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QTAC code (Australian and New Zealand applicants): Ipswich campus: 936392; External: 906395; Toowoomba campus: 906392

CRICOS code (International applicants): 093153B

Please note that the entry requirements for the Bachelor of Nursing are under review and are subject to change.

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Contact us

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

USQ strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Students interested in a career in nursing should contact the Indigenous Coordinator in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at study@usq.edu.au for information on guidance and support and to discuss entry pathways.

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Professional accreditation

The Bachelor of Nursing at USQ is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and is listed as an approved program with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency ().

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Program aims

The Bachelor of Nursing provides the graduate with the nursing knowledge and skills to apply to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) for registration as a Division 1 Registered Nurse.

To gain registration as a nurse, graduates of this program will also have to satisfy registration criteria of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. To gain registration, applicants will also have to meet standards in English language skills, criminal history, and professional indemnity insurance. To maintain registration, nurses are also required to meet standards of Continuing Professional Development and Recency of Practice. All of these standards can be found on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia website: .

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) will keep a enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing for the duration of their study or clinical training. USQ as the education provider will pass on students' details directly to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) for registration. No fees are required.

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Program objectives

Graduates of the Bachelor of Nursing will be able to:

1. direct their own learning and understand the as responsible, reflective lifelong learners

2. apply clinical reasoning and clinical management using the nursing process and the best available evidence to provide safe, person-centred nursing care

3. demonstrate exemplary communication and interpersonal relationships working and leading intra-professional and interdisciplinary teams

4. plan, provide and evaluate comprehensive, safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing care across multiple contexts and populations that meets NMBA Professional Standards of Practice.

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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 07. Graduates at this level will have broad and coherent knowledge and skills for professional work and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

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Program Information Set

View USQ’s admission criteria, student profiles and a summary of all offers made under via the QTAC website.

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

Please note that the entry requirements for the Bachelor of Nursing are under review and are subject to change. All applications will be assessed based on the outcome of this review.
There may be a limited amount of places available in the Bachelor of Nursing.

• Have achieved a minimum Overall Position (OP) 15, tertiary entrance rank 66 or equivalent qualification.^{^}

• Subject Pre-requisite: English (4,SA) or equivalent

• English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.

Applicants are advised to also address the following:

• Recommended Prior ¾«¶«´«Ã½app: Mathematics A (4, SA) or equivalent and one of Biological Science, Chemistry, Physics or Science or equivalent.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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Requirements for professional experience placements

Practical experience is an integral component of the program and each student is required to undertake and satisfactorily complete 840 hours of practical experience.

Progression into practical courses is dependent upon a pass grade in theoretical and other practical courses which have been set as prerequisites.

Applicants must be willing to undertake and submit the requirements of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app of Southern Queensland and Queensland Health for practical placement. Please refer to the applicable for Nursing and Midwifery Students.

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Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of a students' higher education and students pay a , which varies depending on the courses undertaken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called .

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.

Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

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Program structure

The Bachelor of Nursing consists of 24 credit point units (24 mandatory courses) as listed in the standard progression for commencing students.

The Bachelor of Nursing is an integrated curriculum, which provides foundational knowledge and then builds on this with a mix of theory, clinical simulation and professional placements. Pre-requisite courses are strict requirements for professional placement courses. Students need to ensure their enrolments align with established enrolment patterns (full or part-time). Students who enrol outside these enrolment patterns can expect significant challenges in scheduling on-campus requirements (weekly classes or residential schools) with the requirements of professional placements.

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing (BNUR) should consult the .

Requirements to complete the program

Students are required to satisfactorily complete all courses. Some courses have compulsory attendance requirements for science and simulated clinical laboratory work. To satisfactorily complete the six clinical courses, students must participate in the required hours of clinical practice offered at off-campus venues and satisfactorily demonstrate the learning objectives of these courses.

