BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice Bachelor's degree at West London
BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice at West London. Operating Department Practice graduates work in sterile, fast-paced surgical environments, coordinating care and managing equipment during procedures.
About this course
BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at West London, based in Ealing / Brentford. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Subjects allied to medicine graduates from this provider, 75% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 90% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £30,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Medicine & Dentistry, 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)
Moderate evidence Published sample: 65; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 75% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 75% (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
- Introduction to Healthcare StudiesCompulsory
Module details
This module aims to: support your transition into higher education and healthcare practice develop a professional identity, reflective capability, and regulatory awareness enhance your academic writing, information literacy, and referencing skills promote evidence-based and ethically informed learning develop digital and AI literacy in healthcare education.
- Human Anatomy and PhysiologyCompulsory
Module details
The module enables you to understand and gain experience of the structure and function of the main organs within the human, how homeostasis is maintained through regulation via processes such as alteration in blood flow, neuronal input, and endocrine control. This module also enables you to understand the common methodologies used to analyse and measure physiological parameters and to interpret common abnormalities found in the clinical investigation of patients.
- The Context for Professional PracticeCompulsory
Module details
This module aims to help you develop an understanding of the context of professional practice and the issues that influence your role in Operating Department Practice. You will identify the legal framework of perioperative practice and regulatory requirements and be introduced to the concept of human factors, risk assessment and teamwork.
- Principles of Perioperative PracticeCompulsory
Module details
The aims of this module are to: Provide you with core theoretical knowledge which can be applied to, and support, the development of your anaesthetic and surgical clinical skills. Develop your knowledge and skills in caring for patients receiving an anaesthetic and undergoing surgical intervention, as a scrub and circulating practitioner, across a range of surgical specialities. To encourage you to reflect on the delivery of patient care and your roles and responsibilities as an ODP.
- Clinical Skills for Perioperative Practice 1Compulsory
Module details
You will gain essential experience required to meet the clinical learning outcomes for your first year of the course. You will take a reflective approach to the learning and assessment opportunities available.
Year 2 5 modules
- Becoming an Effective PractitionerCompulsory
Module details
You will enhance your professional identity as an effective Operating Department Practitioner on this module. You will also understand how to use diverse forms of healthcare information to underpin perioperative care.
- Surgical PracticeCompulsory
Module details
You will develop the theoretical knowledge and clinical skills needed to support the development of surgical competence across a range of specialities. You will be encouraged to reflect on the delivery of patient care and their roles and responsibilities as an ODP.
- Care of Patients with Complex ConditionsCompulsory
Module details
Your understanding of the needs of patients with long-term conditions will be enhanced on this module. You will develop awareness of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and understand their implications in the operating theatre.
- Anaesthesia and Post Anaesthetic PracticeCompulsory
Module details
On this module you will develop theoretical knowledge and clinical skills to enhance and support the development of anaesthetic and post-anaesthetic competence across a range of specialities. You will be encouraged to reflect on the delivery of patient care and your role as ODP.
- Clinical Skills for Perioperative Practice 2Compulsory
Module details
You will gain the essential experience required to meet the clinical learning outcomes for your second year of the course. You will take a reflective approach to the learning and assessment opportunities available.
Year 3 5 modules
- Enhanced Perioperative PracticeCompulsory
Module details
The aims of this module are to: Examine the perioperative needs of patients with specialist requirements, in relation to advanced anaesthetic and surgical techniques, as well as aspects of care related to critically ill patients. Explore the issues associated with the advancing roles of the perioperative practitioner and introduce you to the process of assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care within critical are units.
- Dissertation for Operating Department PracticeCompulsory
Module details
The aims of this dissertation module are to: Facilitate you to demonstrate a full understanding of a topic of relevance to current perioperative practice by completing an in-depth review of the literature. Enable you to use skills of critical appraisal and evaluation in order to produce a dissertation that draws conclusions and makes recommendations for perioperative practice.
- Patient Safety and Leadership for the Operating Department PracticeCompulsory
Module details
This module aims to: to develop an understanding of the principles of leadership and styles that can be employed in the perioperative environment, in order to promote the delivery of quality care to understand the importance of patient safety in the perioperative environment to understand the importance of human factors and the usage of non-technical skills in the perioperative environment.
- Preparation for Professional Responsibility (HCPC)Compulsory
Module details
The module aims to support you in consolidating professional competence and preparing for a safe transition from a student to a registered practitioner. It focuses on regulatory understanding, professional accountability, clinical decision-making, and demonstration of practice competence in preparation for entry to the professional register.
