• A-level grades BBB

GCSE English Language, Mathematics and Science at grade C or above (or equivalent). 

A relevant science A-level is desirable.

Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 7.0 or above, with a minimum of 6.5 in each
component (or equivalent).

Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.

Admission to this programme is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) Section 4 (2) (Exemptions) Order 1975 and DHSS Circular HC (88)9 guidelines regarding police checks and child protection. Offers are conditional upon satisfactory health and fitness for practice screening, references and Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) clearance or equivalent. Candidates must also meet national requirements to work with vulnerable adults and children. 

Admission is also subject to NHS eligibility for the programme. Further information on eligibility is available at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students. Proof of eligibility is normally required prior to interview. 

Candidates should have the ability to follow a shift pattern covering 24 hours a day and seven days a week, and be able to meet travel requirements. Candidates are encouraged to gain practical work experience in a care setting prior to undertaking the programme. All programmes and places are subject to commissioned numbers. All applicants should be able to demonstrate evidence of study within the last five years.

NHS nursing staff, as well as University staff, are involved in selection. Suitable candidates will be invited to an interview and selection day which will include literacy and numeracy tests. Successful completion of these tests is required as a condition of entry. Applications from mature students are welcomed.

NHS-related programmes

These programmes are NHS funded and therefore not subject to the £9,000 tuition fee.

For further details about the NHS Student Bursary Scheme or to obtain a bursary estimate please visit www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/students

BSc Adult Nursing 

The Adult Nursing programme focuses upon the healthcare needs of people aged 16 years and over. Clinical placements range from caring for clients with acute care needs in a hospital setting to the longerterm needs of a client within the community setting. 

This programme provides opportunities to explore the concepts of health and ill health within the adult population. There is an emphasis on developing a clear understanding of research and its application in the care of service users. You will develop an extensive range of skills, including rational decision making, critical thinking, physical assessment and effective communication, whilst working in both practice and university settings. 

The clinical simulation suite provides the opportunity to practise skills using clinical equipment, simulators and audiovisual aids within a supportive learning environment. Working within an interprofessional learning environment, practice partners and tutors will facilitate a wide range of clinical scenarios, providing opportunities to experience the practice setting and develop skills within a safe environment.

Clinical practice takes place in a variety of care settings, supported by mentors and practice liaison tutors. Placement experiences may be within NHS, private or charity organisations and may include medical and surgical environments, high dependency, older people’s services and community placements. Opportunities to gain insights into other fields of nursing, including child, mental health and learning disability, are supported through the All Field Learning Experience. There is also the opportunity for national and international clinical placements. 

This programme aims to develop an autonomous reflective practitioner who has empathic qualities, is committed to delivering high-quality care to service users and identifies appropriate strategies to empower individuals to maximise their own independence. 

BSc Mental Health Nursing 

The Mental Health Nursing programme will encourage you to utilise your strengths and skills in order to facilitate recovery and personal development. At the University of Surrey you will develop an extensive range of skills to enable you to do this, including interpersonal communication, effective assessment and intervention, and collaborative working with both service users and their families. 

A key aspect of the programme is the opportunity to participate in simulated practice learning. You will work with practice partners within the simulation suite to enable the development of skills in a safe environment related to assessment, engagement and communication, as well as the chance to rehearse a range of clinical scenarios. 

There is an emphasis on understanding the experience of the users of mental health services and those who work with them, including families, friends and carers, as well as an academic exploration of the philosophical, sociological and psychological aspects of mental healthcare within current clinical contexts. You will be expected to consider your practice during clinical placements, whilst in the University and through the use of online learning tools which support the clinical experience and aid reflective practice. 

You will gain experience in a range of clinical environments whilst on placement. These include child and adolescent mental health services, older people’s services, community mental health teams, crisis and home treatment teams, assertive outreach services and acute ward settings. Each of these areas will enable further development of interpersonal advanced communication and collaborative working across service structures. In addition, there is the option of accessing specialist clinical placements in areas such as prison services, in-reach mental health services, community drug and alcohol teams, learning disability services and eating disorder teams. Students will work alongside practice colleagues, both in the NHS and in non-statutory organisations, observing experienced and highly skilled practitioners in the delivery of exemplary care. 

BSc Child Nursing 

The Child Nursing programme aims to develop an autonomous reflective practitioner with empathic qualities, the ability to act as an advocate for the care needs of infants, children and their families, and a commitment to delivering high-quality care. To develop these attributes in our students, a relatively small cohort allows effective support from teachers and the student buddy scheme. 

The programme is firmly based on the philosophy of child and family-centred care, focusing on providing support and education to the families, to enable them to be as involved in their child’s care as they feel is appropriate. You will be equipped to care for infants, children, young people and their families, from the neonate to the adolescent, in a variety of settings. Placement experiences may be within NHS, private or charity organisations, and will include children’s units within acute hospitals, as well as working with children and families within their own homes and care settings within the community. 

A key aspect of the programme will be the opportunity to participate in simulated practice learning. As well as developing a range of clinical nursing skills, simulation is used to explore many of the key principles within children’s nursing, such as communication, child development, ethical care principles, children’s rights and developing decision-making skills. 

The academic element of the course has both shared and field-specific aspects. Shared learning includes key concepts such as biosciences and caring sciences, as well as research modules which help you to develop the skills of critical analysis. Field-specific learning covers a spectrum from the well and healthy child through to the care of an acutely ill child.