TEF Gold Undergraduate course

BSc (Hons)

Professional Development in Nursing

Designed with input from healthcare professionals, this part-time BSc (Hons) supports your career growth – building on existing nursing experience to strengthen skills, boost confidence and earn a degree.

Immersive learning

Examine your own practice area, reflect on your own practice and have the chance to discuss and network with your peers, helping you to build professional networks and support whilst undertaking further study.

Practical experience

Develop confidence, competence and emotional resilience to consistently exercise personal responsibility and professional accountability for decision making and the provision of high-quality safe care.

Shape future healthcare

Undertake a programme developed alongside contemporary concerns about nursing which focuses on compassion, fundamental care skills and recognition of the standards of care and practice to ensure patients receive the highest level of care.
BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing
About Details Experience Careers Fees and funding Apply

About

Created with input from colleagues working in the health sector and the School of Nursing and Midwifery, the BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing will focus on professional issues and development in your own field of practice on a programme that acknowledges the diversity in the work settings of registered nurses and provides educational opportunities for adult, child, learning disability and mental health nurses.
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This course is for you if...

you want to build your own self-esteem, motivation for learning and clinical decision making skills and have the chance to improve your professional practice through critical analysis
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you want to underpin your interventions with the best available evidence, contemporary knowledge and high-level clinical decision-making skills
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you want a flexibly designed programme enabling you to ‘step on and step off’ over a five-year period in response to service need and professional circumstances
Patient in bed with healthcare worker

Details

Year 1

This programme offers the awards of BSc/BSc (Hons), Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma. 
BSc – to achieve a BSc you will need to earn 80 credits by undertaking four 20 credit modules – three core and one optional.
BSc (Hons) – to achieve a BSc (Hons) you will need to earn 120 credits by undertaking five modules – four 20 credit modules (one of which is optional) and one core 40 credit module.
Students who have previously obtained a health related degree at 2:2 or above are eligible to access the programme via the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma route – please see panel below for further details.
The module 'HEAD361 - Independent study' is only a core module for students who wish to achieve the BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing award.
BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult) - clinical skills lab
 
 
 
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Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma

If you have previously obtained a health related honours degree at 2:2 or above, you are eligible to access this programme via the graduate certificate/diploma route:
Graduate Certificate Professional Development in Nursing – 60 credits at degree level
Graduate Diploma Professional Development in Nursing – 120 credits at degree level
Students seeking to achieve either qualification will be required to achieve the specified number of credits by choosing from a range of pathway specific modules.
Please contact the Professional Development Unit at PDUAdmissions@plymouth.ac.uk for further information.
Postgraduate students

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Every undergraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the course aims, the course structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

The following programme specification represents the latest course structure and may be subject to change:

BSc (Hons) Professional Development in Nursing pathway specification_6173

Experience

Dr Andy Nichols Lecturer in Nursing Studies (Education)


Lecturer in Nursing Studies (Education)

 
 
 

Life in ¾«Æ·ÎÞÂë¹ú²ú×Ô²ú

¾«Æ·ÎÞÂë¹ú²ú×Ô²ú's maritime history and coastal location have an undeniable influence on life in the city. The walk from our main campus to the seafront is only about one mile, providing loads of opportunity to relax and unwind during your studies. You don’t need to leave the city to get to the coast!
 

The overall vibe of the city is perfect. You are by the sea so it is still laid back, but you have all the conveniences of living in a city.

Jenna
Current student

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Careers

Opportunities for postgraduate study in nursing

Be at the forefront of changes to the traditional ways of working and become a Clinical Practitioner (CP) with our: Advanced Professional Practice (Clinical Practitioner)  
You’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose, treat and manage patients who present with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions, across all sectors of healthcare.
Certain clinicians can also exit as a non-medical prescriber, i.e. nurses, pharmacists and optometrists can become independent and/or supplementary prescribers, whilst radiographers, physiotherapists and podiatrists can become supplementary prescribers.
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Fees and funding

Tuition fees

 
 
 
Tuition fees for part-time UK students starting in 2026-2027 academic year
Part-time study
The fee for this programme is dependant on the modules undertaken. Please see the relevant module webpages for further information.
 
 

Tuition fee price changes
In November 2024, the UK Government announced an increase to tuition fees and maintenance support for 2025/26 academic year, setting the standard tuition fee and student maintenance loan at £9,535 per year and the University’s tuition fees were increased to this rate.
The UK Government has indicated that further fee increases may be announced this year and in subsequent years. If the UK Government does so, the University may increase annual tuition fees in subsequent years, which may include the fees for the 2026/2027 academic year, in line with the Student Contract and all times in line with the maximum tuition fee caps set by the Government. More information about  fees and costs of studying .
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Apply

 
 
 
 
 
 

Entry requirements

 
 
 
To be eligible for the BSc or BSc (Hons) programme you will need to be either a registered health and social care professional or a health and social care worker in possession of previous study at level 5 (foundation degree /diploma of higher education). You will also need to be working in an environment in which end of life care needs are delivered.
If you wish to undertake the graduate certificate and graduate diploma award pathways you must already hold an honours degree at 2:2 or above in a health or health related subject as well as working in an environment in which end of life care needs are delivered.
If you wish to undertake any clinical skills modules as part of your programme you will need to be working in an environment where you can meet the learning outcomes.
Applicants whose first language is not English must also provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English in accordance with the University’s Admissions Code of Practice – minimum overall International English Language Testing System (IELTS) of 6.5 average with a minimum 5.5 in each category.
AP(E)L:
Claims for credit for prior learning, whether certificated or experiential are accepted and will be assessed following University regulations and faculty procedures.
Extended entry requirements
When to apply
Applications for this programme can usually be made throughout the year. Please check the closing date and apply as early as possible as our programmes are popular.
Applying

Please use the Apply button bellow and return the form to:
What happens after I apply?
You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information, to take part in an interview (which in the case if you are an overseas student may be by telephone or video conference) or you will be sent a decision by letter or email.
If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by ¾«Æ·ÎÞÂë¹ú²ú×Ô²ú, please visit our Additional support for students with an impairment, health condition or disability website.
 
 
 
Institution code
NA
Duration

5 years

Course type

Part-time
Study location
¾«Æ·ÎÞÂë¹ú²ú×Ô²ú
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