1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. Studies
  3. Bachelor's degree programmes
  4. Nursing

Nursing

Nurses care for us when we’re sick, help us maintain our health and are in great demand on the labour market. We offer a hands-on approach to nursing in this varied, exciting degree programme.

In demand and ready to practice

  • We prepare you to take on the complex demands of nursing.

  • You will hone your skills in our learning centre under the guidance of specialists and implement your new-found knowledge during work placements.

  • You will learn to think critically and provide scientific reasoning for your professional decisions.

  • You will acquire expert knowledge of the interdisciplinary facets of modern nursing and learn to take an active role as a trained professional.

  • Following graduation, you may choose to specialise, or continue your studies with our consecutive master’s programme, or even a doctorate (PhD).

Portrait Bachelor of Science in Nursing (German)

Factsheet

  • Title/Degree Bachelor of Science (BSc)
  • Specialisations None
  • Mode of study Full-time study (6 semesters), followed by a 10-month additional internship module
  • Start date Calendar week 38
  • Application deadline Academic year 2021/2022: 15 May 2021
  • ECTS credits 180 ECTS credits
  • Study language German
  • Location Bern and Basel
  • Department Health Professions
  • Next info event 10 November 2020

Contact

Content + Structure

The bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing at BFH provides you with a sound theoretical foundation in science and extensive professional and practical experience. All content is designed to give you the tools you need for career success.

Portrait

The bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing at BFH prepares you for a professional career in the field. Nursing is both a profession and a scientific discipline, and a career in it requires extensive knowledge as well as expert theoretical and practical skills. This cannot be achieved either on the ward or in the lecture hall alone; it requires a well-balanced mix of theory and practice.

This combination of practical and theoretical learning prepares you to graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree as well as a professional qualification.

Learning outcomes

Upon graduating from this bachelor's degree programme and gaining initial work experience, you will be equipped to assume a high degree of responsibility in complex professional settings.

You will be able to

  • manage the preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, palliative and end-of-life care for patients of all ages, and involve their families in the process.
  • work with patients and their families to ascertain the level of care needed, make diagnoses and establish objectives for interventions and medical care.
  • consult the latest scientific findings to justify and monitor the interventions you choose for your patients.
  • evaluate the effectiveness of care according to valid quality standards as well as identify any aberrations.
  • empower patients and their families depending on the reality of their situation – to prevent, overcome or accept physical limitations, disabilities or illness.
  • act as a life-saving first responder in emergency situations.
  • foster caring relationships with different people, in service of the nursing process.
  • coordinate care and assist colleagues in the field, taking over for them as needed.
  • identify areas in need of further study in the field of nursing and participate in researching the answers to relevant research questions. You will draw upon your clinical experience to help incorporate these findings in your nursing practice.
  • relay your knowledge of nursing to patients and their families or individuals in other professional fields and guide them through the care process.

Bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing at BFH (German)

Mode of study + Duration

Full-time study (6 semesters), followed by a 10-month additional internship module.

Curriculum + Modules

The bachelor's degree programme in Nursing is modular. Every semester is structured around modules dedicated to specific topics.

Three questions to...

  • Professional nursing
  • Pain management
  • Emergency situations
  • Communication in everyday nursing
  • Fundamental knowledge of research
  • Descriptive statistics
  • Inferential statistics
  • Perioperative nursing
  • Counselling in everyday nursing
  • Interprofessional module: Person-centred health care
  • Practical experience module 1
  • Technical English 1
  • Dependence and autonomy
  • Difficult situations
  • Applied research
  • Challenging conversations
  • Clinical assessment 1
  • Clinical assessment 2
  • Health management
  • Education and ethics
  • Evidence-based practice
  • Pharmacology
  • Interprofessional module: interprofessional collaboration and eHealth
  • Practical experience module 2
  • Practical experience module 3
  • Technical English 2
  • Technical English 3
  • Health economics and policies
  • Scientific writing
  • Bachelor’s thesis
  • Quality development and project management
  • Argumentation and presentation
  • Clinical decision-making
  • Interprofessional module: interprofessional health promotion
  • Practical Experience Module (Optional-Mandatory Module
  • Practical experience module 4
  • Reasoning and presentation
Structure of bachelor's degree programme in Nursing - full time (since beginning of studies 2020/2021) Enlarge image
Structure of bachelor's degree programme in Nursing - full time (since beginning of studies 2020/2021)

Student mobility

We highly value mobility for our students and professors alike. We maintain partnerships with various foreign universites of applied sciences, which helps streamline our study abroad options.

