The Exeter School of Nursing

Delivering BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult Health) in Exeter
Nursing students on a ward

Our nursing campus in Exeter

The University of Plymouth has a long-standing history of educating the health professionals of tomorrow. Based at InFocus, a short distance from the centre of Exeter, the Exeter School of Nursing provides modern facilities to ensure excellent delivery of health education and training.
This school enables students who are beyond the commuting distance to the Plymouth or Truro campuses to enter onto select nursing programmes, without having to commit to long travel times. You will benefit from being part of a smaller cohort, around 100 students, which allows students to form a close-knit community.
Our students have provided feedback in the 2020 National Student Survey (NSS) the benefits of being part of a smaller co-hort. “Smaller groups enabled better learning and more opportunities to work in groups. With lecturers being very supportive.”

I decided to become a nurse because I wanted to be that person a patient remembers was there for them on every step of their journey and made a difference, big or small

Rachael Palmer – BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult Health)

InFocus

The University of Plymouth, in partnership with InFocus, is committed to providing high quality teaching and facilities to adult health nursing students who are unable to commute or relocate to Plymouth or Truro.
InFocus itself is a specialist day and residential centre offering a unique experience for young people and adults with visual impairment including complex needs. Their commitment is to excellence and innovation at a national and international level. They provide high-quality education and care that increases their learners’ opportunities and raises their expectations.
Exeter Nursing Students with Birdie Kent

COVID-19 crisis: student nurse volunteers at Royal Devon and Exeter Nightingale Hospital show courage and commitment

Student nurses at the University of Plymouth's School of Nursing and Midwifery have been at the forefront of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in placements and in paid and volunteer roles. Exeter School of Nursing has close links with local placement providers, including the Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation NHS Trust (RD&E).
Student nurse volunteers at RD&E Exeter Nightingale Hospital
Some of the students who volunteered to care for COVID-19 patients at the RD&E’s Exeter Nightingale Hospital

Our facilities

Purpose-built clinical skills laboratories, including ward settings allow you to put your learning into practice in the most realistic surroundings possible. As a student at Exeter School of Nursing, you will have access to tailored made lecture and seminar rooms, clinical skills simulation facilities and on-line access to a digital library, all the facilities you would expect of a first class university.
Exeter School of Nursing students clinical skills
Exeter School of Nursing ward
Exeter School of Nursing
Teaching nursing students

Study

Our nursing programme offers a distinctive student experience that goes beyond the curriculum, providing the foundation for lifelong learning. Our graduates are employed in the public and private sectors, in hospitals and the community.
Our programmes
Learn more about the nursing course we offer at the Exeter School of Nursing, including:
  • course details
  • entry requirements
  • fees, cost and funding
  • how to apply.

Our teaching

Entrants into the school receive the same high quality teaching and curriculum as your peers in Plymouth, with all courses accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. You will have the opportunity to explore local projects in areas such as eHealth, improving health and wellbeing through technology.
Our students benefit from a wide range of placements both in the community and in hospital settings, enabling you to grow your confidence and embark on a rewarding career. The Exeter School of Nursing has close links with all of our NHS trust partners in Devon and Somerset, as well as placement providers in the private and independent sectors. Clinical placements in these settings are an essential element of the programme and prepare students for nursing in the real world.
Our placement partners in the local trusts are very keen to recruit local student nurses for their Band 5 staff nurse posts when they qualify. Educating more students locally is of great benefit to those trusts in future years and of course to the students themselves.

BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult Health)

Make a difference to someone’s life when it matters most. Our degree will prepare you to care for adults with acute/long-term illness, in a multitude of healthcare settings. You will be ready to play a vital role in health promotion and disease prevention as well as nursing adults. Working closely with other healthcare professionals, patients and their families, you will gain the necessary experience, competencies and skills needed to join the 1000s of our graduates working as registered nurses.
Smiling nursing student with elderly patient (full bleed)

Getting here

InFocus Charity
Topsham Road
Countess Wear
Exeter
Devon
EX2 6HA
By car
The easiest route to Exeter is via the M4 from London, with the M5 linking to Bristol, Cardiff and Birmingham. It takes around three to four hours from London to Exeter. Sat nav ref: EX2 6HA
By rail
The regular train service from London Paddington to Exeter takes around two to three hours. There is good transport links to the North via Birmingham.
By coach
There are regular coach services from 10 cities such as London or Birmingham. Coach travel times are around four to five hours from London.
Proximity to Plymouth main campus
Our Exeter campus is approximately 45 miles to Plymouth. It is approximately an hour by car via the A38, an hour-and-forty minutes via train from Topsham or an hour via Exeter St David's. There are good local bus links, and a bus stop directly outside of the facility.

