BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice at Birmingham City University

Programme overview

Operating Department Practitioners provide holistic care for a diverse range of patient groups, both within and beyond the operating theatre. This BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice course uses the Modernising Allied Health Professions Career Framework, which spirals through each of the three years to align to the ‘Four Pillars of Practice’, to maximise the choice available to you within the operating theatre and beyond.

What you will study

Using the Allied Health Professions career framework, the course embeds the ‘Four Pillars of Practice’ within each year to provide a spiralling curriculum covering: Pillar One: Clinical Practice (anaesthetics, surgery and post-anaesthetic care) The proportion of teaching and learning of each pillar varies in each year, with the first year aimed at preparing you for academic work and self-development, supported by clinical placement experiences to underpin the principles of evidenced-based perioperative care for patients undergoing elective surgery. Modules include Essentials of Academic Skills in Higher Education, Anatomy and Physiology for Operating Department Practice, Essentials of Anaesthetic and Post-Anaesthetic Care, Essentials of Surgical Practice, Essentials of Evidence-based Practice in Perioperative Care, Foundations of Professional Practice and the Operating Department Practitioner, Promoting Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Practice in Perioperative Care, Enhanced Surgical Care.

Career pathways

This course will prepare students to register with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) as an Operating Department Practitioner able to work in the anaesthetic, surgical and post-anaesthetic phases of patient care. Through a balance of academic work and placements at a partner hospital, the course aims to provide a range of transferable skills and exposure to different clinical specialities.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

112 UCAS Tariff points. Applicants will also need to complete an interview for this course; see interview arrangements below. If your level 3 qualifications do not meet the UCAS tariff for this course, you may be offered a place on our Foundation Year instead. You do not need to submit a separate application but will automatically be considered for this if your predicted grades fall below the UCAS entry tariff. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health Clearance. Enrolment on the course is subject to: an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check. Occupational Health Clearance. After the initial check, students will be required to self-declare and re-enrol each year. It is important that you complete DBS and Occupational Health requirements as soon as possible once your offer is confirmed, to ensure that you have the necessary clearances in place before you start your course placements. In addition to the A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements below, applicants for this course also need GCSE English Language or English Literature and GCSE Maths at grade C/4 or above.

Domestic applicants: GBP 10,050 a year (2027/28). full-time, 3 years; annual tuition for the first year of study Source

Intake: September 2027

Duration: 3 years full-time

Apply through the official page: https://www.ucas.com/explore/courses/e3cd8321-65ea-3348-dfa2-4f20886bebab/course?studyYear=2027

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