The bachelor’s degree programme aligns with the Bologna model, which ensures transparency and mobility among universites of applied sciences across Europe. Student performance is measured and recognised according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).

International office at the Department of Health Professions

Projects + Student theses

Partners

Studies in Basel

The BFH is expanding its offer and from autumn 2021, in cooperation with the BZG Bildungszentrum Gesundheit Basel-Stadt, will offer the Bachelor's degree course in nursing completely in Basel.

The modern facilities of the BZG are available for theoretical instruction, communication training and the practice of nursing skills. Students in Basel are matriculated at the BFH and complete the same study program as the course of studies in Bern. You will complete your practical modules at healthcare institutes in and around Bern. These modules help establish a concrete relationship between your studies and professional practice. Instructors from BFH and BZG work closely with these nursing professionals.

For more information on modules, non-instructional periods and internships, please see ‘Content + Structure’.

Learn more about this full-time bachelor’s programme at one of our information events, at either BFH or BZG.

Evening info sessions at BZG

  • Tuesday, 17 November 2020, 6pm7.30pm
  • Tuesday, 16 December 2020, 6pm7.30pm
Evening info sessions at BZG for bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing

Contact person for Bachelor Nursing at the Basel location

Prof. Theresa Scherer

  • Leiterin interprofessionelle Lehre
  • +41 31 848 35 03
  • Show e-mail
  • Address Berner Fachhochschule
    Health Professions
    Finkenhubelweg 11, 3012 Bern

Information for prospective students in Basel

At the Department of Health Professions of the Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, there are currently no on-site information events due to the coronavirus.

We are therefore offering prospective students the option to attend an online presentation of our information event. We will provide you with details for accessing the online presentation via email.

Requirements + Admission

The number of places available on our bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing at BFH is determined by a numerus clausus. Provided you meet formal admission requirements, you must then complete a written aptitude test.

Formal admission requirements

For admission to the programme, you must meet our academic requirements, pass the aptitude test and complete a two-month nursing internship at a healthcare clinic or social services centre before the first semester begins. You must also provide proof of language skills in German at level C1.

Academic requirements

You have earned one of the following Swiss training qualifications:

  • Vocational baccalaureate
  • Specialised baccalaureate (four-year)
  • Baccalaureate
  • Degree in a healthcare field from a professional college (see list)
List of recognised professional degrees (without [vocational] baccalaureate) to determine eligibility for aptitude test (German) (PDF, 77 KB)

 

Foreign qualifications are evaluated according to swissuniversities guidelines.

Language requirements

If your prior training (at least three years) was not conducted in German, you must demonstrate proficiency in the German language. We require students to have achieved level C1 in the Common European Framework of Reference.

Knowledge + Abilities

You should demonstrate the following interests, knowledge and abilities:

  • You are self-competent and resilient with excellent social skills and an analytic mind.
  • You are interested in a professional career with an academic background.
  • You have solid observation skills.
  • You enjoy approaching and interacting with other people.
  • You are a great communicator.
  • You have a deep sense of responsibility.
  • You work well with others, regardless of differences in professional or cultural background.
  • You have extensive prior knowledge of biology and other sciences.
  • You are prepared to work within an institutional context and complete administrative tasks with close attention to detail.
  • You are resilient and autonomous in your work.
  • You will need strong English skills for this programme: level B2C1 or completed First Certificate (grade A).

Professional prerequisites

There are no professional prerequisites for full-time studies in Nursing.

