Health Care and Nursing Upgrade
Bachelor's degree, full-time
Notice: The application deadline for 2026 has passed. Applications for the Summer Semester 2027 will open on 1 September 2026.
Are you a qualified nurse working at a senior level and looking to actively develop your career for the future? Would you like to give your specialist knowledge and nursing practice a scientific foundation through a university degree?
Building on your existing qualification in the higher service of health and nursing, the Bachelor of Science in Health Studies opens up new professional and academic prospects for you. If you meet the entry requirements, at least 120 ECTS credits will be recognised towards your qualification in the higher service of general health and nursing. For your qualification in paediatric and adolescent nursing or psychiatric nursing, credits will be recognised on an individual basis in accordance with Section 12(1) of the Higher Education Act (FHG).
The upgrade programme is also well suited to being combined with professional work.
The 42 ECTS to be completed are divided over three semesters (semesters 4 to 6). You can currently see the learning content of semester 4.
Compulsory elective courses | here you choose 1 compulsory elective subject in semester 5 (2 ECTS / 2 SWS each).
ECTS: Credit points according to the "European Credit Transfer System". In accordance with international standards, 180 ECTS must be earned.
Course content in detail
Admission to the final examination
Courses: In order to register for the final oral bachelor's examination, all courses of the curriculum must have been completed positively.
The bachelor's thesis is written in the 6th semester and must be positively evaluated by the supervisor.
Graduation
Final bachelor's examination
Recognition of previous academic achievements
Special regulations: Previous academic achievements can be recognized individually in individual courses during your studies. This also applies to coursework that you have already completed at a recognised college or university. The equivalence of the acquired knowledge with the requirement profile with regard to the content and scope of the courses to be waived will be checked upon your application. If equivalence is determined, positively completed examinations will be recognised. A knowledge check is not planned in these cases. You will receive details on this in a meeting with the programme director.
General arrangements for recognition of prior learning
Courses and examinations take place:
- generally on Mondays (exceptions may apply)
- Students may engage in activities outside of their studies in accordance with the timetable.
- Admission to the final oral examination:
- all courses in the curriculum must have been successfully completed (examination regulations and grading scale) and
- the Bachelor's thesis must have been graded positively.
- Degree awarded: Bachelor of Science in Health Studies, BSc
- Level of the degree according to the national and European qualifications framework: Bachelor (1st cycle)
- Field of study according to ISCED-F code: 0913 - Nursing and midwifery
Career perspectives
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Care expert:in
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Practice instructor:in
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special areas of activity, e.g. intensive care, anesthesia, OR
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Advice for people with care needs and their relatives
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Child and adolescent care or psychiatric care
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Aspiring ward manager or nursing service manager
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Lecturer:r for Health Care and Nursing (with appropriate continuing education)
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Quality manager:in
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Project employee:in (e.g. international development cooperation)
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Expert:r
Health Care and Nursing student stories
Access and application
The Bachelor’s degree programme in Health and Nursing (Upgrade) at FHV requires one of the following qualifications or competencies:
General university entrance qualification:
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Austrian secondary school leaving certificate (Reifeprüfungszeugnis) or vocational secondary school leaving certificate (Berufsreifeprüfungszeugnis), or
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Equivalent university entrance qualification (Studienberechtigungszeugnis), or
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Equivalent foreign certificate (e.g. Abitur), or
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Proof of completion of at least a three-year degree at a recognised domestic or foreign post-secondary educational institution
Professionally relevant qualification:
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Completed Austrian apprenticeship of at least three years’ duration, or completion of a three-year vocational middle school, as well as their international equivalents, or
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Completed training in nursing assistance or qualified nursing assistance, with additional examinations at FHV for Health and Nursing, or
- Completed training for the senior nursing service in accordance with Federal Law Gazette II No. 179/1999, or
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German Fachhochschulreife or Swiss Berufsmaturität
The decision on the relevance of a vocational qualification for the Bachelor’s degree programme in Health and Nursing is made by the programme director on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants with a professionally relevant vocational qualification must successfully complete the additional examinations at FHV.
For admission, proof of language proficiency at level B2 in both German and English (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is required.
For this degree programme, different application deadlines and start dates apply.
Application start summer semster 2027: 1 September 2026
- All applications submitted by this date are guaranteed participation in the admission process.
- If the number of applications exceeds the available study places, applicants will be ranked based on their application documents and the interview.
Programme start: Beginning of March 2027
Two steps to your desired degree programme at the FHV:
Step 1:
Assessment of your cover letter and CV.
Step 2:
In a personal admission interview, we find out more about you, your goals and your motivation for studying.
Previous academic achievements can be individually recognised for specific courses during your studies. This also applies to coursework you have already completed at an accredited university or higher education institution.
The equivalence of your prior learning with the content and scope of the courses to be credited will be assessed upon your request. If equivalence is established, successfully completed examinations will be recognised, and no further knowledge assessment is required.
You will receive detailed information about this process in a meeting with the degree programme director.
Do you still have questions about the study programme?
Would you like a personal consultation? We look forward to your questions!
| Monday to Thursday | 08:30 - 11:30 | 13:00 - 16:00 |
| Friday | 08:30 - 11:30 | 13:00 - 14:30 |
or individual appointment
Information events are held at the FHV throughout the year. You are welcome to come along and get advice. Here is an overview of upcoming events: