BSc Nursing at University of Essex

Nurses are visible in all walks of life - hospitals, patients' homes, doctors' surgeries and care homes. They form the largest group of staff employed in the health and social care sector, and are crucial to everything we do in society today. With 100% of our undergraduate School of Health and Social Care students in professional employment or postgraduate study within six months of graduating from Essex (DLHE 2017), we're confident our BSc Nursing (Adult) will help you to build a career that really makes a difference.

Adult nurses work with adults of all ages with diverse health conditions. Communication skills are essential to set patients at ease under pressurised and sometimes difficult situations, as is the ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate the care offered to each patient. You must be willing to take responsibility for someone else’s health and well-being, and show the compassion needed to ensure a good nurse-patient relationship.

Unlike many of the older, traditional nursing schools, at Essex you receive a fresh, contemporary and relevant nursing programme. You work with local organisations to ensure that you gain the best experience possible during your time with us, and studying alongside other health professionals means that you also have the opportunity to gain expert knowledge from them. We provide support throughout all aspects of your journey, including dedicated support in literacy and numeracy.

There are four main types of pre-registration nursing degree – child, learning disabilities, adult and mental health. At Essex we offer flexibility by providing 12 different routes into nursing across our two campuses and specialise in adult and mental health nursing at both undergraduate and Master’s level. The elements of both of these courses are shared, developing complementary skills across both areas of nursing. For a full list of the courses available, and information on all of the routes into Nursing available at Essex including our Return to Practice, please see our department pages.

The cost of required uniform will be fully covered by the school.

Placement Opportunities

Half of your studies will be spent working in clinical settings – for example, in a ward, a health centre or in client’s homes. You will be working alongside nurses as you practice and perfect your skills.

Placements are based in NHS, private and voluntary settings throughout Essex. You will work shift patterns whilst in placement equivalent to a 37.5 hour week. This includes early shifts, late shifts, night shifts, weekend and bank holiday working.

Why we're great.

• We offer excellent student support throughout your course.
• Our focus is on producing nurses with empathy as well as technical skill.
• Much of your study is spent in clinical settings, working alongside nurses and other professionals.