- Transition to Professional Registration (ODP)Compulsory
Module details
This module is designed to offer you practice learning opportunities that will prepare you to meet the clinical learning outcomes defined in the anaesthetic, surgical and post anaesthetic care unit, clinical competency books, for the third year of the course. The practice learning and assessment opportunities will enable you to develop the skills, knowledge and professional behaviours required in year three of the course. This module comprises two elements: Preparation for practice that will pro
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
This course trains you in operating department practice through a progression that builds clinical and theoretical foundations. In your early years, you'll usually study core biomedical sciences, anatomy, physiology and pathology, alongside clinical and communication skills to practise working with patients from the outset. Population health and professional ethics feature throughout. As you progress, clinical placements and rotations become central, giving you experience across specialisations such as surgery, general practice and psychiatry. You'll undertake student-selected components to explore areas of particular interest, often with a research element. In your final year, you'll prepare for practice through assistantship roles, consolidating your readiness for the profession.
Who it's for
You're drawn to healthcare delivery and the mechanics of surgical care. You work well under pressure, pay close attention to detail, and collaborate effectively within a team. The role suits methodical thinkers who enjoy hands-on problem-solving and understand that precision matters, every step in theatre has consequences. If you're committed to professional development and keen to support surgeons and anaesthetists directly, this degree will feel purposeful rather than purely academic.
Careers & job market
Across Medicine and Dentistry nationally, 89% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after completing their degree, and 75% of those working are in highly skilled roles. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries typically range from £27,000 to £32,000 at 15 months post-graduation, rising to £29,325–£41,400 by five years. Progression depends on specialism, location, and sector (NHS, private practice, wider healthcare); speak to the university about local placement patterns and career support.
University & format
The University of West London, based in Ealing and Brentford, offers this BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice as a full-time degree programme taught in English. The course runs for 3 years and leads to a nationally recognised Bachelor's degree. The university is a recognised UK degree-awarding body and holds Silver for teaching quality in 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.
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 | 70% |
| another higher-education qualification | 20% |
| an Access course | 10% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
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 West London →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 Medicine & Dentistry 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 | £30,000 | £27,000 – £34,000 | 65 |
| 3 years after | £31,000 | £21,000 – £38,000 | 440 |
| 5 years after | £34,500 | £25,000 – £43,500 | 415 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 65; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in medicine & dentistry · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Medicine & Dentistry nationally
National figures for Medicine & Dentistry 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.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Moderate evidence. Published sample: 65; avoid reading small differences as meaningful. Cohort 2021-23. 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 Medicine & Dentistry courses at the same study level.
Compared with 804 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Other Health ProfessionalsSOC 2020 225 · 75% of published destinations · ASHE median £42,902
- Nursing ProfessionalsSOC 2020 223 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £37,597
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 25; response rate: 70%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Is BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice worth it?
Generally yes. On its graduates’ median earnings, BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice is worth about +£75,630 more over the first ten years of work than going straight to a job, a solid return once you net out the fees.
Cumulative earnings vs. going straight to work at 18, counting tuition and 3 years of wages given up while studying. The line clears zero around year 12.6. This is a simplified gross-earnings comparison, not a forecast of cash loan repayments.
Model: this course’s own median graduate earnings (Graduate Outcomes / LEO) above the £24,000 non-graduate baseline (ONS), net of £9,790/yr over 3 years (published course home fee). Eligible England-domiciled students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan; repayments are 9% only on income above the threshold, with anything left written off after 40 years. That makes the cash flow different from conventional commercial debt. Opportunity cost assumes £18,000 gross earnings forgone in each study year; figures are nominal and exclude tax, living costs, investment returns and loan interest. A simplified estimate. Earnings and actual fees vary by graduate, provider, fee status and UK nation.
Job market & outlook
How Medicine & Dentistry 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 information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Medicine & Dentistry 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
- The NHS
- Private practice
- Research & academia
- Public health
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Medicine & Dentistry graduates.
Medicine-Focused Veterinary Surgeon | Patient Care LeaderMedivet & PartnersMedicine Service Delivery Manager - Operations ImprovementNHSMedicine Occupational Therapist - StaffordshirePulse HealthcarePart-Time Palliative Medicine Consultant | 1-in-5 On-CallEvora Hospice (formerly Southern Area Hospice Services)Consultant Medicine - ElderlyPertemps Medical ProfessionalsSpecialty Doctor in Acute MedicineTriple West MedicalIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Published home tuition is £9,790/year for this course. 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
75% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £30,000. 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 7.6 out of 10: NSS 76.9% · in work or study 75% · continued 75%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of West London
Medicine and dentistry across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Ealing / Brentford
2,092 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 Medicine & Dentistry right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to West London from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by West London; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. 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 West London’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 West London and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at West London
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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