School of Nursing and Midwifery

BSc (Hons) Urgent and Emergency Care

Institution code NA
Duration

5 years
Course type

Part-time
Study location Plymouth

The increasing pressure to provide urgent and emergency care services requires appropriately qualified clinicians to deliver the right care, in the right place at the right time. Our BSc (Hons) Urgent and Emergency Care programme has been developed for NMC/HCPC registered healthcare professionals who work in urgent and emergency care in a range of settings to enable them to meet this demand.

First choice for health

Delivered by professional experts, our programmes are tailored to you and your career. Together, we address today's most challenging healthcare issues, through research-informed teaching and active, real-world learning. #firstchoiceforhealth

Key features
  • Advance your practice in urgent and emergency care, with a programme designed around the person who requires the health intervention and not the place where this is delivered.
  • Focus on the provision of urgent and emergency care across the lifespan, from the young child to the older adult, in both urban and rural locations.
  • A programme that is of value to clinicians practising in a range of locations to include emergency departments, community settings, minor injury units, general practice and acute and specialist services.
  • Develop specialist and transferable competences within an e-portfolio.
  • Learn with and from other healthcare professionals and medical students.
  • Modular design that can be studied full time or part time with the option to complete the award within five years.
  • Opportunity to AP(E)L to a maximum of 60 credits (must be subject related).

Course details

  • Programme overview

  • This programme comprises of three 20 credit core modules and 60 credits in optional modules.
    It may be possible to accredit any previous formal certificated learning and informal non-certificated learning, including e-learning as part of the degree pathway by Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning. Please see the AP(E)L section of our website for further details.
    Please note that if you apply to AP(E)L up to the maximum of 60 credits you will need to achieve the three core modules to be eligible for the award of BSc (Hons) Urgent and Emergency Care.
The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Entry requirements

Contextual offers: Typically, the contextual offer for this course is 8 points below the advertised tariff. A contextual offer is an offer to study at university that takes into account individual circumstances that are beyond your control, and that can potentially impact your learning and your exam results, or your confidence in applying to university.

Check your eligibility for a contextual offer

To be eligible for the programme you must be:
  • on a professional register (i.e. NMC, HCPC) and:
  • working in practice in an area that reflects the continuum of provision for critical care to achieve the programme learning outcomes and:
  • in possession of previous study at level 5 (Diploma of Higher Education) or a foundation degree.
You will be considered and advised individually (where required) by the programme team and Professional Development Unit. Please contact the Professional Development Unit or programme lead if you have any queries regarding your situation.
Extended entry requirements

Fees, costs and funding

* UK Government announcement on tuition fees

On Monday 4 November 2024 the UK Government announced a proposal to increase tuition fees for home undergraduate students from £9,250 to £9,535 per annum from September 2025 onwards. The University of Plymouth intends to apply this new fee from September 2025. However, implementation of this increase will be subject to Parliamentary procedure. The University will give further details to both prospective and current students as soon as more information becomes available.

The fee for this programme is dependent on the modules undertaken. Please see the relevant module web pages for further information .

Additional costs

This course is delivered by the Faculty of Health and more details of any additional costs associated with the faculty's courses are listed on the following page: Faculty of Health additional costs .

How to apply
When to apply
Applications for this programme can usually be made throughout the year. Please check the closing date and apply as early as possible as our programmes are popular.
Apply for this programme
To apply for this programme please complete the application form and return via email to:
What happens after I apply?
You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information, to take part in an interview (which in the case if you are an overseas student may be by telephone or video conference) or you will be sent a decision by letter or email.
If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by University of Plymouth, please visit our Additional support for students with an impairment, health condition or disability website.

Find out more about the modules that make up this course:

Core modules
Optional modules
Or
Any other module, Partnership module, Mentorship or learning achieved with another HEI in the relevant subject of Urgent and Emergency Care – if you are unsure on whether a module you have passed is relevant, please contact the Programme Lead.
This programme also has an optional module at masters level ' APP738 – Management of children/young people requiring urgent or emergency care ’, which offers professional development for graduates working and looking to enhance their clinical and professional practice in this area.
Jason King Student Insight image - Urgent and Emergency Care PD pathway

"The BSc (Hons) Urgent and Emergency Care programme really helped to boost my understanding of current issues within the emergency care specialty. It has made me a more confident and enthusiastic practitioner and I would recommend the course to anyone who wants to gain a deeper insight into this field. There were some truly inspiring sessions in the course. Since undertaking this course, I have worked with other members of staff to improve the care of patients with Sepsis presenting to our ED. The teaching methods are varied and great. It even got me on Twitter- which I thought would never happen!"

Jason Crabtree, registered nurse in the Emergency Department, Treliske Hospital, Truro

If you have previously obtained a health related honours degree at 2:2 or above, you are eligible to access the programme via the Graduate Certificate/Diploma route:

Graduate Certificate: Urgent and Emergency Care (60 credits at degree level)

Graduate Diploma: Urgent and Emergency Care (120 credits at degree level)

Students seeking to achieve either qualification will be required to achieve the two 20 credit core modules, UEC607 and UEC608.

Applications will be considered individually by the programme team and the PDU.

Postgraduate students

Opportunities for postgraduate study in nursing

Be at the forefront of changes to the traditional ways of working and become a Clinical Practitioner (CP) with our MSc Advanced Professional Practice (Clinical Practitioner) .
You’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose, treat and manage patients who present with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions, across all sectors of healthcare.
Certain clinicians can also exit as a non-medical prescriber, i.e. nurses, pharmacists and optometrists can become independent and/or supplementary prescribers, whilst radiographers, physiotherapists and podiatrists can become supplementary prescribers.
MSc Advanced Professional Practice (Clinical Practitioner)
Intercalated degree

We offer medical students the chance to intercalate this degree with their medical studies.
Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

You can contact the Professional Development Unit with any queries

Prospective student enquiries

+44 1752 586951

Current student enquiries

Professional Development Unit, Level 4 Rolle Building, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, United Kingdom.

8.30–17.00 (Friday 16.30)