University of Southampton Calendar 2009/10


University Calendar 2009/10 Section VIII : Academic Regulations - Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Health Sciences

School	School of Health Sciences
Final Award	Diploma with Advanced Studies in Nursing
Programme(s)	Diploma with Advanced Studies in Nursing with Professional Registration on Part 1 of the Register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council
Last modified	12 August 2009

Reference should be made to the University's General Regulations found in Section IV and Section V (Higher Degree Regulations) of the University Calendar.

Except where the School has been granted an opt-out by the University, the following academic regulations apply in addition to the General Regulations.

Admissions

Candidates for admission must satisfy the Regulations for Admission to Degree Programmes as specified in Section IV of the General Regulations and meet the entry requirements for either school leaver or mature applicants stipulated for this profession.

Admission to, and continuation on, the programme is subject to specific health requirements (consistent with the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act [1995]). Prospective students are required to inform the School of any health problems relevant to their future employment as a health professional. All students will be subject to an occupational health check.

Admission to, and continuation on, the programme is subject to consideration of any criminal convictions. The programme is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act [1986]. Prospective students are required to inform the School of all criminal convictions. All students will be subject to an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check.

Equality Statement
The School wishes to make places available to a wide range of people who will make a useful contribution to the study and practice of nursing. The University and the School are committed to a comprehensive policy of equal opportunities in which students are recruited on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities and are given equal opportunities within the University. The aim of the policy is to ensure that no prospective or current students should receive less favourable treatment on any grounds that are not relevant to academic ability and attainment and state registration as a professional nurse.

The University’s Disability Equality Scheme includes an Action Plan which identifies the steps that the University is taking to improve the opportunities available to disabled students. Applications from candidates with disabilities are always considered and assessment of their abilities and needs undertaken sensitively.

Decisions are based on whether or not the applicant meets the admission criteria, whether the programme can be delivered to the applicant in a way that meets their requirements, making reasonable adjustments if necessary and whether at the end of the programme, the graduate would meet the competencies set by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Accreditation of Prior Experiential/Certificated Learning (APEL/APCL)
APEL/APCL will be considered on a case by case basis and in accordance with the University regulations for APCL.

The decisions about the equivalence of applicant’s learning will be formed with reference to the Diploma with Advanced Studies programme specifications and statements of learning outcomes.

Students completing the University of Southampton Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care by following the dedicated progression route are also awarded advanced standing of 120 credits at HE Level 4 (APCL).

Students will be awarded a maximum grade of 40% for successful APEL and APCL claims.

Structure of Programme(s)

The programmes leading to the awards of Diploma with Advanced Studies in Nursing shall be of three years' duration. The maximum period of registration shall normally be five years. This period of registration will incorporate periods of suspension or interruption of studies. In line with NMC regulations, the award must be completed within five years of the commencement date.

In Year 1 students will study 120 credits at Level 4 (Certificate)
In Year 2 students will study 120 credits at Level 5 (Diploma)
In Year 3 students will study 80 credits at Level 6 (Diploma with Advanced Studies)

The outline of the content of each module shall be specified in the module outlines and made available to students in the programme handbooks or on ‘Blackboard’.

Progression

Progression Regulations are as described in the University Calendar, Section IV : General Regulations: Progression, Determination and Classification of Results. For all programmes which lead to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, statutory regulations apply.

The pass mark for each modules will be 40% for all levels. Students must meet the pass criteria in both academic and practice experience to pass overall.

Module Referral

The criteria for module assessment referral are:

Failure to achieve a Pass/Fail assessment.
Where an assessment comprises of two or more components the minimum pass mark for each part must be 35% with an aggregate minimum mark of 40%.
In order to meet NMC requirements in drug calculations, specified assignments must achieve 100% pass mark for this component.
In Year 1, meeting NMC requirements for completion of all assessment within 12 weeks of completing year 1 to progress to year 2.
Non-attendance or late arrival more than half an hour after the start of an examination/presentation, or is required to leave the examination room.
Submission of an assignment 24 hours or more after the published deadline.

Practice Experience Referral

A student will normally be required to retrieve a practice experience by:

developing a retrieval action plan in partnership with a mentor, academic tutor;
re-submitting the retrieval action plan documentation to be implemented within a set four-week practice period immediately following the summative practice assessment points at the end of Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3;
in Year 1, meeting NMC requirements for completion of all assessment within 12 weeks of completing year 1 to progress to year 2;
undertaking a new experience if a significant number (33%) of proficiencies have been referred, and submitting a completely new assessment of practice documentation.

A student completing Practice Experience 6 of the award (final practice experience), if referred, will normally:

undertake a new experience during an agreed period of extended time;
re-submit the assessment of practice documents 6-8 weeks after commencing the additional placement.

Year 1 Progression into Year 2 and Year 2 Progression into Year 3

Students cannot normally progress from Year 1 to Year 2 and Year 2 to Year 3 with any assessments outstanding. In the case of students having outstanding assignments, they will normally interrupt and re-submit/resit assessments off programme.

Termination of Registration

A student’s registration will normally be terminated following resit/retrieval assessments if he/she:

achieves a mark of 39 or below on a re-submitted/resit attempt;
fails a Pass/Fail assessment on a re-submission/resit;
does not attend, or is more than half an hour late for a resit examination or is requested to leave the examination room;
submits a written further attempt assessment more than 24 hours after the stated deadline.

Transfers between Awards
The School operates a policy/process whereby students may request a transfer to another award. Transfers between academic awards are confined to specific points in the award journey and are governed by the award structure in the School.

Assessment

Students must meet the pass criteria in both academic and, when required, practice assessment to pass overall. Non-assessed work may also be a course requirement.

Award of Qualification(s)

In order to qualify for the award of Diploma with Advanced Studies in Nursing candidates must:

have satisfied the entry requirements as set out in the programme specifications;
have undertaken all the levels of the curriculum as appropriate to each award and passed all the required assessments (theory and practice);
have completed satisfactorily all practice assessment, practice experience and other coursework as required;
have met all the NMC requirements for progression;
have met the NMC requirements of 2300 hours of academic study and 2300 hours of practice experience;
for Adult branch students, to have met the NMC requiments of the EU77/453/EEC directive;
be judged as of good health and good character and worthy of admission to the NMC register.

Students who are successful at Level 4 assessments but are unable to complete the full award shall be eligible for the exit award of a Certificate in Health Studies.

Any student who has achieved the academic requirements of the award for which they are registered but have not met the good health or good character and conduct requirements for professional registration will eligible for the award of a Diploma in Health Studies. The award cannot be named ‘Nursing’, as the term ‘Nursing’ is a title protected under the Health Act (1999) for those who are fully qualified and registered as nurses. Any student who experiences grave or terminal illness/injury which prevents them from continuing on their programme of study and achieving qualification may be eligible for a posthumous or aegrotat qualification named either Certificate in Health Studies or Diploma in Health Studies. The award cannot be named Nursing, as the term ‘Nursing’ is a title protected under the Health Act (1999) for those who are fully qualified and registered as nurses.

Placements/Study Abroad/Exchange/Fieldwork

Practice experience forms an integral part of the programme and students are required to pass in order to be awarded a Diploma with Advanced Studies in Nursing.

Other

These regulations may be revised during the student's period of registration in accordance with the procedures approved by Senate.

Special Considerations
Compensation is not permitted on this programme. The treatment of special considerations is dealt with under separate Special Considerations procedures.