Programme Specification for the 2025/6 academic year
BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing | Programme code | UFS3EMSEMS07 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Level 1 |
Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Campus(es) | St Luke's (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 6 (Honours) |
2. Description of the Programme
The BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing programme is a three-year course leading to eligibility for registration as an Adult Nurse with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC). The programme is structured around Exeter’s unique ‘seven pillars’ of nursing: patient and public involvement; fundamental essentials of nursing care; evidence for practice; no health without mental health; leadership and management of healthcare; global health; ethics and professionalism. After graduation students will be able to start their journey as a highly professional nurse capable of leading exceptional, comprehensive, person-centred and evidence-based care.
Stage One:
Stage One will see you focus on the core concepts and values of nursing. You are introduced to nursing science and its complementary biological, psychological, behavioural and social sciences. This innovative and integrated approach enables you to appreciate the complexity involved in nursing people. You will be introduced to person-centred communication, nursing assessment and examination including the recognition of common mental health problems, ethics, professionalism and working with others. You will develop critical thinking skills through identifying questions, locating research and finding answers. You will become increasingly responsible for your learning and nursing practice. This academic year will highlight nursing as a complex intervention.
Stage Two:
Stage Two will see you developing your knowledge and understanding of disease processes and treatment associated with commonly occurring conditions including relevant psychology, psychiatry, pharmacology, immunology, microbiology and pathophysiology. Your understanding of public health and health promotion will deepen with the intention that as a graduate nurse you will have the knowledge, skills and experience to integrate public health perspectives in your everyday nursing practice. During year two the programme offers you the flexibility and opportunity to undertake a nursing elective (3 weeks) where you can experience healthcare in a different part of the UK or in another country deemed safe and appropriate for exchange programmes by the Home Office. This gives you an opportunity to explore different cultural health beliefs and compare the economic and organisational aspects of healthcare with the UK system.
Stage Three:
By the end of year three you will have completed the pre-requisite proficiencies and a range of practice learning experiences, including cross-field insights into other fields of nursing practice, and have finely honed academic skills in critical analysis of evidence and professional reflection. At this point you should be ready to step onto the NMC register as a newly qualified registrant.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
1. Provide excellence in nurse education, promoting excellence through competence and confidence in clinical skills. (NMC Platform 1-7), F,E,PPI,GH,MH,L&M
2. Ensure that you develop into an accountable professional nurse understanding and demonstrating the required skills, attributes and professionalism in your daily nursing practice; (NMC Platform 1) E,F, E&P
3. Promote the ethos of patient and public involvement, nothing about us without us; (NMC Platform 1) PPI, E&P
4. Promote personal, professional and transferable skills for lifelong learning and a career in nursing; (NMC Platform 1) F
5. Ensure the development of core skills and research-based knowledge to underpin the Seven Pillars of Nursing at Exeter; (NMC Platforms 1-7) E,F,PPI,MH,L&M,GH
6. Develop critically reflective practitioners, with the ability to locate, use and produce research evidence for their practice when planning, delivering and evaluating care in every nursing encounter; (NMC Platform 6) E
7. Ensure you have the knowledge, skills and understanding to effectively prevent illness and promote health; (NMC Platform 2) E,PPI,GH,MH
8. Ensure the promotion of the principle of no health without mental health; (Platform 3) MH
9. Develop your skills, and knowledge so that you are able to competently and confidently assess and plan person centred care; (NMC Platform 3) E,MH,PPI, E&P
10. Ensure the fundamental essentials and core values of nursing care are at the heart of all your care encounters; (NMC Platform 1,3,4) F,E,PPI, E&P
11. Ensure you are able to confidently and safely provide and evaluate person centred care; (NMC Platform 4) F,E,PPI, E&P
12. Develop your leadership and management skills so that you can effectively lead and manage nursing teams and contribute to the effective working of the interdisciplinary team; (NMC Platform 5) L&M
13. Ensure you are able to fully contribute to monitoring of patient safety and care improvement and to deliver healthcare in the context of a drive for worldwide health improvement; (NMC Platform 6) L&M, GH
14. Ensure you can coordinate, lead and manage complex care across organisations and settings, developing and promoting the ethos of partnership working with others; (NMC Platform 7) L&M
The overall aim of the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing is to prepare you academically and practically to register with the NMC as an Adult Nurse at the end of Stage 3 and so provide you with unique and flexible opportunities to mould your education around your career plans and aspirations.
The BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing is a creative and innovative undergraduate level programme which will provide a research and clinically rich experience that will develop you into an outstanding Exeter Nurse graduate who is both confident and competent in clinical practice. We aim to produce the nurse leaders of the future. At the core of this pioneering programme are Exeter’s seven pillars of nursing which are fundamental to your learning: fundamental of nursing care, patient and public involvement, evidence for practice; no health without mental health, leadership and management of healthcare, global health, and ethics and professionalism. The programme endorses the principle of transformative learning, supporting you to become proactive in delivering the highest quality nursing care in a rapidly changing, complex healthcare environment.
4. Programme Structure
5. Programme Modules
The following tables describe the programme and constituent modules. Constituent modules may be updated, deleted or replaced as a consequence of the annual programme review of this programme.
Your BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing programme is a 3-year programme of study up to National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 6 (as confirmed against the Framework Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). This programme is divided into 3 ‘Stages’. Each Stage is normally equivalent to an academic year. For programmes leading to a single registration the NMC requires a minimum of 4,600 hours of theory and practice learning to be undertaken over three years. This means that your total number of study hours on the nursing programme is greater than a standard undergraduate degree.
Stage 1, 2 and 3 of the curriculum are based on human systems and the life-cycle, with an emphasis on acquiring core knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours, and relating this to patients. You will rotate through a series of hospital and community practice learning environments which will provide a range of nursing experiences. The close integration of theory and practice is designed to help you apply your nursing theory to your nursing practice.
Stage 1
Stage 1: 120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUR1003 | Nursing Theory into Practice 1 | 30 | Yes |
| NUR1001 | Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology | 15 | Yes |
| NUR1002 | Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice | 15 | Yes |
| NUR1008 | Clinical Immersion 1 | 45 | Yes |
| NUR1004 | Simulated Practice Learning 1 | 15 | Yes |
Stage 2
Stage 2: 120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUR2002 | Nursing Theory into Practice 2 | 15 | Yes |
| NUR2005 | Public, Population and Planetary Health | 30 | Yes |
| NUR2003 | Evaluation, Improvement and Research Approaches in Nursing | 15 | Yes |
| NUR2008 | Clinical Immersion 2 | 45 | Yes |
| NUR2004 | Simulated Practice Learning 2 | 15 | Yes |
Stage 3
Stage 3 (Adult): 120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUR3002 | Nursing Theory into Practice 3 (Adult) | 30 | Yes |
| NUR3009 | Developing Professional Identity: The Art and History of Nursing | 15 | Yes |
| NUR3004 | Innovation in Nursing Leadership and Management | 15 | Yes |
| NUR3008 | Clinical Immersion 3 | 45 | Yes |
| NUR3003 | Simulated Practice Learning 3 | 15 | Yes |
6. Programme Outcomes Linked to Teaching, Learning and Assessment Methods
Intended Learning Outcomes
A: Specialised Subject Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
1. Demonstrate and apply knowledge of the structure and function of the human body across the life span to support people to improve and maintain their mental and physical health and wellbeing. (E, F, MH,NMC Platform 3) |
|
|
Intended Learning Outcomes
B: Academic Discipline Core Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
6. Demonstrate professional understanding of the roles and responsibilities of statutory and employing bodies in the provision and quality assurance of healthcare, accountable practice and duty of care. (E, F, E&P, NMC Platform 1) |
| 7. Reflective accounts/Objective Structured Clinical Examination/Clinical proficiencies/Drug calculations ILO 6 8. Objective Structured Clinical Examination/Clinical proficiencies ILO 8 9. Formative presentations/case-based discussion/simulated scenarios/Objective Structured Clinical Examination/Clinical Proficiencies, Vlogs ILO 7, 9 10. Practice Assessment Document ILO 7,8,9 |
Intended Learning Outcomes
C: Personal/Transferable/Employment Skills and Knowledge
| Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) On successfully completing this programme you will be able to: | Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) will be... | |