In the year of the planned start of your studies, you must complete a binding aptitude assessment (which is subject to a fee). This will determine your admission to the bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing at BFH. The aptitude test is conducted in German and comprises a written part.

Academic year 2021/2022

Aptitude test: Friday, 11 June 2021

Helpful resources

Nursing internship (additional module A)

Before beginning your studies, you must complete a two-month nursing internship (additional module A) at a healthcare clinic or social services centre. Exceptions to this requirement are individuals with a specialised baccalaureate in a healthcare-related field and those with a Swiss Federal Vocational Education and Training diploma (EFZ) and vocational baccalaureate in a healthcare-related field.
The goal of the nursing internship is to introduce you to the tasks and work environment of healthcare professions. You will be responsible for performing various nursing duties, which will give you an idea of your own resilience. You must complete this free-form internship over the course of two consecutive months, or 40 eight-hour workdays. Sick and/or days of absence must be made up. This is a chance for you to discover how well or poorly you adapt to this work environment, what you enjoy and what poses a challenge.
You are responsible for planning and securing the internship – BFH does not provide any recommendations. Please refer to the following handout for more information regarding the internship and/or get in touch with the admissions team in our Health Professions Department well in advance.

All prospective students must submit the following form by calendar week 35 to prove completion of the nursing internship (additional module A).

Nursing internship (additional module A) proof of completion (German) (PDF, 1 MB)


Certain professional healthcare qualifications are recognised in lieu of the nursing internship. The following provides an overview of eligible credit transfers for additional module A within our Health Professions degree programmes.

List of professional qualifications recognised in lieu of nursing internship (additional module A) (PDF, 74 KB)

Contact Admission

+41 31 848 35 35

Degree + Career prospects

A promising future for your degree: as a nursing professional with a bachelor’s degree, you have broad general training with specialised knowledge in the field of nursing as well as the skills to manage the effects of diseases and treatments alike.

Title + Degree

Upon graduating, you will obtain the title ‘Bachelor of Science BFH in Nursing’. This bachelor’s degree is federally recognised in Switzerland, compatible with other European systems and counts internationally as a university degree.

Career prospects

A bachelor’s degree in Nursing prepares you to work in healthcare institutes and beyond, in the private or public sector or for locum work.

Possible fields of work
 

  • Urgent care facilities
  • Psychiatry
  • Retirement or nursing homes
  • Outpatient clinics
  • Preventive care
  • Long-term care
  • Rehabilitation
  • Palliative care, hospice care
  • School health services
  • Company health promotion
  • Advice
  • Education
  • Research and teaching
  • Politics
  • Home care

Public organisations
 

  • Hospitals
  • Clinics
  • Homes
  • Vocational schools with healthcare focus
  • Schools and universities
  • Associations
  • Municipalities/administrative departments

Private organisations
 

  • Health centres, HMOs
  • Health insurance companies
  • Medical manufacturers
  • Companies (e.g. health promotion within the workplace)
  • Freelance consultant or homecare provider
  • Master of Science

Nursing

With our master’s degree in nursing, you will make significant contributions to the field, apply your own expanded expertise to your nursing practice and help shape the development of the profession.

  • Specialisations - Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
    - Nurse Practitioner (NP)
    - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
    - Research
  • Mode of study Full-time studies: 3 semesters
    Part-time studies: approx. 6 semesters
  • Study language German / English
  • Location Bern

Practicalities + Application

If you fulfil the formal entry requirements, we will look forward to meeting you. Take the first step toward an academic career in nursing.

Academic year 2020/2021
 

  • The application deadline for the 2020/21 academic year has passed.
  • Start date: 14 September 2020

Academic year 2021/2022
 

  • Application deadline: 15 May 2021

  • Written aptitude test: Friday, 11 June 2021

Fees + Costs

Tuition fees for a semester at the Berne University of Applied Sciences currently amount to a standard CHF 750, plus costs for study materials (photocopies, literature, internet access at home, etc.) and examination fees of roughly the same amount per semester.

