University Calendar 2011/12
Section X : Academic Regulations - Faculty of Health Sciences


PREFACE
CONTENTS
SEMESTERS
SECTION I
SECTION II
SECTION III
SECTION IV
SECTION V
SECTION VI
SECTION VII
SECTION VIII
SECTION IX
SECTION X
SECTION XI
SECTION XII
SECTION XIII
SECTION XIV
 
ARCHIVE 2004/5
ARCHIVE 2005/6
ARCHIVE 2006/7
ARCHIVE 2007/8
ARCHIVE 2008/9
ARCHIVE 2009/10
ARCHIVE 2010/11
Academic Unit 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 July 2011

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.

1. 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 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 Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) 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)
APEL/APCL will be considered on a case by case basis and in accordance with the University regulations for APL.


2. 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.


3. 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 module will be 40% for level 6 modules and 50% for the remaining level 7 modules. 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.

  • 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 provided they are not carrying academic referral in more than one module.

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.


4. 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.

When attending for an examination you must produce either your university ID card or a form of photographic ID in which you are clearly identifiable. Students without photographic ID will not be permitted entry to the examination.

Work submitted up to 5 days after the deadline will be marked as usual.  The final agreed mark is then reduced by the factors detailed in the relevant University Policy. http://www.soton.ac.uk/quality/docs/Extensions_and_Late_Submission_Penalties.doc”.


5. Award of Qualification(s)
 
In order to qualify for the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Nursing, candidates must:
  1. have satisfied the entry requirements as set out in the programme specifications;

  2. have undertaken all the levels of the curriculum as appropriate to each award and passed all the required assessments (theory and practice);

  3. have completed satisfactorily all practice assessment, practice experience and other coursework as required;

  4. have met all the NMC requirements for progression;

  5. have met the NMC requirements of academic study and a minimum of 2300 hours of practice experience;

  6. for Adult branch students, to have met the NMC requirements of the EU77/453/EEC directive;

  7. 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.

Merit or Distinction
For the purposes of calculating the average mark carried forward to determine the award of merit or distinction, the pass mark will be capped at 50%.


6. 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.

Students are not permitted to continue in placement whilst progressing an academic appeal against a relevant body.


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

Compensation
Compensation is not permitted on this programme.

Special Considerations
Students are guided to the Special Considerations guidance in the University Calendar in particular the guidance relating to the deadlines for submission of Special Considerations forms. The treatment of special considerations is dealt with under separate Special Considerations procedures.

A student's performance may be worthy of special consideration if their performance in a relevant assessment has been adversely affected by exceptional circumstances outside their control and there is evidence to support such a claim.

Special considerations shall only apply to circumstances which can be clearly related to performance in particular elements of assessment.

The authority of the Special Considerations Board to make allowance for exceptional circumstances may be restricted in some programmes subject to Professional, Statutory or Regulatory requirements or because of the special requirements of particular programmes. In such cases, this will be made clear to students in programme documentation.

Fitness to Practice
Students are advised to acquaint themselves with the Faculty Fitness to Practise Policy which is used within the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Academic Integrity
Where issues of Academic Integrity are detected, the Faculty will follow the published Academic Integrity Regulations.  Where a case remains active prior to an examination board, a mark of 0 will be presented to the examinations.  This mark will then be amended by Chairs Action depending on the outcome of the Academic Integrity process.

The Faculty is moving to the use of Turnitin software as an educational resource to help students to help evaluate the originality of their own work.  Where Turnitin submission is required of work that will contribute to summative assessment and the student fails to submit, they will be awarded a mark of 0 for the component in question.

Academic Appeals
Students are guided to the Academic Appeals Regulations in the University Calendar.

Submitted by Corporate Services
Last reviewed: 22-Aug-2011
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