|---|---|---|
| ...accommodated and facilitated by the following learning and teaching activities (in/out of class): | ...and evidenced by the following assessment methods: | |
10. Continue to learn independently, develop professionally, supervise and teach peers and colleagues responding to and providing support and constructive feedback. (E, L&M, NMC Platform 1, 5) |
| 10. Clinical proficiencies/reflective accounts/ essay ILO 10 11. All assessments undertaken ILO 11 12. Clinical proficiencies/case studies /reflective accounts/essay/Drug calculations ILO 12 13. Formative presentations/case-based discussion/simulated scenarios/Clinical Proficiencies/ Elective learning opportunity/ Internship ILO 13 14. Practice Assessment Document ILO 10-13 |
7. Programme Regulations
Credit
Nursing is a registered profession and is subject to additional legal and regulatory requirements that affect its academic programmes. These special provisions for Nursing degrees are located in the Amendment to the TQA. Students can find the special provisions for nursing at https://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/specialprovisionsfornursingdegrees/.
Students should ensure they understand the rules for assessment, progression and awards.
Undergraduate Programme: All modules leading to a pre-registration qualification are non-condonable. In each stage you must pass all summative assessments including those which are pass/fail. In stages one to three, the pass mark for assessments in the theory modules is 40%. The exception to this is the final numeracy (drug calculation) examination, where the pass mark is 100%.
Clinical Immersion and Simulated Practice modules are assessed on a pass/fail basis. Individual assessments are not given a mark, they are just deemed to have either been passed or failed.
All modules within the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing lead to professional registration and you are required to pass all items of summative assessment. However, the stage average for each stage will be calculated based on theory modules. The pass/fail clinical placement modules will not contribute to the stage average.
Achievement of a selection of the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses is required at the end of each stage and ALL must be fully achieved by the end of stage 3. The APAC will meet at the end of each stage of the programme to ensure that students have achieved the requisite NMC proficiencies, including demonstrating fitness to practice as well as the academic requirements of the stage.
The Practice Assessment Document (PAD) consists of specified proficiencies that must be signed off at least once by the end of a specific part. The PAD is comprised of three parts. Part one will be assessed in Stage one of the programme, part two will be assessed in Stage two of the programme, part three will be assessed in stage three of the programme. Certain NMC proficiencies can be met in either Part 2 or Part 3 of the PAD and they are listed in the Ongoing Achievement Record (OAR). The PAD includes opportunity of assessment for Medicine Management and Episode of Care in each part. A consolidation period of two weeks is available at the end of Stage 1 and 2 of the academic year, and three weeks at the end of Stage 3 to meet the needs of students, especially those who have been referred in practice.
When a student has failed an item of assessment within a module, they will be given the opportunity to be referred in that assessment. The referred assessment will be capped at the pass mark. The module mark will not be capped. Students who fail a referred assessment will be deemed to have failed the module and academic stage.
All students will normally be allowed a maximum of one repeat stage, regardless of any exceptional mitigating circumstances, provided that they have not been withdrawn from the course for fitness-to-practise reasons
Assessment and Awards
To qualify for the degree of BSc (Hons) Nursing, nursing students must:
1. Meet university regulations on the award of an undergraduate degree. (Please note: you must pass all items of assessment, including the drug calculation test to be eligible for registration with the NMC.)
2. Satisfy the designated hours required by the NMC for professional registration as a nurse.
3. Achieve all the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses including demonstrating Fitness to Practice.
Candidates who fail to satisfy supplementary regulations (1) or (2) above may be permitted to extend their programme of study and/or re-submit failed units of assessment at the discretion of the assessment, progression and awarding committee (APAC).
