Adult Nursing BSc (Hons)

Undergraduate
Professionally Accredited Programmes

A tutor instructing a student using a manikin

This degree combines theoretical and practice-based learning to lead you to professional registration and a rewarding career as an adult nurse.

Course option

Degree with foundation year

Year of entry

2025-26 2026-27

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

3 years full-time

UCAS codes

HU01

Start date

September 2025
January 2026

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Download a prospectus

Course overview

Adult nurses work to improve people’s lives by offering comprehensive physical, emotional, mental and social support to people of all ages. This course aims to equip you with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to independently address the diverse health and care needs of individuals across the lifespan.

Successful completion of this course makes you eligible to apply for professional registration as an Adult Nurse with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) (please see Accreditation section for more information).
Gain the skills to deliver professional, impactful, evidence-informed care across a range of dynamic and diverse healthcare environments.
Learn to collaborate and thrive as an adult nurse across and within multidisciplinary teams to coordinate safe, evidenced-based care delivery.
Study one module at a time, with five weeks of learning followed by one week of assessment per module.
All eligible learners on this course can apply for a minimum payment from the government of £5,000 per year. You can apply for additional payments if you incur childcare costs⁶.
50% of your learning will take place in diverse practice-based learning environments where you will apply your theoretical knowledge to the real world^2,5.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

If you are compassionate, enthusiastic and committed, we can support you in developing the skills to deliver professional, evidence-informed care that truly impacts people’s lives.

Our approach supports you to develop a strong sense of professional identity and accountability as an adult nurse from day one.
Develop your confidence and skills in preparation to lead, influence and supervise others.
Delivered by a team that includes highly skilled, knowledgeable, nursing and allied health professionals.
Develop your digital fluency, curiosity, critical and reflective thinking.
Access to success coaches, placement supervisors and specialist support for mathematics and academic writing⁴.

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 an adult 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

Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC)

The degree is currently accredited by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC)¹. 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.

Hear why Melissa wanted to become a nurse and find out more about the Adult Nursing course at Coventry University.

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 cover:

practical skills relating to assessing and caring for people in your care
evidence-based care
your role and responsibility as an adult nurse
knowledge and skills to maintain the health and wellbeing of others
leadership and working within the multi-disciplinary team.

All modules are compulsory.

Modules

Becoming a Professional Practitioner – 20 credits

This module aims to equip you with the values, behaviours and actions essential for professional practice. We will support you to develop your personal and academic skills, providing you with opportunities to reflect on your knowledge, skills and values. We will work with you to foster a culture of professionalism, collaboration and valuing diversity to prepare you to work within multi-professional environments.

Compulsory

Evidence: Your Profession in a Global Context – 20 credits

This module aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills required to understand and appreciate the role of evidence in both your profession and the wider health and care sector. The module supports you in understanding how your personal views and experiences may influence your thinking in developing your professional identity. This module aims to help you develop critical thinking skills by encouraging you to question, challenge and reflect. You'll have the opportunity to learn to use evidence to build your approaches, making you a more inclusive, evidence-based practitioner.

Compulsory

Nursing Assessment and Care Delivery – 20 credits

This module aims to provide you with the essential theory and practical skills related to nursing health assessments and explore how these can be used to inform individualised care plans across the lifespan. The module covers key body systems and principles of pharmacology and medicine administration. Additionally, it introduces the concept of holistic nursing care and aims to deepen your understanding of equality, diversity and inclusive nursing practice. Throughout the module, emphasis is placed on building therapeutic relationships and enhancing your communication skills. All of this will help to prepare you for your first placement experience as a student nurse.

Compulsory

Understanding Influences on Health and Care – 20 credits

This module explores the factors that influence people's health and wellbeing across the lifespan. It covers societal influences, health inequalities and determinants of health, exploring health policy and the different strategies you can use to help promote health and wellbeing. You will aim to gain further understanding of the impact of behaviours on physical and mental health (pathophysiology) and how this impacts the need to access care. You will gain valuable insights into the global communities you will be supporting, alongside the delivery of culturally competent and inclusive care. You will explore collaboration and care coordination within multidisciplinary health care teams, whilst aiming to develop the skills you need to effectively contribute.

