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Students
Tuition Fee
Start Date
2026-09-01
Medium of studying
On campus
Duration
3 years
Program Facts
Program Details
Degree
Bachelors
Major
Surgical Technology
Area of study
Health
Education type
On campus
Timing
Full time
Course Language
English
Intakes
Program start dateApplication deadline
2026-09-01-
About Program

Program Overview


Operating Department Practice - BSc (Hons)

Overview

Are you interested in a rewarding career in perioperative care? Have you got excellent management skills and a passion for supporting others? Start your journey to becoming a vital part of the theatre team with our BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice (ODP) course.


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. Successful completion of the course will allow you to be eligible to apply for registration with the Heath and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and gain employment as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP).


What's covered in this course?

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)
  • Pillar Two: Facilitation of Learning (of self and others)
  • Pillar Three: Leadership
  • Pillar Four: Evidence, Research and Development

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.


In year two, the clinical practice emphasis shifts to providing care for patients undergoing complex and emergency surgery. You will learn to understand the principles of leadership whilst supporting others to learn as well as developing inquiry-based learning in order to support research and development.


You will work towards becoming an autonomous practitioner in year three, developing proficiency in anaesthetics, surgery and post-anaesthetic care as well as gaining experience in acute care beyond the operating theatre and developing in the role of a Surgical First Assistant (SFA). You will also have the opportunity to explore your own specialist interests as well as developing your leadership skills in order to manage people and resources within the perioperative environment, as you transition to a registered ODP as you prepare to register with the HCPC.


Accredited By

This course is accredited by:


  • Health and Care Professions Council

Why Choose Us?

  • Funding - Allied health profession students will receive at least £5,000 a year in additional funding for maintenance and associated study costs. Download the funding FAQs. Plus, if you’ve already studied for an undergraduate degree, you may still be eligible for funding.
  • Learn in our innovative education facilities that simulate real-life medical situations - including an anaesthetic room, operating theatre and recovery unit to practice your core skills as an ODP.
  • Our strong partnerships with the NHS and independent health providers across the West Midlands and surrounding areas mean you will benefit from quality placement learning experiences to develop your skills and professional relationships.
  • You get to do a number of nationally-recognised courses throughout your degree: in year one you will be given the opportunity to undertake the Bedside Emergency Assessment Course for Healthcare Staff (BEACH) and Paediatric Emergency Assessment Communication Handover (PEACH) course; in year two you are offered the Acute Life-threatening Events Recognition and Treatment (ALERT) courses; and in year three you are able to do Intermediate Life Support (ILS) and Paediatric Intermediate Life Support (PiLS), both of which are nationally-recognised resuscitation courses.
  • Wide variety of career opportunities available upon successful completion, such as working in orthopaedic clinics, transplant teams, research and education.
  • Learn from the experts - many of our staff are still active operating department practitioners, so you can rely on them for all the practical guidance, advice and knowledge you need to prepare for a successful career in a healthcare environment.

Entry Requirements

Essential requirements

  • 112 UCAS Tariff points. Learn more about 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)

  • Prior to enrolling on the course, successful candidates will be required to obtain a satisfactory occupational health check and an enhanced DBS check via the Faculty, as well as registration with the Independent Safeguarding Authority. Qualifications, personal statement, interview and references all form part of the selection criteria for this course.If you have any queries please refer to DBS Frequently Asked Questions or contact .

GCSE and other level 2 requirements

  • 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. If you do not have these or are not undertaking them, we accept other level 2 equivalents, or we may ask you to pass BCU's GCSE equivalency tests.

A Level, BTEC and other level 3 requirements

  • Qualification| Entry requirements
    • A Level |
      • 112 UCAS Tariff points from three A Levels
      • Grades BBC (or equivalent)
      • Required subjects: Health and Social Care, Psychology, Social Science or Science subject at A Level or level 3 equivalent
      • Excluded subjects: General Studies; Critical Thinking; Extended Project
    • Pearson BTEC (Diploma / Extended Diploma/ Extended Certificate) |
      • 112 UCAS Tariff points
      • Diploma accepted with one A Level or equivalent level 3 qualifications
      • Extended Certificate accepted with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
      • Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Health and Social Care; Applied Science
      • National Diploma/Extended Certificate - accepted subjects: Either this qualification or the accompanying A-level / level 3 equivalent must be in Health and Social Care or a relevant Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
    • T Level |
      • Merit overall
      • Accepted subjects: Healthcare Science; Science
    • Access to HE Diploma |
      • Pass with 60 credits, 45 credits at level 3
      • Accepted subjects: Health and Social Care or Science-related pathway
    • OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications |
      • 112 UCAS Tariff points
      • Extended Diploma - accepted subjects: Health or Science
      • Diploma - accepted subjects: Either this qualification or the accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be a relevant Health or Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
    • NCFE CACHE Level 3 qualifications |
      • 112 UCAS Tariff points
      • Accepted subjects: Childcare and Education; Children and Young People's Workforce; Health and Social Care; Early Years Education and Care
    • WJEC Level 3 qualifications |
      • 112 UCAS Tariff points
      • Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualification(s)
      • Required subjects: Either this qualification or an accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be a relevant Health or Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
    • Irish Leaving Certificate (Highers) |
      • Minimum of 112 UCAS Tariff points, achieved in five Higher level subjects
      • Required subjects: Health or Science related subject at Higher level
    • Scottish Higher / Advanced Higher |
      • 112 UCAS Tariff points from three Advanced Highers (CCD) or two Advanced Highers (CD) plus two Highers (CC)
      • Required subjects: Health or Science subject at Higher level or above
    • Welsh Baccalaureate |
      • 112 UCAS Tariff points. Considered with two A Levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications
      • Required subjects: Either this qualification or an accompanying A Level / level 3 equivalent must be in a relevant Health or Science subject (e.g. Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)

Interview arrangements

  • Applicants are required to undertake a face-to-face engagement, normally in the form of an interview. Interviews currently take place online.

International qualifications

  • International Baccalaureate Diploma
    • Obtain a minimum of 28 points overall
    • Required subjects: One of Biology, Chemistry or Physics at Higher level
    • For students who do not already hold a GCSE in Mathematics at grade C/4 or above, grade 5 in Maths (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted.
    • For students who do not already hold a GCSE in English Language at grade C/4 or above, English Language (Standard level) from the IB Diploma will be accepted. For English A, this must be grade 4 or above; for English B, this must be grade 5.

EU / International students

  • Please see your country page for further details on the equivalent qualifications we accept. In addition to the academic entry requirements listed above, international and EU students will also require IELTS 7.0 overall with no less than 6.5 in each band.

Fees & How to Apply

UK students

  • Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
  • Award: BSc (Hons)
  • Starting: Sep 2026
  • Mode: Full Time
  • Duration: 3 years
  • Fees: £9,535 in 2026/27
  • Apply via UCAS

International students

  • Sorry, this course is not available to International students.

Included in your course fees

  • Access to computer equipment
  • Printing
  • Field trips
  • Access to Microsoft Office 365
  • Key software
  • Key subscriptions
  • DBS check
  • Uniform
  • Occupational health assessment

Not included in your course fees

  • Placement expenses (mandatory)
  • Excess printing (optional)
  • Personal stationery and study materials (optional)
  • Memberships (optional)
  • Accommodation and living costs (optional)

Course in Depth

Year One

  • Foundations of Learning in Operating Department Practice 20 credits
  • Essential Biosciences for Operating Department Practice 20 credits
  • Foundations of Care in Operating Department Practice 40 credits
  • Foundations of Evidence Based Practice 20 credits
  • Becoming an Allied Health Professional 20 credits
  • Foundations of Operating Department Practice in Clinical Practice 0 credits

Year Two

  • Facilitation of Teaching and Learning in Operating Department Practice 20 credits
  • Diversifying surgical care delivery 20 credits
  • Diversifying anaesthetic and post-anaesthetic care delivery 40 credits
  • Application of Evidence Based Practice 20 credits
  • Identifying & Developing Leadership Skills for the Operating Department Practitioner 20 credits
  • Development of Operating Department Practice in Clinical Practice 0 credits

Year Three

  • Advancing Leadership into Management for the ODP 20 credits
  • Acute Care Beyond the Operating Theatre 20 credits
  • Surgical First Assistance 20 credits
  • Independent Research within Operating Department Practice 40 credits
  • Negotiated Professional Practice 20 credits
  • Proficiency of Operating Department Practice in Clinical Practice 0 credits

Employability

Enhancing employability skills

  • To prepare students to meet the requirements for eligibility to apply for entry onto the Health and Care Professions Council register as Registered Operating Department Practitioners.
  • Combines theory with clinical placement to enhance awareness of different specialities in preparation for employment in operating theatre departments.
  • Develops transferable skills for working in a range of health care settings and recognising the need for life-long learning.

Placements

  • You will be required to travel for your clinical placements to engage in a broad range of specialities and practice areas. These placements will be with both NHS and independent health providers across the West Midlands.
  • It is important you appreciate that fees for accommodation and/or travel will require personal financial outlay; these may be reimbursable to some extent, the most up-to-date information can be found on the NHS Business Service Authority website and the administrative team can also advise. Additionally there is no guarantee of a placement in a specific hospital or area.

Facilities & Staff

We have invested over £400 million in our facilities, including an upgrade to our Skills and Simulation facilities at City South Campus. We boast up-to-date, innovative facilities that simulate the real situations that you may come across in the workplace. These resources are essential in offering you a hands-on introduction to health and social care practice.

