University of Sydney Handbooks - 2014 Archive

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Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Nursing

Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Nursing

The Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Nursing is designed for students who wish to obtain a broader knowledge of the health sciences. Study in the health sciences includes topics such as toxicology, epidemiology, microbiology, behavioural health science, management and project design.

Campus locations
Combined degree Undergraduate location Master of Nursing location
Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Nursing Cumberland/Camperdown Mallett St
Combined degree course overview

The combined degrees consist of a total of 192 credit points comprising 96 credit points toward the bachelor's degree and 96 credit points for the Master of Nursing. In most cases, units of study are worth six credit points; however, there are some units in Health Sciences that are worth three credit points.

In the first year, study is exclusively in the bachelor's degree. Years 2 and 3 are a combination of undergraduate and postgraduate studies and Year 4 is entirely postgraduate. All students must complete the requirements for the bachelor's degree before continuing to the fourth and final year of their combined degree.

Generally students are not permitted to continue their enrolment in the combined degree if they do not have a credit average at the end of Year 1. If you are not successful in attaining a credit average in Year 1 then you may complete the undergraduate degree before commencing study in the Master of Nursing. This pathway would require an additional year of study.

Details of the units and the order in which they must be taken are provided in the unit of study table. For units of study relating to the Health Sciences component of this degree, please refer to the handbook for that faculty. Please note that some elective units may not be available due to clashes in the timetable in the Master of Nursing.

The pre-registration courses at Sydney Nursing School involve significant participation in off-campus clinical placements. You will complete more than 800 clinical hours during your degree. Before each clinical placement you will practise your skills in our clinical labs and high fidelity simulation wards. Clinical placement sites include private and public hospitals, mental health services and community health settings. The majority of clinical placements occur within the Sydney metropolitan area, although you will also be expected to undertake some clinical placements in rural locations.

You will need to be available to complete full-time weeks of shiftwork throughout university holiday periods in order to complete your clinical placements.

Important information to prepare you for clinical placements:

Workload for the combined degree

Study in this course is taken over four years full time (pro rata part time).You are required to complete 96 credit points in the bachelors degree and 96 credit points in the Master of Nursing to graduate.

The total number of units studied will vary depending upon the course you choose. In terms of workload, most six credit point units of study consist of attendance and lectures, tutorials and/or lab sessions on a regular basis. There are also pre-reading and assessment items equating to approximately 10 hours per week.

Study patterns for all combined degrees including relevant unit of study rules are outlined in this handbook. This course consists of lectures, tutorials and laboratory work.

All clinical units associated with the Master of Nursing have clinical placement experiences that are generally conducted outside the normal semester times. Please refer to the Master of Nursing clinical placement information for more details.

Course rules

 

Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Nursing


These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2000 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Resolutions of the Faculty, the University of Sydney (Student Appeals against Academic Decisions) Rule 2006 (as amended), the University policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism and the Sydney Nursing School Clinical Policy.

Course resolutions

1 Course codes

Code

Course title

GH020

Bachelor of Health Sciences/Master of Nursing

2 Attendance pattern

The attendance pattern for this course is full time or part time according to candidate choice.

3 Master's type

The master's degree in these resolutions is a professional master's course, as defined by the Coursework Rule.

4 Cross faculty management

(1)
Candidates will be under the general supervision of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery for the duration of the combined program.
(2)
The Deans of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery and the Faculty of Health Sciences shall jointly exercise authority in any matter concerned with the combined course not otherwise dealt with in these resolutions.

5 Admission to candidature

(1)
Admission to this course is on the basis of a secondary school leaving qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate (including national and international equivalents), tertiary study or an approved preparation program. English language requirements must be met where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications taught in English. Special admission pathways are open for mature aged applicants who do not possess a school leaving qualification, educationally disadvantaged applicants and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Applicants are ranked by merit and offers for available places are issued according to the ranking. Details of admission policies are found in the Coursework Rule.
(2)
English language requirements for this course are detailed in the faculty resolutions.
(3)
This course requires applicants to have the ability to undertake clinical placements. The faculty's Clinical Policy contains further details of the requirements.
(4)
In addition, this course is not available to applicants who are registered to practise as a nurse in an Australian state or territory.

6 Requirements for award

(1)
The units of study that may be taken for this combined degree are set out in the Units of Study table for the Bachelor of Health Sciences / Master of Nursing.
(2)
To qualify for the award of the combined Bachelor of Health Sciences / Master of Nursing, a candidate must complete a total of 192 credit points, including:
(a)
96 credit points from the Bachelor of Health Sciences, comprising:
(i)
36 credit points of core units of study; and
(ii)
60 credit points of elective units of study, including a minimum of 24 credit points of senior units of study; and
(b)
96 credit points from the Master of Nursing, comprising:
(i)
90 credit points of core units of study; and
(ii)
a six credit point elective unit of study.
(3)
Candidates are required to attend clinical simulation and fieldwork as required for the Master of Nursing component. Where appropriate, the faculty may require individual candidates to undertake further or remedial theoretical, clinical or practical study in addition to the above requirements.

7 Majors

There are no majors available in the Bachelor of Health Sciences / Master of Nursing.

8 Progression rules

(1)
Candidates are required to complete their first 48 credit points with an average mark of at least 65 to remain in the combined degree program. Candidates who do not achieve this mark may not continue in the program; however, they may elect to transfer to the single Bachelor of Health Sciences degree.
(2)
Candidates may not commence Master of Nursing units of study until satisfactorily completing 48 credits points in the Bachelor of Health Sciences component. The Bachelor of Health Sciences component must be completed before continuing to the fourth and final year of the combined degree.
(3)
All candidates must successfully complete all Year One Master of Nursing units of study before progressing to Year Two Master of Nursing units of study.
(4)
In exceptional circumstances a candidate may be allowed to progress to the next stage with approval by the Dean of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery.

9 Requirements for the Honours degree

Honours is available to meritorious candidates in Bachelor of Health Sciences who complete an additional year of full-time study following completion of the combined program. Admission and award requirements for honours in the Bachelor of Health Sciences are listed in the resolutions of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

10 Award of the degree

(1)
Candidates will be awarded a separate testamur for each degree completed.
(2)
The Bachelor of Health Sciences is awarded in the grades of either Pass or Honours. The honours degree is awarded in classes ranging from First to Third Class according to the rules specified in the Resolutions of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
(3)
Candidates for the award of the Honours degree who do not meet the requirements, and who have not already graduated, will be awarded the pass degree.
(4)
The Master of Nursing is awarded at the Pass level only.

11 Time limits

(1)
A full time candidate must complete all the requirements for the combined program within six calendar years of first enrolment, including periods of suspension.
(2)
A part time candidate must complete all the requirements for the combined program within eight calendar years of first enrolment, including periods of suspension.

12 Course transfer

A candidate may abandon the combined course program and elect to complete the Bachelor of Health Sciences in accordance with the resolutions governing that degree. Completion of the Master of Nursing in the future will require a new application for admission to candidature for that course and completion in accordance with the resolutions governing that degree.

13 Credit for previous study

(1)
Credit awarded for previous study at another institution will not exceed 24 credit points and credit awarded for previous study at the University of Sydney will not exceed 96 credit points.
(2)
Credit for nursing units of study will not be granted for recognised prior learning older than five years at the time of first enrolment.

14 Transitional provisions

(1)
These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January, 2011 and students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January, 2011 who elect to proceed under these resolutions.
(2)
Candidates who commenced prior to 1 January, 2011 may complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement, provided that the requirements are completed by 1 January, 2016. The Faculty may specify a later date for completion or specify alternative requirements for completion of candidatures that extend beyond this time.