Nursing Career - Diploma/Degree?

Lady_K

I think they do it at Derby, Sheffield and Bradford maybe more but definitely those anyway

Lady_K

Apparently they do everything appart from the dissertation

petetidball

The whole degree/diploma thing also depends on where you go. I start my nursing course on Monday, but the university I'm going to only offer diploma at the moment. I could have gone to another uni nearby which offered degree, but the contact time was twice as much, limiting time to work for money on the side. Unfortunatley, the mortgage (and the wifes attraction to expensive handbags) means I have to work. If not, I'd have gone for the degree just for the extra letters after my name.

I work with nurses and I've asked them if degrees are seen as any better than diplomas and the overwhelming majority have said it makes no difference. They're all great nurses, both diploma and degree holders, so there doesn't seem to be a huge disparity in terms of practice.

Basically, if your sisters worried about the academic side, from what I have heard and understand there isn't a huge difference. And as someone else already said, it's in the third year so you've had two years more of academia anyway.

randomguy_3

Hey there,

you dont mention where your sis is thinking of studying, but i do believe that those funding arrangements only apply to England...If your sis chooses to study in Wales/Scotland/NI she can get the full bursary for doing the degree so best of both worlds...?

http://www.nhsstudentgrants.co.uk/

has lots of info as does

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/home.html

HTH

eclipse

Lady_K wrote:

I think they do it at Derby, Sheffield and Bradford maybe more but definitely those anyway

Southampton is another one

emmasebbeth

They also do the advanced diploma at Manchester I'm hoping to get on this when I get my results for my last module.

At Manchester you need an average of 60 across the first 3 modules to do the advanced diploma and an average of 70 to do the degree pathway, the pass marks for modules is 40.

The only reason I am favouring the advanced diploma is because I simply couldn't afford to do the degree - you get to keep the bursary this way.

Lady_K

Yes thats why my daughter did it she couldnt afford to di the degree without full bursary

DonkeyKong77

emmasebbeth wrote:

They also do the advanced diploma at Manchester I'm hoping to get on this when I get my results for my last module.

At Manchester you need an average of 60 across the first 3 modules to do the advanced diploma and an average of 70 to do the degree pathway, the pass marks for modules is 40.

.

Hi

Is that at Manchester Uni? I didn't see that if it was - we contacted them re: open days/advice etc, and frankly the admissions staff on email, for the diploma, were less than useful.

I think she is favouring an advanced diploma, or one where she can "uppgrade" to a degree during the 3 years, if she wants. Financially, it would be less of a burden being on a degree for two rather than three years. Academically (trying not to put any undue pressure on) but she should be able to get the grades to enrol on a degree course. If she doesn't, then she can go on an advanced diploma and take it from there.

Looking at uni's locally (north west) we didn't see any offering advanced diploma's, but i may be wrong. Nearest otherwise are sheffield hallam, and leeds. I know Derby do it, and that could be a possibility (decent website at least). She has a few visits lined up for salford, manchester and derby where we'll hopefully get a better idea.

Though i don't know whether it's possible if she can apply for advanced diploma's (via nmas i think) and degrees (via ucas) or whether it's one or the other.

randomguy_3

hey there,

Here are the Universities that do Advanced diploma (dont think Manchester do)

http://www.google.co.uk/search?as_q=advanced+diploma&num=10&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=www.nmas.ac.uk&as_rights=&safe=images

RE: applying to diplomas and degrees (i.e. through NMAS and UCAS)

"If you apply through both NMAS and UCAS, you will be considered separately in each scheme: all decisions in either scheme will be made independently. You may, if you wish, hold offers through both NMAS and UCAS until after the public examination results have been published in the summer, when conditional offers made through UCAS have been confirmed. In fairness to other applicants, you will then be expected to hold any offer no longer than necessary. This implies that you will withdraw from UCAS if you have received an offer from a university or college through NMAS and have decided to take it up; or that you will withdraw from NMAS as soon as you have received a confirmed offer through UCAS and have decided to take that up"

As you mention there are a couple of unis where you apply for the diploma/degree but as all their students are taught together for the first two years they ALL qualify for the full bursary for the first two years then only get the lower one if they do the degree for the third year (providing you get the grades) For example South Bank

http://prospectus.lsbu.ac.uk/courses/course.php?CourseID=834

However this isn't standard so your prob best off phoning the particular uni's your interested in

Another option you could consider if finances/circumstances are a big issue is the one im currently doing - If you work as a health care assistant (aka nursing auxillary, aka care support worker) at your local hospital for a year there is usually the chance to be seconded to the local university to study nursing whilst still recieving your salary - the 'catch' is that you have to return to work for the trust (Obv as a trained nurse) for a min time (mine is 2 years) - this catch however is a bonus these days i.e. your guarenteed a job!

sorry for long post but hope it helps

r-ingram

Good stuff, Randomguy

I would just add 2 points. Some Universities (well, one I know of) make you specify dip or degree at the start, and whilst both are taught together, the bursary only goes with the former. However (maybe with a bit of discrete informatiom from staff???), some students just register for the diploma (knowing they want the degree) and transfer in year 3.

The other point, secondment could be a good option financially, if you can get it. The 2 year tie-in is usually required, but when a friend of mine tested the limit of this we found that the only enforceable requirement was that the person resumed work in the NHS within 12 months of the start of the obligation (i.e. 12 months after qualifying), and for an unspecified time (so 1 day, in theory). So mobility should still be retained, however for most the obvious first job, and pprobably the best one to take, will be with the seconding employer. Very few people ever challenge this because they believe that anything one signs is legally binding, but it is not if the agreement is "illegal" in that it varies from established conditions of service.