Studies & Degrees in Nursing
Nursing Study Programs
Nursing is the health profession that cares for people throughout life: in hospitals, health centres, schools, homes and communities. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the work of nurses as health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Nurses are the largest occupational group in the health workforce: WHO estimates that there were 29.8 million nurses worldwide in 2023, up from 27.9 million in 2018.
A nursing degree combines science with supervised practice. Students take subjects such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology, psychology and the social sciences, learn to assess patients, give medicines and plan care, and spend a large part of the programme on clinical placements. Communication matters as much as technique, because nurses explain, advise and support patients and their families.
Qualifications and levels
Nursing is a regulated profession almost everywhere. The degree is the first step; registration or a licence in the country of work is the second.
- Spain. The official bachelor's degree (Grado en Enfermería) has 240 ECTS credits, and no degree may use that name without meeting the conditions set by the ministry. The Universidad de Navarra, for example, describes its Grado en Enfermería as an official degree of 240 credits and four years, taught on site in Spanish in Pamplona, with 130 places and a total of 2,100 hours of clinical practice. After the degree, nurses can train as specialists through a residency in accredited teaching units. The seven specialities are midwifery, mental health, geriatric, occupational health, medical-surgical care, family and community, and paediatric nursing. Master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
- United Kingdom. All nurses must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after completing a programme it has approved. According to the NMC, courses usually take a minimum of three years, and half of the programme is based in clinical practice. Students normally apply through UCAS. Nursing degree apprenticeships are an alternative route.
- United States. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics names three education paths for registered nurses: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing or a diploma from an approved nursing programme. Bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) programmes typically take four years. Nurses need a licence from the state in which they work; to obtain it they must graduate from an approved programme and pass a qualifying exam.
- Postgraduate study. A bachelor's or higher degree is often necessary for administrative positions, research, consulting and teaching. Advanced practice roles, such as the clinical nurse specialist, build on a first nursing qualification. WHO reports that 62% of countries had advanced practice nursing roles in 2023.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 400 active schools for nursing. The United States has 181, Spain 63, the United Kingdom 23, Canada 15 and Australia 11. Chile, Argentina and Brazil have eight each, Colombia five, and Germany, Ireland and Mexico four each. Examples are the Universidad de Navarra and the Universidad de Cádiz in Spain, Anglia Ruskin University in the United Kingdom, The Ohio State University and the University of Michigan in the United States, OsloMet in Norway, the Universidade Federal da Paraíba in Brazil and the University of the Philippines Manila.
Nursing is taught in the language of the patients, so the language of instruction is normally the national one, and clinical placements require a good working level of it. The choice of country also matters for a legal reason: a nursing qualification gives direct access to the profession in the country where it was obtained. Students who intend to work elsewhere should check, before they enrol, how that country recognises foreign nursing degrees.
Careers
Most nurses work in hospitals. In the United States, registered nurses held about 3.5 million jobs in 2025, 59% of them in hospitals, followed by ambulatory healthcare services and nursing and residential care facilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of registered nurses to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. Worldwide, WHO estimates that the shortage of nurses fell from 6.2 million in 2020 to 5.8 million in 2023.
The profession is also mobile. According to WHO, one in seven nurses works in a country other than the one where they were born. Moving is not automatic, however. The NMC, for example, uses a Test of Competence to assess the skills and knowledge of applicants who trained outside the United Kingdom, and requires evidence of English. Apart from hospital care, nurses work in primary care, schools, home care, occupational health, teaching, research and management.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a nurse?
In Spain the Grado en Enfermería has 240 ECTS credits, which is four years of full-time study. In the United Kingdom courses usually take a minimum of three years, and a bachelor of science in nursing in the United States typically takes four years.
Can I work abroad with my nursing degree?
Only after the destination country has recognised it. Each country has its own procedure; the UK regulator, for example, uses a Test of Competence and an English language requirement for nurses who trained overseas.
How much practical training does a nursing degree include?
A great deal. In the United Kingdom half of the programme is based in clinical practice, and the Universidad de Navarra states that its students complete 2,100 hours of clinical practice.
Which nursing specialities exist in Spain?
Seven: midwifery, mental health, geriatric, occupational health, medical-surgical care, family and community, and paediatric nursing. They are obtained through a residency after the degree.