The Bachelor of Nursing Honours program is a 36-unit course offered by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
Admission requirements
A student who has completed all the requirements of the Bachelor of Nursing degree, or a qualification which the Dean (Education) agrees is equivalent, may be accepted as a candidate for the honours degree providing a credit average or better has been achieved in fulfilling the requirements for the bachelors degree.
Course aims
The Bachelor of Nursing aims to:
- provide an opportunity for nurses to develop an understanding of research and the skills necessary to conduct a study in an area of the student's interest, with the assistance of one or more supervisors
- prepare successful graduates for higher degree research studies and/or research in the clinical setting. (Admission to a higher degree research program is usually restricted to applicants with an Honours Class 1 or 2A degree or equivalent.).
Learning outcomes
At the completion of the course students will be expected to be able to:
- pose and refine worthwhile research questions in Nursing in an appropriate timeframe
- design and use research; including performing literature searches, critically reviewing relevant literature, developing a logical research proposal, discerning the ethical considerations in research, applying ethical principles to the conduct of research
- analyse and transmit solutions to complex research problems; for example, choose between a range of research methodologies and methods and provide a rationale for their choice, develop and effectively argue an understanding of one methodology for their thesis
- transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to others through collection and analysis of data, presentation of findings, defence of conclusions and construction of a thesis.
Program of study
To qualify for the honours degree, a student must complete 36 units of study within one year full-time or two years part-time.
The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion, or failure to complete the course within three consecutive years, may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University’s Policy on Student Progress.
Except with permission of the Dean (Education):
- no topic may be attempted more than twice
- the program must be completed within three years from commencement.
Core topics
18 units comprising:
NURS9218 Approaches to Research Designs (4.5 units)
NURS9219 Introduction to Research (4.5 units)
NURS9220 Developing a Literature Review (4.5 units)
NURS9221 Writing Research Proposals for Ethical and Funding Requirements (4.5 units)
plus 18 units from the following topics:
NURS7000 Honours Thesis (18 units)
NURS7000A Honours Thesis (9 units)
NURS7000B Honours Thesis (9 units)
Arrangements have been made to enable selected students to undertake the course in conjunction with the graduate nurse programs offered by participating teaching hospitals.
