Award requirements: how many credits are needed for award?

The Foundation Degree in Registered Nursing is awarded on the basis of credit acquired during your programme of study. In some circumstances, you may be eligible for an early exit award if you do not achieve the full requirements for the award for which you registered. The type of award you receive will be dependent on the number of credits you have achieved and at what level. 


Award of Foundation Degree in Science: 


Award of Certificate of Higher Education: 


Once you have successfully completed all the modules on the Foundation Degree and met the criteria for the End-Point assessment Gateway, you will be eligible for End Point Assessment (an Exam Board) and to receive your apprenticeship.

End point assessment (EPA)


The Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship is an integrated apprenticeship standard, in which the End Point Assessment is the confirmation at the final examination board that all elements of the programme have been successfully completed. To ensure this is the place, and External Examiner is appointed to externally review all elements of the apprenticeship, and not just the degree element. A zero credit Gateway Module will be used to 

check completion of the different apprenticeship elements, including the NMC requirements, English and maths and the completion of 20% new learning as part of the off-the-job hours. The University is required to become an end point assessment organisation for this apprenticeship standard, and will submit an application prior to the launch of the programme. 


Registered nurses are subject to statutory regulation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The NMC sets the standards of competence required for entry to the professional register and these are the occupational standards for Registered nurses (links given in section 48). The NMC also has the statutory duty to set requirements of programmes necessary to support the achievement of the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) in the occupational standard. The apprenticeship standard and the delivery of the apprentices training must be aligned to all relevant NMC standards to ensure that apprentices are eligible for entry to the NMC register on completion. It is against the law for anyone to work as a Registered Nurse without being registered with the NMC. 


The fully integrated End-Point Assessment (EPA) assesses whether you have also passed the apprenticeship, and is based on the same professional knowledge, skills and behaviours as the occupational standard. All teaching sessions make clear links to which occupational standards are being covered within the sessions. The programme is mapped to the occupational standards. 


The EPA period should only start, and the EPA be arranged, once the employer and NMC Approved Education Institution are satisfied that you are consistently working at or above the level set out in the occupational standard and all of the pre-requisite gateway requirements for EPA have been met. It is expected that the gateway will be reached on completion of the final qualification module and before the AEI’s examination board.The EPA period is expected to last a maximum of 1 month beginning when the apprentice has passed the EPA gateway. The EPA will determine the overall apprenticeship standard and grades of pass or fail. 


At the exam board you must meet the following to pass the EPA; Employer and NMC Approved Educational Institution (AEI) are satisfied the apprentice has consistently demonstrated they meet the KSBs of the occupational standard. They must have achieved English and mathematics at Level 2 They must have achieved all required modules, taking into account any recognition of prior learning (RPL) of the following approved qualification: You must have achieved a Degree in Nursing You must have evidence that the Practice Assessment Document (PAD) is completed and signed-off by your practice and academic assessor.