Mock Wards

  • These are set up to look like typical hospital wards, with four to six bays. Depending on the topic in hand, different manikins can be used as patients and relevant equipment is provided to practise clinical skills. Some of the manikins are interactive and can simulate different scenarios e.g. some allow you to cannulate, check pulses, intubate etc, and some can talk to you. One ward is often used as an adult ward, and the other as a child ward.

The Operating Theatre and Recovery Suites

  • The operating theatre and recovery suite gives you the sense of what it would be like in a real surgical environment.

Home Environment Room

  • This facility replicates a small flat with bedroom, bathroom and kitchen diner space. It is used to simulate non-clinical settings, to give students experience of working in different environments. It also incorporates a range of digital health technology, to help prepare students to work in the NHS of the future.

Simbulance

  • Our ‘Simbulance’ is a purpose built teaching space that allows students to practise their skills in a highly specialist, high-fidelity simulated environment. The Simbulance is an exact replica of an operational emergency ambulance. Learners are truly immersed in the clinical environment and test their knowledge and skills in a safe and supported space, before entering the clinical environment ‘for real’ on placement.

Assisted Living Space

  • This space replicates a flat and is used for scenarios such as home visits. The sitting room area provides a different space to practise skills and simulations and work with service users and other students.

Assisted Kitchen

  • This specially designed kitchen has different areas where you can practice cooking, cleaning, boiling the kettle etc., with someone who has actual or simulated vision impairment. There are adapted devices to help, and simulation glasses for you to wear to experience vision impairment.

Physiotherapy Room

  • This is a space for physiotherapy students to use, with various equipment to practise client meetings.

Radiotherapy Planning Computer Suite

  • Our computers allow you to plan hypothetical treatments, in terms of angles and directions, ensuring that radiotherapy reaches where it is needed on a patient’s body.

Radiography Image Interpretation and Reporting Stations Computer Suite

  • These facilities allow you to view and analyse x-rays.

VERT - Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training

  • This room contains 3D technology to view virtual patients and look at trajectories for treatment.

Radiotherapy

  • This room contains the same bed/couch used when patients are given radiotherapy treatment. While students of course do not administer radiotherapy in this room, it does allow them to practise adjusting the equipment to make sure both it and a patient would be in the correct position to receive treatment.

Telehealth Room

  • This room allows for small group teaching in a central area (large boardroom type table) with five small telehealth booths down either side. These are to allow all our health professions students to practise delivering healthcare and advice remotely, either over the phone or on a video call. This addition to our teaching reflects moves in the sector to offer more flexible access to healthcare services, particularly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Imaging Academy

  • This new facility is a larger version of our existing image interpretation computer facilities and forms part of the Midlands Imaging Training Academy, funded by Health Education England. These expanded facilities will mean we can further develop our courses and expertise in radiography and imaging.

Speech and Language Therapy Resource Room

  • Our Speech and Language Therapy Team have developed a collection of tools, books and resources to help you learn and understand the implications of a speech or swallowing limitation. You can practise one to one client meetings and clinics and use the video recording equipment to review role play scenarios.

Ultrasound simulation suite

  • Students have access to a wide range of Ultrasound simulation equipment to develop their clinical skills and aid in training. The equipment includes two ultrasound machines with a range of phantoms, scan training stations and eve body works.

Our staff

  • Laura Garbett
    • BSc ODP Course Leader / Senior Lecturer in Operating Department Practice
    • Laura is an Operating Department Practitioner registered with the Health and Care Professions Council. Clinical experience includes anesthetic, surgical (scrub), post-anesthetic care and resuscitation. She successfully completed the Resuscitation Council Advanced Life Support Course & European Advanced Life Support Courses to enhance her role...
  • Katie O'Connor
    • Lecturer in Operating Department Practice / Admissions Tutor
    • Katie's career as an ODP began at Birmingham City University 15 years ago when she undertook the Diploma in Higher Education in Operating Department Practice, she has been qualified for almost 13 years.
  • Louise Scott
    • Lecturer in Operating Department Practice
    • Louise's interest in health care started with the first aid training she acquired in the Navy, this interest was instrumental in her embarking on the ODP course in 2010. She has worked as an ODP for the last 12 years and recently moved to education. Louise's 12 years as an ODP has given her a wealth of knowledge and experience which she has...
  • Lewis Clemson
    • Lecturer in Operating Department Practice
    • Lewis qualified as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) in 2017. Once qualified, he worked at a Major Trauma Centre, helping to care for patients with severe life-threatening injuries. He was able to experience the perioperative care of patients undergoing complex procedures within Orthopaedics (both elective and emergency trauma),...
  • Julie Quick
    • ODP Apprenticeship Course Leader / Senior Lecturer Clinical Lead & Enterprise/Research
    • Julie has spent 25 years working within the perioperative environment. In her last NHS post she worked as a Surgical Care Practitioner in general surgery at Trust within the West Midlands. Julie is passionate about perioperative care and has a particular interest in surgery, research and advancing surgical roles.
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