General Practice Nursing - PgCert
2023/24 Part-time Postgraduate course
Award:
Postgraduate Certificate
Faculty:
Faculty of Life and Health Sciences
School:
School of Nursing and Paramedic Science
Campus:
Belfast campus
Start date:
September 2023
Overview
A one year exciting and challenging course for nurses working in General Practice
Summary
The aim of this course is to support General Practice Nurses (GPNs) to develop critical enquiry in key components of general practice nursing. This includes the knowledge and skills required to deliver autonomous, safe and effective person-centred care to a variety of service users across the lifespan, through the development and management of nurse led clinics and through anticipatory preventative care which reflects public health priorities and long-term conditions.
We’d love to hear from you!
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
- Course specific information
- Fees and Finance
- Admissions
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
About this course
In this section
About
This course is designed to be taken over one academic year, in part-time mode. The course will consist of three modules. Two 30 credit modules will be taught over semesters one and two. Additionally, the two taught modules will be complimented with a work-based learning module which will be undertaken across semester one and two. The first module in semester one, NUS744, will provide students with key principles and knowledge required in general practice nursing, with a focus on the context of general practice nursing, health promotion, women's and men's health, communication and decision making when caring for the person with a long-term condition. The second module in semester two, NUS745, will build on this and examine wider aspects of the general practice nurse, including interpersonal skills, interprofessional working, innovation and leadership when delivering person-centred care for those living with a longterm condition. During the course students will also engage in 12 days (72 hours) of work-based learning and this will be captured as part of a non-credit bearing module, NUS746. Students will complete a portfolio that demonstrates how they have met the competencies outlined within the Career Pathway for General Practice Nursing Roles (NIPEC 2019). Details of the modules (Level 7) and corresponding credit values are provided below: NUS744 Integrating the Principles of General Practice Nursing 30 credits NUS745 Evaluating the Enhanced Role of the General Practice Nurse C 30 credits NUS746 GP Nursing Portfolio C I
Attendance
Alternate weeks in University with every other week in Practice Based Learning in the General Practice area
Start dates
- September 2023
Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Semester 1 -There will be a class test on week 6 (30%) on pathophysiology of diabetes/ chronic kidney disease and coronary heart diseas.There will be an assignment (4000) words on a case study and reflection due on week 12
Semester 2 - There will be a presentation on a respiratory condition by week 8 (30%) and an assignment on innovative practice due on week 12(70%)
Teaching, learning and assessment
The content for each course is summarised on the relevant course page, along with an overview of the modules that make up the course.
Each course is approved by the University and meets the expectations of:
- the relevant generic national Qualification Descriptor
- the applicable Subject Benchmark Statement
- the requirements of any professional, regulatory, statutory and accrediting bodies.
Attendance and Independent Study
As part of your course induction, you will be provided with details of the organisation and management of the course, including attendance and assessment requirements - usually in the form of a timetable. For full-time courses, the precise timetable for each semester is not confirmed until close to the start date and may be subject to some change in the early weeks as all courses settle into their planned patterns. For part-time courses which require attendance on particular days and times, an expectation of the days and periods of attendance will be included in the letter of offer. A course handbook is also made available.
Courses comprise modules for which the notional effort involved is indicated by its credit rating. Each credit point represents 10 hours of student effort. Undergraduate courses typically contain 10, 20, or 40 credit modules (more usually 20) and postgraduate courses typically 15 or 30 credit modules.
The normal study load expectation for an undergraduate full-time course of study in the standard academic year is 120 credit points. This amounts to around 36-42 hours of expected teaching and learning per week, inclusive of attendance requirements for lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical work, fieldwork or other scheduled classes, private study, and assessment. Teaching and learning activities will be in-person and/or online depending on the nature of the course. Part-time study load is the same as full-time pro-rata, with each credit point representing 10 hours of student effort.
Postgraduate Master’s courses typically comprise 180 credits, taken in three semesters when studied full-time. A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) comprises 60 credits and can usually be completed on a part-time basis in one year. A 120-credit Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) can usually be completed on a part-time basis in two years.
Class contact times vary by course and type of module. Typically, for a module predominantly delivered through lectures you can expect at least 3 contact hours per week (lectures/seminars/tutorials). Laboratory classes often require a greater intensity of attendance in blocks. Some modules may combine lecture and laboratory. The precise model will depend on the course you apply for and may be subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. Prospective students will be consulted about any significant changes.