Candidates who fail to satisfy regulation 1, 2 or 3 are not eligible for NMC registration but may be eligible for an exit award, provided they meet the requirements of that programme (see Exit Awards).
Exit Awards
The following exit awards are available:
|
Qualification |
Minimum overall credits |
|
Certificate of Higher Education in Health Studies |
120 level 4 credits |
|
Diploma of Higher Education in Health Studies |
240 credits, including 120 level 5 credits |
|
BSc (Ord) Health Studies |
300 credits |
|
BSc (Hons) Health Studies |
360 credits, including 120 at each level of 5 and 6 |
UG Programmes:
The overall degree classification is as follows:
The credit-weighted mean Stages 2 and 3 weighted in the ratio 1:2
First class Honours degree: A final credit-weighted mark greater than or equal to 69.50%
Upper Second Class Honours degree: A final credit-weighted mark greater than or equal to 59.50%
Lower Second Class Honours: A final weighted mark greater than or equal to 49.50%
Third Class Honours: A final credit-weighted mark greater than or equal to 40.00%
Classification for Undergraduate
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/classification/#bachelors-masters).
Pass mark by year
End of Stage 1 120 credits at level 4 (40% Pass grade)
End of Stage 2 120 credits at level 5 (40% Pass grade)
End of Stage 3 120 credits at level 6 (40% Pass grade)
Please see the Teaching and Quality Assurance Manual for further guidance
In addition to the University regulations student nurses are expected to abide by the NMC Code: Professional standards of practice and behavior for nurses and midwives (NMC 2018) at all times during the programme. The University has Fitness to Practice panels to consider health or character issues, and to make sure that public protection is maintained. Student nurses whose general conduct indicates their unsuitability for future professional training, by placing patients at risk or bringing the profession and/or the University into disrepute, will be immediately suspended from the programme of study by the Director of Nursing pending a hearing before the Fitness for Practice Committee. Students have a responsibility to raise concerns when on practice placement in order to protect the public. Students are required to declare annually they remain free of convictions and cautions and must inform the university immediately of any caution, convictions, pending charges or adverse determinations made by healthcare regulators, professional bodies.
Classification
Full details of assessment regulations for all taught programmes can be found in the TQA Manual, specifically in the Credit and Qualifications Framework, and the Assessment, Progression and Awarding: Taught Programmes Handbook. Additional information, including Generic Marking Criteria, can be found in the Learning and Teaching Support Handbook.
8. College Support for Students and Students' Learning
Student Handbook: A student handbook will be available online on the University ELE page.
Personal and Academic tutoring: It is University policy that all Departments should have in place a system of academic and personal tutors. The role of academic tutors is to support you on individual modules; the role of personal tutors is to provide you with advice and support for the duration of the programme and extends to providing you with details of how to obtain support and guidance on personal difficulties such as accommodation, financial difficulties and sickness. You can also make an appointment to see individual teaching staff.
Student/Staff Liaison Committee enables students and staff to jointly participate in the management and review of the teaching and learning provision.
Student Feedback: Your feedback is important to us and you will be provided the opportunity to feedback through the student feedback system. The link for this is found within each module. Feedback will happen regularly; it will be both formal and informal. A debrief following clinical immersions will occur at university to ensure you can provide feedback on all aspects of support and supervision in both theory and practice.
9. University Support for Students and Students' Learning
Please refer to the University Academic Policy and Standards guidelines regarding support for students and students' learning.
10. Admissions Criteria
Undergraduate applicants must satisfy the Undergraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Postgraduate applicants must satisfy the Postgraduate Admissions Policy of the University of Exeter.
Specific requirements required to enrol on this programme are available at the respective Undergraduate or Postgraduate Study Site webpages.
A levels: Three A levels at BBB. Excludes general studies. Must also have GCSE Maths and English at grades A-C or 9-4.
BTEC National Diploma: Overall DDM including science or social science content. You must also have the GCSE’s listed above.
T-Level- Health or Healthcare Science: Merit, You must also have the GCSE’s listed above.
International Baccalaureate Diploma: Minimum score of 32-34 with three subjects having a score of 6 or more at higher level. These must include a science or social science. English and math's at minimum of standard level.
