BSc Professional Practice
The BSc Professional Practice is a fully online top up degree programme that enables health and social care professionals who do not yet hold a degree level qualification to attain a BSc award, relevant to your professional role.
Key facts
- Award BSc
- Start date September 2023, January 2024, September 2024, January 2025
- Duration 4 semesters minimum
- Mode of study part time
- Delivery online
Overview
The BSc Professional Practice is designed to be flexible by offering you a range of contemporary and relevant option modules that enhance academic knowledge and skills that are directly applicable to your practice.
This programme leads to a BSc Professional Practice award. It also offers the following pathways, allowing you to graduate with a named award:
- BSc Professional Practice (Nursing)
- BSc Professional Practice (Paramedical Science)
- BSc Professional Practice (Mental Health)
Credit information
SCQF Level: 9
Total Credit Value: 360
ECTS Credit Value: 180
Top reasons to study with us
Entry requirements
Entry requirements
You must be working in a healthcare professional role and be registered with the relevant governing body for your profession.
The programme is open to those who have completed a Foundation degree, DipHE, HND or equivalent qualification in a health, social care or related subject.
Evidence of completion of a related professional programme of study is required (Nursing/Paramedic/Social Care/Mental Health).
All registered Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) accredited professionals will be considered for this programme. Professionally registered applicants from outside the UK must provide evidence of completion of a professional programme of study and registration with a recognised governing body.
Additional information
Apply now
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in writing and 7.0 in speaking, listening and reading.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 67 overall with a minimum of 62 in writing and 67 in speaking, listening and reading.
- IBT TOEFL 94 overall with 19 in reading, 24 in writing, 20 in listening and 22 in speaking.
See our information on English language requirements for more details on the language tests we accept and options to waive these requirements.
Pre-sessional English language courses
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this course, our partner INTO University of Stirling offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for entry to this degree.
Find out more about our pre-sessional English language courses
Course details
The BSc Professional Practice is a top-up programme that offers experienced, health and social care staff the opportunity to achieve a degree level award through a practice focused, research-informed suite of flexibly delivered modules.
The programme offers you a suite of modules which are in line with current health and social care priorities, including dementia, long-term health conditions, leadership and mental health.
The pathway through this programme is decided by you, enabling you to personalise the right programme for your practice. You can select the mode of learning that suits you best: watching recorded lectures, participating in activities and reflective discussions, and accessing wider reading resources.
Online learning is supported by live open office hour to create a real time opportunity for you to connect with the teaching team.
Those in healthcare professional roles, registered with a governing body and working within health or social care and who hold a Diploma will be awarded 280 credits (RPL) and will be required to achieve 80 credits for a degree exit award.
Those who are in professional roles, registered with a governing body and working within health or social care and who do not hold a Diploma will be awarded 260 credits (RPL) and will be required to achieve 100 credits for a degree exit award.
Only one module can be completed per semester.
BSc Professional Practice (without a named award)
Choose 80 or 100 credits.
|
Module Name |
Module Code |
Credit |
Semester |
SCQF Level |
|
NURU228 |
20 |
Autumn and Spring |
9 |
|
| Improving Quality through Work-based Learning |
NURU225 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
| Assessing and Managing Symptoms in Palliative Care |
NURU220 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
|
NURU209 |
40 |
Autumn and Spring |
9 |
|
| Understanding and Assessing Pain |
NURU152 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
| Mental Health Everyone’s Business |
NURU309 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
| Health and Wellbeing of People with Dementia |
NURU307 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
|
Professional Leadership |
NURU310 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
* Gateway for Further Studies is a module specifically developed for those students returning to education after a prolonged break or for those who have not studied at Higher Education level before. The module guides students through fundamental academic writing skills, literature searching skills and understanding and evaluating research and other forms of evidence. For those who require this module, this should be the first module selected.
**Prescribing for Healthcare Professionals is a 40 credit NMC approved module that commences in both the autumn and spring semesters. The module spans 25 weeks. The module is aligned to the competencies of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Prescribing Competency Framework to allow individuals to prescribe safely, effectively and competently. Entrance requirements are detailed in the Prescribing for Healthcare Professionals module. Students must be NMC registered and be required to prescribe on completion of this module.
BSc Professional Practice (Nursing)
To achieve a BSc Professional Practice (Nursing), students must select a minimum of 60 credits from the modules below. The remaining credit should be selected from the suite of BSc Professional Practice (non-named award) modules.
|
Module Name |
Module Code |
Credit |
Semester |
SCQF Level |
| Health and Wellbeing of People with Dementia |
NURU307 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
| Assessing and Managing Symptoms in Palliative Care |
NURU220 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
| Improving Quality through Work-based Learning |
NURU225 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
|
Collaborative Management of Long-Term Conditions |
NURU308 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
|
Professional Leadership |
NURU310 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
BSc Professional Practice (Paramedical Science)
To achieve a BSc Professional Practice (Paramedical Science), students must select a minimum of 60 credits from the modules below. The remaining credit should be selected from the suite of BSc Professional Practice (non-named award) modules.
