BSc (Hons)/Grad Dip/Grad Cert Professional Practice

Students who have successfully completed the Advanced Diploma with their professional registration at Bournemouth University have their 60 level 6 credits from their Advanced Diploma transferred into BSc (Hons) Professional Practice, and then have 4 years from completion of their Advanced Diploma award to complete the BSc (Hons) Professional Practice. If you have studied at another University (including completing an Advanced Diploma), 40 credits can be brought into the BSc (Hons) Professional Practice, provided the credit was awarded less than 6 years ago.

If you have an honours degree and wish to expand your sphere of professional practice without moving to Master's level study you can choose from our range of units and study 40 credits to gain a Graduate Certificate or 80 credits to gain a Graduate Diploma.

Our course diagram provides an easy reference to help explain the flexible nature of this course. 

To gain the Graduate Certificate Professional Practice, you'll need to complete any 40-credit units from the CPD unit listing.

If you are interested in this qualification as a newly qualified social worker or an experienced social worker looking to start the first step of CPD study, please see the NCPQSW website.

To gain the Graduate Diploma Professional Practice, you'll need to complete any 80-credit units from the CPD unit listing.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

If you have undertaken a unit(s) from the CPD Framework prior to 01 February 2018, you have 10 consecutive years in which to your accumulate credit for either a BSc (Hons) Professional Practice (120 credits) or BSc Professional Practice (80 credits). You must achieve the first 60 credits for both programmes within 6 years (maximum), and the final 60 credits within 4 years (maximum). If you have studied at another University, 40 credits can be RPL’d into the BSc (Hons) Professional Practice, provided the credit was awarded less than 6 years ago.

If you are undertaking your first unit after 01 February 2018 you have a total of 5 consecutive years to achieve 120 credits to be awarded the BSc (Hons) Professional Practice. The award of BSc (non-hons) Professional Practice is not open to students commencing units after 01 February 2018.

Advanced Diploma from Bournemouth University (pre and post 1st Febraury 2018)

If you successfully completed the Advanced Diploma with your professional registration at Bournemouth University we will transfer your 60 level 6 credits from your Ad Dip into BSc (Hons) Professional Practice, and you then have 4 years from completion of your Ad Dip award to complete the 60 level 6 needed for a BSc (Hons) Professional Practice. However, if you transfer your Ad Dip credits you must undertake your final 60 credits with Bournemouth University (i.e credit from another University cannot be used as your transfer allowance has been utilised). 

You will need the support of your employer to undertake this course, so please ensure that you have this before applying. 

Please note that you will need to apply for individual units to build up towards the full BSc award. 

We consider lots of different qualifications, to make sure that those who have the talent and the ability to study and learn with us are given the chance to do so.

Transferring credits from existing qualifications

If you want us to take existing qualifications or relevant work experience into account to be granted an exemption from studying individual units or levels, then you should contact the Future Students Enquiry Team.

Transferring students from other University courses

If you wish to transfer from another university course that you are currently studying please contact the Future Students Enquiry Team in the first instance to discuss your suitability for your chosen BU course.

Additional reference

In addition to the reference on your UCAS form, once we’ve received your application we will contact you to ask for a second reference; this can be a different teacher/ lecturer, employer or person who knows you in a professional capacity.

Diploma or Advanced Diploma in Health/Social Care or equivalent. A number of different entry routes are available onto this degree course, depending on your previous qualifications.

You must also be engaged in practice for normally a minimum of 20 hours per week.

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally: 

•  IELTS (Academic) 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

A number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes are offered through our partner institution,Bournemouth University International College, and will get you ready for study at BU at the appropriate level.

You can also find further details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our international entry requirements page.

Among the jobs you will be able to take on once you graduate are:

• Clinical Practitioner
• Specialist Nurse
• Senior Nursing Officer
• Senior Staff Officer
• Staff Nurse
• Team Leader
• Ward Sister.

Industries worked in

• Healthcare
• Education
• Community care.

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our Postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master’s degrees.