Compulsory

Placement 1: Introduction to Nursing Care – 20 credits

This module is designed to provide your first experience of nursing practice^2,5. During this module you will spend time within a nursing care setting, delivering hands-on patient care through guided participation. Under the supervision of your practice supervisors and assessors, you will work within the multidisciplinary team towards achieving practical proficiency and bringing your theoretical knowledge to life. You will aim to demonstrate your professional values and gain feedback towards continuing to develop your nursing care and delivery.

Compulsory

Placement 2: Delivering Nursing Care – 20 credits

This module is designed to allow you to consolidate and apply the knowledge and experience you have gained. You will again spend time within a nursing healthcare setting^2,5 and continue to work towards the expected level of proficiency for a year one 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, while continuing to maintain your professional values.

Compulsory

All modules are compulsory.

Modules

Therapeutic Interventions in Adult Nursing – 20 credits

This module aims to enhance your understanding of therapeutic relationships, exploring potential challenges in professional boundaries. You will aim to extend your knowledge and skills in selecting, initiating and evaluating appropriate interventions, respecting the diversity of individuals and their needs, preferences and desired care outcomes. You will examine both pharmacological and non-pharmacological care interventions. Additionally, the module will help you to develop an awareness of contemporary nursing service delivery and nursing care innovations, digital developments and sustainable practice in delivering adult nursing care.

Compulsory

Complex Decision-Making within Adult Nursing Environments – 20 credits

Develop your ability to make complex decisions within the adult nursing environment. During this module, you will explore complex needs including individuals with co-morbidities. You will examine how governance, policy and clinical guidance influence nurses’ rationales for care, clinical judgement and decision-making. You will aim to develop skills in how to undertake complex risk assessments, encompassing human factors and strategies for identifying and preventing adverse events. Relevant legal and ethical challenges will be discussed and you will explore their impact on the decisions you make in delivering equitable and inclusive care to individuals and people who support them.

Compulsory

Exploring Knowledge Through Curiosity – 20 credits

This module explores methods of enquiry utilised in daily practice. You will aim to develop your ability to analyse the knowledge, theory and practice-based evidence within health and care. This module will explore how daily inquiry methods can be transformed into more systematic approaches to data collection and analysis. It will cover quantitative and qualitative research, evaluation and audit techniques. Through exploration and debate, you will aim to develop an appreciation of interdisciplinary and profession-specific evidence and how to use this learning within the practice context.

Compulsory

Enhanced Approaches in Delivering Holistic Care – 20 credits

This module aims to explore – across a variety of care contexts – how we can combine information we learn about people through a range of nursing assessments to develop holistic and individualised care plans. It covers how to ensure these are inclusive and made in partnership with individuals and those who support them. Incorporating personal preferences and goals, including those that influence end-of-life care, you will aim to develop the skills to allow you to monitor, evaluate, prioritise and adjust your care and the care delivery of others, to meet the changing needs of individuals. Building on your knowledge of physiology, you will learn to respond to signs of deterioration, and how to escalate safely to others.

Compulsory

Placement 3: Delivering Enhanced Nursing Care – 20 credits

This module aims to consolidate the knowledge and experience gained in year one of your nursing course. You will spend time within a nursing care setting, building your confidence, and beginning to work towards the expected level of proficiency for a year two student nurse^2,5. You will have the opportunity 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 will aim to demonstrate safe and effective administration of medication under supervision, whilst you continue to develop and strengthen your professional values.

