Online Access to Degree Programme 2013-14
- Course Co-ordinator: Audrey Adams tel +353 1 8963020
- Executive Officer: Grainne Curistan tel +353 1 8963753
What is the Access to Degree programme?
The overall aim of the Access to Degree Programme is to prepare nursing & midwifery practitioners who do not hold a Diploma in Nursing or a Diploma in Midwifery qualification for entrance to the Bachelors in Nursing (BNS) or Bachelors in Midwifery (BMS) Degree programme. This Access course is designed to get you up to speed for the academic standard required and to enable you to provide evidence that you can study and produce written work of an honors degree level.
Why do it?
The Access is designed to reinforce and complement your prior learning and to assist you to develop study, writing, critiquing and information technology skills absolutely essential in these days for professional practice and career development.
Academically, on successful completion of the Access programme you will be awarded 60 ECTS, which in Trinity is the equivalent of one academic year of study at undergraduate level. Professionally this programme is approved as a Category 7 course by An Bord Altranais.
The programme also provides various opportunities to enable you to stand back from your practice and examine the beliefs, values and feelings, which you hold about health care practice and your own area of work in particular.
Flexible learning
Attendance at part-time programmes can be difficult as you juggle the pressures of work, home and student life. In order to make our Access programme more accessible and to help you learn at your own pace we deliver about half of the course online so you can study where you want, at times that suit you.
The course begins with a full-time induction week in September. This is an opportunity to get to know fellow students, lecturers and staff, and become familiar with the advantages and resources available to you when studying at Trinity College Dublin. After that, for the rest of the first term, class attendance is every other week. After the Christmas break class attendance is once every three weeks. Class attendance finishes approximately mid to late April with the last assignment submission due in May.
Entry Requirements
Applicants are currently registered or are eligible for registration with An Bord Altranais. All applicants must fulfil the University of Dublin, Trinity College entry requirements or be eligible for matriculation. Applicants over the age of 23 on January 1st of the year of admission are eligible to matriculate as mature students. Candidates are selected according to agreed criteria.
Exemptions
Exemptions may be granted from individual modules provided the applicant supplies evidence that he/she has completed the hours of study for that specific module and that evidence of success for that assignments/examinations for that topic are provided (transcript) these will then be considered by the Selection Committee,
It is the students responsibility to obtain and supply original or certified copies of transcripts. The Selection Committee will not consider exemptions in absence of same. All decisions made by the Selection Committee are final.
Application Process and Late Applications
Courses are usually advertised in early March of the year of entry and the normal closing date is in early May of the year of entry. The Access to Degree course will run again in September of 2013 and information on the online application system will be available well in advance of that date.
Always check this page for current information on the application process and new information on late applications.
Programme Content
Module 1 Primary Health Care
(25 hours)
The re-orientation of the health services towards a primary health care approach is a comparatively recent change. In this module students are informed of the concepts underpinning Primary Health Care, and are introduced to various approaches to health promotion. The indicative assessment for this module is an essay (2,500 words).
Module 2 Personal and Professional Development
(30 hours)
This module is designed to provide a gradual re-introduction of the students to the academic learning environment. Students are assisted to develop library and study skills at an early stage in the programme and are gradually encouraged through practical and written assignments to develop competence in academic expression. They will be facilitated in their own personal development through practical exercises in planning their personal and professional lives, and in improving their communication skills. Advances in nursing theory and new techniques in the delivery of nursing care are presented for analysis and discussion. The indicative assessment for this module is a nursing care plan/essay (2,500 words).
Module 3 Philosophical, Legal and Ethical Issues
(30 hours)
Legal and ethical dilemmas are ever-present in the process of delivering nursing care and this module aims to provide the knowledge and language to assist these experienced nurses to identify and discuss the major problems they encounter. Theories of moral philosophy and ethical concepts are introduced and the areas of human rights and the allocation of resources discussed. The indicative assessment for this module is an essay (2,500 words).
Module 4 Developments in the Scientific Basis for Nursing
(30 hours)
This educational component is designed to complement and build upon the students original, and continuing, education in the biomedical, behavioural and social sciences. It will acquaint the students with new procedures, theories and techniques developed in these sciences and will enable them to use this knowledge in the planning and delivery of nursing care. Four modules of 15 hours each are provided in the areas of: pharmacology infection control, cell biology genetics, behavioural science and social science. Students may choose to be examined in two of the four areas. Students are examined by means of assignment (1,500 words) in each of the two areas.
Module 5 Research Appreciation
(30 hours)
This educational component provides a basic introduction to research in nursing. It emphasises the need for research in nursing and develops students skills in reading and critiquing research and writing literature reviews. Students are also introduced to, and will develop an initial understanding of, a variety of research methodologies. The indicative assessment for this module is a literature review (4,500 words).
Teaching/Learning Methods
A large part of this course will be delivered via the World Wide Web and a variety of electronic and classroom-based teaching/learning methods will be used. The principles of adult education are adopted on this programme; students are encouraged to become self directed and responsible learners. The teaching methods include e-learning, practical work, group work, seminars, lectures, tutorials, reading and discussion of research reports. Experiential learning methods are included as appropriate.
A detailed reading list is provided on commencement of the programme.
Access to Degree Programme Assessment
All modules are assessed by written assignment/ online assessment. Students must achieve a pass grade in each assignment to proceed into the Bachelor in Nursing Studies Degree. Upon successful completion of the Access programme, students are eligible to go forward to the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Bachelor in Nursing Studies Degree, Trinity College Dublin.
Note: The details outlined in this page are subject to change. The School of Nursing and Midwifery reserve the right to amend the contents of pages to reflect any curriculum and course management changes. The University of Dublin, Trinity College is not bound by errors in or omissions from this course information document.