BSc (Hons) Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship

Learn from a team with a wealth of experience in nursing practice, research and scholarship and learning and teaching. Demonstrate Nursing and Midwifery Council standards of proficiency. Develop the skills and knowledge needed to deliver compassionate and competent person-centred care.

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Two nursing students in the mock hospital ward comparing notes they are holding

Start date/study mode:

Course codeCID1424

Duration5 years

Course summary

This apprenticeship has been developed in collaboration with NHS Trusts and people with lived experience of mental illness through the Patient, Carer and Public Involvement programme.

You can choose from three strands: Adult, Mental Health, or Learning Disability nursing. You'll enter the course at a level that matches your qualifications and healthcare experience.

Throughout the apprenticeship, you’ll work towards achieving the NMC standards, covering the seven platforms of professional nursing practice.

You’ll combine classroom study with work-based learning, applying theory directly to real-world practice. Our unique Apprentice Educator Supervisor in Practice (AESiP) role means you’ll be supported on placement by a dedicated professional who works closely with you to help you reach your goals. This hands-on learning is reinforced by teaching staff with extensive backgrounds in nursing practice, research, and education, giving you the confidence to grow into your role.

By the end of the course, you’ll be a registered nurse with the skills and confidence to work in diverse healthcare environments, ready to lead, manage, and deliver person-centred care. Whether you choose to specialise further or step into a leadership role, this apprenticeship provides the foundation for a rewarding and impactful career in nursing.

Why Sunderland for Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

The University’s facilities are fantastic too – the mock wards are first class, and although it’s scenario-based, they’re as close to real-life wards as possible.
Lance Gourley
Read Lance Gourley's story

What you'll study

Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2)+

Developing Professionalism in Nursing and Introducing Evidence Based Practice (30 credits)

The principles of fitness to practise will be a core theme that will support your development throughout your nursing apprenticeship. You’ll begin developing evidence-based practice from the start of your programme, strengthening the academic and study skills required for your pre-registration nursing apprenticeship. By being introduced to inquiry-based learning and related approaches, you’ll develop a clearer understanding of both what you will learn throughout the apprenticeship and how you will learn it.

Foundations of Adult Nursing (60 credits)

You’ll explore key models of reflective practice while developing an understanding of interprofessional working. The module also provides opportunities to gain insight into lived patient experiences, helping you understand care from the perspective of those receiving it. The learning is structured around three core elements, which are competence, professionalism, and underpinning knowledge, which reflect the values and standards set out in Nursing and Midwifery Council guidance. Work-based learning sessions will then help bridge theory and clinical practice during the early stages of your apprenticeship. Using experiential learning across a range of healthcare settings, you’ll begin applying models of nursing and systematic approaches to care, while developing the essential skills needed for your first nursing practice placements.

Foundations of Physical and Human Sciences (30 credits)

You’ll explore the foundations of anatomy, physiology, psychology, and microbiology through a systems-based approach that reflects how care is delivered in real healthcare settings. Using patient journeys as examples, you’ll develop an understanding of how different body systems and health factors interact to influence wellbeing. Alongside building scientific knowledge, you’ll also strengthen your ability to communicate complex medical terminology in a clear and compassionate way. By reflecting on real experiences from practice and discussing patient perspectives, you’ll learn how to translate technical knowledge into language that patients can understand and engage with.

Phase 2 (Years 3 and 4)+

Phase 3 (Year 5)+

Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2)+

Phase 2 (Years 3 and 4)+

Phase 3 (Year 5)+

Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2)+

Developing Professionalism in Nursing and Introducing Evidence-Based Practice (30 credits)

Gain the fundamental skills and knowledge required for professional practice when working with patients and their families and carers. Develop evidence-based practice and acknowledge the need for self-awareness in relation to others, considering the impact of individual contribution to the delivery of care. Explore topics based around the principles of nursing practice adopted by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which directly inform levels of expectation of the registered nurse. Focus on the concepts of responsibility in nursing practice such as dignity in care, risk management, teamwork, and leadership.

Foundations of Learning Disability Nursing (60 credits)

Explore models of reflective practice together with an overview of inter-professional working and the need for capacity building, acquiring insight into lived patient experience. Gain an appreciation of the historical context of nursing and the future vision of the discipline, recognising the professional identity of the nurse and their contribution to safe and effective provision as advocated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Learn how to define the key features of person-centred care and gain a fundamental understanding of the need for self-awareness. Become numerically competent, aware of the need to evidence-base all decision making in health, and a capable and compassionate communicator.

Understanding the Bio-Psychosocial Principles of Health and Wellbeing (30 credits)

Undertake a systems-based approach to anatomy, physiology, psychology, and microbiology using patient journeys as illustrations. Gain the ability to communicate complex medical terminology to patients in an understandable manner. Develop your understanding of the physiological and psychological processes and anatomical and cognitive structures of the human body. Learn how to apply a working knowledge of these elements to clinical scenarios in nursing practice.

Phase 2 (Years 3 and 4)+

Phase 3 (Year 5)+

Inter-Professional Working and Leadership (30 credits)

Develop your understanding of inter-professional working, enhancing your leadership knowledge and skills when working with and within diverse professional teams. Consider the roles and responsibilities of all professionals within the context of your own field of nursing practice, alongside the values of teamwork in inter-professional care. Explore carer and user perspectives in inter-professional care settings to illuminate personal experiences. Examine ethical issues in the context of inter-professional working to gain insight into challenges faced from a variety of professional viewpoints. Study the impact of information technology and healthcare issues in transcultural healthcare provision.

