Nursing Studies BSc (Hons) top-up

Undergraduate
Top-up courses

This course is designed for international students with a Diploma-level nursing registration in their own country who wish to further their understanding of UK nursing practice.

Year of entry

2024-25 2025-26

Location

Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

1 year full-time

Course code

B750

Start date

January 2025

How to apply

Book an Open Day

Download a prospectus

Course overview

This course has been designed to provide the academic and professional development required by nurses who already hold a Diploma in Nursing in their own country and wish to enhance their career opportunities by obtaining an honours degree qualification in the UK.

Following successful completion of the course, you may if you wish, apply to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (additional costs apply, please visit the NMC website
Our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building features mock hospital wards, critical care settings and midwifery suite⁴.

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

You will study key issues in nursing practice in the UK, leadership and management. Following successful completion of the course many students apply to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (additional costs apply, please visit the NMC website for further information and requirements).
This academic programme provides opportunities to explore the knowledge base which underpins nursing practice and to share learning with nurses from other parts of the world. The course comprises of five mandatory modules and one optional module. Successful completion of six modules will lead to the award of BSc (Hons) Nursing Studies – international (Top-Up).
The opportunity for academic development within this course should enable you to contrast approaches to nursing practice between your country of origin and the UK. The course design should enable some integration with UK nursing students and international students from around the world.

No.11

for Nursing and Midwifery

Guardian University Guide, 2022

Coventry life

Find out more about the university's facilities, student support and our vibrant city.

Find out more

What you'll study

The course comprises five mandatory modules, followed by your choice of one optional module. You are expected to study on a full-time basis over one year.

Modules

Principles of Professional Nursing Practice - 20 credits

This module is specifically designed to meet the needs of international nurses undertaking the Nursing Studies course. It therefore recognises the particular needs regarding cultural, educational and professional acclimatisation. It will sensitively address your individual needs in relation to your previous professional and educational experience; build on and value these. The focus of the module will therefore be on principles underpinning professional nursing practice incorporating the concepts surrounding Evidence-Informed Practice and developing the skills of independent lifelong learning as a professional requirement. It will concentrate on developing related skills including information technology and information literacy in preparing you for further learning.

Compulsory

Leadership and Change in Public Service Management - 20 credits

This module will examine current leadership and organisational theories in order to promote a critical appraisal of management principles applied to public service settings. The module is also designed to evaluate the role of public sector governance and how the use of quality improvement initiatives impact on the users’ experience. Specific emphasis is placed on enabling you to develop their ability to explore, analyse and participate in change within the practice of your own speciality/profession. The intention is to combine these elements so that you are encouraged to integrate your experience of professional practice with the wider environment of public services.

Compulsory

Health Assessment - 20 credits

The aim of this module is to provide you with the underpinning knowledge, principles, skills and techniques to enable you to undertake comprehensive holistic health assessment. The module is designed for those working in a variety of practice settings, who work in an autonomous capacity and whose assessments lead up to and include medical diagnosis.

Compulsory

Reviewing Research for Professional Practice - 20 credits

This module enables you to examine a body of research evidence and develop skill in critically reviewing selected literature of relevance to health studies or professional practice. The conduct of the review will enable you to build upon and enhance your skills and knowledge base in research and project management. In so doing you will be prepared to foster research-based innovation and change in practice. In turn this has the potential to underpin personal development, enhancement of information and knowledge resources and processes, along with improvements in quality within your practice setting.

Compulsory

The Scope of Public Health - 20 credits

This module aims to provide an understanding of the scope, nature and elements of multidisciplinary public health in order to increase awareness of the collective perspective in enhancing the health of populations. It will examine underpinning theory and its application to contemporary public health practice including the issues surrounding health needs assessment in determining public health priorities for action.

Compulsory

Optional Modules - September intake only

Choose ONE of the following three (September intake only):

Health Promotion - 20 credits
This module is designed to enable you to appreciate the complexity of health promotion as a concept by examining the underpinning theory and to provide a rigorous analysis of a range of interventions and approaches aimed at promoting health. The module will encourage an understanding of effective health promotion and explore factors influencing health at both the individual and structural levels. The module is intended for anyone seeking to develop an in-depth understanding of the predominant theories and principles of health promotion, and their application to practice, whether or not they are employed in a healthcare setting.