NURU209 is excluded from the non-award module choices.
|
Module Name |
Module Code |
Credit |
Semester |
SCQF Level |
| Understanding and Assessing Pain |
NURU152 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
| Mental Health Everyone’s Business |
NURU309 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
| Assessing and Managing Symptoms in Palliative Care |
NURU220 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
| Improving Quality through Work-based Learning |
NURU225 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
|
Collaborative Management of Long-Term Conditions |
NURU308 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
BSc Professional Practice (Mental Health)
To achieve a BSc Professional Practice (Mental Health), students must select a minimum of 60 credits from the modules below. The remaining credit should be selected from the suite of BSc Professional Practice (non-named award) modules.
|
Module Name |
Module Code |
Credit |
Semester |
SCQF Level |
| Mental Health Everyone’s Business |
NURU309 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
| Health and Wellbeing of People with Dementia |
NURU307 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
| Improving Quality through Work-based Learning |
NURU225 |
20 |
Autumn |
9 |
|
Professional Leadership |
NURU310 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
|
Collaborative Management of Long-Term Conditions |
NURU308 |
20 |
Spring |
9 |
Modules
The module information below provides an example of the types of course module you may study. The details listed are for the current academic year (September 2023). Modules and start dates are regularly reviewed and may be subject to change in future years.
Course details
Teaching
We ensure that learning is accessible, engaging and interactive. All are fully online and delivered using a variety of innovative and interactive methods such as:
- online live lectures;
- live synchronous open office hours;
- recorded lectures;
- online podcasts, discussion forums and social space;
- academic skills development activities;
- online quizzes, repositories, reflective activities and student collaboration activities;
- links to online resources, videos and related learning materials;
- independent learning through engagement with research and other evidence.
Assessment
All modules will be assessed at SQA level 9. The assessment strategy for each module is detailed in the module information and may include: essays, review of literature, critical reflection, critical incident review, assessment of clinical competencies using clinical scenarios, comparative and case study work.
Mode of study
Flexible learning
Our flexible degree structure means you can study the following modules from the BSc Professional Practice individually as stand-alone continuing professional development (CPD) short courses:
Contact
Mark Lees, Course Director
Fees and funding
Fees and costs
You will be liable to pay tuition fees for every module you enrol on - check the fees for each module below. Your fees will be held at the same level throughout your course. If you need to extend your period of study, you may be liable for an additional fee.
For more information on courses invoiced on a modular fee basis, please read our tuition fee policy.
BSc Professional Practice modules
- Gateway to Further Studies
- Improving Quality through Work-based Learning
- Assessing and Managing Symptoms in Palliative Care
- Prescribing for Healthcare Professionals
- Pain 1: Understanding and Assessing Pain
- Mental Health Everyone’s Business
- Health and Wellbeing of People with Dementia
BSc Professional Practice (Nursing) modules
- Health and Wellbeing of People with Dementia
- Assessing and Managing Symptoms in Palliative Care
- Improving Quality through Work-based Learning
BSc Professional Practice (Paramedical Science) modules
- Pain 1: Understanding and Assessing Pain
- Mental Health Everyone’s Business
- Assessing and Managing Symptoms in Palliative Care
- Improving Quality through Work-based Learning
BSc Professional Practice (Mental Health) modules
Additional costs
There are some instances where additional fees may apply. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to pay additional costs, for example for field trips. Learn more about additional fees.
Funding
Cost of living
If you’re domiciled in the UK, you can typically apply to your relevant funding body for help with living costs. This usually takes the form of student loans, grants or bursaries, and the amount awarded depends upon your personal circumstances and household income.
International (including EU) students won’t normally be able to claim living support through SAAS or other UK public funding bodies. You should contact the relevant authority in your country to find out if you’re eligible to receive support.
Payment options
We aim to be as flexible as possible, and offer a wide range of payment methods - including the option to pay fees by instalments. Learn more about how to pay.
After you graduate
Completion of the BSc Professional Practice programme offers you career development and advancement opportunities, specifically for professional roles that are transitioning into a degree level workforce.
As a health and social care professional, you can focus your learning and award on specific practice areas, for example, mental health, dementia, acute or palliative care offering advancement opportunities for graduates.
The completion of the programme will offer you access to further study such as Masters level study with our MSc Advancing Practice programme.
Flexible study
This course is not available as a combined degree.