Learning Disability Management Leadership and Practice (60 credits)

Build on your knowledge and application of nursing to practise in a range of clinical settings, incorporating experience of care provision across the lifespan. Biological, psychological, and sociological theory in the context of person-centred care will be embedded into your learning. Focus on individuals with complex needs with a specific emphasis on the concept of comorbidity and the implications for care this entails. Explore pharmacological principles in detail, bringing issues from current practice to critically analyse the pathological, social, and political factors affecting healthcare. Identify and examine skills for rehabilitation and acute care, critically considering the evidence base to support their practice.

Dissertation (30 credits)

Demonstrate your problem-solving and decision-making in discipline-based enquiry by engaging in the production of an independent, negotiated project that analyses an aspect of your discipline. Explore the evidence base of nursing practice, the range and hierarchy of evidence, and that which is appropriate for healthcare issues. Develop your ability to make informed use of published research and other sources of evidence and information to apply findings to enhance practice.

Many of our courses include a range of modules you can choose from. Some options may only be available if you’ve already studied specific modules. If you’re not sure what you need before picking a module, your course leader can help.

Undergraduate module credits should total 120 credits per academic year. If optional modules are available, choose an amount that totals 120 credits.

How you'll learn

This apprenticeship curriculum is based on the definition of work-based learning as activities that occur in workplaces (clinical practice environments) and that involve an employer assigning a worker or an apprentice meaningful tasks to develop skills, knowledge, and readiness for work and to support entry or advancement in a particular career field. In this instance, this is to NMC Registered Nurse status.

Work-based learning (WBL) extends into the workplace through on-the-job education and training, mentoring, and other support for continuing lifelong learning and skill development. These activities will support the attainment of academic and professional statutory requirements (PSR).

You'll be assessed through multiple means to demonstrate practical skills, underpinning theory and knowledge. This includes simulated clinical exams, timed written exams, coursework, essays, and the assessment of competency in practice.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for this apprenticeship are non-standard. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) which outlines prior healthcare experience and academic study will be considered at the point of application. It may be possible to join the course at different points from Year 1 to Year 4, dependent on qualifications and prior care experience.

As an example, for admission to the five-year pathway, the following is required:

Maths and English language GCSE at a minimum of Grade C or numerical grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent)
112 UCAS points or equivalent which may include Level 3 qualifications or above in any subject area; Access to Higher Education; BTEC Diploma
Prior qualifications and clinical experience will be considered upon application and the pathway length altered where appropriate.

The employing organisation must authorise entry to the course, which is agreed in conjunction with the University following interview.

Fees and finance support

Larger organisations can use their apprenticeship levy and government top-up to pay tuition and professional fees of higher apprenticeships. For smaller employers, the government pays 95%, with the remainder co-invested by the business.

For a discussion around your specific requirements please call 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Apply now

Start date/study mode:

To apply for a higher or degree apprenticeship, you must have an employer in place to support you on the course. If you're interested in applying and have an employer in place, please email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab) and we'll send you the relevant application link.

To search for apprenticeships offered by employers in your area go to: gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship(opens in new tab).

For a discussion around your specific requirements, or if you're an employer interested in creating a vacancy, please call us on 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or email apprenticeships@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and you're offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

For more information, view our programme specifications. These include course content, learning outcomes, and the skills you'll gain.

BSc (Hons) Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship

Course summary

What you'll study

Adult nursing route

Developing Professionalism in Nursing and Introducing Evidence Based Practice (30 credits)

Foundations of Adult Nursing (60 credits)

Foundations of Physical and Human Sciences (30 credits)

Practice-Based Evidence and Evidence-Based Practice (30 credits)

Holistic Adult Nursing in Practice (60 credits)

Holistic Nursing For Altered Physiology to Promote Well Being (Adult) (30 credits)

Inter-Professional Working and Leadership (30 credits)

Adult Nursing Management Leadership and Practice (60 credits)

Dissertation (30 credits)

Mental health nursing route

Developing Professionalism in Nursing and Introducing Evidence-Based Practice (30 credits)

Foundations of Mental Health Nursing (60 credits)

Understanding the Bio-Psychosocial Principles of Health and Wellbeing (30 credits)

Practice-Based Evidence and Evidence Based Practice (30 credits)

Holistic Mental Health Nursing in Practice (60 credits)

Holistic Nursing For Altered Physiology to Promote Well Being (Mental Health) (30 credits)

Inter-Professional Working and Leadership (30 credits)

Mental Health Nursing Management Leadership and Practice (60 credits)

Dissertation (30 credits)

Learning disability nursing route

Developing Professionalism in Nursing and Introducing Evidence-Based Practice (30 credits)

Foundations of Learning Disability Nursing (60 credits)

Understanding the Bio-Psychosocial Principles of Health and Wellbeing (30 credits)

Practice-Based Evidence and Evidence-Based Practice (30 credits)

Holistic Learning Disability Nursing in Practice (60 credits)

Holistic Nursing For Altered Physiology to Promote Well Being (Learning Disabilities) (30 credits)

Inter-Professional Working and Leadership (30 credits)

Learning Disability Management Leadership and Practice (60 credits)

Dissertation (30 credits)

How you'll learn

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

Apply now

Disclaimer

BSc (Hons) Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship

Key course information

Course summary

What you'll study

How you'll learn

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

Apply now

Disclaimer