Compulsory

Placement 4: Delivering Complex Holistic Nursing Care – 20 credits

This module aims to build on your experiences gained from Placement 3, developing your ability to deliver evidence-based care for groups of people and people with increasingly complex health and social care needs within the nursing care environment. This fourth placement^2,5 is designed to allow you to demonstrate continued maintenance of your enhanced professional values and meet the expected level of proficiency for a year two student nurse. Your ability to work independently with reduced supervision will have the opportunity to strengthen during this placement, as you continue to gain confidence and competence in delivering high-quality, holistic and inclusive care. You will aim to further develop proficiency in preparing and administering medication, whilst demonstrating your practical application of pharmacological knowledge.

Compulsory

All modules are compulsory.

Modules

Complex Care Coordination in Adult Nursing – 20 credits

This module aims to advance your knowledge of commonly encountered health conditions within adult nursing, whilst strengthening your ability to undertake a leadership role in coordinating care for individuals and groups of people with complex and diverse health and social care needs. It explores the coordination of complex care packages within adult nursing, including individuals in specialist environments requiring multidisciplinary services and safe care transfers. You will look to further develop your skills in prioritising, delegating and assigning care responsibilities within a framework of safe staffing and skill mix, towards ensuring safe, high-quality care delivery. You will aim to strengthen your communication skills, ensuring confident interaction with others whilst adopting a non-discriminatory approach.

Compulsory

Leading for the Future as a Health and Care Professional – 20 credits

Our health and care workforce is required to lead the delivery of high-quality care, whilst navigating a complex health and social care ecosystem. This module aims to foster confident and accountable leadership through an interprofessional learning experience. By collaborating with colleagues from different backgrounds, you'll explore fresh perspectives and analyse contemporary theory, practice and evidence to redefine leadership for yourself. The module is designed to foster your development as a reflective leader.

Compulsory

The Evidence-based Practitioner: Professional Project – 20 credits

In this module, you'll have the opportunity to learn to critically evaluate, interpret and apply the latest national and international research to improve care. You'll aim to develop the skills to analyse, safely use and share these findings, ultimately shaping best practices in your field. This module should also equip you with the skills to conduct an independent study. We'll support you as you develop your research and communication abilities, empowering you to share your findings with healthcare professionals, policymakers and the public.

Compulsory

Preparing for your Career in Nursing – 20 credits

This module aims to prepare you for becoming a registered nursing professional. Equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours acquired throughout the course, this module is designed to complete your preparation to respond to the dynamic demands of contemporary nursing practice and deliver culturally competent, inclusive and holistic care. It aims to empower you to fully recognise and appreciate your accountability and responsibilities as a nursing registrant and role model. It is designed to support you to be fully competent in the safe numerical calculations involved in medicines administration. In addition, it will offer training to enable you to assume the role of a practice supervisor on registration.

Compulsory

Placement 5: Coordinating Nursing Care – 20 credits

This module aims to combine your knowledge, skills and professional values towards becoming a nursing registrant. During this placement, you will routinely be coordinating the care for groups of people, while working with a wide range of multidisciplinary team members^2,5. This next step in your professional development aims to support you towards independent practice, where you are using your comprehensive, evidence-based knowledge to critically rationalise and justify your care delivery. You will begin supervising and oversee the care delivery of others, delegating tasks appropriately and putting into practice your skills as a leader.

Compulsory

Placement 6: Practising Autonomously – 20 credits

This module aims to offer your final opportunity to refine and strengthen your knowledge and skills before becoming a registered nurse who is autonomous and fully accountable for their practice. During this placement, you will be working towards meeting the expected level of proficiency for year three^2,5. You will have the opportunity to independently organise and manage the care of a group or caseload of complex patients with minimal guidance. 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 will 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

We understand that everyone learns differently, so this course will consist of structured teaching sessions which may include:

on-campus lectures, seminars and workshops
group work
self-directed learning
practice-based learning^2,5
simulation.

Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours:

Teaching hours vary depending on year of study and module. During your first year you can expect 10-12 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

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 profession, the NMC. No less than 2300 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’ll be digging deeper into topics, review what you’ve learned and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you’ll spend more time in independent study.