Age on entry: the structure of the programme and the limitations placed on students younger than 17½ years when in practice learning environments would result in these students being unable to achieve the programme practice outcomes. Therefore, the age on entry is restricted to 17½ years. Students who are under 18 years of age on entry to practice learning environments will have additional risk assessments carried out prior to commencing this stage of the programme.
English Language Requirements: Nursing students need to be fluent in the English language in order to both understand and complete the programme and to communicate effectively with patients and members of the multidisciplinary team. All students applying to study nursing programmes, whether British or international, must be able to show that they can communicate effectively in English. Programmes are given entirely in English, and all students must be able to understand written and spoken English and take part in tutorials and group discussions.
If the student’s first language is not English they must show fluency and competence in English by passing an approved test before starting the programme. For nursing programmes the test currently recognised is the British Council ‘International English Language Testing Service’ (IELTS) test. For students whose first language is not English we require an IELTS score of 7 with no less than 6.5 in any element.
Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service: allstudents are expected to behave in a manner that justifies the trust that patients and the public place in the nursing profession. All applicants must tick the box on the application form if they have a criminal record, an enhanced disclosure will contain the following details:
- All current and ‘spent’ convictions, includes cautions, reprimands and final warnings;
- Additional information which may be contained on local police records;
- Any bans from working with children or vulnerable adults recorded on Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) and Department of Health (DH) lists.
A conviction does not automatically exclude someone from nursing but convictions must be considered on an individual basis. No conviction is spent when applying to nursing. Some convictions will exclude a student from taking up their offer of a place on the programme or continuing on the programme. This will be considered on an individual basis in line with professional body requirements and in liaison with practice partners where applicable. The University reserves the right to decline an applicant where their record is deemed inappropriate for admittance onto the nursing programme.
All students will undergo an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check before commencing the programme, and may be required to undergo additional checks at the request of specific practice learning providers, for example an elective placement. Students are required to declare any criminal convictions, cautions or fixed penalty offences as they occur and complete an annual declaration that they remain free of conviction, cautions or fixed penalty offences throughout the programme.
Occupational Health Assessment: in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council requirements for declaration of good health and good character, all students will undergo an Occupational Health assessment. ‘Good health’ means that the applicant is capable of safe and effective practice either with or without reasonable adjustments. It does not mean the absence of a health condition or disability. Good health must be maintained throughout the programme. Referral to occupational health will be made if there are any concerns about a student’s health during the programme.
Notes for applicants: all applicants will be interviewed; entry qualifications should be regulated and overseas qualifications are accepted at our discretion after discussion with our International Office. Distance learning programme may be accepted if a recognised regulated qualification is awarded. For all programmes, selection is made on the basis of meeting entry requirements, academic potential and evidence of commitment to nursing. All offers are subject to being successful at the selection day, satisfactory health screening, and disclosure and barring service (DBS) clearance. A literacy and numeracy test will form part of the interview day. A mini multiple interview approach will be used.
11. Regulation of Assessment and Academic Standards
Each academic programme in the University is subject to an agreed College assessment and marking strategy, underpinned by institution-wide assessment procedures.
The security of assessment and academic standards is further supported through the appointment of External Examiners for each programme. External Examiners have access to draft papers, course work and examination scripts. They are required to attend the Board of Examiners and to provide an annual report. Annual External Examiner reports are monitored at both College and University level. Their responsibilities are described in the University's code of practice. See the University's TQA Manual for details.
14. Awarding Institution
ICAS (Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland)
15. Lead College / Teaching Institution
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
16. Partner College / Institution
Partner College(s)
Not applicable to this programme
Partner Institution
Not applicable to this programme.
17. Programme Accredited / Validated by
111
18. Final Award
BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing
19. UCAS Code
B701
20. NQF Level of Final Award
6 (Honours)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | 360 |
ECTS credits | 360 |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
Level 1
23. Dates
| Origin Date | 27/03/2024 |
Date of last revision | 20/12/2024 |
|---|