Find the perfect course for you - chat with Diggory, our new AI uni coach.

Northumbria University, Newcastle

UCAS Code: B780 | Foundation Degree in Science - FdSc

Entry requirements

UCAS Tariff

32

From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate. Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator:?www.ucas.com/ucas/tariff-calculator Northumbria University is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details?www.northumbria.ac.uk/entryrequirementsinfo Subject Requirements: There are no specific subject requirements for this course. GCSE Requirements: Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent. Additional Requirements: Applicants will be required to attend an interview. Admission is subject to a suitable DBS Enhanced Certificate and a satisfactory health check. Applicants must meet the Nursing and Midwifery Council's suitability for registration requirements. International Qualifications: We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above. If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting?www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry English Language Requirements: International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0, with a minimum writing score of 6.5 and all other components at a minimum score of 7.0, or?Occupational English Test (OET) with at least a grade B (350 to 440) in reading, listening and speaking, and at least a grade C+ (300 to 340) in writing. For further admissions guidance and requirements, please visit?www.northumbria.ac.uk/admissionsguidance?Please review this information before submitting your application.

You may also need to…

Attend an interview

groups

About this course

Course option

2years

Full-time | 2026

Subject

Nursing

Please note this course is subject to validation and approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

This Nursing Associate course offers a rewarding route into healthcare for individuals committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care. Blending 50% academic study and 50% practice placements, where you will gain practical experience in real healthcare settings. Combining hands on clinical experience with expert led classroom instruction this two-year Foundation Degree prepares you to work as a Nursing Associate – a vital role that bridges the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses.

You will develop the skills and knowledge needed to provide compassionate, family- and person-centred care across the lifespan and in a variety of settings, including hospitals, community and primary care, mental health, learning disability, and children’s services.

Whether you are looking to begin your healthcare journey or take the next step in your career, this course provides a dedicated pathway into a rewarding career as a Nursing Associate.

Modules

For a full list of the modules on your course, please access the course pages at www.northumbria.ac.uk

Assessment methods

Your tutors will use a variety of teaching methods, which may include lectures, seminars, problem-based workshops, case discussions, practical activities, group work and tutorials. Teaching is backed up by a well-designed support system that will underpin your learning journey. You will have access to a Guidance Tutor with whom you can discuss any academic issues. Extensive feedback from both tutors and peers is built into the course.

The Uni

Course location:

Northumbria University, Newcastle

Department:

Health

Read full university profile

What students say

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Nursing

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

99%
UK students
1%
International students
7%
Male students
93%
Female students
94%
2:1 or above
15%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
C

After graduation

The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Nursing (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£27,000
low
Average annual salary
94%
high
Employed or in further education
94%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

99%
Nursing and midwifery professionals
0%
Teaching and educational professionals
0%
Health professionals

19,890 nursing qualifications were awarded in 2015, making it much the most popular degree in the country. Despite that, we have a serious shortage of nurses - estimates suggest that we're over 20,000 nurses short - that is only set to continue. So it's no surprise to see that the very large majority of nursing graduates go on to become nurses, and that starting salaries are pretty competitive. There are lots of different specialties to choose from (including midwifery), and the most common by far is adult nursing, but the typical end result for graduates is the same — they go on to become nurses (or midwives). That’s not to say that you can’t do anything else. Some nursing graduates get other jobs - usually, but not always, in health or caring professions, or management, and with nurses in such demand, there are always going to be options for you. Do be aware that even this doesn't necessarily guarantee you can get the exact nursing job you want exactly where you want though - some flexibility in type of job and location will still help your career.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Nursing (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£30k

£30k

£31k

£31k

£34k

£34k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here