Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Bachelor of Nursing (Honours)
Deakin course code	H421
Faculty	Faculty of Health
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Warrnambool
Online	No
Duration	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Semester 1 2025 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
CRICOS course code	006227K Burwood (Melbourne), Waterfront (Geelong), Warrnambool
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8

Course sub-headings

Course overview

Focusing on research, the honours year builds on the foundations established in your undergraduate degree. You will study a particular topic of professional interest in greater depth and create pathways to specialisations and further research or study. The Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) is a specialised year of study taken after the completion of a Bachelor of Nursing, entry to practice Master degree or combined degrees.

For entry into senior nursing and midwifery roles there’s now an increasing industry expectation for graduates with high-level research and evaluation skills. Honours offers you a competitive edge in the job market and is designed to provide you with the knowledge and research skills to undertake a postgraduate research degree, advanced professional training or to pursue diverse employment opportunities.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery offers research in areas influencing quality and patient safety in health care. These include: clinical risk and symptom management, chronic disease management, effective health delivery, health care ethics, decision making, aged care, midwifery and translational research.

Throughout this course you will gain a deep understanding of the philosophies, ethics and principles of health care research; knowledge of a range of research approaches; skills in data management, methods and tools for research practice; and skills in planning, implementing and reporting research studies.

This course will give you an understanding of how to develop a research proposal, from the identification of a research issue and literature review through to writing and submitting the proposal for approval by an ethics committee. You will undertake a research project and an individual research thesis in the area of nursing practice and develop evaluation and research skills in nursing practice and health service delivery.

You will be qualified for rewarding roles in all areas of nursing including acute care/sub-acute care, emergency, aged care, paediatrics and rehabilitation; in hospitals, government departments, district health services, the education sector, business and private industry. Alternatively, you may decide to undertake a research degree such as a research Masters or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Indicative student workload

You should be able to commit 35 hours a week to your honours degree.

Professional recognition

Honours is not a professional accreditation requirement. Honours offers students a competitive edge in the job market and is designed to provide nurses with the knowledge and research skills to undertake a postgraduate research degree, advanced professional training or to pursue diverse employment opportunities.

Career opportunities

After successfully completing the Bachelor of Nursing (Honours), you will be well prepared to build on your profile as a Registered Nurse, leading quality care initiatives and evidence-based practice. You will have improved entry into a range of areas including quality management, policy, education, research and clinical practice.

Participation requirements

Students will participate in online learning, intensive classroom activities, attend the Annual Research School and meet regularly with their supervisor.

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit with a work integrated learning component, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. Refer the relevant unit guide.

Pathways

Students who achieve a high-grade Honours result can apply for credit for the research component if they decide to progress to a masters degree. A high-grade Honours result also gives students the option of applying for entry to a PhD program.

Honours

For detailed information, particularly with respect to the selection of areas of study and availability of appropriate supervision, students should consult the School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Inherent requirements

Essential knowledge, skills and capabilities are required to undertake and successfully complete the undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses and to practice safely as a registered nurse and/or midwife. The inherent requirements of the course are listed at School of Nursing and Midwifery Undergraduate Courses: Inherent Requirements

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Apply cognitive and technical skills combined with a systematic and coherent body of knowledge to develop a conceptual framework for research inquiry, select the appropriate methodology and procedures for the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; and disseminate research findings.
Communication	Autonomously communicate research outcomes to the professional community, defend and discuss all elements of the research project in the chosen field of study via oral and written means to academics, specialists and others.
Digital literacy	Autonomously undertake research, comprehend and evaluate new information, concepts and evidence to locate, select and collect appropriate technologies to source, interpret, adapt, collate, analyse and disseminate relevant information to an academic audience and specialists.
Critical thinking	Critically and constructively, evaluate, critique and synthesise the literature in the chosen field of study; select and apply appropriate methodological principles suitable for the research project; select and apply appropriate analytical techniques to test the hypothesis; and interpret, compare and contrast study findings to the wider literature in the chosen field of study.
Problem solving	Contribute to advancement of knowledge in the field of health care policy and delivery by identifying a suitable and novel research question based on the literature that can be completed within the given timeframe; conducting the research to address the question in an appropriate, realistic and ethical manner.
Self-management	Identify own learning needs and seek additional knowledge and/or information as required to produce a realistic timeline for the research project that incorporates preparing a literature review, obtaining ethical approval (if applicable), sourcing and/or collecting and analysing data, and disseminating research findings.
Teamwork	Collaborate effectively as a member of a research and professional team of specialists, peers, academics and others from a range of disciplines and backgrounds.
Global citizenship	Apply ethical standards governing research and professional practice in the discipline whilst maintaining confidentiality, and respecting inclusive, cultural sensitivities.

Course rules

To complete the Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) students must pass 8 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
8 credit points of core units
- including 4 credit points of an independent research project

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.

Course structure

Core units

Full-time enrolment - two semesters

Semester 1

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points)

HBS400

Research Methods

HNR412

Research Planning in Nursing

Semester 2

HNR410

Research Project 1

HNR411

Research Project 2

part-time enrolment - four semesters (not available to international students)

Students may be able to complete in less than four semesters - please contact your course enrolment officer.

Year 1 - Semester 1

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points)

HBS400

Research Methods

Year 1 - Semester 2

HNR412

Research Planning in Nursing

Year 2 - Semester 1

HNR410

Research Project 1

Year 2 - Semester 2

HNR411

Research Project 2

Students commencing in Semester 2 - part-time only - four semesters

Year 1 - Semester 2

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points)

HNR412

Research Planning in Nursing

Year 2 - Semester 1

HBS400

Research Methods

Year 2 - Semester 2

HNR410

Research Project 1

Year 3 - Semester 1

HNR411

Research Project 2

Work experience

The School of Nursing and Midwifery conducts its research through the Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS). Collaborative research partnerships with health services facilitate knowledge translation particularly in relation to clinical care, quality and patient safety that directly impacts the quality, safety and experience of patient care.

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units or accessing or completing placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Other learning experiences

Attendance and presentation of work in progress at student workshops and Annual School of Nursing and Midwifery research school are strongly recommended.

Research and research-related study

In the Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) the research and research related study activity comprises 50% (4CP) of the overall program. The research thesis is completed over two units of study.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.