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Primary, Community and Social Care Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons)

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Start Dates

21 September 2026

Duration

3 years full-time

UCAS Tariff

120-112 points

Recent Awards For Excellence

Find out more about these awards
About this course

Overview

Why choose Huddersfield for this course?

  • This is one of the first pre-registration nursing courses in the UK that focuses on primary, community and social care nursing.
  • Gain confidence using our state-of-the-art skills labs and immersive simulation facilities on our National Health Innovation Campus.
  • You’ll learn from experienced health professionals and service users whose real-world insights bring teaching to life.

Accreditation and Professional Links

Recognised connections to give you an extra edge when you graduate. Read More

This sector-leading Primary, Community and Social Care Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons) has been designed to prepare you for a rewarding career supporting people with learning disabilities and/or autism across community, primary care and social care settings. Aligned with the NHS 10 Year Plan and wider healthcare priorities, the course reflects the growing need for nurses who can deliver person-centred care closer to home, promote wellbeing and help reduce health inequalities. 

If you're compassionate, curious and passionate about improving the lives of people with learning disabilities, this course will help you develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to support individuals, families and communities across a range of settings. You'll learn to work in a person-centred way, promoting rights, choice, inclusion and equality while helping people achieve the best possible health and wellbeing outcomes. 

Learning disability nurses support individuals throughout their lives, from childhood through to later life. During the course, you'll develop strong communication and interpersonal skills, alongside confidence in person-centred practice, leadership, teamwork and evidence-based decision making. You'll also explore how health and social care services work together to support people with learning disabilities and autism across different environments and stages of life. 

On successful completion of the course, you'll be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Registered Nurse (Learning Disabilities), opening the door to a wide range of career opportunities. 

Why study Primary, Community and Social Care Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons) 

  • Throughout your studies, you’ll be supported by a team who are learning disability nurses first and foremost, with extensive and varied practice experience and diverse interests in the field of learning disabilities. Individuals with learning disabilities are involved in the development of teaching materials, too, and will work with you in the classroom.  
  • You’ll spend 50 per cent of your learning undertaking placement opportunities in a wide range of clinical practice settings, providing care and support for both children and adults. 
  • You’ll learn in our Daphne Steele Building on the National Health Innovation Campus, where you will use our specialist simulation facilities to develop your clinical skills, including personal care, life support, Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure (ABCDE) assessment, venepuncture, and wound care.  
  • You’ll have the opportunity to undertake interprofessional learning opportunities with other professional groups, such as social workers and speech and language therapists. 

Our Public Partnership Group (PPG) and Health and Wellbeing Academy work together to support your development as a compassionate, person-centred professional. You’ll engage with service users and carers through lectures, discussions, and simulations. Their lived experiences will help to build your communication skills, empathy, and the critical thinking needed to deliver outstanding care across diverse communities. While our Health and Wellbeing Academy offers hands-on placement opportunities through initiatives like Get Set Goal and Restart a Heart. These experiences will help you build skills in communication, public health, leadership, and teamwork while making a real impact in the community. 

Students on this course may be eligible to receive a non-repayable grant of at least £5,000 each year – find out more on the NHS Learning Support Fund website. 

Not quite ready to start Primary, Community and Social Care Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons)? Successful completion of our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree will equip you with the foundation knowledge to study Learning Disability Nursing.

Who can apply?

Entry Requirements

To find out if you're eligible to start this course in September {{ this_year }} and get more information on how to apply, please see our Clearing pages or call our Clearing Helpline on 0333 987 9000.

If you're interested in studying this course in September {{ next_year }}, please view the {{ next_year_of_entry }} course information.

BBB-BBC at A Level. If you are studying A Level Science, the endorsement for practical work is essential and a requirement for entry to our degree course.
120-112 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications. If you are studying A Level Science, the endorsement for practical work is essential and a requirement for entry to our degree course.
DDM-DMM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.
Merit at T Level.
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma/Level 3 Extended Diploma at Grade B.
Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits 15 at Distinction, 30 at Merit.
120-112 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

In addition, you must have GCSE English Language or English Literature and Maths at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme, or Ofqual regulated Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English.