Pain Management - 20 credits
The module is designed for healthcare professionals working with people in pain. The module content recognises a range of pain types across varied client groups in both hospital and community settings. Participants from different clinical and professional backgrounds can analyse the evidence base for effective pain management in order that they become competent practitioners in meeting bio-psychosocial needs of patients with pain. Inadequate knowledge continues to be one of the major barriers to pain management, inadequacies in the curriculum have been reported in a variety of health professions across different countries. The recent British Pain Society (2018) guidance for pain education into pre-registration curricula for healthcare professionals in the UK is incorporated. The module facilitates practitioners to rise to the individual challenges of pain management in their own sphere of clinical practice.

Competence and Skills for General Nurses - 20 credits
Overseas Nurses, who wish to enter the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) professional register, are required to undertake testing at an approved centre, which takes the form of a multiple choice test and Observed Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE). This module will prepare nurses to enter the NMC test with enhanced confidence. It builds on existing knowledge and skills related to professional values, communication and interpersonal skills, informed decision-making for nursing practice, leadership and team working and enables you to develop and apply these in a UK professional nursing context. The use of OSCEs features prominently in teaching and formative assessment opportunities along with the summative assessment to mirror the NMC approach.

Optional

Optional Modules - January intake only

Choose ONE of the following two (January intake only):

End of Life Care - 20 credits
This module has been developed to meet the needs of health and social care workers working with people approaching the end of their lives. It aims to equip such practitioners with knowledge, skills and confidence to practice within all contexts where end of life care is delivered. The module encourages you to analyse the principles of palliative care and apply them to your specific area of clinical practice.

Optional

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

The modules will be taught by a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and workshops. Each module comprises around 200 hours which includes around 50 hours of teaching contact hours and students are encouraged to spend around 150 hours of self-guided study.

The contact hours may be made up of a combination of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, and online classes and tutorials.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.

Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods include:

Written examinations
Written assignments
Presentations
Observed structured clinical examination (OSCE)

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.

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Select your region to find detailed information about entry requirements:

Russia and Central Asia

You can view our full list of country specific entry requirements on our Entry requirements page.

Alternatively, visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on finding in-country agents and representatives, joining our in-country events and how to apply.

You must have achieved the equivalent of diploma level Nursing from country of origin. Must have some IT capability to manage course requirements. A successful individual interview will also be required.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.0 overall, with no component lower than 5.5.

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

For more information on our approved English language tests visit our English language requirements page.

Chat with us

Fees and funding

2024/25 Tuition fees

Student	Full-time	Part-time
International	£16,800 per year	Not available

For advice and guidance on tuition fees³ and student loans visit our undergraduate finance page and see the University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

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.

*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.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.

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 houses⁴.

Students and a tutor with a manikin in the hospital ward

Mock hospital wards

We have two fully-equipped mock hospital wards, each containing four beds. The wards are built to NHS standards and contain moveable beds, first aid equipment and patient monitoring tools, so that you can study a complete patient pathway.

Community houses

Learn how to work with patients outside of a hospital setting in our simulated, two full-size community homes, specifically built for teaching. This gives you the opportunity to learn in situations that mirror real-life scenarios.

Ambulance

Learn in critical care settings with the use of a mock ambulance, giving you the chance to experience patient scenarios in a real-world environment.

Careers and opportunities

This degree course aims to enable graduates to study at master’s level either within the UK or overseas, as well as providing the opportunity to further your career options in nursing or the global healthcare arena.

Where our graduates work

A number of graduates choose to apply for NMC UK nurse registration on completion of this course, however please note NMC UK registration is NOT part of this course. Others on returning to their own country apply for senior nurse positions following successful completion.

Further study

You can choose to continue your studies at Coventry University with the Nursing MSc. You may be entitled to an alumni discount on your fees if you decide to extend your time with us by progressing from undergraduate to postgraduate study.

Graduate Immigration Route visa

Based on current information from the UK Government, international students whose study extends beyond summer 2021 may be eligible for a visa under the UK Government’s Graduate Immigration Route, which will enable students to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for up to two (2) years. Check the most up to date guidance available to check your eligibility and any updates from the UK Government before making an application or enrolment decision.

How to apply

International students

International codes:
HLSU233

Full-time students applying to start in September 2024 should apply directly to the university.
Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International hub.

You can also download our International Guide which contains lots of useful information about our courses, accommodation, tips for travel and guidance on how to apply.

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

+44 (0)24 7765 2152

ioadmissions@coventry.ac.uk

Chat with our admissions team.

Complete our contact form.

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 unpaid and/or 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, public authority guidance, decisions or orders and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand any 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.

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.

⁴Facilities

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.

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. 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.