Nursing Degree (Care): SWAP Access

What you will learn

You’ll study a rich combination of health, care, and communication subjects designed to prepare you for further study in nursing and healthcare.

Key units include:

• Values and Principles in Care – explore the ethics and compassion at the heart of professional practice.
• Social Influences – understand how society, culture, and environment impact health and wellbeing.
• Human Development and Behaviour – study key life stages and the psychological factors affecting health.
• The Human Body – build knowledge of anatomy and body systems relevant to nursing.
• Mental Health and Mental Illness – learn about emotional wellbeing and the challenges faced by patients.
• Stress and Stress Management – explore techniques for managing stress in yourself and others.
• HIV Infection and First Aid – gain awareness and practical skills relevant to care settings.
• Core Skills – achieve Communication at Higher level and Numeracy at Level 5.

Assessment combines essays, presentations and class-based exams and role plays, giving you a realistic experience of academic study before progressing to university or higher-level qualifications.

Entry requirements

✅ No formal qualifications are required.

✅ You must have good written and spoken communication skills.

✅ Applicants must have been out of formal education for at least five years.

✅Selection is based on your personal statement and interview performance.

Your statement should cover:

• Why you wish to study on the Access to Nursing programme.
• The field of nursing that interests you and why.
• What you believe patients are most concerned about when receiving medical care.
• An example of how you’ve managed a challenging situation in life or work, how you responded, and what you learned from it.
• The skills, qualities, and attributes you believe make you suited to a nursing career.

If you do not meet all entry criteria, you may be offered a place on an alternative Care pathway course.

ℹ️ For this course, if English is not your first language

• you need to have SQA ESOL Higher (or equivalent, click here to see equivalent qualifications)
• If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment  here at the College.

Career Opportunities

Completing this course can open the door to a wide range of roles in the health and care sectors. 
Possible future roles include:

🩺 Registered Nurse (after degree study) 

💉 Healthcare Support Worker 

🏥 Clinical Support Assistant

💬 Community or Home Care Worker   

💖 Health Care Assistant in hospitals or care homes

The skills you develop — communication, empathy, teamwork, and professional care practice — are highly valued across the NHS, private healthcare, and social care sectors

Future prospects

Graduates from this course typically progress to:

• HNC Healthcare Practice at Glasgow Kelvin College
• Undergraduate Nursing Degrees at partner universities, including:
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • University of the West of Scotland (UWS)
  • University of Stirling

Progression opportunities include specialisms in Adult Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Learning Disability Nursing, and Paediatric Nursing.