Skip to main content

BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice (with Foundation Year option)

Watch our video

Course search

Search form

  • UCAS Code:
    B991
  • Institution:
    B50
  • Delivery:
    Full time according to Funding Council definitions

With foundation year: B992

Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are an instrumentally vital part of the perioperative team and are responsible for delivering safe, high-quality care to surgical patients during anaesthesia, surgery and post anaesthesia (recovery).

Taught by actively practising lecturers, in state-of-the-art facilities, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to put your learning into practice – working in clinical settings supervised by registered healthcare professionals during multiple work placements that make up approximately 60% of your time on the course.

As well as the expert knowledge and skillset acquired throughout the programme, you’ll also gain numerous transferable skills, such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork and communication – all essential for a career in the NHS or private sector. 

This three-year BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice is approved by the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) meaning that, upon successful completion of the programme, you will be eligible to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council for registration as an Operating Department Practitioner.

Foundation Year: We have a Foundation Year option for UK students who do not meet the entry requirements for the degree course. This additional year of study will give you a grounding in the scientific skills needed to prepare you for the ODP degree, building your confidence, knowledge and skills for further study. The Foundation Year is based at our Talbot Campus. After successful completion of the Foundation Year, you will progress to the full degree and begin your ODP study. 

Funding support: ODP students may be eligible for a non-repayable government training grant of at least £5,000 a year. Find out more information about the funding. Please note that this funding is not eligible for students on the Foundation Year, however you will be able to access it once you complete the foundation year and move onto the degree.

Join us on live chat now to find out more, or register to meet us at an Open Day.

All statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats, Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE), BU institutional data and Ipsos MORI (National Student Survey) unless otherwise stated.

Image description
Scrubbing up area
Image description
Gloving and gowning area
Image description
Operating theatre
Image description
Operating theatre
Image description
Anaesthetic equipment
Image description
Patient monitoring
Image description
Operating theatre

Key information

Next start date:

September 2021, September 2022

Location:

Bournemouth University, Lansdowne Campus. Foundation Year: Bournemouth University, Talbot Campus.

Duration:

3 years, including mandatory placements. Foundation Year: 4 years, including mandatory placements

Required subjects:

All subjects considered

Entry requirements:

For September 2021 entry: 104 - 120 UCAS tariff points including a minimum of 2 A-levels or equivalent. Foundation Year: 48-72 UCAS tariff points. For more information check out our full entry requirements.

International entry requirements:

For September 2021 entry: If English is not your first language you'll need IELTS (Academic) 7.0 with minimum 6.5 in each component, or equivalent. For more information check out our international entry requirements.

Approved by:

Course details

Operating Department Practitioners (ODPs) are an instrumentally vital part of the perioperative team and are responsible for delivering safe, high-quality care to surgical patients during anaesthesia, surgery and post anaesthesia (recovery).

Taught by actively practising lecturers, in state-of-the-art facilities – including a simulated operating theatre – you’ll have plenty of opportunities to put your learning into practice – working in clinical settings supervised by registered healthcare professionals during multiple work placements that make up approximately 60% of your time on the course.

As well as the expert knowledge and skillset you’ll acquire, you’ll also gain numerous transferable skills, such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork and communication – all essential for a career in an NHS or private sector operating department.

Contact hours and assessment

Details of the assessment methods and contact hours for each unit of the course can be found in the programme specification.

Placements

An important feature of the programme is the hospital that you will be based at. If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be asked what location you would consider. Some placement areas are more popular than others due to geographical location, and as placement numbers are limited, you may be offered a place at a different location to your preference. All of our linked hospitals provide a high standard of care and are committed to the teaching and assessment of the future workforce. Most of your clinical experience will be based in one hospital, however, in order to achieve the minimum number of required clinical experiences expected for the course, there may be some placements based in other hospitals, but advanced notice will be given.

When on placement, you will experience the full 24-hour shift pattern to include 12-13 hour shifts, weekends and night shifts. There may be times when you are expected to work during the evening or at weekends, but again, advance notice will be given. Your placements will include a range of acute settings that give students a good opportunity to develop their skills. 

Your application

For Operating Department Practice, we are looking for applicants who:

  • Have an interest in the compassionate care of surgical patients to improve their lives as well as the motivation and commitment to undertake the course
  • Show respect and give dignity to people recognising that everyone counts
  • Have undertaken care experience, preferably within an operating department
  • Have an awareness of the technical as well as the caring aspects of the profession
  • Can demonstrate commitment to the quality of care and the importance of personal skills and qualities to work together for patients.

How to apply

Entry requirements

Careers

You might think that the name of this course covers all the potential career options, but the skills you'll gain through this degree will make you just as suited to a role in critical care as to operating department practice.

95% of our students are working or studying 6 months after graduating. (There was insufficient data to publish information specifically for this course. This is either because the course size is small or respondent numbers were low. Therefore, the data displayed is from across the last two years and for all students in subjects allied to medicine.)

Costs and fees

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per year. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course. You can find full information about funding your studies and paying your fees in our undergraduate fees and funding section, including NHS finance information. That’s also where you’ll find information about the scholarships and bursaries on offer.

Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise, and we’re committed to ensuring there are no hidden extra costs while you’re at university – that’s why we’re clear about what you can expect us to cover, and what your cost of living will be.

Our staff

On this course, you will be taught by staff with relevant expertise and knowledge appropriate to the content of the unit. This could include senior academic staff, qualified professional practitioners and research students, many of whom are actively engaged in research and/or professional practice which is integrated into the teaching of this course. 

You can find out more about some of the staff that are currently teaching on the course and their research activities below. Please note that teaching staff can change.

Course changes

Hear from our staff

Lesley Elcock

This course prepares students for a career in a perioperative environment through mixing clinical skills and academic knowledge, with 60% of the course working alongside practitioners in the operating departments of the region's hospitals

Hear from our alumni

James Ackroyd

I really would recommend BU to anyone that wants not only to achieve a great qualification, but also wants to have a great time doing it.

All statistics shown throughout this page are taken from Unistats, Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE), BU institutional data and Ipsos MORI (National Student Survey) unless otherwise stated.