Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2010

Honours degrees

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) – Bendigo (RHN), Melbourne (Bundoora) (HHN), Albury-Wodonga (HSHNW)

Tel: (03) 5444 7411

Email: Bendigo.HealthSciences@latrobe.edu.au

Duration: 2 years part-time

The Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) is a two-year part time, 120 credit point honours degree designed to enhance career opportunities for nurses in specific areas of nursing research and practice. This course is available at the Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo and Melbourne (Bundoora) campuses. The Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) provides a career pathway for students seeking an academic, research or clinical speciality area of practice such as clinical nurse specialist, nursing project officer, nurse educator, research assistant or nurse academic. In addition, it provides an opportunity for continuing postgraduate studies leading to master and doctoral degrees.

The honours stream is normally undertaken on a part-time basis over two years. To be eligible students should have achieved a weighted average mark of 75%, or above, in their final year. Students with a Bachelor of Nursing from another institution may be considered for entry.

Students are assisted to demonstrate academic and investigative skills in critical review and analysis of data which are at a higher level than normally expected of pass-level students and to broaden and deepen their theoretical knowledge in the discipline of nursing as a preparation for graduate study.

Admission requirements

Students who have maintained a weighted average mark of 75%, or above, in their final year of a Bachelor of Nursing course are eligible to apply for admission.

Course structure

Honours students enrol in four coursework subjects, participate in research seminars and submit a research essay or project comprising 15,000 words or equivalent. Both first and second years are based on part-time study. Study mode includes the attendance at fortnightly research seminars.

Advanced standing

Students undertaking an approved graduate year program while enrolled in the honours course may apply for credit for the Nursing Practicum elective. To receive the credit, students need to have completed a minimum of 52 days of clinical practice and provide a satisfactory report of their clinical progress from the graduate year program coordinator.

First year
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 NSG4RHP Research Honours Preparation 15
TE-SEM-1 Nursing practicum elective from approved list 15
TE-SEM-2 NSG4NTP Thesis preparation 15
TE-SEM-2 NSG4RIN Readings in Nursing 15
Second year
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 NSG4NTA Thesis 30
TE-SEM-2 NSG4NTB Thesis 30