lead aspects of care, and support others. - Part 3 Placement
Develop the independence and confidence to manage more complex situations in clinical practice.
Year 4 – Preparing for Your Future as a Registered Nurse
This final year is all about preparing for registration and stepping into the profession with confidence.
- Complexity and Leadership in Professional Practice – 20 credits
Develop the leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills needed to deliver care in challenging and changing environments. - Consolidating Sciences for Nursing Practice – 20 credits
Revisit and bring together your scientific knowledge to support high-quality, person-centred care. - Transition to Registration in Adult Nursing Practice – 40 credits
Focus on becoming a fully autonomous practitioner, ready to take your place in the nursing workforce.
Please Note: Occasionally, updates to module content may take place to reflect current best practice. You’ll be fully informed of any changes that affect your studies.
Assessment Methods
How You’ll Learn – Practical, Supportive, and Designed for Your Success
On this course, learning is much more than lectures—it’s about bringing theory to life and developing the skills that truly make a difference in people’s lives. You’ll be guided by experienced academic staff who come from a wide range of clinical backgrounds, giving you real insight into the world of nursing from day one.
Learn It. Live It.
You won’t just study nursing—you’ll live it. Through a dynamic blend of academic learning and hands-on practice, you’ll apply what you learn directly in both simulated environments and real-world placements. This means you’ll gain confidence in your skills as you develop them, always supported by expert staff and clinical supervisors.
Learn With Others
Nurses are a vital part of multidisciplinary healthcare teams. Throughout your studies, you’ll collaborate with students from other health and social care courses—building a deeper understanding of how different professionals work together to deliver truly person-centred care.
How You’ll Be Assessed
We use a variety of assessments to reflect the different skills you’ll need in your nursing career. You’ll be assessed through:
- Exams
- Poster presentations
- Reflective writing
- Practice-based assessments
- Extended projects
- Group and individual presentations
- Written coursework
Each method is designed to stretch your thinking, develop your communication, and prepare you for the challenges of real-world practice.
What You’ll Explore – Year by Year
Year 1: Get Started with the Essentials
You’ll build a strong foundation in the principles of nursing, health science, and professional values. Through your first placement, you’ll begin developing your confidence and clinical skills in real settings.
Year 2: Dive Deeper into Complexity
You’ll explore more complex care scenarios across adult and child settings, considering the needs of patients and their families. You’ll start to take on greater responsibility and deepen your understanding of the nurse’s role in diverse environments.
Year 3: Take the Lead
This is where it all comes together. You’ll consolidate your learning, lead elements of nursing care, and prepare to transition into professional practice. Your confidence and capability will grow as you step into your future role.
You’re Not Alone – Support Every Step of the Way
We know that returning to study or balancing learning with other responsibilities can be challenging. That’s why we provide a high level of personalised support throughout your course, helping you grow both academically and personally.
You’ll have access to:
- The Student Support Triangle – for academic, personal, and career guidance throughout your journey.
- Our Skills Centre – offering one-to-one sessions, webinars, and online resources to help you plan, structure, and succeed in your assignments.
- Practice support – from clinical educators and supervisors who help you apply your learning and build confidence in the workplace.
We’ll encourage you to be curious, think critically, and ask the important questions—then support you as you discover the answers.
This course is designed to prepare you not just to qualify, but to excel—equipping you to deliver safe, effective, and compassionate care from the moment you graduate.
Progression
This course prepares you for a career in clinical nursing within a range of health and social care settings, including:
- Primary and community care
- Secondary care
- Private and voluntary organisations
- Advanced practice roles
- Management positions in clinical nursing
- Research nursing
- Lecturing
Further study, such as health visiting and masters and doctoral education
Previous graduates of this course have gone on to work in:
- Hospital and community nursing environments
- Health centres
- GP surgeries
- The armed forces
- Education
Course Fees
UK
£6935.00 per year.
Additional Costs
Your Tuition fees cover most costs associated with your course (including registration, tuition, and assessment).
There may be some extra costs that you might need to make, or choose to pay, for example:
- Books (you’ll have access to books from your module reading lists in the HE library, but you may wish to buy your own copies)
- Printing and photocopying
- Trips and enhancement opportunities
- As the programme requires vocational hours within the Health and Wellbeing arena, you may be required to pay for an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check if you are not in possession of a current one or registered on the update service.
- Travel to University and to Clinical Placements
Quick Reference Guide
Level
Level 6
Duration
4 Years PT
Study Mode
Part-Time
Awarding Body
Sheffield Hallam University
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Applications are open. Apply online in minutes.
Questions? Call 0800 358 74 74 or email ucdonenquiries@don.ac.uk