Programme Specification for the 2025/6 academic year
MSci (Hons) Nursing
1. Programme Details
| Programme name | MSci (Hons) Nursing | Programme code | UFX4NURNUR01 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study mode(s) | Level 1 |
Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Campus(es) | St Luke's (Exeter) |
NQF Level of the Final Award | 7 (Masters) |
2. Description of the Programme
The four-year MSci (Hons) Nursing at Exeter offers you an exciting, flexible and unique approach to nurse education whilst studying in a world-leading, research-intensive global University. You are able to achieve a Masters qualification from the University of Exeter by studying full time as an undergraduate student.
This degree allows you to become a highly skilled professional graduate nurse able to address the increasingly complex needs and health challenges people face now and in the future. One of the main areas of flexibility in the programme is the ability to choose either a single award pathway for the MSci (Hons) Nursing (Adult) or a dual award pathway of MSci (Hons) Nursing (Adult and Mental Health).
The curriculum has been designed around Exeter’s unique seven pillars of nursing:fundamentals of nursing care (F), patient and public involvement (PPI), evidence for practice (E), no health without mental health (MH), leadership and management of healthcare (L&M), global health (G) and ethics and professionalism (E&P). This unique approach will prepare you for the increasingly skilled, technical, leadership and education roles graduate nurses undertake. The programme has a strong person-centred focus which ensures that as a graduate of nursing you will put people’s needs first and work with them as partners in their own care. You will also learn in a range of clinical and non-clinical settings Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, and our programme will enable you, as a nursing student, to deliver and lead person-centred care in an evolving and increasingly complex and integrated health and social care arena. Another unique aspect of nursing at Exeter is the careful integration of mental health alongside adult focused studies. This is designed to ensure you understand that there is no health without mental health but also offers insight into mental health nursing should you wish to register as both an adult and a mental health nurse upon graduation.
Stage One and Two
Stage one and two (years 1 and 2 of the 4-year programme) are the same for both pathways of the MSci programme
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 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 and four:
Pathway A MSci (Hons) Dual (Adult and Mental Health)
In Stage three and four students wishing to achieve a dual award undertake an equal proportion of adult and mental health focused modules. You will build on your existing mental health skills by undertaking clinical immersions in general, specialist and community mental health facilities to accompany your specialist mental health theoretical learning. The mental health focus will be on learning evidence-based therapeutic skills within a recovery framework and to equip you as a clinical leader in mental health nursing. Subject to achieving all of the required standards and proficiencies you will be able to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as an Adult and Mental Health Nurse on successful completion of Stage four.
Pathway B MSci (Hons) Nursing (Adult)
Stage three and four sees you focus on the effectiveness of complex care processes, nursing interventions, organisation and delivery of care as you develop your practice leadership and teaching, leadership and interdisciplinary and interprofessional working skills in caring for individuals with complex care needs. In Stage four you will also have the opportunity to concentrate your studies to align with your interests and future areas of specialism in nursing. Those following both pathways will have the opportunity to complete a Clinical Academic Internship module. Allowing you to focus on an area of nursing practice you will be able to spend time in a clinical setting of your choice and complete a project focusing on improving your own knowledge and that of others with an aim of continuing improvement in care practices.
3. Educational Aims of the Programme
1. Provide excellence in nurse education, promoting excellence through competence and confidence in clinical skills and enable you to plan and shape your educational experience in Stage four to support your career plans; (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,G
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, G
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 MSci (Hons) Nursing is to prepare you academically and practically to register with the NMC as an Adult or an Adult and Mental Health Nurse (MSci) at the end of Stage four and so provide you with unique and flexible opportunities to mould your education around your career plans and aspirations.
The MSci is a creative and innovative undergraduate Master’s 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: fundamentals 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 MSci (Hons) Nursing programme is a 4-year programme of study up to National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 7 (as confirmed against the Framework Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). This programme is divided into 4 ‘Stages’. Each Stage is normally equivalent to an academic year. For programmes leading to a single award the NMC requires a minimum of 4,600 hours of theory and practice learning to be undertaken over three years and that a programme leading to dual award is of “sufficient length”. This means that your total number of study hours on the nursing programme is greater than a standard undergraduate degree.
Stage one, two and three 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 three is where you start your journey towards either a dual award in Adult and Mental Health nursing or a single award in Adult nursing.
Nursing Pathways are:
Pathway A: Dual Award, MSci (Hons) Nursing (Adult and Mental Health). This is a full time pre-registration programme with optional modules in stage 4.
Pathway B: Single Award, MSci (Hons) Nursing (Adult). This is a full-time pre-registration programme with optional modules in stage 4.
Stage 1
120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUR1001 | Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology | 15 | Yes |
| NUR1002 | Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice | 15 | Yes |
| NUR1003 | Nursing Theory into Practice 1 | 30 | Yes |
| NUR1004 | Simulated Practice Learning 1 | 15 | Yes |
| NUR1008 | Clinical Immersion 1 | 45 | Yes |
Stage 2
120 credits of compulsory modules
Compulsory Modules
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUR2002 | Nursing Theory into Practice 2 | 15 | Yes |
| NUR2003 | Evaluation, Improvement and Research Approaches in Nursing | 15 | Yes |
| NUR2004 | Simulated Practice Learning 2 | 15 | Yes |
| NUR2005 | Public, Population and Planetary Health | 30 | Yes |
| NUR2008 | Clinical Immersion 2 | 45 | Yes |
Stage 3
Stage 3: 120 credits
Compulsory Modules
a Students following Pathway A: Dual Award Adult and Mental Health Nursing, should select this module.
b Students following Pathway B: Single Award Adult Nursing, should select this module.
