BSc (Honours) Nursing Practice
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Description
If you’re a registered nurse, the BSc (Hons) Nursing Practice offers a practical way to take your career forward – enabling you to step up to an honours degree while continuing to earn. Its flexible, modular approach is designed to meet the needs of nurses working across a range of settings and specialities, in both the NHS and independent sectors. Study options focus on key areas for contemporary nursing – leadership; ageing and the life course; and public health. As you study, you’ll reflect critically on your own practice; cultivate a person-centred approach to work with service users, their carers and families, and explore how your learning can contribute to evidence-based practice improvement. By the end of your studies, you’ll have enhanced your professional expertise to meet the complex challenges of contemporary health care practice.
You’ll need to provide evidence of current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). See Entry requirements below.
Fees and facts
Key facts
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Flexible, part-time study through distance learning.
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Degree
Degree
undergraduate.qualification.Q53,qualification,,degree,1 Undergraduate or bachelors degrees are nationally recognised qualifications consisting of academic study designed to help you gain a thorough understanding of a subject. For a degree in a named subject, such as business studies or humanities, you'll study mainly in your chosen subject, although you may be able to include some modules from other subjects. With The Open University you could also study an Open degree where you can combine a range of modules from similar or different subjects to suit either your particular career or personal interests. You can use a degree to: - change careers or progress your current career
- gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of a subject you are interested in
- gain professional recognition
- go onto postgraduate study, such as a diploma or masters degree.
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Entry requirements
If you have a Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing or a Registered Nurse qualification
- You’ll need to apply for credit transfer towards the Level 1 and Level 2 requirements of this degree – see ‘Credit for previous study elsewhere’ section below if your DipHE in Nursing or equivalent was awarded by another Higher Education Institution
- You can register your intention to study for this degree if your DipHE in Nursing was awarded by The Open University
- You’ll need to provide evidence of current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (Current NMC PIN)
- Students who received their nurse education and training in an EU/EEA member state, and who are nationals of those states, are eligible to apply for NMC registration (subject to NMC regulations)
- Your claim will be assessed, and if there’s any shortfall of credit at Level 2, you’ll need to devise an appropriate study plan derived from the list of eligible Level 2 modules.
Career relevance and employability
The BSc (Hons) Nursing Practice enables registered nurses to enhance their career prospects by moving to a degree-level qualification. As nursing careers move towards graduate-only entry, it will help you develop your understanding of the nursing role and strengthen your future employability.
This qualification will be of particular interest if you want to build on your current knowledge and experience in the setting in which you work. It will provide the understanding and skills you need to take the lead in practice development and innovation. You’ll also have the opportunity to improve your IT skills – particularly in relation to researching and analysing the evidence base for practice and collaborating with others to enhance your continuing professional development.
There’s more information about how OU study can improve your employability in the OU’s Employability Statement from our Careers Advisory Service. You can also read or download our publication OU study and your career and look at our subject pages to find out about career opportunities.
Choose a pathway and register
It is not possible to apply online to study for this qualification. For more information, read
our entry requirements for this qualification.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards this qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible, and before you register for this qualification.
If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete this qualification. This may also mean that the next start date and the maximum time limit for this qualification are different to those shown above.
Visit our Credit Transfer site for more information and details of how to apply for credit transfer.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Classification of your degree
On successful completion of the required number and type of modules you will be awarded a Bachelor of Science (Honours) Nursing Practice entitling you to use the letters BSc (Hons) Nurs Prac (Open) after your name.
Your honours degree will be classified either as first-class honours, upper second-class honours, lower second-class honours or third-class honours.
You will have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the following regulations:
These regulations are also available on our Essential Documents website.
If you have a disability
Choosing the qualification that’s right for you is very important. Depending on your disability, long-term health condition, mental health disability or specific learning difficulty, you may need to consider any challenges posed by:
- the learning objectives: for example, to gain an honours degree in a language you must be physically able to speak the language
- how the modules are taught: for example, some of our science qualifications require that you complete laboratory work
- any work-based competency requirements.
Choosing the right qualification can be a complex mix of the subject requirements and the support you may need. To help you assess whether the qualification you are interested in will work for you, further advice is available from:
Computing requirements
You will need a computer with internet access to study for this qualification. For most OU qualifications a Microsoft Windows (new since 2007),
Apple Mac (OS X 10.6 or later) or Linux computer should be adequate. However, some qualifications require more specific IT equipment, in which case you
will need additional software to use an Apple Mac or Linux computer. A detailed technical specification for your modules will be made available when you
register. Please note, technical specifications do change over time to match computer developments and the way we teach.
Distance learning
The Open University is the world’s leading provider of flexible, high quality distance learning. Unlike other universities
we are not campus based. You will study in a flexible way that works for you whether you’re at home, at work or on the move.
As an OU student you’ll be supported throughout your studies – your tutor or study adviser will guide and advise you, offer detailed
feedback on your assignments, and help with any study issues. Tuition might be in face-to-face groups, via online
tutorials, or by phone.
For more information read Distance learning explained.