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Duration of study

  • 1 to 5 years

Nursing Studies | Top-up - BSc (Hons)

Course summary

Nursing Studies BSc (Hons) at Keele University offers health and social care professionals the opportunity to enhance their clinical expertise and academic achievements. We provide six distinctive clinical pathway options in: Critical Care, Contemporary Rheumatology, Fundamentals in General Practice Nursing, Neonatal, Generic and International.

Enquire about this course Clearing vacancies and entry requirements 2024 Book an open day

Why study Nursing Studies | Top-up at Keele University?

2nd in England for Nursing (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2025)
Benefit from our specialist Health Library at the Clinical Education Centre
Top 20 for Nursing & Midwifery (Complete University Guide, 2023)
Top 20 for Nursing & Midwifery (Guardian University League Table, 2022)
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Course overview

Nursing Studies

Our BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies curriculum reflects contemporary clinical practice and recognises that the health and social care needs of patients and clients are changing. It aims to future proof your career by building on your existing professional experience, enabling you to progress in your chosen field.

As a registered clinical practitioner you will strengthen your competencies in areas such as critical reflection on clinical practice, clinical reasoning and ethical conduct, theoretical knowledge and practical abilities, to enable you to improve your practice to confidently manage and coordinate the evolving provision of clinical care.

Nursing Studies expertise

Our academic staff and pathway leads come from a range of clinical backgrounds and have a wealth of knowledge and relevant experience to support you throughout this Nursing Studies programme. Many of our staff are research active and all are registered with the appropriate professional body, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Nursing Studies pathways

You can select one of the following pathways:

Critical Care

You will be required to complete the following core modules:

  • NUR-30158: Critical Care (30 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30163: Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30233: Research Application in Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30245: Applied Advanced Healthcare Leadership and Management (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30234: Dissertation (30 level 6 credits)

Successful completion of the core modules will total 105 credits. You must choose a 15 credit option module. This enables you to reach the 120 credits required for the BSc to be awarded.

This Critical Care Pathway is currently only available for students who hold postgraduate qualifications and would like to integrate RPL (recognition of prior learning) into this pathway.

Apply Now - Critical Care Pathway

Contemporary Rheumatology

You will be required to complete the following core modules:

  • NUR-30163: Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30018: Introduction to Arthritis and Allied Conditions (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30019: Management of Arthritis and Allied Conditions (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30233: Research Application in Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30245: Applied Advanced Healthcare Leadership and Management (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30234: Dissertation (30 level 6 credits)

Successful completion of the core modules will total 105 credits. You must choose a 15 credit option module. This enables you to reach the 120 level 6 credits required for the BSc to be awarded.

Apply Now - Contemporary Rheumatology Pathway

Fundamentals in General Practice Nursing

You will be required to complete the following core modules:

  • NUR-30204: Fundamentals in General Practice Nursing (30 level 6 Credits)
  • NUR-30163: Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30233: Research Application in Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30245: Applied Advanced Healthcare Leadership and Management (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30234: Dissertation (30 level 6 credits)

Successful completion of the core modules will total 105 credits. You must choose a 15 credit option module. This enables you to reach the 120 credits required for the BSc to be awarded.

Apply Now - Fundamentals in General Practice Nursing Pathway

Neonatal

You will be required to complete the following core modules:

  • NUR-30148: Practice Focused Neonatal Intensive Care (45 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30233: Research Application in Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30245: Applied Advanced Healthcare Leadership and Management (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30234: Dissertation (30 level 6 credits)

Successful completion of the core modules will total 105 credits. You must choose a 15 credit option module. This enables you to reach the 120 credits required for the BSc to be awarded.

Apply Now - Neonatal Pathway

Nursing Studies (Generic Route)

You will be required to complete the following core modules:

  • NUR-30163: Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30245: Applied Advanced Healthcare Leadership and Management (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30233: Research Application in Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30234: Dissertation (30 level 6 credits)

Successful completion of the core modules will total 75 credits. You must choose option modules to a total of 45 credits. This enables you to reach the 120 level 6 credits required for the BSc to be awarded.

Apply Now - Nursing Studies (generic route)

International

You will be required to complete the following core modules:

  • NUR-30233: Research Application in Clinical Practice (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30245: Applied Advanced Healthcare Leadership and Management (15 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30171: Independent Professional Practice Development (30 level 6 credits)
  • NUR-30234: Dissertation (30 level 6 credits)

Successful completion of the core modules will total 90 credits. You must choose online elective modules to a total of 30 credits. This enables you to reach the 120 credits required for the BSc to be awarded.

Apply Now - International Pathway

You have the option to gain an intermediate Graduate Certificate which is the equivalent to the first year of study towards the full Nursing Studies BSc.

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Course structure

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Nurses at the Clinical Education Centre

Double Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework

Keele is one of only 15 broad-based universities in England - out of over 100 - to have been awarded Gold in both the 2017 and 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) exercises, demonstrating our consistent teaching excellence.

Keele TEF Gold 2023
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Additional opportunities

Explore more

There are a range of additional opportunities for this course.
Please note that undertaking one may impact the availability of another.

Entry requirements

These are the typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If your qualifications aren't listed, please contact us to check if we can accept them. If you don't think you'll meet the stated requirements, you may be able to access this course via a Foundation Year.

Additional information

Entry requirements

  • Current registration with a relevant regulatory body
  • Working in practice where pathway specific care is delivered
  • Hold a Diploma in Higher Education in a related subject or equivalent
  • Recognition of Prior Learning considered
  • International candidates should have an English Language qualification in written and spoken English. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) minimum 600 score or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) 7 score.
  • International candidates who meet residency/academic requirements of UK students but whose first language is not English will need to hold IELTS with an overall score of 7.
  • Keele University currently accepts Tofel iBT tests that have been taken outside of the United Kingdom. All Tofel iBT tests will need to be taken no longer than two years prior to your start date at Keele and must be verifiable with ETS. If you have taken your Tofel iBT test in the UK please contact the admissions team for more information.