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 will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

coursework
practice placement^2,5
formal examinations
assessed discussions
Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs)
presentations.

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

Dad’s cancer battle inspires Coventry mum to start her nursing journey

Chantel Ward started her Adult Nursing degree in January 2023 after being inspired by the nurses who helped her dad through his prostate cancer battle during the Covid pandemic.

Chantel Ward in her Coventry University nursing uniform.

Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

Requirement	What we're looking for
UCAS points	112
A level	BBC. Excludes General Studies.
GCSE	GCSE maths, English and one science at grade 4 / C or Functional Skills Level 2, or other equivalent Level 2 awards.
BTEC	DMM in a health, sport or science-based subject.
IB Diploma	27 points to include 14 points at Higher level.
Access to HE	The Access to HE Diploma in a health or science subject to include 24 Level 3 credits at Distinction in health units. Plus GCSE English and mathematics at grade 4 / C or above.

Additional information

Caring experience, either paid or voluntary, is very desirable. You will also be required to attend an interview online or in-person. Satisfactory health clearance, DBS checks and criminal records disclosure is also required⁵.

In line with the National Health Service constitution, we use a values-based recruitment approach in seeking candidates with the appropriate values to support effective team working in delivering excellent patient care.

Students will be subject to satisfactory health clearance and enhanced criminal record disclosure. Please refer to the full requirements in the disclaimer section.⁵

Other qualifications and experience

Our students come from a variety of backgrounds, each with a unique story. We recognise a breadth of qualifications. If your qualifications differ from the above, contact our Admissions Team who will be happy to discuss your qualifications and routes into your chosen course.

Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Not got the required grades? We offer this degree with an integrated foundation year.

Fees and funding

Student	Full-time	Part-time
UK	£9,535 per year	Not available

A non-repayable grant of £5,000 and extra payments worth up to £3,000 may be available to eligible students for each year of study⁶. Read more about this in the NHS Learning Support Fund information booklet.

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

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 permits 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.

We offer a range of International scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

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. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

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

Any optional overseas ﬁeld trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
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 multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building features a range of mock healthcare settings, including hospital wards, ambulance, therapy suites and community houses, giving you the opportunity to replicate real-life situations before you go on placement⁴.

You’ll have the opportunity to make use of our extensive simulation facilities – from basic life support manikins to high tech simulation manikins, which emulate patient responses and test resuscitation skills. You will also use healthcare devices found in the real world of 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

On graduating successfully from this course, and providing you also meet the NMC requirements, you can apply for registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), additional costs apply¹. Successful registration enables you to practise immediately.

Coventry University is committed to preparing you for your future career and aims to give you a competitive edge in the graduate job market. The university provides a wide range of support services to help you plan and prepare for your career.

Where our graduates work

Many of our graduates ﬁnd employment as qualiﬁed nurses in the NHS with a growing emphasis on community settings, in acute hospitals, military nursing, in the private and independent healthcare sector, in private hospitals, nursing or care homes. As your career progresses a number of options may open to you for example as a lecturer or specialist practitioner, advanced nurse practitioner, consultant nurse or manager.

Coventry University nursing student Jessica Vaughan pictured holding her Nursing Times Student of the Year award for the adult nursing category

Coventry University student wins national nursing award

A nursing student at Coventry University who has juggled being a mum, a learner and volunteering in Africa has won a national award.

Find out more

How to apply

BSc (Hons) with foundation year

Apply via UCAS

C85

Institution code

View our courses on UCAS

Visit UCAS

UK students

Full-time students applying to start in September should apply for this course through UCAS. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

Apply via UCAS

If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

+44 (0)24 7765 2222

ukadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Chat with our admissions team

Complete our contact form.

If you’d like to apply for this course at our CU Scarborough campus then visit our application pages for further information. Find out what life is like as a CU Scarborough student on our dedicated website.

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 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 COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the 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.

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement, the University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2025/26. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.

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 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.