Learning Disabilities Nursing (pre-registration) MSc

Postgraduate

Nurse engaged with a young patient getting her blood pressure taken

This MSc course offers graduates from a range of backgrounds the opportunity to enter the nursing profession in two years.

Year of entry

2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

2 years full-time

Course code

HLST257

Start date

January 2026

How to apply

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Course overview

Learning disabilities (LD) nurses provide specialist healthcare and support to people with learning disabilities and additional health needs. Learning disabilities nurses work with individuals across the lifespan, collaborating with their families and carers to reduce health inequalities and promote health.

Gain the knowledge, skills, and behaviours to meet the diverse health and care needs of people with learning disabilities across the lifespan. Course content prepares you to analyse, develop and deliver effective care to people with learning disabilities and to promote independence.
There is a focus on providing person-centred care and ensuring the health needs of people with learning disabilities are met, emphasising evidence-informed practice, care and compassion.
During the course you should develop the clinical and personal skills required to provide autonomous, compassionate and person-centred care. You will have the opportunity to work in multi-disciplinary teams, coordinating care and providing safe evidence-based care.
Through recognition of your previous care experience and completion of four practice placements organised by Coventry University during your course, you will achieve 50% practical placement training needed for registration as a learning disabilities nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The clinical practice experience exposes you to caring for the needs of people with learning disabilities across a range of health services.^2,5
Study one module at a time, with five weeks of learning followed by one week of assessment per module.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Ranked 9th Modern University in UK by the Times

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025

Ranked 8th for Overall Satisfaction in PTES

Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2024

Why you should study this course

The course aims to develop high standards of person-centred care, complex care coordination, decision-making, leadership, and mentoring. It prepares you to be an accountable professional, excel in multidisciplinary teams, and demonstrate leadership through relationship management and emotional intelligence.
The course is ideal for graduates of health-related disciplines, psychology, criminology or sociology degrees with some experience in health and social care. It is also suitable for existing nurses looking for dual qualification.
Theoretical course aspects will be further developed through simulation and clinical placements relevant to the learning disabilities nursing field.^2,5
This course should develop your digital fluency, curiosity, critical and reflective thinking.
All eligible students on this course can apply for a minimum training grant payment from the government of £5,000 per year, with additional payments for students incurring childcare costs.⁶

Studying in the School of Health and Care

Gain the skills and experience to transform lives, communities and the future of healthcare delivery. We aim to empower you to become a stand-out healthcare professional, capable, competent and confident in your field and role within the wider healthcare team. While continuously developing your sense of professional identity as a nurse from day one, you'll also collaborate with learners from other School of Health and Care fields, learning in an environment that puts inclusivity, diversity and dignity at its heart.

Accreditation and professional recognition

This course is accredited and recognised by the following professional bodies:

Nursing & Midwifery Council

The course is currently accredited by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC). Following changes that have been made to improve the course, we will apply for re-accreditation for entrants of 2025-26. If any changes occur with respect to our accreditation, we will notify applicants and students as soon as possible.

This is a normal part of the process of continuous improvement of our courses to ensure they remain up-to-date and reflect best practice.

Nursing at Coventry University

We have an excellent reputation for the quality of the education provided to trainee and qualified nurses.

Why study with us

We have an excellent reputation for the quality of the education provided to trainee and qualified nurses.

What you'll study

You will study the fundamental skills required of learning disabilities nurses to enable you to work in diverse clinical environments, supporting people with learning disabilities and their support networks with their holistic health needs. Over two years of study, you will progress and build upon your skills and practice experience to enable you to coordinate complex care with people with learning disabilities.

The delivery of theory components is through a range of modules which focus on extending your knowledge and cognitive skills, providing you with a sound critical, analytical and reflective approach to person-centred care delivery.