English language requirements

All our courses require an English language qualification or test. Most students meet this through a 4 or C in GCSE English. Please visit our English Language pages for details, including test information for international students. For students who require a test, this course requires a result from .

Alternative and contextual offers

We're committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for applicants with the potential and motivation to succeed, regardless of background. We offer alternative offer schemes with clear eligibility criteria, including contextual offers, offers for those studying in the Keele region, and recognition of a range of additional qualifications.

General information

The entry grades outlined indicate the typical offer, along with any subject specific requirements. This is for general information only. Keele University reserves the right to vary conditions based upon a candidate's application.

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Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2025/26 academic year

  • UK: £9,535 for the 2025/6 academic year (subject to Parliamentary approval).
  • International:

Please note, our 2026/27 entry fees have not yet been set. We set our fees on an annual basis and they will be updated here once set.

For Home students, the University's fees are regulated by the UK Government and may be subject to change in subsequent years of your course in-line with government policy or legal requirements. For continuing international students, fees will increase annually by RPI, with a maximum cap of 5% per year.

For details of our international fee bands visit our Undergraduate tuition fees page.

This course is charged on a modular basis, for more information on modular fees please click here.

Going to university can be daunting as well as exciting. It's important to understand the costs and financial support available.

Our Student Financial Support team offers confidential advice and guidance to help you manage your money, resolve issues with Student Finance, create a budget, explore your options if you're facing financial hardship, and access any funding you are eligible for, such as bursaries and scholarships.

For more information visit our undergraduate fees and funding pages.

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Your future career

Previous Nursing Studies graduates have gone on to pursue specialist and advanced practice roles or continued their studies on other programmes.

Enhance your employability

Keele’s Careers and Employability team (Shortlisted for Best University Careers Employment Service - National Undergraduate Employability Awards, 2021), offers a variety of personal and career development opportunities to enhance your employability.

From mock interviews, careers guidance and CV advice, to careers fairs, alumni mentoring and networking events, along with helping you find part-time and graduate employment - the team will support you throughout your studies and beyond.

Find out more about our careers and employability services, including career planning, alumni mentoring, jobs, internships, starting your own business and much more.

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Teaching, learning and assessment

We use various learning and teaching methods in recognition of the varied nature of nursing studies. The course is delivered through a range of blended learning approaches including online synchronous and asynchronous teaching. The Keele Virtual Learning Environment (KLE) supports and complements this approach which reduces the emphasis on traditional, classroom based learning.

Learning and teaching methods may also include:

  • Lead lectures
  • Tutor and student led tutorials
  • Problem solving scenarios
  • Case study presentations
  • Small group work
  • Experiential learning - where you will reflect and critically appraise your practice experiences
  • Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE): you will participate in structured, simulated clinical scenarios to further enhance your existing skills.
  • Independent study

Assessment

We utilise a variety of assessment methods on this programme which may include:

  • Essays
  • Reflective analysis/accounts
  • Portfolios
  • Presentations
  • Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE)
  • Clinical assessment of competence in practice

Successful completion of the course requires achievement of 120 credits at Level 6 for BSc (Hons).

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Facilities

The School of Nursing and Midwifery has excellent facilities, based centrally on Keele campus and at the Clinical Education Centre (CEC). Academic colleagues and professional support staff from the school are based on Keele campus.

David Weatherall Building

The David Weatherall building contains a large lecture theatre, flexible learning teaching spaces and a range of classrooms, computer suite and seminar rooms.

Darwin Building 

The healthcare simulation suite within Darwin Building is used by students across the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. This state-of-the-art facility has been created to give students the opportunity to practice and hone their skills in a realistic environment throughout their curriculum.

Clinical Education Centre 

The Clinical Education Centre (CEC) based at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) provides a modern clinical learning environment, which is shared between the School of Nursing and Midwifery, and the School of Medicine. The clinical skills suite is equipped to a high standard to facilitate a wide range of clinical skills learning and simulation. It hosts a range of electronic learning packages and licences to aid dynamic, flexible individualised learning including drug calculation software. Explore the CEC.

Libraries 

In addition to the University Library facilities on Keele campus, the school provides excellent facilities with a multidisciplinary Health Library at the CEC. The libraries house a specialist stock of health and health-related material including books, journal subscriptions and other web-based resources. There are quiet study areas, and self-service photocopiers available for use as well as a help desk for queries.   

Student support

We provide a supportive learning environment for you throughout your studies. You will be allocated an academic mentor from the School who will be your first point of contact for academic advice and guidance.

Based within our Faculty is a Student Experience and Support team who have a member of the team dedicated to the School of Nursing and Midwifery. As part of Keele’s student services, they work closely with teams across Keele to ensure you can easily access the support you need.

There is peer support, and additional help is available from the School's Disability Inclusion Tutor who provides an additional layer of support for all students, particularly for those who have special learning needs.

You will have access to advice and support services at Keele which include:

  • Learning Support and Academic Guidance 
  • Disability Support and Inclusion 
  • English Language Unit 
  • Student Advice at Keele (ASK) 
  • Student Support Services
  • Occupational Health Department 

The local NHS Trusts also provide counselling services. 

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Student Life at Keele
Student life

Student life at Keele is vibrant, diverse, and packed with opportunities to make the most of your time at university.

Student finance
Student finance

We help students manage their money and ensure that they receive any funding for which they may be eligible.

Enhance your degree
Enhance your degree

Make yourself more employable after graduation by taking advantage of the whole host of additional opportunities.

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