BSc (Hons) Professional Nursing Practice (Top-up)
- Study Mode: Part Time
- Location: Distance Learning
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: July 2026
For qualified Nurses, this flexible fully-online programme will enable you to gain academic qualifications without leaving the role you’re in. We will develop your skills and further your career opportunities in clinical and strategic roles in the healthcare services. Working alongside your study, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your learning to your workplace in your assessed work.
This course provides a clear and structured pathway to academic and professional advancement. It enhances skills in leadership, service improvement, evidence-based practice, and research - all essential for clinical and strategic roles across healthcare services.
This Nursing online top-up degree is perfect for you if you have completed a Level 5 academic qualification in Nursing (comprising 240 credits or equivalent) and are working in a related area. This top-up course enables you to attain a full honours degree, enhancing your skills and confidence to succeed at higher levels.
You’ll learn from experienced nursing academics and a range of experts who bring deep expertise and strong connections to current practice, ensuring your programme stays relevant, rigorous, and up to date.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
Developed from professional insight and working experience, this course focuses on leadership and innovation for practice, alongside clinical knowledge development across key areas of health and social care.
BNU makes studying practical and relevant, placing value on learners’ own individual experiences and workplace and embedding this into learning and assessment approaches.
If you’re looking for a course that will help you fill the skill gaps or build your confidence to succeed at a higher level, this Nursing online top-up degree offers you a proven method to achieve more, increase productivity and grow your skills and potential.
You will benefit from an excellent standard of teaching provided by staff from the University who offer high quality academic and pastoral support. You’ll also have access to specialist online support to help you navigate and excel in the online environment of this course.
I chose to study at BNU because they provide a multi-cultural and inclusive environment with fellow students from a range of different backgrounds. The online access saved me lots of money on travel, and makes it easy to juggle my other responsibilities at work. With great support from tutors, and an amazing network, I really learned a lot and I would strongly recommend anyone thinking about BNU to apply. The skills and relationships I gained here will last me a lifetime.Harriet Bubala
What will I study?
This Nursing online top-up degree is taught fully-online over a 2-year period. Learning is closely linked to professional experience, covering nursing care delivery, leadership and management, and it develops key skills around critical thinking, synthesis and evaluation.
Even though this course is fully-online, we teach it in a way that helps develop social bonds and collaborative learning. Resources and learning activities are posted on the University Virtual Learning Environment, and might include a review of key texts and study notes, or videos and quizzes.
Whatever your professional nursing role, you’ll find the variety of teaching methods keeps you engaged and progressing, from module to module. We nurture discussions to ensure students can fully explore a subject and we set thoughtfully-designed assessments that allow you to demonstrate your self-directed learning.
What are the course entry requirements?
We welcome applications from nurses who hold current nursing qualifications / registration with their recognised Nursing governing body. All students will already be employed nurses.
If you are applying from outside the UK, there are established equivalency assessments used by the admissions team for applications from internationally-educated nurses.
For Students who do not currently have level 5 academic credits, the existing BNU Professional Practice CPD portfolio also offers an online opportunity to gain Level 5 accreditation. This would provide further support for applicants who do not meet entry criteria to join the programme for a later programme enrolment.
In addition, students will need reliable internet access, as this programme is delivered fully online.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
What are the tuition fees
Home
-
Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £2,998 per year *
International
-
Overseas/International, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £2,998 per year *
Please note all of the 2026/27 fees stated are subject to parliamentary procedure. Tuition fees are expected to increase each academic year in line with the maximum permitted value set by the Government for that academic year. The expected rise for Home undergraduate students (including those on a foundation year course), may impact both new and continuing students.
Additional costs
Your tuition fees cover most course costs, but you may need to budget for additional expenses. These can include specialist equipment, project materials, professional memberships, field trips or placements, as well as everyday student costs like printing, books and stationery.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the fees above, contact our enquiries team by completing this form.
What are my career prospects?
We see your time with us as much more than a degree, and we are committed to supporting you in upskilling and taking the next step on your Nursing journey.
Learners on this Nursing online top-up degree programme will develop knowledge and skills for the increasingly complex world of patient needs, in addition to gaining an academic award that supports career progression. You’ll be upskilled for a variety of clinical and strategic roles in the healthcare services.
You will be supported to develop and apply leadership and innovation skills to influence practice, implement evidence-based improvements, and enhance patient outcomes across diverse healthcare settings.
Learners will also gain essential specialist knowledge to support and lead the delivery of complex care for the world’s increasingly ageing population.
Course leader