The Bachelor of Nursing at USQ prepares students for a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. Upon completion of the program and application for registration as a nurse, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) requires additional demonstration of English language standards for students for whom English is a second language.

Standard enrolment pattern (BNSG) - Standard 3 year progression - Semester 1 start

Standard enrolment pattern (BNSG) - Semester 2 2018 start (3 years, including some Semester 3 courses)

To complete in 3 years (6 semesters) students will need to study in Semester 3.

Standard enrolment pattern (BNSG) - Semester 2 2017 start (3 years, including some Semester 3 courses)

To complete in 3 years (6 semesters) students will need to study in Semester 3.

Enrolment pattern (BNSG) - ¾«¶«´«Ã½app over 4 years

Standard enrolment pattern (BNSG) - Endorsed Enrolled Nurses (EEN) with 8 exemptions - Semester 1 start

(Exemptions: NUR1120; NUR1102; BIO1203; NUR1100; NUR1299; NUR1202; NUR1201; NUR3030)

Standard enrolment pattern (BNSG) - Endorsed Enrolled Nurses (EEN) with 8 exemptions - Semester 2 start (from 2018) (including study in Semester 3)

(2017 transition pattern only) Standard enrolment pattern - Endorsed Enrolled Nurses (EEN) and International Registered Nurses (BNSG) with 8 exemptions - Semester 2 2017 start (3 years)

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of six (6) years to complete this program. In the case of extenuating circumstances, a final 12 month program extension may be granted under the . Where the allowable maximum time will be exceeded, students are referred to the section on 'Non-contributory Courses' of the Enrolment Procedure.

Where the allowable maximum time will be exceeded, students are referred to the section on of the Enrolment Procedure.

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IT requirements

Students should visit the USQ to check that their computers are capable of running the appropriate software and versions of Internet web browsers and to check the minimum and recommended standards for software.

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Credit

Endorsed Enrolled Nurses

Endorsed Enrolled Nurses applying for exemptions must supply documentation including a certified copy of their Diploma of Nursing and a certified copy of their current Enrolment licence from Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Endorsed Enrolled Nurses with a Diploma of Nursing from a VET institute or equivalent may apply for up to eight exemptions in the Bachelor of Nursing program (two full-time semesters).

Enrolled nurses and Endorsed Enrolled Nurses who are completing their qualification at VET should contact study@usq.edu.au for advice on direct articulation pathways from VET and possible exemptions. Exemptions must comply with the university regulations from the .

Transfer Students: Students who wish to transfer components of other accredited Bachelor of Nursing programs and students with prior university credit should contact usq.support@usq.edu.au to apply for possible exemptions. Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the .

International students who have a Registered Nurse qualification from an approved education institution under NOOSR guidelines may apply for exemptions in the program. Please refer to USQ International for information about how to apply.

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Enrolment

The Bachelor of Nursing program is offered with a variety of progressions over full-time or part-time enrolment patterns. Students may also utilise courses offered in Semester 3 to load-spread their program (quotas apply for Semester 3 courses).

The Bachelor of Nursing is an integrated curriculum, which provides foundational knowledge and then builds on this with a mix of theory, clinical simulation and professional placements. Pre-requisite courses are strict requirements for professional placement courses. Students need to ensure their enrolments align with established enrolment patterns. Students who enrol outside these enrolment patterns can expect significant challenges in scheduling on-campus requirements (weekly classes or residential schools) with the requirements of professional placements.

External ¾«¶«´«Ã½app

External enrolment in the Bachelor of Nursing requires significant on-campus commitments including residential schools (Toowoomba and Ipswich campus) in most semesters of up to two weeks duration as well as face-to-face clinical placements. Students must be prepared to travel to clinical placements, and at times this will require periods of living away from home for up to four weeks. Enrolment externally in the Bachelor of Nursing is not available to International students. Visa requirements for International students require significant on-campus attendance.

Recommended enrolment pattern

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Bachelor of Nursing - Recommended enrolment pattern

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.