Modules

Becoming a Professional Practitioner – 15 credits

Explore the intersection of professional values, behaviours, and actions within the context of health and social care and evaluate relevant global factors that influence healthcare. You should build upon your strong foundation of personal and academic skills, developing strategies for continuous improvement with an emphasis on critical thinking and evaluation. This module is designed to cultivate a culture of professionalism, enabling you to recognise and challenge inequality constructs within yourself, your profession, and the broader context of health and social care.

Compulsory

Evaluating Evidence within Health and Care – 15 credits

Evaluate the evidence base, knowledge and drivers for practice in health and care. Explore and debate the context of interdisciplinary and profession-specific evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence. You should develop a deep understanding of the methodologies associated with real-world evidence within health and care and apply this to construct a rationale for an evidence-based professional project.

Compulsory

Exploring Wider Influences on Health and Care – 15 credits

Explore factors that influence people's health and wellbeing across the lifespan. Learn about societal influences, health inequalities and determinants of health. Explore health policy and the different strategies you can use to help promote health and wellbeing. Gain further understanding of the impact of behaviours on pathophysiology and how this impacts the need to access care. Gain valuable insights into the global communities you will be supporting, alongside the delivery of culturally competent and inclusive care. Learn about collaboration and care coordination within multiprofessional healthcare teams, whilst developing the skills and knowledge you need to effectively contribute.

Compulsory

Assessment and Decision-making in Learning Disabilities Nursing – 15 credits

This module aims to provide you with the essential theory, knowledge and practical skills related to nursing health assessments and explore how these can be used to inform decision making individualised care plans. The module will cover key body systems and introduce the principles of pharmacology, non-pharmacological approaches, and medicine administration. Additionally, it introduces the concept of holistic nursing care and aims to deepen your understanding of equality, diversity and inclusive learning disabilities nursing practice.

Compulsory

Placement 1: Delivering Nursing Care – 15 credits

In this module, you will spend time within a healthcare setting^2,5 relevant to your field of nursing, and continue to work towards the expected level of proficiency for a first-year student nurse. Under continued supervision, you will work towards delivering an episode of care through effective assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of a person or family receiving care. You will also work towards demonstrating the safe and effective administration of medications under supervision, whilst you continue to maintain your professional values.

Compulsory

Placement 2: Delivering Enhanced Nursing Care – 15 credits

In this module, you will spend time within a care setting relevant to your field of nursing^2,5, building your confidence and work towards the expected level of proficiency. The aim is for you to work more independently with less direct supervision in an increasingly confident and competent manner, delivering safe holistic care to individuals and people who support them. You should demonstrate safe and effective administration of medication under supervision, whilst you continue to develop and strengthen your professional values.

Compulsory

Modules

The Evidence-based Practitioner: Professional Project – 15 credits

Provides the opportunity for you to critically reflect on the evidence, apply knowledge, concepts and research techniques to a professional question or problem, making recommendations to improve practice for a range of stakeholders across health and care. You will identify an area of current or emerging practice to design and implement an evidence-based project (for example, audit or evaluation, primary research or systematic review). Where relevant, this project can be tailored to address service or employer priorities.

Compulsory

Leading for the Future as a Health and Care Professional – 15 credits

Our health and care workforce is required to lead the delivery of high-quality care, whilst navigating a complex health and care ecosystem. You will engage in inter-professional learning, drawing upon contemporary theory, practice, and evidence to analyse and reframe your understanding of what accountable leadership means, and critically reflect upon your own experiences. You should apply your understanding of the interrelated themes of leading self, teams, organisations and systems, to develop confident and creative approaches to lead complex, sustainable change.

Compulsory

Therapeutic Interventions and Innovations in LD Nursing – 15 credits

Enhance your understanding of communication and its role in developing therapeutic relationships with people with learning disabilities, whilst respecting the diversity of individuals, their needs, preferences and desired care outcomes. Examine a range of therapeutic interventions to enhance your knowledge and skills in selecting, initiating, and evaluating appropriate interventions. Additionally, you can expect to develop your awareness of contemporary service delivery and nursing care innovations, digital developments and sustainable practise in delivering nursing care.