If you do not have the appropriate level 3 qualifications for direct entry to this degree you may be able to apply to our Health Foundation Pathway leading to a BSc(Hons) Degree.

You must demonstrate that you have a broad understanding of learning disability nursing, as well as relevant work experience (employment or voluntary) highlighting your transferable skills.

Offers will be subject to an interview and references. Please note all the information provided in support of your application may be checked and must be verifiable as a true record.

You also need satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearances prior to registration on the course. We arrange these as part of the application process. You’ll be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year and at the end of the course. All police contacted during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination. We will request an Overseas Police Check if you have lived in a country outside of the UK for 6 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years before applying to us and whilst aged 18 or over.

You may be eligible to gain accreditation for your prior learning towards this course. Please note that the course you are applying for is regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which allows a maximum of 50% credits for the award to be conferred through accreditation of prior learning.

Placement providers for this course may require you to have received a number of vaccinations, unless medically exempt, and provide evidence of these. As a student on a course with a clinical or healthcare placement, we strongly recommend that you complete any courses of vaccinations required under current guidelines for your future profession. Failure to do so may result in your inability to undertake a placement in certain clinical settings, therefore impacting upon your academic progression, and may result in academic failure of your course.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

If you have alternative qualifications, including the nursing associate foundation degree, you may wish to contact us for advice before applying. Please note places are limited and attainment of the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an interview or offer. You must include details of any previous study. Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

We offer a range of fair access opportunities and support to help students progress to higher education. You may also be able to earn extra UCAS points. For more details, please see our Contextual Admissions Guidance.

What will you learn?

Course Details

This module involves exploring your development as a professional, examining your personal and professional attitudes and beliefs, as well as relating these to your future professional role as a learning disability nurse. You’ll gain an understanding about how you can develop as a learner and maintain your physical and mental health, so you are able to promote and support people who have learning disabilities with their health. You’ll also learn how to manage the transition to university and explore ethical and professional codes underpinning learning disability nursing.

This module provides the opportunity for you develop the fundamental knowledge and skills to provide effective person-centred care to people of all ages and specifically for people who have a learning disability. You’ll learn about the principles of holistic assessment and care for people with a range of physical, mental health and cognitive care needs, as well as about the promotion and maintenance of health and wellbeing with all groups of people including those who are ‘well’. You’ll gain an understanding of development through the lifespan by exploring the principles of anatomy and physiology, along with an introduction to pharmacology and medicines administration.

This module provides the opportunity for you to develop the fundamental skills of nursing practice including personal hygiene, infection control, undertaking observations and basic life support. You’ll complete a practice learning experience where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

This module provides you with a further opportunity to develop the fundamental skills of nursing practice including personal hygiene, infection control, undertaking observations and basic life support. You’ll complete a practice learning experience, where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

This module introduces you to the nature of knowledge and how it supports evidenced-based nursing practice. You’ll learn how to search for and read evidence to identify its value and relevance to nursing practice. You’ll explore how to evaluate published research and will be introduced to the concept of ethics within healthcare research. You’ll also have the opportunity to develop and use a variety of transferable skills including literature searching, critical appraisal of evidence and application of evidence to your own and the nursing practice of others.

This module builds on the year one Becoming a Professional and supports you to develop the professional knowledge and transferable skills needed to become a Registered Nurse. You'll gain an understanding of professional, legal, and ethical frameworks, and their role in your clinical decision-making. You'll also develop the knowledge, understanding and skills required for effective leadership, management, and teamworking to enable you to positively influence management, decisions, and care delivery of patients and service-users in your care.

This module builds on the knowledge and skills you developed in Year 1. You’ll expand your range of assessment skills and apply them to more complex care encounters with people with learning disabilities. Using your knowledge to recognise deterioration and begin to identify appropriate interventions to meet the care needs for people with a range of complex physical, mental health and cognitive care needs. You’ll plan care needs and begin to formulate care plans to meet the needs of individuals and groups of people in your care.

