Operating Department Practitioner, BSc Hons (Degree Apprenticeship)
If you are passionate about delivering high-quality care to surgical patients within the operating room and associated care settings, our Operating Department Practitioner apprenticeship is for you.
This BSc Hons Operating Department Practitioner Apprenticeship will prepare you to provide high standards of care to patients undergoing surgery. You’ll learn to work with a team of highly skilled surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses in an Operating Department in NHS Trust Hospitals and the Independent sector.
The course combines both academic and clinical practice. This allows you to put your learning into practice and develop the skills required to care for patients, primarily in the operating department. Some learners will have the opportunity to complete a Surgical First Assistant Skills endorsement and develop specialist skills to assist surgeons during surgery.
From the start of your apprenticeship, you will need to be employed full-time (30 hours or more per week) in an appropriate healthcare setting where you can train as a registered ODP. Graduates of this course will be well-equipped to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a registered Operating Department Practitioner.
Applicants should agree in advance with their employer Education/Apprenticeship Lead which course they will be applying for.
Degree apprenticeship
Applications are made through the apprenticeships programme.
School
Location
Duration
- 3 years full-time
- 5 years part-time
Start month
September
Fees information
For fee information related to this course, please see fees section below.
What you should know about this course
What you will study
About the course team
You will be taught by an experienced team of experts, which includes senior academics, technical officers, and practitioners with industry experience. Trained postgraduate researchers may also contribute to seminar teaching with the module leader. Teaching is informed by our research and consultancy work, and 97 per cent of our lecturers hold a teaching qualification.
Come and meet us
We are offering virtual events so that you can still experience how Greenwich could be the right university for you.
Next Open Days
Got a question?
To find out more about our Open Days and Campus Tours or if you need any assistance, please email opendays@gre.ac.uk.
Entry requirements
From the start of your apprenticeship, you will need to be employed full-time (30 hours or more per week) in an appropriate healthcare setting.
If you are not already employed in a health or social care setting, you should contact NHS Trusts and other healthcare organisations in your area to check if they are recruiting apprentices.
Applicants will need:
- Mathematics and English GCSE grade A-C/9-4 or recognised equivalents
- Transferable skills and readiness to study at the undergraduate level
- Two years of employment in a relevant health or social care setting
Consideration will be given to applicants with substantive and relevant work experience.
Occupational health and DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks are carried out by the employer. Completion of the Care Certificate is desirable prior to commencing the programme as completion of the Care Certificate within 3 months of commencing the programme is a requirement of the Apprenticeship Standard - ST0582 (2018).
For enquiries, please contact apprenticeships@greenwich.ac.uk
For more information, contact courseinfo@greenwich.ac.uk or 020 8331 9000.
You can also read our admissions policy.
Available to overseas students?
No
Can I use Prior Learning?
Yes. We will consider applicants with prior academic learning and substantive and relevant work experience. We will guide you on how to claim for your prior learning to be accredited.
Enhanced disclosure
Applicants for this course are required to complete a suitability declaration, an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check, and an occupational health check.
How you will learn
Teaching
Learning takes place through a combination of timetabled learning and independent study.
You can view more information about how each module is taught within our 'What you will study' section.
Seminars and workshops enable you to discuss and develop your understanding of topics covered in lectures in smaller groups. You will also be able to meet your personal tutor. Timetabled learning may fall between 9am and 9pm depending on your courses and tutorials.
Class sizes
Class sizes vary by module. Lectures are normally attended by larger groups, and seminars/tutorials by smaller groups. This can vary more widely for modules that are shared between degrees. All students will have opportunities for 1-to-1 time with their tutors.
Independent learning
Outside of timetabled sessions, you are also expected to dedicate around 30 hours a week to self-study. This may involve further reading and research, preparing coursework and presentations, and preparing for tests and exams. Our facilities are designed to support you in these activities.
We encourage you to join societies and participate in sporting and other activities to engage in the wider life of the university community.
Overall workload
If you are studying full-time, you should expect the workload to be similar to a full-time job. For part-time students, this will reduce in proportion with the number of courses you are studying.
Each module you study towards this degree is worth 15 or 30 credits. These represent around 150 or 300 study hours respectively. If you receive 100 contact hours for a 30-credit module, you should expect to commit 200 hours to independent study to complete it successfully.
Assessment
Students are assessed through a combination of assessment methods depending on the modules chosen.
You can view how each module is assessed within our 'What you will study' section.
Each course has formal assessments which count towards your grade. Some courses may also include 'practice' assignments, which help you monitor progress and do not count towards your final grade.
Feedback summary
We aim to provide feedback on assignments and to release examination results within 15 working days.
Dates and timetables
Full teaching timetables are not usually available until term has started. For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.
Official statistics on Discover Uni
Full time
Part time
Fees and funding
The course fees are shared between government and employers. Visit our degree apprenticeships pages to find out how the cost of your course is met.
Other costs
Information coming soon.
For any queries, please call 020 8331 9000.
Careers and placements
Will I have a work placement?
During the programme you will have placements in the Operating Theatre Department and other associated clinical practice areas. When on placement you will be allocated a practice educator who will support your learning and development on placement and will complete the formal assessment of your clinical practice learning.
How long is my placement?
During the programme you will complete a minimum of 1800 hours in practice during the 3-years full time and 5-years part time. Placement is an opportunity to relate theory learnt in the programme to practice and to develop the professional, team working decision making skills which are required of an Operating Department Practitioner.
What sort of careers do graduates pursue?
On completion of your degree, you will be eligible to apply for professional registration as an Operating Department Practitioner with the Health and Care Professions Council and to commence your career as a registered Operating Department Practitioner.
Do you provide employability services?
Our Careers Service is committed to supporting our students and recent graduates in their transition towards a rewarding graduate destination. We strive to deliver a professional service with the aim of empowering our students to achieve their potential. We provide the following:
- CV and cover letter checks
- Application support
- One-to-one careers advice
- Interview tips and support
- Careers fairs
- Internships
- Graduate jobs.
Support and advice
Academic skills and study support
We want you to make the most of your time with us. You can access study skills support through your tutor, our subject librarians, and our online academic skills centre.
Where appropriate, we provide support in academic English and mathematics. If you need to use particular IT packages for a specific module, we provide training for this.
Not quite what you were looking for?
We've got plenty of other courses for you to choose from. Browse our undergraduate courses or check our related courses below.....
Health and social care at the University of Greenwich
You’ll learn from our expert, research-active tutors and be well supported during your work placement. You’ll benefit from great job prospects thanks to our strong links with NHS trusts and social care providers.
Visit our health and social care degrees page.
Health and social care degrees
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