From offering one of the first Nursing Associate university courses in England, we’ve developed the course in partnership with regional organisations, students and experts by experience to ensure you graduate with the knowledge and confidence to excel as a Nursing Associate and beyond.
With this degree you’ll be eligible to register with the NMC as a Nursing Associate.
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Recognised for our graduate success, we’re shortlisted for University of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2025.
Overview
At the end of this flexible, authentic practice-learning course you will have developed into a competent, confident and compassionate Nursing Associate able to provide high quality, safe and responsive person-centred care across the lifespan in diverse range of care settings.
You’ll experience significant work-based learning in a range of practice settings allowing you to integrate theory and practice learning to achieve the required standards of proficiency for Nursing Associates.
The course is delivered at Worcester on our St John’s Campus and on the Severn Campus in the newly opened Duke’s building that includes contemporary skills and simulation facilities for student Nursing Associates to safely practice nursing interventions in a supported and safe environment.
You will have the opportunity to study alongside nursing associate apprentices and student nurses both on campus and in supportive local healthcare placements providing a sense of community and belonging within this vibrant area of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.
As a Nursing Associate, you’ll be promoting good health, monitoring care and being an accountable member of the team as you support registered nurses who coordinate and lead in nursing care. To prepare you for these responsibilities, you’ll learn the factors of health and wellbeing throughout the human lifespan, alongside the fundamentals of human anatomy, team working and leadership skills.
Through placements with local NHS trusts and healthcare providers, you’ll benefit from learning from qualified professionals, having a supervisor for additional support and opportunities to network with students from across disciplines within the School of Nursing and Midwifery and beyond.
With a mix of in-person and recorded lectures, independent study, flipped classrooms and practical learning in both the simulation centre and on placement, the course provides an inclusive environment where you’ll be able to learn in the way that best suits you.
You’ll also benefit from personalised support from lecturers, your assigned Personal Academic Tutor and Placement Supervisor.
Your Personal Academic Tutor is assigned to you at the start of the course and will support you in your academic progress and career planning. Lecturers will get to know you personally and tailor their guidance to your strengths and learn how to best assist your development on each module.
Nursing Associate is a profession in its own right, but successful completion of this course also provides the opportunity to progress onto a Nursing BSc course.
Placements
Experience a minimum of two placements each year with our excellent NHS trusts and healthcare providers in the region, including:
- Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
- Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health & Care Trust
- The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
- Wye Valley NHS Trust
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust
Whilst on placement you’ll gain access to additional library resources, be supported by a supervisor, and learn from and network with experienced nurses as you build up your own practical experience.
Course content
On this accredited course, you’ll study the evidence behind the core theories and benefit from applying your learning in practical teaching sessions in our simulation centre and during professional practice on your placement.
Our industry informed modules incorporate student and employer feedback, which mean they do occasionally change to ensure your learning stays up-to-date and relevant.
The modules are all compulsory to meet the requirements of the NMC (2018) pre-registration standards of proficiency for nursing associates.
However this course is undergoing a significant change process and module titles are subject to change prior to the approval event in April 2026.
Careers
All students who successfully complete the FdSc Nursing Associate are eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and apply for a Band 4 Nursing Associate post in the health and social care sector.
Our graduates have gone on to be employed locally with many of the NHS trust organisations we partner with for your placements. Within these and other organisations, qualified Nursing Associates can choose a range of roles within the NHS. Students can go into careers as:
- Clinical associates
- Care coordinators
- Clinical research associates
- Working with mental health services
Students who successfully complete the FdSc Nursing Associate may also be eligible to apply to our BSc Nursing (Adult) course at the midpoint (18 months) of the 3-year course, successful completion of which widens the career path to a vast range of registered nursing roles within the NHS and private sectors.
As a Nursing Associate student at the University of Worcester, you’ll have the chance to meet with local healthcare employers to discuss career opportunities and ways to further your professional development. You’ll have access to recruitment events and NHS Trust job advertisements via the teaching team and our Careers and Employability Service, who also provide support in CV writing and preparing for interviews.
Course highlights
Teaching and assessment
There is an increasing focus on patient-centred care and cultural competence in nursing associate practice. The revised programme from September 2026 will include modules that highlight communication skills, empathy, and cultural sensitivity to better prepare nursing associates for working with diverse populations.
The incorporation of human factors education into the curriculum will help nursing associate students to promote safer, more effective healthcare environments.
Promotion of compassion and resilience through dedicated modules and activities will ensure graduates are well-equipped to handle the emotional and psychological demands of the nursing associate profession.
Teaching and assessment contents
Theory
The course offers a blended approach to learning that combines traditional classroom interaction with online components.
You’ll be taught through a combination of campus-based and online lectures, workshops, group activities, real-life case studies and practical learning in the skills and simulation centre, centring your learning in real-life situations. Recorded lectures, flipped classrooms, guided reading, online discussions, and e-learning tools will help you learn at your own pace. Study-skills will also be embedded into the course to help you become independent and confident in your learning.
The aim of using technology-enhanced learning methods is to provide a flexible, inclusive, and engaging learning experience that caters to diverse learning styles and needs.
Practice learning
When working in the skills and simulation centre, you’ll have the opportunity to work with other students, service users/carers, practitioners, technicians and academics, alongside simulation manikins and videos to enhance your practical learning. You will also gain feedback on how you applied your learning in these simulated situations to assist the development of essential skills.
Skills and simulation offers an enhanced learning experience for students in a safe space within the theory modules, providing more diverse learning opportunities for comprehensive care across the lifespan.
You will undertake 2 summatively assessed practice placements per year aligned to the Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (NMC 2023), providing opportunity for development of knowledge and skills through a wide range of learning experiences across the lifespan and a variety of healthcare settings.
You’ll be offered placements in a variety of healthcare settings where you’ll gain experience in caring for people of various ages and health needs. Not only will these placements provide the chance to put what you’ve learnt into practice, but you’ll gain extra learning opportunities, have access to additional library resources and have personalised support via your practice supervisor.
Support
Throughout the course you’ll be supported by your Personal Academic Tutor (a member of the Nursing Associate teaching team) who will ensure you are settling into the university, provide signposting information and academic support. They’ll help you reflect on your progress and support your development and achievement. You will be invited to meet with your tutor at least four times a year, but you can request a meeting at any point during your time on the course.
Entry requirements
UCAS tariff points required: 32
| Qualification | Grade |
|---|---|
| A-level | C |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | PPP |
Any questions?
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please call our Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk.
Fees
Fees contents
UK students
In 2026/27 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees is £9,790 per year.
Tuition fees are reviewed annually and may increase each year for both new and continuing students.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
How to apply
How to apply contents
Applying through UCAS
UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for full-time undergraduate courses in the UK.
Read our how to apply pages for more information on the application process, or if you’d like to apply for part-time study.
Contact
If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.
Sarah Wilson
Senior Lecturer and Course Lead for the Foundation Degree Nursing Associate (FDNA) programme
sarah.wilson@worc.ac.ukAdmissions Office
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