Compulsory

Coordinating Complex Care within Learning Disabilities Nursing – 15 credits

Develop your ability to make complex decisions within learning disabilities nursing in unpredictable contexts. Enhance your knowledge of specialist roles within the wider health and social care contexts. Examine relevant law, ethics and professional values to help you deliver equitable and inclusive, person-centred care to the individual and their support networks.

Compulsory

Placement 3: Delivering Complex Holistic Nursing Care – 15 credits

Develop your ability to deliver evidence-based care for groups of people and people with increasingly complex health and social care needs. Your ability to work independently with reduced supervision should strengthen during this placement^2,5 as you continue to gain confidence and competence in delivering high-quality, holistic and inclusive care. You should further develop proficiency in preparing and administering medication, whilst demonstrating your practical application of pharmacological knowledge.

Compulsory

Placement 4: Practising Autonomously – 15 credits

Refine and strengthen your knowledge and skills, learning how to be autonomous and fully accountable for your practice. You will be independently organising and managing the care of a group or caseload of complex patients with minimal guidance.^2,5 You will be leading a team of healthcare professionals, delegating tasks and overseeing the delivery of high-quality, non-discriminatory care, offering guidance, supervision and appraisal to others. You should continue to administer medications under supervision with confidence and competence, demonstrating a sound knowledge of pharmacology.

Compulsory

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

How you'll learn

Teaching and learning methods may include:

lectures/online lectures
clinical simulation
seminars
workshops
tutorials
online learning materials
practical clinical work in a practice setting.^2,5

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time student on this course, you will study modules totalling 180 credits across two academic years. A typical 30-credit module requires a total of 300 hours of study. Study hours are made up of teaching contact hours, and guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours may vary, depending on where you are in your studies, but on average you will have between 4 and 8 teaching and learning hours each week. You will also have the opportunity to attend optional sessions, including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback.

Practice-based learning

Practice-based learning forms an essential and significant part of your learning experience. Practice hours will differ between placements and different health and care courses. You will have access to university staff, but should expect to spend the majority of your contact time with practice collaborators undertaking placement activity. Overall, the hours you undertake in practice-based learning will need to satisfy the eligibility requirements set by the professional body regulating the profession, the NMC. No less than 2,300 practice-based hours gained from a combination of placement and simulated learning will need to be completed over the course of your degree.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You will be digging deeper into topics, reviewing what you’ve learnt and completing assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress to the end of your studies, you’ll spend more time on independent learning.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which could vary depending on the module. Assessment methods may include:

critical appraisal essays
reflective accounts
presentations
viva voce
reports
Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)
practice assessment
independent project
numeracy test.

The Coventry University assessment strategy aims to ensure that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

As a learning disability nurse I feel privileged to have worked with individuals and their families throughout my career and to have supported people to ensure that their health needs are met. There are lots of opportunities to make a difference to the lives of people and to support people to reach their potential. Being a learning disabilities nurse provides you with transferable knowledge and skills, so that you can be innovative and creative in how you support people and practice. The Learning Disabilities Nursing MSc will enable you to practice so that you work in partnership with people, promote good practice, and provide high quality care.
Katie Meah, Registered Learning Disability Nurse and Course Director for Learning Disabilities Nursing MSc, 2023

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

An honours degree 2:2 or above in a health-related subject.
GCSE Grades 4/C or above in English and maths.
Satisfactory health clearance, confirmation of vaccination status and enhanced criminal record disclosure. Please refer to the full requirements in the disclaimer section.⁵

All learners who meet the admission criteria are interviewed following a values-based recruitment process.

There is a requirement to demonstrate completion of 600 practice hours in relevant health/care settings through the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process to meet the NMC standard of nursing education of 2,300 practice hours. The RPL process will credit you for 600 hours to meet the stated NMC criteria. You will be supported in the RPL process.

