BN Nursing Studies

The description of content provided below is for guidance only; course names and content may be updated.

Year 1

Years 1 and 2 provide an introduction to the evidence base for nursing. This includes:

• anatomy and physiology
• nursing care
• mental health
• technical innovations in healthcare
• sociological and psychological aspects of healthcare
• approaches to research

In addition to the compulsory courses, you will also choose two option courses from subjects across the University during Year 1.

Year 2

You will continue the introduction to the evidence base for nursing.

Year 3

You will develop leadership skills and deepen your understanding of the evidence base for nursing. You will also develop your critical thinking abilities and clinical decision making.

You will choose two honours option courses in Years 3 and 4, learning as a mixed group of Year 3 and 4 students. This allows you to personalise your programme and pursue nursing courses which address your own disciplinary interests.

Your skills continue and develop with further inter-professional opportunities.

Year 4

The final year allows you to work on a topic of your choice to produce an honours dissertation.

Dissertation work is supported by close academic supervision.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2022/23)

Our facilities

Teaching takes place in the Central Campus area of the University.

You will have access to:

• teaching and learning facilities
• libraries
• computer labs

Clinical skills teaching takes place at the Chancellor's Building Clinical Skills Centre, at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Placements

Clinical practice placements are provided by NHS Lothian and NHS Borders.

You should expect to be placed across these two health boards during your programme. You will work with a suitably prepared supervisor and assessor on placement.

Study abroad

There are potential opportunities to complete a clinical placement abroad in Year 3.

There is also an opportunity for two students to apply for a semester-long exchange with an Australian university in Year 3.

What are my choices for going abroad?

How will I learn?

All nursing programmes in the UK are 50% theory and 50% practice. The courses you take in this programme have both theoretical and clinical practice elements.

You will learn through a combination of:

• lectures
• tutorials
• seminars
• clinical skills sessions
• problem-based learning
• reflective diaries
• group work
• computer-assisted learning

You will also undertake learning in practice learning environments during clinical placements in each year.

How will I be assessed?

We use a range of assessments including:

• coursework
• multimedia presentations
• group work
• group presentations
• exams
• clinical practice profiles

This programme has progression points at the end of each academic year where you must demonstrate clinical competence as well as academic excellence. This is jointly assessed by a Practice Assessor and an Academic Assessor. This is in line with the Nursing and Midwifery Council Standards for Nurse Education and the Standards for Students Supervision and Assessment (2018).

Career prospects are excellent for nursing studies graduates from the University of Edinburgh.

Our graduates have gone onto a range of clinical settings in both community and hospital contexts, specialising in areas such as:

• intensive care
• oncology
• theatres
• accident and emergency
• voluntary sector organisations

You may choose to undertake further study for a Master's degree or PhD and go on to develop your career in areas such as:

• higher education
• research
• management
• policy development

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S5 or AABB/ABBBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: AAB.
• IB: 37 points with 666 at HL - 34 points with 665 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Highers: no specific Higher subjects required. National 5s: English and Mathematics or Applications of Mathematics at C.
• A Levels: no specific A Level subjects required. GCSEs: Mathematics and English at C or 4.
• IB: HL: no specific subjects required. SL: English at 5 and Mathematics at 4.

Additional requirements

Some prior experience of working with people is advisable. Admission to this degree includes an interview process. Further details on the process will be sent to candidates shortlisted for interview.

Fitness to practice

There is fitness to practice guidance for people who wish to become nurses, we strongly advise you to make yourself aware of this before you apply. Please consult the Higher Educational Occupational Physicians/Practitioners (HEOPS) website for fitness to practice guidelines for this degree.

HEOPS

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 at C
• GCSE at C or 4
• Level 2 Certificate at C
• IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in each component.
• TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 70 in each component.

(Revised 29 August 2023 to remove PTE Academic Online)

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

English language requirements

Protecting Vulnerable Groups

All successful applicants will be required to join Disclosure Scotland's Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting the programme. In addition, all applicants who don't live in the UK, or who have spent more than a year abroad, will need to provide equivalent verification from the relevant national authority.

Health check

All students must undergo hepatitis B immunisation, TB status and occupational health check before starting the degree. Students will also need to meet any NHS Scotland vaccination requirements.

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

Please note that some programmes do not have Discover Uni data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for BN Nursing Studies

Additional costs

If you are eligible for a SAAS bursary, you should be able to reclaim travel expenses incurred during clinical placements. Those who are ineligible will personally bear the cost of travel and accommodation related to clinical placement.

In Year 3, there is usually an opportunity to undertake a single semester exchange with La Trobe University, Australia. Exchange students may be responsible for additional costs such as:

• visa costs
• immunisation
• travel costs
• living costs

In Year 3, you will also undertake an elective clinical placement, either abroad or elsewhere in the UK. Students associated with this placement are responsible for:

• visa costs
• immunisation
• travel costs
• living costs

Students from the rest of the UK and overseas, whose fees are not paid by the Scottish Government, will be liable for the cost of the following mandatory items:

• uniforms
• occupational health appointments
• membership fee for the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

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