Currently the Bachelor of Nursing is a three-year undergraduate degree. The honours degree of Bachelor of Nursing will provide a pathway for those students who demonstrate academic ability to pursue higher degree studies in the discipline of nursing.
It is believed that many students feel that an extra year of studies, as provided by an honours year, is beneficial in terms of research training, experience and career prospects.
The introduction of an honours year course will enable the Subfaculty of Nursing within the university to parallel the degree structure present in other national and international universities offering nursing degree courses.
The course
The course will be two years part-time duration, and will be offered in both internal (1995) and external (1996) modes at Gippsland and Peninsula campuses.The course aims to provide future higher degree candidates with advanced studies in nursing and nursing research.
Entry requirements
A Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent with an average grade of credit or higher in the final full-time equivalent year of the course. In exceptional circumstances the Subfaculty Postgraduate Matters Committee may recommend candidature to a person with a lesser result.
Course objectives
Upon completion of the course it is expected that students should be able to:
* clearly describe a broad range of research methodologies which may be used to investigate the discipline of nursing;
* demonstrate skills in undertaking research including planning, development and implementation of a research project under supervision;
* produce and present research work at a scholarly level;
* demonstrate an interest in pursuing higher degree studies in the discipline of nursing;
* participate in research activities as part of their professional role.
Course outline
The honours degree of Bachelor of Nursing will consist of coursework and a supervised research project. Seventy-five per cent of the course will be devoted to nursing research. The coursework component will normally be taken over one year of part-time study and consist of two (2) nursing subjects and two (2) research subjects.
Year one
First semester
* NUR4101 Research I
* NUR4103 Historical inquiry in nursing
Second semester
* NUR4202 Research II
* NUR4204 Philosophical inquiry in nursing
Year Two
First semester
* NUR4105 Honours research project
Second semester
* NUR4206 Honours research project
Grading
Students graduating from the honours year will graduate with Class I Honours, Class II (a) Honours, Class II (b) Honours, or Class III Honours.