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUR3003 | Simulated Practice Learning 3 | 15 | Yes |
| NUR3004 | Innovation in Nursing Leadership and Management | 15 | Yes |
| NUR3008 | Clinical Immersion 3 | 45 | Yes |
| NUR3009 | Developing Professional Identity: The Art and History of Nursing | 15 | Yes |
| NUR3010 | Nursing Theory into Practice 3 (Adult and Mental Health) (see note a) | 30 | Yes |
| NUR3002 | Nursing Theory into Practice 3 (Adult) (see note b) | 30 | Yes |
Stage 4
Stage 4: 90 credits of compulsory modules, 30 credits of optional modules
Compulsory Modules
a Students following Pathway A: Dual Award Adult and Mental Health Nursing, should select this module.
b Students following Pathway B: Single Award Adult Nursing, should select this module.
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NURM115 | Clinical Academic Internship | 30 | Yes |
| NURM116 | Clinical Immersion 4 | 15 | Yes |
| NURM117 | Simulated Practice Learning 4 | 15 | Yes |
| NURM120 | Nursing Theory into Practice 4: Using evidence-based practice for quality in mental health care (see note a) | 30 | Yes |
| NURM119 | Nursing Theory into Practice 4: Enhancing Clinical Judgement and Decision-Making (see note b) | 30 | Yes |
Optional Modules
Note: Option module will run for nursing students only if selected by a sufficient number of students. Please check with the programme team when selecting your options.
| Code | Module | Credits | Non-condonable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| HPDM173 | Child and Adolescent Mental Health | 15 | Yes |
| HPDM174 | Public Mental Health | 15 | Yes |
| HPDM065 | Care of the Older Adult | 15 | Yes |
| HPDM092 | Fundamentals of Research Design | 15 | Yes |
| HPDM128 | Principles of Advanced Clinical Practice | 30 | Yes |
| HPDM142 | Principles of Supervision, Mentoring and Coaching | 15 | Yes |
| HPDM105 | Education Essentials | 15 | Yes |
| NURM118 | Integrative Talking Therapy for Mental Health | 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/.
You should ensure you understand the rules for assessment, progression and awards.
Integrated Masters Programmes: 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%. In the final stage when studying level 7 modules, the pass mark in theory modules is 50% for each assessment. The exception to this is the final numeracy (drug calculation) examination, where the pass mark is 100% and for pharmacology examinations when the pass mark is 80%.
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 MSci (Hons) Nursing lead to professional registration and you are required to pass all items of summative assessment. However, your stage average for each stage will be calculated based on your theory modules. The pass/fail clinical placement modules will not contribute to your 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 4. 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 across Stages three and four 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 single opportunity of assessment for Medicine Management and Episode of Care in each part. A consolidation period is available at the end of each academic year 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 MSci (Hons) Nursing, nursing students must:
1. Meet university regulations on the award of an integrated Masters 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 may be eligible for an exit award, registration, provided they meet the requirements of that programme (see Exit Awards).
Exit Awards
In accordance with NMC requirements you are required to complete the required number of hours of theoretical and clinical learning and meet all the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses to exit with an MSci (Hons) Nursing and consequently be eligible for registration as a nurse. If you are unable to meet these requirements to complete the MSci (Hons) Nursing programme you may be eligible for an exit award.
The exit award given will be determined by the Assessment Progression and Awarding Committee (APAC) and will depend on the number of credits you have acquired up to that point in the programme as follows:
To obtain an exit award you will be required to obtain the minimum number of credits as follows:
|
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 if the requirements for professional registration HAVE NOT been met
|
360 credits, including 120 at each level of 5 and 6 |
|
BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing if the requirements for professional registration HAVE been met.
|
360 credits, including 120 at each level of 5 and 6 |
The BSc (Hons) Health Studies are exit awards of the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing and MSci (Hons) Nursing programme and are not available for direct entry. This award is NOT in Nursing and will NOT entitle you to professional registration or to use the protected title ‘Registered Nurse’
To obtain an exit award you will be required to obtain the minimum number of credits as follows:
|
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 |
|
BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing |
360 credits, including 120 at each level of 5 and 6 |
The BSc (Hons) Health Studies and are exit awards of the BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing and MSci (Hons) Nursing programme and are not available for direct entry.
UG Programmes:
Classification for MSci
The MSci is classified like an undergraduate degree.
http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/classification/#bachelors-masters).
The classification is based on Stage two, three and four, weighted in the ratio 2:3:4 (http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/classification/#weighting
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%
Pass/Fail Threshold: The pass/ fail threshold for the award is an average of 40.00%
PLUS:
Distinction: A final credit-weighted mark greater than or equal to 69.50%
Merit: A final credit-weighted mark greater than or equal to 59.50%
Pass: A final credit-weighted mark greater than or equal to 50.00%
Pass/Fail Threshold: The pass/ fail threshold for the programme award is an average of 50.00%
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)
End of Stage 4 120 credits at level 7 (50% 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 pages
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.
All applications are considered individually on merit. The University is committed to an equal opportunities policy with respect to gender, age, race, sexual orientation and/or disability when dealing with applications. It is also committed to widening access to higher education to students from a diverse range of backgrounds and experience.
Candidates must satisfy the general admissions requirements of the University of Exeter.
Programme Entry: –
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
University of Exeter
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
MSci (Hons) Nursing
19. UCAS Code
B700
20. NQF Level of Final Award
7 (Masters)
21. Credit
| CATS credits | 480 |
ECTS credits | 240 |
|---|
22. QAA Subject Benchmarking Group
Level 1
23. Dates
| Origin Date | 20/12/2024 |
Date of last revision | 20/12/2024 |
|---|
