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Nursing Studies (leading to professional registration as an Adult Nurse)
Division of Nursing and Midwifery, Health Sciences School,
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health

Course description
Learn to care for patients with a range of needs and develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to register as an Adult Nurse. This programme is designed for graduates with some healthcare or relevant experience.
Solve problems with experienced practitioners
You will develop problem-solving skills that address the complex care needs of patients in healthcare today. Our team of experienced healthcare practitioners will help you develop practical skills to provide the best possible care. You’ll also cover the latest nursing theory, making sure you have the underpinning knowledge to practise safely and effectively.
We will also nurture your leadership, teamwork, communication and resilience - all crucial for becoming a capable and compassionate nurse.
Clinical experience
You’ll spend a significant amount of time in hands-on placements, under the supervision of qualified practitioners. Your placements will take place in a range of community and clinical settings in Barnsley, Chesterfield, Doncaster, Rotherham or Sheffield.
You will also have the opportunity to practise clinical skills before going out on placement at our state-of-the-art clinical skills facility, which features simulated wards, resuscitation suites, simulation theatres and homes, classrooms and equipment.
NHS Learning Support Fund
As a Nursing student, you can apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund to help support your studies, which you won’t need to pay back. This includes a training grant of £5,000 per academic year, money back for clinical placement travel costs, as well as extra funding for students with dependent children or those facing hardship.
Accreditation
This course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It will give you the skills and knowledge you need for entry into the NMC professional register as an Adult Nurse.
Modules
Core modules
The course is 50 per cent theory and 50 per cent practice, based on four core units of study:
- Foundations in Health and Nursing
- Patients with Acute and Short-Term Needs
- Patients with Long-Term Conditions and Complex Needs
- Transitions to Practice: Managing and Organising Care
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption. We are no longer offering unrestricted module choice. If your course included unrestricted modules, your department will provide a list of modules from their own and other subject areas that you can choose from.
Open days
An open day gives you the best opportunity to hear first-hand from our current students and staff about our courses. You'll find out what makes us special.
Duration
- 2 years full-time
Teaching
This course uses an innovative problem-based learning strategy to help you think about real clinical practice scenarios. A strong emphasis on cooperative learning helps you manage unfamiliar situations, make reasoned decisions, adapt to change, and plan your future learning. It’s a realistic and challenging preparation for registration.
Placements
Our placement partners are in Barnsley, Bassetlaw (Worksop) and Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. It is anticipated that most of your placements will be in the same town or city. There is no guarantee that you’ll be given your first choice of placement location.
Assessment
You'll undertake a variety of assessments during the programme, including exams, presentations, written assignments and clinical assessments while on placement.
Your career
After successfully completing the MMedSci Nursing Studies course, you will be able to work as a Registered Nurse and improve the lives of adults with a range of needs.
The graduate prospects for a newly qualified nurse are huge. Students have established careers in hospital and community settings, become GP practice nurses and gone onto advanced roles such as Advanced Nurse Practitioners and management.
Student profiles

Being on placement is one of my favourite parts of the course. While on placement I feel really well supported both by the academic staff at the University and my mentor.
Samantha Treloar
PG Dip Nursing Studies
Entry requirements
This course is not presently open to international applicants. We are unable to accept international applications, as clinical placement capacity is confined by local staffing requirements.
You'll need a minimum 2:2 undergraduate honours degree in a relevant subject (eg social sciences, human sciences, biomedical sciences, public services). You'll also need GCSE Mathematics, English and Science.
You must meet the entry requirements for the programme prior to the course start date in November each year.
- MMedSci work experience requirements
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The MMedSci Nursing Studies (Adult) programme is designed specifically for graduates with a degree in a relevant subject and at least 650 hours of relevant experience. The course is similar to the last two years of the BMedSci course – think of your existing degree and experience as equivalent to the first year.
The 650 hours can comprise a range of experiences. We are looking for you to demonstrate experience working with the public in a ‘helping’ capacity, through paid employment, voluntary work, or a mixture of the two. The following list includes some examples, but isn’t exhaustive:
- Working as a healthcare assistant
- Working as a support worker
- Working as an advisor or teacher
- Volunteering or working with homeless people or as a befriender to older adults
- Supporting children or people with mental health problems or disabilities
- Caring for a family member
If you are shortlisted we will ask you to provide verifiable proof of this experience. If you have cared for a relative or friend, you will need to ask a registered practitioner - such as a nurse, GP or social worker - to confirm your hours for them to be counted towards the 650-hour requirement.
If you have any questions about your experience please contact the admissions tutor using the details at the bottom of the page.
All students will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and health screening.
You’ll be required to demonstrate an awareness of, and commitment to, the core values of the NHS which aspires to provide the highest standards of excellence, professionalism and public accountability, and gives priority to the interests of patients. We base our selection decisions on these values and how well you are able to express them on your application and performance on our selection day.
While we value your caring experience it is still important that you meet the academic entry requirements of the programme. If you are currently studying towards meeting the entry requirements then you are welcome to apply. If you meet first-degree requirements but aren’t sure if your GCSE/equivalent qualifications are sufficient then please contact us to discuss this. To apply for the programme you must be able to demonstrate that you have a good standard of secondary education.
Overall IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 7.0 in Listening, Speaking and Reading and 6.5 in Writing, or equivalent.
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the department.
Fees and funding
Funding for pre-registration healthcare courses
Government funding
All nursing students on courses from September 2020 will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year which they will not need to pay back.
Apply
Read about the nursing selection process for this course then apply via UCAS.
Contact
nursing-pgt-enquiries@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2030
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.