Non-UK degrees may be accepted if healthcare related and accompanied by a certificate of comparability which you can obtain from www.enic.org.uk

We recognise a breadth of qualifications. Speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK	£9,250 per year	Not available

All eligible students on this course may qualify for a minimum payment from the government of £5,000 per year, with additional payments for students incurring childcare costs.⁶

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Postgraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities, and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing, and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad)

Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.

If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.

Facilities

Our Alison Gingell Building provides facilities for teaching and research, featuring hospital wards, critical care settings, operating theatre, community housing and other real life nursing environments relevant to practice.

Alison Gingell Building

The Alison Gingell Building features mock hospital wards, an operating theatre, critical care settings and other real-life environments.

Students and a tutor with a manikin in the hospital ward

Mock hospital wards

Our mock hospital wards and critical care settings give you the chance to experience patient scenarios in a real-world environment.

Community houses

Our two full-size community homes can be used for sessions simulating working with patients outside of a hospital setting.

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.

Careers and opportunities

This course aims to deliver accountable professionals who can thrive in dynamic multidisciplinary teams and demonstrate leadership, influence and supervision.

This course aims to enhance your academic development, deepening theoretical understanding and practical skills while preparing you for an accelerated career as a nursing leader, clinical expert, educator or researcher within the profession.

Successful completion of this course is a strong indication to potential employees that you have both the ability and the academic characteristics, required for working in a variety of clinical settings.

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

apply for registration as a Learning Disabilities Nurse through the consistent demonstration of the knowledge, skills, level of proficiency and behaviours required to meet the professional standards set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
act as an autonomous and accountable Learning Disabilities Nurse who can apply relevant legal and ethical frameworks and requirements towards ensuring safe and effective care delivery within the scope of their professional practice.
critically evaluate evidence from diverse sources to inform, rationalise and improve nursing care delivery whilst developing skills to support continued professional validation and life-long learning.
apply evidenced-based approaches towards sustaining and enhancing the wellbeing of individuals, communities, and populations. Utilise effective communication strategies that enable informed choices to protect and promote health.
demonstrate the qualities of an influential leader who can pro-actively develop professional relationships, supervise, and work collaboratively with others, towards improving care outcomes.
lead in the coordination of care across a range of unpredictable and complex environments. To ensure patient safety and high-quality care, graduates must collaborate closely with individuals, their support networks, other health and care professionals, and utilise digital technologies.
assess, plan, deliver and evaluate culturally competent care that is respectful, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and adaptive towards incorporating people’s health care choices.

Where our graduates work

Recent graduates have secured employment in a variety of clinical and specialist areas across a range of public and private settings, including community learning disability nursing teams, short breaks services for adults and children, hospices, schools and specialist inpatient settings.

How to apply

UK students

To apply to study for a postgraduate course at Coventry University, you can apply online. Please read the entry criteria page before applying.

Start your application

For further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2222

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

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Disclaimers

Coventry University together with Coventry University London, Coventry University Wrocław, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough, and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the University) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.

¹Accreditations

The majority of our courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.

²UK and international opportunities

Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or international opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be unpaid and/or subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any visa requirements, please contact the International Office.

³Tuition fees

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

⁴Facilities

⁵Placements

Satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure is also required. As part of the health clearance checks, you will be required to provide information about your immunity and vaccination status. The information you provide will be used to determine your eligibility to go on placement(s). Placements are provided at the placement provider’s discretion. The university is, therefore, unable to guarantee the provision of placements or the location and type of placement offered.

⁶NHS payment

The rules may be subject to review by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in the future and as a result may change. Please, therefore, check the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) website for up-to-date information before applying.

Student Contract

By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the current 2024/2025 contract is available on the website for information purposes however the 2025/2026 contract will apply for the 2025/2026 intake. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that the university will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.