BACHELOR OF NURSING - BACHELOR OF ARTS

BN-BA

320 credit points

Duration                4 years full-time or equivalent part-time

Available at           Melbourne Campus VIC (St Patrick’s)
                            Ballarat Campus VIC (Aquinas)

The dual degree course Bachelor of Nursing - Bachelor of Arts aims to develop a proactive and adaptable graduate who, at a beginning level, will be an independent life long learner, a competent practitioner, a creative and critical thinker, and a motivated researcher.

The course will facilitate the education of students enabling them to become registered nurses able to practice in a wide range of health care settings. The course will provide the opportunity for students to develop the personal and professional attributes required for practice in a dynamic contemporary health care environment. In addition, the Bachelor of Arts degree offers students the opportunity to enhance further skills of critical analysis, decision making and organisation that are essential in many areas of potential employment.

Graduates will be eligible for registration as a Registered Nurse Division 1 with the Nurses Board Victoria.

Admission

Apply to VTAC.

Pre-requisites for Nursing
Prerequisite: Units 1 and 2 - mathematics (any). Units 3 and 4 - a study score of at least 25 in English (any) and in at least one of biology, chemistry, health and human development, physics, physical education or psychology. Following a review, from 2006 the prerequisite will be: A study score of at least 25 in English (any).

Pre-requisites for Arts
Victoria: English (any) with Units 3 and 4; a study score of at least 25.

Requirements for Completion of Award

The award requires completion of 320 credit points of academic studies as outlined in the course structures below and in Table 1.

Course Structure

Unit Offerings

Unit Offerings will vary subject to student demand and lecturer availability.
Elective units will vary between campuses and from year to year.
There will be 32 units each worth 10 credit points (refer to Table 1.).
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing - Bachelor of Arts dual degree will undertake studies in three main areas: science studies (140 credit points), nursing studies (140 credit points), and humanities and/or social sciences (40 credit points).

Science Studies

The science studies major is designed to enable students to develop an appreciation of scientific principles and applications. Throughout the sequence students will be encouraged to consider the role of science and technology in society.

Nursing Studies

The nursing studies are professional study units, designed to equip graduates with the specialised knowledge they will need as Registered Nurses. These units explore ideas of health, healthcare and nursing practice within a social and professional environment. Inherent in nursing studies are the values of respect for the human person, valuing of the sacred in life, spirituality, social justice, and service to the community. In addition to the theoretical units, students will undertake seven units of supervised clinical practice in which they can apply and develop their theoretical and practical knowledge.

Humanities/Social Science Studies*

Students will be able to choose electives and minors from any of the available Bachelor of Arts offerings. Behavioural Science and Sociology will not be offered to nursing students as they too closely replicate Psychosocial Nursing.

*Quotas may apply.

Progression within the Course

Students will normally complete a unit or units at year one level in an approved sequence before undertaking units at other year levels.

In all aspects of progress through the course students will be advised by the Course Coordinator and by decisions of the School Committee.

Professional Recognition

Upon successful completion of the course, graduates will be eligible for registration as a Registered Nurse Division 1 with the Nurses Board Victoria.

TABLE 1

TABLE 2

Content Areas and Major Unit Sequences

Year	Semester	Units
1	1	·          PHYS102 Natural Systems (Science Major 1) ·          BA Elective 1 ·          BA Minor 1 ·          NRSG110 Psychosocial Nursing 1
	2	·          Science Major 2 chosen from current offerings in:                    SCIO201 History & Philosophy of Science                    SCIO202 Science in a Changing Society                    SCIO203 Studies in Technology                    PHYS201 Energy ·          BA Elective 2 ·          BA Minor 2 ·          NRSG111 Psychosocial Nursing 2
2	1	·          BIOL113 Science for Nurses 1 (Science Major 3) ·          BA Minor 3 ·          NRSG106 Nursing 1 ·          NRSG104 Clinical Practice 1
	2	·          BIOL114 Science for Nurses 2 (Science Major 4) ·          BA Minor 4 ·          NRSG103 Nursing 2 ·          NRSG107 Clinical Practice 2
3	1	·          BIOL225 Science for Nurses 3 (Science Major 5) ·          NRSG204 Nursing 3 ·          NRSG202 Clinical Practice 3 ·          NRSG215 Introduction to Nursing Research
	2	·          BIOL226 Science for Nurses 4 (Science Major 6) ·          Science Major 7 chosen from current offerings in:                    BIOL224 Ecology                    ENVI203 Environmental Issues                    BIOL215 Biological Lifespan Changes                    BIOL217 Human Genetics                    FAML201 Health and Community                    NUTR200 Human Nutrition                    SCIO200 Biotechnology ·          NRSG205 Nursing 4 ·          NRSG214 Clinical Practice 4
4	1	·          BIOL323 Science for Nurses 5 (Science Major 8) ·          NRSG314 Nursing 5 ·          NRSG305 Clinical Practice 5 ·          NRSG337 Nursing & Health Care Ethics
	2	·          NRSG315 Nursing 6 ·          NRSG329 Clinical Practice 6 ·          NRSG330 Clinical Practice 7 ·          NRSG303 The Professional Nurse