Explore Exeter

As a University of Plymouth student studying at our Exeter School of Nursing, you are able to not only explore the beautiful city of Plymouth but also Exeter.
Exeter hosts a variety of events across the city, such as art exhibitions, concerts and performances. Exeter has rich sporting links and is home to rugby and football teams. Visit visitexeter.com to find out more.
There are many places to discover in Exeter; it has a rich history and heritage. Explore venues such as the gothic cathedral, Rougemont Castle founded by William the Conqueror, in addition to museums and many sites of national beauty such as the historic quayside.
Exeter is home to a range of chain and boutique shops. Princesshay, Cathedral Quarter and Castle Quarter are teeming with independent shops and quirky boutiques. Topsham offers a range of restaurants and specialist shops, and is a great place to pick up something unusual.

I am lucky that both my mentors on placement have been interested in my development – both have thrown me straight into real nursing from the start, overcoming my early nerves quickly. On a practical front, studying in Exeter with placements in Somerset has worked really well.

Guy Davey – BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult Health)

Sidmouth seafront with red cliffs of Jurassic Coast
Sidmouth seafront with red cliffs of Jurassic Coast
Restaurants on Historic Quayside at Exeter
Restaurants on Historic Quayside at Exeter
Old center of Exeter
Old center of Exeter

Accommodation

We want you to enjoy living and studying at the University of Plymouth, build life-long friendships and feel supported during your time with us. We understand that it is important to find the right place to live during your studies.

Many of our students decide to stay at home and commute, whereas some decide to source accommodation. It is important to decide which option suits you best. Due to location, we currently do not offer any accommodation at our Exeter campus.

Exeter itself has a thriving student rental market, so if you are looking for accommodation and a 'student experience' in the city away from home for the first time, we strongly recommend you explore these options.

Accomodation

Complimentary educational resources and support

At the University of Plymouth we understand the importance of you getting the most from your time as a student, you need a great place to study and support your learning.
We offer confidential academic support and guidance through workshops and tutorials and a wide range of online resources on topics such as time management, academic writing and referencing, critical thinking and analysis. Some services we offer are delivered via web or telephone support to our Exeter School of Nursing students, with some services available directly on site. Full services can be accessed via our Plymouth main campus.
Find out more about Student services .
To help, financially, with your transition into life as a student of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Plymouth, the University provides the following:
  • Occupational Health clearance and for Disclosure and Barring Service checks, which are a condition of any offer of a place on the programme. This potentially saves applicants in the region of £195–£245 (circa £45 for DBS checks, and £150–£200 for OH) although in some cases the costs can be much higher
  • e-learning resources to all students on the programme
  • three tunics and three pairs of trousers, for use in the clinical environment, worth circa £60
  • the ‘Medincle’ medical spellchecker software is provided free of charge
  • books from the Skills for Health Training Package are provided for each student.

I have always found the clinical skills sessions an enjoyable part of the course. Putting theory into practice in the clinical simulation labs was not only fun but really helped when using the required skills out on placement. Working with nurses and mentors who are passionate about nursing and want to encourage you to learn and develop has had a great impact on my learning experience.

Gayle Knowles – BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult Health)

Student journeys at the Exeter School of Nursing

Guy Davey 640 square
Guy Davey
Hannah Carter 640 square
Hannah Carter
Lucy Brailey 640 square
Lucy Brailey
Jane Cuerden
Jessica Cuerden
Nicola Stanfield Caile
Nicola Stanfield Caile
Gayle Knowles
Gayle Knowles