Nursing (Learning Disability)

UCAS code: B762

Here's what Swansea University says about its Nursing (Learning Disability) course.

Our Learning Disability Nursing degree course will give you the skills and experience to launch a rewarding career in this diverse and essential profession. Over the course of this carefully-integrated, three year BSc programme, you will learn how to support people who have a learning disability, of all ages and backgrounds, throughout all stages of their lives.

As you progress, our range of learning and teaching strategies will develop your critical thinking to enable you to identify the diverse and complex needs of people with learning disabilities; make an accurate nursing diagnosis and plan and evaluate the care required to maximise service users’ participation in society. You will learn how to meet the needs of people with mental, physical, cognitive, or behavioural health challenges, enabling practitioners to be able to support people with learning disabilities of any age.

Half of your teaching takes place in the university and the other half in healthcare settings. We have excellent working relationships with many healthcare providers, so you will have access to a wide range of clinical experiences across South West Wales.

We have an outstanding reputation for nursing at Swansea and are ranked in the Top 10 in the UK for Nursing (Times Good University Guide 2024.

Our academic staff are qualified nurses, doctors, and allied health professionals, many of whom are also practising clinicians, providing an exceptional combination of theoretical rigour, professional insight, and practical expertise.

We have very strong links with Welsh health boards, opening up clinical placement opportunities for you in a variety of settings in both urban and rural locations. Meanwhile, the nearest hospital is right next door to our Singleton Park campus on the edge of the beautiful Gower Peninsula.

Our excellent facilities include a realistic clinical suite so you can put your theoretical knowledge into practice in an environment that reflects as closely as possible the actual conditions that you will experience when you go on placement in a hospital or community setting.

We have an outstanding reputation for nursing and are ranked in the Top 10 in the UK for Graduate Prospects (Times Good University Guide 2025).

You can also study part of your nursing degree through the medium of Welsh and may be eligible for internal scholarships or financial support through Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Introduction to Nursing and Health Care (Learning Disability); Understanding health and illness (Learning Disability); Contexts of Care (Learning Disability); In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Acute Care (Learning Disability); Care of the Person with a Long-Term Condition and Palliative Care Needs (Learning Disability); Ensuring quality care (Learning Disability); In Year 3, you will typically study areas including: Care of the Service User with complex needs (Learning Disability); Advancing nursing practice (Learning Disability); Preparation for professional practice (Learning Disability).

Assessments will include practical OSCEs, written exams, oral presentations, written assignments, practical observations, and clinical skills assessments. The range of assessment methods is chosen to develop and demonstrate a range of skills transferable to the modern healthcare environment including reflection, oral and written communication, confidence and competence in care delivery and the ability to research, appraise and evaluate evidence. Placement competency will be assessed by your practice assessor.