Visiting rights only: the diplomas in nursing in the UK in the interwar period

The aim of this article is to explore the institution and organisation of the diplomas in nursing at the universities of Leeds and London, which were established in 1921 and 1926, respectively. It will be argued that the success of these courses for the individuals who undertook them, and the profession as a whole was ultimately limited. It is accepted that the purpose of the diplomas was at least in part for the nursing elite to maintain their grip on the leadership. Nevertheless, the institution of the courses, when few women in general attended university, identifies a 'radicalness' within the profession, which has rarely been considered. Moreover, that there was a body of nurses capable of university level education challenges previous assumptions.