Own notebook necessary

Your own computer (ideally a notebook) with a powerful internet access is required. The Berne University of Applied Sciences will assist you with the procurement.

Internship compensation

During the practical work accompanying your studies, you can count on a monthly internship compensation. The course is designed as a full-time course. Accompanying employment is therefore only possible within a very limited framework.

List of fees and costs (German) (PDF, 64 KB)

Grants, loans and other funding options

Financial aid. Financial aid is available through grants and loans. Grants are one-off or ongoing payments that don’t usually have to be paid back provided you complete your course. Loans are one-off or ongoing payments that must be paid back after you finish your course.

Cantonal grants

Grants and loans for Swiss students and overseas students are generally paid out by the canton where the students’ parents are tax residents.

Students who have been tax residents in the Canton of Bern for at least two years are able to apply for cantonal grants and loans. Applications should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office at the Department of Education.

Further information (incl. financial aid calculator):

The websites ausbildungsbeiträge.ch, stipendium.ch and European Funding Guide cover all the key information about grants in Switzerland and overseas.

Foundations and funds

There are also numerous private foundations and funds that offer financial support to students. The electronic foundation directory administered by the Federal Department of Home Affairs offers a comprehensive summary of these organisations and can be searched by keywords (e.g. student, research, financial aid, etc.). Other sources of funding include the foundation directories for individual cantons and private foundations.

The following foundations offer funding specifically to BFH students and students from other universities:

Bern University of Applied Sciences has various sites in the Canton of Bern. In Biel and Bern, new campus-style buildings are currently being built and will connect previously separate locations.

In principle, you are responsible for finding your own accommodation. The HAFL department has a limited number of rooms for students of BFH-HAFL who live a long way from the university.

Rooms and appartments for students in Bern:

studentlodge.ch


The Bern University of Applied Sciences is a partner and member of studentlodge.ch, a non-profit association for the promotion of student living in Bern.

More available rooms and appartments

   

WG-Zimmer

Flatshare classifieds (mainly Switzerland)

airbnb

Holiday homes, apartments and rooms for rent

students.ch

Student flatshares and flats

meinwgzimmer.ch

Flatshare accommodation service Switzerland

STUWO

Student accommodation association

Studentenresidenz Stöckacker

Furnished studios and flats in Stöckacker

Immobern

Bern property portal

Wohnungsmarkt Stadt Burgdorf

Accommodation in the city of Burgdorf and the surrounding area

Alle-Immobilien.ch

Search machine for all properties in Switzerland

Homegate

Swiss property portal

Immoscout24

Swiss property portal

Immowelt

Swiss property portal

More Information

Living expenses

Average living costs (in CHF) per month:

Average living costs per month

 from to
Course costs
(Tuition fees, learning materials excluding study trips / study weeks)		 CHF 140.– CHF 180.–
Fixed costs
(Sickness / accident insurance at non-reduced rate, taxes / social insurance, travel costs)		 CHF 420.– CHF 500.–
Personal Expenditure
(Clothes / shoes, spending money / mobile phone, hairdressing / grooming)		 CHF 250.– CHF 350.–
Medical expenses
(Healthcare costs: excess rate, deductible rate, dentist)		 CHF 60.– CHF 60.–

Rent / shared accommodation costs

 CHF 300.– CHF 600.–
Other accommodation costs
(Electricity, telephone / radio / TV / Internet, home contents and personal liability insurance)		 CHF 70.– CHF 100.–

Food / drink, including refectory

 CHF 400.– CHF 500.–
Other houskeeping costs
(Washing powder and cleaning products, general toiletries, waste removal costs)		 CHF 20.– CHF 40.–
Total CHF 1700.– CHF 2550.–

Meals outside the home CHF 8 to CHF 10 per meal

    

Source: Budgetberatung.ch

Annual average living costs for students living alone or in shared accommodation. The effective yearly amount may vary between approximately CHF 18,000 and CHF 27,000.

At Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, we promote balance between study, work and family.

