Course description

Important: This course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and fully reflects the NMC (2018) Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Programmes and Standards of Proficiency for Nursing from September 2021 entry. Details on this page describe the course as studied by all intakes of student nurses from September 2021.

The NHS needs nurses, nurses work in teams - and those teams need effective leadership. We are the only UK university offering a pre-registration nursing degree with an integrated leadership component.

Our unique degrees, led by the School of Healthcare, draw on the experience and expertise of more than 40 years of health education at the University of Leicester, partnerships with regional NHS trusts, as well as the expertise of our School of Business.

The four leadership modules, which are an integrated component of the programme, will enable you to develop your own leadership knowledge and skills. As part of the leadership modules, you will develop a leadership portfolio that will be part of your long-term career map - underpinning your accelerated career trajectory. You will prepare for professional practice, focussing on the knowledge and skills required for lifelong learning and professional practice, including specific interview preparation, presentation skills and numeric skills.

While at Leicester, you will study and work alongside other healthcare students in our superb facilities, which include a state-of-the-art Clinical Skills Unit with high-tech simulated mannequins to enable you to practise procedures in a safe environment. You'll even have lectures in Leicester Medical School's anatomy dissection room.

However, practical real-world experience is a vital part of training. You will spend at least 50% of your time on nursing placements, working alongside experienced nurses and the multidisciplinary team. Through these clinical placements, you will develop skills that enable you to act compassionately and professionally in a wide variety of clinical situations.

As part of the Third Year Professional Development Elective Module, you’ll also have the unique opportunity to undertake a four-week elective placement abroad, with funding available through the Turing Scheme. This invaluable experience enhances your global healthcare understanding while reinforcing the leadership skills gained through the program.  

Students on this course are eligible for a grant of at least £5,000 a year, which you do not need to pay back.

This course is part of the Higher Education Pathway for Armed Forces project, which recognises the qualifications, skills and experience of ex-armed forces personnel.

Two pathways

These are dual registration, undergraduate masters degrees. This means you can choose to study mental health and adult nursing or mental health and children’s nursing.

This degree lasts four years, at the end of which you will have the security of employment opportunities in the local NHS.

Student Learning Contract

As part of the offer for a place on this course all students are required to agree to abide by the conditions of a Student Learning Contract which you will be asked to sign during the induction week at the beginning of the course. This learning contract will apply to the entire duration of the course and the signed copy will be stored as a PDF on your University electronic record.

Entry requirements

Related courses

Sustainable Development Goals

We are committed to providing skills and knowledge to help prepare you tackle global challenges. We have mapped our undergraduate degrees for learning which aligns to the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This degree includes learning which relates to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:

• Goal 1: No poverty
• Goal 2: Zero hunger
• Goal 3: Health and well-being
• Goal 4: Quality education
• Goal 5: Gender equality
• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
• Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
• Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
• Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• Goal 10: Reduced inequalities
• Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
• Goal 13: Climate action
• Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong institutions
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the goals

Find out more about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Placement

As a Nursing student at Leicester, 50% of your time is spent on placement. Your placements take place in hospitals across Leicester and Leicestershire (University Hospitals of Leicester), and further afield, such as Northampton, Kettering and Coventry. We are always exploring new placement opportunities for our students.

During your placement

Your placement will adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) guidelines, the recognised independent regulator for nurses and midwives across the UK and Northern Ireland.

Whilst on placement, you will apply your theoretical knowledge to a real-life healthcare setting with exposure to clinical practice. You will gain a variety of personal, clinical, and professional disciplines whilst being supervised by Nursing experts. Key areas of medical focus will include cannulation, venepuncture, and catheterisation, which form the foundations of Nursing. Working with patients in this environment will provide you with an understanding of patient empathy, confidentiality, and imperative interpersonal skills to equip you for the Nursing profession.

You must be fully vaccinated, as per Department of Health guidelines, before you commence placement.

Support

You will receive continuous support during your placement from a clinical educator and visiting tutor. As with all our Allied Health Subjects, you will have access to support from the wider clinical and academic teams and support from your personal tutor throughout your course. You will also access support via the School of Healthcare placements Blackboard site, which has information about placement providers, transport whilst on placement, the placement handbook, and other useful resources to support you throughout the process.

Additional financial support whilst on placement

For placements outside Leicester, UK students are entitled to reimbursement from the NHS Learning Support Fund for some of the additional costs of attending, including travel expenses and accommodation. Please note this is not available for international students.

Placement areas

Students currently complete placements in the following areas; however, we are consistently expanding and exploring new placement opportunities, so this may change*:

• University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
• North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
• Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
• Kettering General Hospital
• LOROS Hospice Care
• Rainbows Children’s Hospice
• South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust
• Various International opportunities for elective placements
• Nursing and residential homes in and around Leicester and Leicestershire.

*placements are allocated by the School of Nursing and are dependent on availability. For further information, please email healthcare@le.ac.uk.

Ria is in the second year of her MSci in Adult and Mental Health Nursing

Why did you choose to study Nursing at Leicester?
"I transferred from psychology - and I couldn’t be happier! I wanted to enter a profession that had a lot of patient involvement, and somewhere I could progress in my career."

What has been the highlight of your Leicester experience so far?
"The clinical skills I have learnt at uni and out on placement. A few years ago, I would have never thought I would be able to take bloods or conduct a bladder scan! The highlight of my experience also involves the countless opportunities I am presented with such as being a social media ambassador for nursing, opportunities to study abroad, helping out with open days, etc."

How would you describe the community and student life at Leicester?
"Student life in Leicester is amazing. I’m not really into nights out (there is plenty of that though), but my society involvement keeps me so busy and that’s how I like it! There is a society for absolutely everyone to get involved in, you name it! Religious societies, dance societies, sports societies, board games etc! The student community is overall very supportive."

What’s one thing you wish you had known before starting your course?
"One thing I wish I had known before I started the course is how much time we are actually out on placement! We split our time 50/50. Whilst this is an incredible learning experience, sometimes you aren’t able to see your friends as much as others who do different courses simply because of our placement hours. So I would definitely recommend you schedule in catch up/coffee dates with your friends, well in advance!"

What are you most looking forward to as you continue your studies at Leicester?
"I look forward to gaining more clinical skills, working with the department and lecturers, supporting students, meeting new people - and just enjoying the nursing experience!"