This module builds on the Understanding Knowledge and Evidence for Nursing module in Year 1, by introducing you to the design of research studies, including literature reviews and empirical projects. You’ll have the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills of research methods and design, preparing you to undertake a study relevant to learning disability nursing in Year 3. You’ll learn about research ethics, data collection, analysis and research approaches including qualitative, qualitative and mixed method studies, literature reviews undertaken systematically and audits. For those apprentices with a Nursing Associate qualification, this module may not be required. If so, you would spend this time back on base with your employer.

This module provides you with the opportunity to develop a wider range of skills of nursing practice including cannulation and phlebotomy. You’ll complete a practice learning experience, where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

This module provides you with the opportunity to further develop your skills of nursing practice including cannulation and phlebotomy. You’ll complete a practice learning experience, where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

This module builds on professionally themed modules in Year 1 and 2 to consolidate your preparation to become a qualified nurse. You’ll have the opportunity to develop future nurse leader skills to prepare you to positively influence care, undertake the role of teacher to individuals and groups, as well as the role of practice supervisor for future nurses.

This module builds on the knowledge and skills developed in Year 1 and 2. You’ll have the opportunity to expand your range of assessment skills and apply them under minimum supervision whilst managing and coordinating the care of people with learning disabilities with a range of conditions varying in complexity and in a range of settings. The module also assists you to develop skills in advanced care management and complex discharge or transfer planning.

This module provides the opportunity for you to gain fundamental skills of nursing practice including intravenous medicine administration. You’ll complete a practice learning experience where you’ll put the theory you’ve learnt into practice.

You’ll be supported in supervised practice in placement areas to develop your knowledge and skills related to practice. Simulated placement learning will focus on preparation for placement; mandatory skills and transition to registered nurse. Both formative and summative assessment will be provided with initial, intermediate, and final interviews in practice. Lectures will provide opportunities for preparation and support before and during placement.

This module builds on the evidence and research modules in Year 1 and 2, enabling you to systematically undertake a literature review or a small scale research project based on the research proposal developed in Year 2. You’ll have the opportunity to develop a detailed literature review report or research study report. You’ll use one of a variety of approaches including qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods, audit or a review of literature undertaken in a systematic way, within the learning disability nursing field. You’ll also be involved in data collection and analysis.

Teaching and Assessment

Discover what to expect from your tutor contact time, assessment methods, and feedback process.

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Global Professional Award

At Huddersfield, you’ll study the award-winning Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* — so you’re ready for the career you want, whatever subject you choose.

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Interested in a placement?

Placements

Nothing can really replicate working in the real-world, which is why practice placements are essential and a compulsory part of the course. The Nursing and Midwifery Council require you to complete the minimum of 2300 hours over the three years to obtain registration. Each year you'll complete two blocks of placement, which may include simulation.

You'll have the opportunity to gain experience across a diverse range of health and social care settings supporting people with learning disabilities and/or autism throughout their lives. These may include community learning disability teams, supported living services, nursing and residential homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics. This course places a strong emphasis on primary, community and social care placements, while giving you experience across wider services. You'll take part in neighbourhood-based learning and be supported throughout your placements by qualified professionals. Simulated practice learning will help you build confidence and prepare for real healthcare environments.

To provide you with the broadest professional experience possible, practice experiences are generally offered across West Yorkshire and beyond, covering 24-hour care including evening, weekend, and occasional night shifts.

Please note that you will be required to travel to and during your placements. Your placement areas could be up to 90 minutes travel (on public transport) from the University.  Your placement areas could be up to 90 minutes travel (on public transport) from the University. You could be placed anywhere within the wider Calderdale, Kirklees, and Wakefield metropolitan districts of West Yorkshire. You need to think very carefully about how you’ll travel across this region for your placements with awareness that when in placement, you’ll often be required to start a shift at 7.00am and may not finish until 8.00pm. Your placements will also incorporate nightshifts and weekend working.

My placements in a variety of settings were useful, enjoyable, and developed my confidence. They will also benefit me in my future career as a learning disability nurse, as I have gained lots of skills and the competency to deliver the highest quality of patient centred care possible.

- Holly Turner
Studying Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons)

Where could this lead you?

Your Career

After graduating from this course as a Registered Nurse, you'll be prepared for careers across primary care, community and social care settings, supporting people with learning disabilities and/or autism throughout their lives. These may include community learning disability teams, specialist behaviour services, autism services, children's services, nursing care, assessment and treatment services, mental health services and palliative care. 