A limited number of nursery places are available to BFH staff and students. If you’d like to take advantage of this offer, the relevant documents can be found on the BFH Intranet. The fees are income-based and in line with the cantonal rates described in the Verordnung über die Angebote der sozialen Integration (Decree on Social Integration Offer ASIV) issued by the Canton of Bern. You can apply for a nursery place using the online form on the BFH Intranet. If you’re a new student or member of staff and don’t have access to the Intranet, please contact Corinne Badertscher (Tel. +41 (0)31 848 33 01, corinne.badertscher@bfh.ch). There is no legal entitlement to a nursery place.

Apply online for our bachelor’s degree programmes. Speed up the application process by having all your electronic application materials ready in advance (please see checklist). We only accept applications for the bachelor’s degree programme via our online application form. We cannot accept any applications after the application deadline.

The application and aptitude test fee of CHF 300 is itemised as follows:

  • Application processing fee of CHF 100 (credit card) or CHF 110 (paper invoice*). This fee is required.
  • Aptitude test fee of CHF 200 (blanket charge).

* Please remit payment within 10 days. We review applications only once payment has been received.

If you are admitted to the programme following the aptitude test, please provide written confirmation that you accept our offer within 20 days. The first semester fee is due upon accepting our offer of admission.

Checklist for the application for the Bachelor degree programme Nursing (German) (PDF, 91 KB)

Information events + Advice

Visit one of our information events for further details on our bachelor’s degree programme in Nursing. We are happy to advise you individually.

Advice

Study + profession

Administration bachelor’s degree programme in nursing

  • +41 31 848 35 40
  • Show e-mail

Admission, application and aptitude test details

Student Administration Health Professions

  • +41 31 848 35 35
  • Show e-mail

FAQ zum Bachelor-Studium

Head of Degree Programme

Prof. Kaspar Küng

  • Leiter BSc Pflege
  • +41 31 848 37 51
  • Show e-mail
  • Address Berner Fachhochschule
    Health Professions
    Murtenstrasse 10, 3008 Bern

Deputy Head of Degree Programme

Eliane Gugler

  • Dozentin, Leiterin Qualifikation/Prüfung
  • +41 31 848 37 54
  • Show e-mail
  • Address Berner Fachhochschule
    Health Professions
    Murtenstrasse 10, 3008 Bern

Information events for the bachelor's degree programme in Nursing (full time)

At the Department of Health Professions of the Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, there are currently no on-site information events due to the coronavirus.

We are therefore offering prospective students the option to attend an online presentation of our information event. We will provide you with details for accessing the online presentation via email.

Location + Learning Centre

Centrally located and easy to get to: the Department of Health Professions is located within a 10-minute walk or five-minute ride with public transport from Bern central station.
You can reach the BZG by public transport in about 15 minutes from Basel main station.

The Learning Centre with its Digital Learning, Communication Training and Skills Centre supports a modern and realistic teaching and learning environment at the Department of Health Professions.

Digital learning

Digital media play an important role in all degree programmes. Via the web-based learning platform Moodle, students have access to all relevant teaching and learning content independent of time and location. Numerous other web applications such as Microsoft Teams, the video platform Kaltura or web applications developed in-house support students in their daily studies.

Skills Centre

The Skills Centre of the Department of Health Professions represents a teaching and learning landscape which, thanks to practice-oriented premises, a variety of equipment, models and materials, allows individual use by students and lecturers. It offers ideal conditions for the systematic training and optimisation of profession-specific skills. The focus here is on the further development of practical and technical skills and abilities. The available infrastructure should, among other things, also offer the opportunity to prepare specifically for practical work as encountered in practice.

Communication training

Communication training is an innovative learning method. With professional actors and actresses, students practise communicative skills by simulating challenging situations from professional practice: Handling a patient who hardly speaks German, a patient who has just received a serious diagnosis or emotional relatives. Mobile video recording systems enable the recording and immediate viewing of the communication situation. In this way, students learn how to deal professionally with demanding tasks in the health care sector in communication training.

Lern-Center