Assessment
Assessment methods vary and are defined explicitly in each module. Assessment can be a combination of examination and coursework but may also be only one of these methods. Assessment is designed to assess your achievement of the module’s stated learning outcomes. You can expect to receive timely feedback on all coursework assessments. This feedback may be issued individually and/or issued to the group and you will be encouraged to act on this feedback for your own development.
Coursework can take many forms, for example: essay, report, seminar paper, test, presentation, dissertation, design, artefacts, portfolio, journal, group work. The precise form and combination of assessment will depend on the course you apply for and the module. Details will be made available in advance through induction, the course handbook, the module specification, the assessment timetable and the assessment brief. The details are subject to change from year to year for quality or enhancement reasons. You will be consulted about any significant changes.
Normally, a module will have 4 learning outcomes, and no more than 2 items of assessment. An item of assessment can comprise more than one task. The notional workload and the equivalence across types of assessment is standardised. The module pass mark for undergraduate courses is 40%. The module pass mark for postgraduate courses is 50%.
Calculation of the Final Award
The class of Honours awarded in Bachelor’s degrees is usually determined by calculation of an aggregate mark based on performance across the modules at Levels 5 and 6, (which correspond to the second and third year of full-time attendance).
Level 6 modules contribute 70% of the aggregate mark and Level 5 contributes 30% to the calculation of the class of the award. Classification of integrated Master’s degrees with Honours include a Level 7 component. The calculation in this case is: 50% Level 7, 30% Level 6, 20% Level 5. At least half the Level 5 modules must be studied at the University for Level 5 to be included in the calculation of the class.
All other qualifications have an overall grade determined by results in modules from the final level of study. In Master’s degrees of more than 200 credit points the final 120 points usually determine the overall grading.
Figures correct for academic year 2022-2023.
Academic profile
The University employs over 1,000 suitably qualified and experienced academic staff - 60% have PhDs in their subject field and many have professional body recognition.
Courses are taught by staff who are Professors (19%), Readers, Senior Lecturers (22%) or Lecturers (57%).
We require most academic staff to be qualified to teach in higher education: 82% hold either Postgraduate Certificates in Higher Education Practice or higher. Most academic and learning support staff (85%) are recognised as fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) by Advance HE - the university sector professional body for teaching and learning. Many academic and technical staff hold other professional body designations related to their subject or scholarly practice.
The profiles of many academic staff can be found on the University’s departmental websites and give a detailed insight into the range of staffing and expertise. The precise staffing for a course will depend on the department(s) involved and the availability and management of staff. This is subject to change annually and is confirmed in the timetable issued at the start of the course.
Occasionally, teaching may be supplemented by suitably qualified part-time staff (usually qualified researchers) and specialist guest lecturers. In these cases, all staff are inducted, mostly through our staff development programme ‘First Steps to Teaching’. In some cases, usually for provision in one of our out-centres, Recognised University Teachers are involved, supported by the University in suitable professional development for teaching.
Figures correct for academic year 2022-2023.
Belfast campus
Belfast Campus Location
The Belfast campus is situated in the artistic and cultural centre of the city, the Cathedral Quarter.
Accommodation
High quality apartment living in Belfast city centre adjacent to the university campus.
Find out more - information about accommodation
Student Wellbeing
At Student Wellbeing we provide many services to help students through their time at Ulster University.
Modules
Here is a guide to the subjects studied on this course.
Courses are continually reviewed to take advantage of new teaching approaches and developments in research, industry and the professions. Please be aware that modules may change for your year of entry. The exact modules available and their order may vary depending on course updates, staff availability, timetabling and student demand. Please contact the course team for the most up to date module list.
In this section
Year one
Integrating the Principles of General Practice Nursing
Year: 1
Status: C
This module is suitable for nurses working in general practice. It encourages students to critically explore the local, national and international context for their role. Nurses will develop and appraise their assessment, management and communication skills as a general practice nurse and in particular, will do this through focusing on the care of people living with long term conditions and their families/carers. This course is a compulsory module in the Postgrduate Certificate in General Practice Nursing. Assessment is 100% coursework.
