University of Southampton Calendar 2013/14


University Calendar 2013/14 Section X : Academic Regulations - Faculty of Health Sciences

Academic Unit	Health Sciences
Final Award	Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing (pre-registration) with eligibility to enter part 1 of the NMC register
Programme(s)	Nursing (Adult Field, Child Field, Mental Health Field)
Last modified	July 2013

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 an opt-out has been granted by the University (see below) 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 the General Regulations. The Post Graduate Diploma in Nursing (pre-registration) is designed as a graduate entry award to enable those with the necessary pre-requisites of a relevant degree and practice experience to take advantage of the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) opportunities and achieve a postgraduate qualification with eligibility for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Registered Nurse in; Adult, Child or Mental health fields. Admission to the programme requires students to successfully demonstrate 1000 hours (40 ECTS) of relevant prior study through the APL procedures.

Admission to, and continuation on, the programme is subject to specific health requirements (consistent with the provisions of the Equality Act [2010]). Prospective students are required to inform the Faculty 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 Faculty of all criminal convictions. All students will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Equality Statement
The Faculty 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 Faculty 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 Learning (APL)
APL will be considered on a case by case basis and in accordance with the University regulations for APL, as well as NMC regulations.

Structure of Programme(s)

The award of Post Graduate Diploma in Nursing (pre-registration) is obtained upon completion of a minimum of 60 ECTS at the appropriate levels, including at least 45 ECTS credits at HE level 7 and 15 ECTS credits at HE level 6.

It is undertaken at academic levels 4, 5, 6 and 7. The programme is in three parts which are normally undertaken over 3 years.

Part 1	Demonstration of relevant prior learning through the APL procedures and equivalent to 40 ECTS at level 4. A successful APL claim is an admissions requirement to the programme.
Part 2	Students will study 30 ECTS at Level 4 (practice), 15 ECTS at level 5 (practice), 5 ECTS at level 6 and 20 ECTS at level 7.
Part 3	Students will study 15 ECTS at level 5 (practice), 30 ECTS at Level 6 (practice) and 25 ECTS at level 7.

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.

The outline of the content of each module shall be specified in the module profile and made available to students electronically via the university virtual learning environment.

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 all modules will be 40% for level 4, 5 and 6 modules and 50% for all level 7 modules. Students must meet the pass criteria in both academic and practice experience to be awarded the programme.

Module Referral

The criteria for module assessment referral are:

Failure to achieve a Pass/Fail assessment.
In practice modules failure to achieve all core competencies and or receiving a D in any of the criterion.
Where an assessment comprises of two or more components the minimum pass mark for a part must be 40% with an aggregate of 40% overall (50% for masters level modules).
In order to meet NMC requirements in drug calculations, 100% must be achieved to pass this assessment.
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.

Assessment will be redeemable. Students who do not achieve a pass at first attempt may take referral attempts in accordance with the University regulations.

Practice Experience Referral

A student will normally be required to retrieve a practice experience by:
Undertaking the assessment during the first 4 weeks of the next practice experience. Where this is practice experience 6, a further practice experience of 8 weeks will be arranged.
A student will normally be required to retrieve a referred practice experience assessment on one further occasion if he/she refers a practice experience assessment.
For the purpose of interpreting university regulations, referral within Practice Experiences 1-5 will not contribute to the total of referred credit within one part of the programme given that the credit for these modules do not contribute toward the award of Postgraduate diploma.

Termination of Registration

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

achieves a mark of 39% or below ( 49% or below for level 7 modules) on a repeat attempt;
fails a Pass/Fail assessment on a repeat;
does not attend, or is more than half an hour late for a resit examination or is requested to leave the examination room.
In a repeat practice module, failure to achieve all core competencies and or receiving a D in any of the criteria.

Assessment

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

Award of Qualification(s)

In order to qualify for the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing (pre-registration), 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 the NMC requirements of a minimum of 2300 hours of academic study and a minimum of 2300 hours of practice experience.;
for Adult field students, to have met the NMC requirements of the EU77/453/EEC directive;
for Adult field students to achieve the ‘High Acuity competencies’ as set out within assessment of practice documentation;
be judged as of good health and good character and worthy of admission to the NMC register.

Students who are successful at all assessment except practice modules and have achieved sufficient credit, shall be eligible for the Post Graduate Diploma in Health Studies. The Post Graduate Diploma in Health Studies recognises academic achievement but does not give entitlement to apply for registration with the NMC.

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 all practice modules to successfully complete the programme. Opportunities may be available for study abroad (including practice placements) through the ERASMUS scheme.

Other

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

Students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the Faculty and University regulations and policies. In particular:

Fitness to Practice
Academic Integrity
Special Considerations

No compensation is possible.