Learning disability nurses work in a wide range of settings and can build rewarding careers across health, social care and specialist services. You may go on to work within local healthcare trusts, charities, supported living services and independent providers, or within specialist areas such as forensic services, dual diagnosis services and complex care. 

Following qualification, there are also opportunities to develop specialist expertise or progress into leadership, education and consultancy roles. Career pathways may include behavioural specialist, epilepsy nurse, safeguarding nurse, forensic care nurse, nurse lecturer, consultant nurse specialist, service manager, or policy and advisory roles at a local or national level.

How much will it cost?

Fees and Finance

£9,790 per year

This information is for Home students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy. 

From January 2027 the UK government is launching a new student funding system for people starting university education. Read more about the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE).

For detailed information please visit https://www.hud.ac.uk/study/fees/

£19,800 per year

This information is for international students applying to study at the University of Huddersfield in the academic year 2026/27.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X) and/or Government policy. 

For detailed information please visit https://www.hud.ac.uk/international/fees-and-funding/

Placement Funding:

Throughout your studies placements may incur additional costs for accommodation, parking and travel. You may be able to claim costs back through the Learning Support Fund (LSF).

We strongly encourage you to read the information available on the NHS Learning Support Fund Website to understand your eligibility and how the LSF works: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund-lsf 

Uniform:

Students receive an initial set of uniforms required for placement. After these have been issued, any additional uniforms may incur a cost. In 2025/26, one extra set costs approximately £30

Students studying eligible courses may receive a non-replayable grant of at least £5,000 per year.

NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) | NHSBSA

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Service user interaction with an infinity panel.

Using sensory equipment to connect at a sensory level and communicate beyond words

Multi-sensory equipment in our dedicated room.

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Student interactive session with service users.

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Service users, using interactive floor projection.

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Fibre optic light stimulate/soothe clients needs.

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Daphne Steele Facilities Tour

Join student Ruth as she takes you on a tour of the University's state-of-the-art Daphne Steele Building, part of our National Health Innovation Campus. Explore cutting-edge learning spaces, including immersive simulation rooms, clinical labs, and real-world training environments. Designed to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Learn more about Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc

Learn more about the Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc(Hons) at the University in terms of what the course involves, the placement opportunities and who you are taught by.

What is Learning Disability Nursing?

This video provides an insight into the profession, in terms of what learning disability nursing is, what the role of a learning disability nurse involves, where they work and who they work with.

Words to represent Learning Disability Nursing

Through this video you can gain an insight into the words that represent the profession of learning disability nursing.

Why Hud

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Explore Huddersfield

Make Huddersfield your home. A Yorkshire town, surrounded by beautiful countryside, with easy access to neighbouring cities; Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield. You’ll find plenty of places to eat, drink, shop and socialise, there’s ambitious plans for future development. Our campus is situated next to the town centre - making your commute a breeze.

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Get involved in great opportunities helping you to make friends from all across the world and create lifelong memories. Join one of over 100 societies with the Students’ Union, experience new cultures through global events, earn whilst you learn and build your skills via our Global Professional Award.

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Budget Friendly

Huddersfield is not only one of the friendliest towns, it also offers you a lower cost of living than most big cities. This means you could have more money to spend, making your uni experience even better. On campus you’ll also find plenty of facilities and services to help you budget and make your money go further.

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We know you’re coming to university to study on your chosen subject, meet new people and broaden your horizons. However, we also help you to focus on life after you have graduated to ensure that your hard work pays off and you achieve your ambition.

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At the University of Huddersfield, you’ll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you’ll soon discover that you’re never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey.

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Inspiring Academics

Our researchers carry out world-leading work that makes a real difference to people’s lives. Staff within the Department of Nursing may teach you on this course.

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Research Excellence

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Legal information

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons:

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and if you are unhappy with the change we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff being unable to teach due to illness, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to pandemics, other disasters (such as fire, flood or war) or changes made by the government.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will consult with affected groups of students and any changes would only be made in accordance with our regulations. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you let us know before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for any additional tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so and you may be eligible for an exit award depending on how far through your course you are.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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