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	Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing
Programme(s)	Nursing with Professional Registration on Part 1 of the Register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
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 (see below) the following academic regulations apply in addition to the General Regulations.

Note: this programme has been granted an opt-out relating to paragraph 4.5 of Section IV : General Regulations, Progression, Determination and Classification of Results.

Admissions

Candidates for admission must satisfy the Regulations for Admission to Degree Programmes in Section IV of the University Calendar and must be graduates with an appropriate academic and personal profile which must include English Language at GCSE grade C or equivalent. A diverse range of Honours degrees (Class of 2:2 and above) will be considered.

The degree (or evidence of equivalent study) should have been completed within the 5 years preceding admission. Preference will be given to students who are able to offer 'insights into care' such as care employment, voluntary work or community care work, ideally in the field of practice in which they intend to study.

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 student 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 is 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.

Structure of Programme(s)

The programmes leading to the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing shall normally be of two 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 60 credits, comprising of 20 credits at Level 6 and 40 credits at Level 7 (postgraduate certificate in care studies).

In Year 2 students will study 60 credits at Level 7.

The assessment of the clinical placement element of the programme, 66% overall, is to ascertain the student’s progress towards, and achievement of, the NMC Competencies and the Academic and Practitioner Benchmarking Standards (QAA 2001). Students will normally undertake a minimum of 2300 hours of assessed practice in institutional and non-institutional settings.

Progression

Progression Regulations are as described in the University Calendar, Section IV : General Regulations: Progression, Determination and Classification of Results. Where it is necessary, due to the requirements of the Department of Health, Regulatory, Professional and Statutory bodies, they may differ, this is described below.

The pass mark for each modules will be 40% for level 6 modules and 50% for the remaining level 7 modules. Students must meeting 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.
In order to meet NMC requirements in drug calculations, specified assignments must achieve 100% pass mark for this component.
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.

Progression from Year 1 to Year 2 of the Programme
Students will normally successfully achieve in all assessed elements in year 1 in order to progress to the next year of their registered programme. The point of review for this progression will be no later than week 52 of the programme.

Conditional Progression for students carrying referral
Students who have successfully completed all clinical placements may be permitted conditional progression to year 2 of the programme provide they are not carrying academic referral in more than one module.

Clinical Placement
The assessment of the clinical placement element of the programme, 66% overall, is to ascertain the student's progress towards, and achievement of, the NMC Competencies and the Academic and Practitioner Benchmarking Standards (QAA 2001). Students will normally undertake a minimum of 2300 hours of assessed practice in institutional and non-institutional settings.

The student's attainment of practice learning outcomes is judged against the Practice Assessment Criteria which specify the performance required in each year of the programme. Students will normally pass all summative clinical placement assessments within the programme before progressing to the next year of the programme.

In the event of referral at the first attempt students may undertake a second attempt. The student will be expected to pass the unachieved learning outcomes at the same level specified in the original practice assessment criteria. The second attempt must take place in a comparable practice setting. Failure at second attempt will result in failure which will normally lead to termination from the programme.

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

achieves a mark of 39% for level 6 and 49% for level 7 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.

Assessment

Students must meet the pass criteria in both academic and practice assessment to pass overall. Where non-assessed work is a course requirement this must also be achieved. Students will gain credit for each module successfully completed.

If an assignment is below the word limit it will be marked and feedback given. However, work which is limited in length may be compromised in terms of demonstrating the depth and breadth required to secure a pass mark.

Award of Qualification(s)

In order to qualify for the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing, candidates must have:

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 academic study and a minimum of 2300 hours of practice experience;
for Adult branch students, to have met the NMC requirements of the EU77/453/EEC directive;
be judged as of good health and good character and worthy of admission to the NMC register.

Any student who has achieved all assessed and required academic and practice elements of year 1, plus one other part of the programme including 20 credits at level 6 and 40 credits at level 7, can qualify for the award of Postgraduate Certificate in Care Studies. This award carries no professional qualification for practice.

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 Postgraduate Certificate in Health Studies.

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 Postgraduate Diploma 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.