Evaluating the enhanced role of the General Practice Nursing
Year: 1
Status: C
This module complements the module 'Integrating the Principles of General Practice Nursing' by expanding on the knowledge required by General Practice Nurses across a range of long term conditions, to effectively care for people experiencing complexity and co-morbidity, and by encouraging nurses to develop and implement the leadership and innovation skills required to enhance quality care. This is a compulsory module in the Postgraduate Certificate in General Practice Nursing. Assessment is 100% coursework.
General Practice Nursing Portfolio
Year: 1
Status: C
This is a work based learning module for students completing the Postgraduate Certificate in General Practice Nursing. Students will complete a portfolio to demonstrate how they meet the competencies of the General Practice Nursing Framework for Northern Ireland (NIPEC 2019) and will be supported in practice by a supervisor.
Standard entry conditions
We recognise a range of qualifications for admission to our courses. In addition to the specific entry conditions for this course you must also meet the University’s General Entrance Requirements.
Entry Requirements
An Honours or non-Honours degree from a University of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which is recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or (ii) an equivalent standard in a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification; [and] be a first level registered nurse working in a general practice setting and (b) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent);
English Language Requirements
English language requirements for international applicants
The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.
Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.
Careers & opportunities
In this section
Career options
This is a recognised course with competencies approved by the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council (NIPEC) and will be a foundation for a career pathway as a General Practice Nurse
Work placement / study abroad
Work placement must be in General Practice with a named appointed practice supervisor
Apply
Start dates
- September 2023
Fees and funding
The price of your overall programme will be determined by the number of credit points that you initiate in the relevant academic year.
For modules commenced in the academic year 2023/24, the following fees apply:
| Credit Points | NI/ROI/GB Cost | International Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | £186.65 | £440 |
| 10 | £373.30 | £880 |
| 15 | £559.95 | £1,320 |
| 20 | £746.60 | £1,760 |
| 30 | £1,119.90 | £2,640 |
| 60 | £2,239.80 | £5,280 |
| 120 | £4,479.60 | £10,560 |
| 180 | £6,719.40 | £15,840 |
NB: A standard full-time PGCert is equivalent to 60 credit points per year. A standard full-time PGDip is equivalent to 120 credit points per year.
Scholarships, awards and prizes
On successful completion of both modules and a portfolio the student will be awarded an Advanced Certificate in General Practice Nursing
Additional mandatory costs
It is important to remember that costs associated with accommodation, travel (including car parking charges) and normal living will need to be covered in addition to tuition fees.
Where a course has additional mandatory expenses (in addition to tuition fees) we make every effort to highlight them above. We aim to provide students with the learning materials needed to support their studies. Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. Computer suites and free Wi-Fi are also available on each of the campuses.
There are additional fees for graduation ceremonies, examination resits and library fines.
Students choosing a period of paid work placement or study abroad as a part of their course should be aware that there may be additional travel and living costs, as well as tuition fees.
See the tuition fees on our student guide for most up to date costs.
Contact
We’d love to hear from you!
We know that choosing to study at university is a big decision, and you may not always be able to find the information you need online.
Please contact Ulster University with any queries or questions you might have about:
- Course specific information
- Fees and Finance
- Admissions
For any queries regarding getting help with your application, please select Admissions in the drop down below.
For queries related to course content, including modules and placements, please select Course specific information.
We look forward to hearing from you.
For more information visit
Disclaimer
- Although reasonable steps are taken to provide the programmes and services described, the University cannot guarantee the provision of any course or facility and the University may make variations to the contents or methods of delivery of courses, discontinue, merge or combine courses and introduce new courses if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Such circumstances include (but are not limited to) industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key staff, changes in legislation or government policy including changes, if any, resulting from the UK departing the European Union, withdrawal or reduction of funding or other circumstances beyond the University’s reasonable control.
- If the University discontinues any courses, it will use its best endeavours to provide a suitable alternative course. In addition, courses may change during the course of study and in such circumstances the University will normally undertake a consultation process prior to any such changes being introduced and seek to ensure that no student is unreasonably prejudiced as a consequence of any such change.
- The University does not accept responsibility (other than through the negligence of the University, its staff or agents), for the consequences of any modification or cancellation of any course, or part of a course, offered by the University but will take into consideration the effects on individual students and seek to minimise the impact of such effects where reasonably practicable.
- The University cannot accept any liability for disruption to its provision of educational or other services caused by circumstances beyond its control, but the University will take all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to such services.