BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice Bachelor's degree at Edge Hill University
BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice at Edge Hill University was established in 2006 and leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree.
About this course
BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Edge Hill University, based in St James', Manchester,Ormskirk. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Allied health graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £28,500. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Nursing & Health, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 79% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 5 modules
- Anatomy and Physiology in Perioperative PracticeCompulsory20 credits
Module details
introduces the knowledge of the basic scientific principles that enable an understanding of the structure and function of the body in health and disease across the human lifespan that may require surgical and/or anaesthetic intervention. The anatomy and physiology of each system of the human body will be studied in depth across the life continuum. The principles of pharmacology will be introduced, specifically focusing on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and how the human body interacts wit
Assessment: 100% Exam
- Clinical Practice and Simulation 1Compulsory40 credits
Module details
will develop your proficiency in a range of practical and professional experiences to develop and acquire key skills which are underpinned by professional knowledge. The module will facilitate your understanding and acquisition of skills within the perioperative environment. You will also explore the context in which the operating department practitioner works within the inter-professional team to deliver safe, compassionate and person centred evidenced based care.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Fundamental Principles of Perioperative CareCompulsory20 credits
Module details
enables you to develop knowledge and understanding of some of the principles relating to perioperative practice. You will be introduced to some of the key concepts associated with safe anaesthetics and surgical care. These will include a broad understanding of how both the perioperative environment and the role of the operating department practitioner can impact on the quality of care for the patient undergoing surgery and their confidence in the service. Some of the key topics explored in this
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Legal, Ethical and Social Issues in Perioperative CareCompulsory20 credits
Module details
recognises that safe and effective delivery of patient care is dependent on practitioners who understand the legal, ethical and social issues that impact on perioperative practice. This module provides you with the knowledge and understanding of these key areas to empower you to act as an advocate for the perioperative patient.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Preparation for Professional PracticeCompulsory20 credits
Module details
enables you to develop knowledge and understanding of fundamental operating department practice. You will be introduced to key health and safety issues in the perioperative environment. These will include infection control, policies and procedures, moving and handling and risk management of yourself and others. The module will ensure that you have the skills, knowledge and understanding to engage in safe and effective patient care.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
Year 2 5 modules
- Appraising Research in Health and Social CareCompulsory20 credits
Module details
introduces you to the core methods which underpin quantitative and qualitative research designs and the application of research evidence to practice. You will develop an understanding of the research process and the need for an evidence base to guide decision-making in health and social care practice. The module will also enhance your skills in information retrieval, data organisation and evaluation. You will be introduced to literature searching, the research process, quantitative and qualitati
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Clinical Practice and Simulation 2Compulsory40 credits
Module details
will consolidate your skills in relation to your clinical and professional practice. You will be exposed to an increasing range of experiences and be expected to consistently demonstrate skills and activities, at an emerging level of competence, with care, compassion, underpinning knowledge and appropriate attitudes. You will take responsibility and develop autonomy for care delivery with less direct supervision.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Holistic Perioperative Care Across the LifespanCompulsory20 credits
Module details
enables you to develop your knowledge and skills in providing holistic care for patients across the age spectrum in all aspects of perioperative care. The module will develop your knowledge relating to life, disease and pathological processes and explore how these impact upon patient care at various stages of life. The aim is to reaffirm knowledge relating to patient assessment while developing an analytical and evidence base for effective patient assessment, implementation and evaluation of car
Assessment: 100% Exam
- Pharmacology in Perioperative PracticeCompulsory20 credits
Module details
enables you to develop knowledge and understanding of drugs used in the perioperative setting. You will build on the basic principles of pharmacology and apply these to specific groups of drugs. You will also learn about the legislative and regulatory frameworks that underpin safe medicines management within operating department practice. The module will cover medication safety, storage and handling of drugs, the safe use of medical devices, as well as the applying the principles of aseptic non-
Assessment: 100% Exam
- Principles of Post-Anaesthetic CareCompulsory20 credits
Module details
enables you to develop knowledge and understanding of post-anaesthesia recovery. The core elements will include communication, assessment and management of the airway, assessment and management of breathing, assessment and management of circulation, assessment of level of consciousness, assessment and management of post-operative pain, as well as nausea and vomiting. You will also focus on monitoring during recovery, intravenous access and fluid balance, managing recovery emergencies and post-su
Assessment: 100% Coursework
Year 3 4 modules
- Clinical Practice and Simulation 3Compulsory40 credits
Module details
offers you a range of practical and professional experiences to achieve proficiency in key skills which are underpinned by professional knowledge. You will be prepared to work safely in practice based professions and develop the skills to meet the needs of various service users across a range of care settings.
Assessment: 100% Practical
- Enhanced Skills in Perioperative PracticeCompulsory30 credits
Module details
enables you to develop knowledge and understanding of the principles of enhanced scrub practice, utilising an evidence-based approach. You will be introduced to key concepts in relation to the rights and wellbeing of patients in surgical care. These include preparing and maintaining a safe and appropriate surgical environment for a diverse range of patients and acknowledging and implementing appropriate risk management strategies.
Assessment: 100% Coursework
- Emergency Care in AnaesthesiaCompulsory20 credits
Module details
prepares you to participate in the safe delivery of care at acute stages of the patient's perioperative journey. The module places particular emphasis on the management of emergency and clinically complex cases in a range of settings, including accident and emergency, trauma, as well as anaesthetic emergencies within the operating department. You will be introduced to the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of complex concepts to reach clinical judgments and decisions. This may include, for examp
Assessment: 100% Exam
- Leadership and GovernanceCompulsory30 credits
Module details
focuses on the importance of effective collaborative inter-professional relationships, developing an understanding of human factors and the resolution of potential inter-professional conflicts. The module will support you in evaluating how collaborative service improvement is the bedrock of practice and facilitate development of enhanced communication, management and leadership skills. The aim is to build on your existing knowledge of leadership and clinical governance and its relevance to profe
Assessment: 100% Practical
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study the theory and practice of nursing and health care, moving from foundational clinical skills through to complex care and leadership. Year 1 typically covers Foundations of Nursing Practice and Anatomy & Physiology for Health, alongside your first supervised placement. Year 2 progresses to acute and long-term care, medicines management and pharmacology, with placements in broader settings such as community, mental health or specialist units. Year 3 focuses on complex care, leadership, evidence-based practice and your final placement, which consolidates your competence for NMC registration. Placements run throughout the course (approximately 50% of study time), meeting NMC standards. You can pursue specialisations such as adult nursing, mental health, children's nursing, community & primary care, and leadership alongside your studies.
Who it's for
This course suits those pursuing a career in operating department practice within the healthcare sector. You'll develop practical and theoretical knowledge relevant to theatre environments and perioperative care. The programme is designed for full-time study and requires fluency in English.
University & format
This is a 3-year full-time BSc (Hons) programme taught in English at Edge Hill University, a public university with sites in St James', Manchester and Ormskirk. The degree is recognised by a UK degree-awarding body and graduates are eligible for NMC registration. Edge Hill holds a Silver award for teaching quality from the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 62% |
| an Access course | 22% |
| a previous degree | 9% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
| No / unknown prior qualifications | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code B991). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Edge Hill University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- NHS Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Nursing & Health graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £28,500 | £27,000 – £30,000 | 8010 |
| 3 years after | £18,000 | £13,000 – £24,500 | 65 |
| 5 years after | £24,500 | £16,500 – £31,000 | 65 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 8,010. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Newly Qualified PractitionerPreceptorship / first post · 0–2 yrs
- 2Registered PractitionerAutonomous practice · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / SpecialistSpecialist or team lead · 5–10 yrs
- 4Advanced / Consultant PractitionerAdvanced practice or management · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Nursing & Health nationally
National figures for Nursing & Health graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 8,010. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Nursing & Health courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,506 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Nursing & Health graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine documentation and triage support
- Scheduling and records admin
- First-pass risk flags from data
- Standard reference look-ups
More human than ever
- Hands-on, compassionate care
- Clinical judgement and accountability
- Communicating with patients and families
- Ethics and safeguarding decisions
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Nursing & Health graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- NHS trusts
- Private healthcare
- Care providers
- Community & mental-health services
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Nursing & Health graduates.
Nursing Home ManagerJarrodean Healthcare RecruitmentSenior Charge Nurse Uist Community Nursing teamNHS National Services ScotlandCare Assistant - Nursing Home | Flexible Hours, Weekly PayMpa RecruitmentCare Assistant (Nursing) - Nightshift - RatheaneMacklin Care Homes LimitedSenior Support Worker: Meaningful Care & Flexible ShiftsPotens GroupDental NurseBupa Dental CareIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £28,500. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.7 out of 10: NSS 95.1% · continued 79%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Edge Hill University
Subjects allied to medicine across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around St James', Manchester
13 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Around Ormskirk
220 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Nursing & Health right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Edge Hill University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £9,790 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Edge Hill University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Edge Hill University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Edge Hill University
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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