BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science

Core units

• Foundations of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology: You’ll explore the principles of anatomy and physiology relating to the different body systems. In addition, you will gain an understanding of basic pharmacology and the effects of medications within paramedic practice.

• Foundations for Paramedic Practice: This unit provides you with the contemporary background and context of the paramedic including professional and personal behaviours. In addition, there will be an introduction to the importance of the evidence base in paramedic practice. Introducing you to the profession, the faculty and the expectations of both, as you progress through the course.

• Foundations of Patient Assessment: This unit aims to facilitate students in establishing the skills and attributes needed for patient assessment in the paramedic pre-hospital setting.

• Foundations of Emergency Care: This unit will introduce students to the core concepts of acute care in paramedic practice. It will allow you to explore some of the day to day decisions which paramedics may be faced with. 

• Paramedic Practice Portfolio A & B: These are the practical units of year 1. You will participate in professional practice within your designated ambulance trust, gaining an understanding of the skills, knowledge and professional expectations that underpin and provide the foundation to such practice. You will also be writing and critically reflecting on your experiences.

Core units

• Developing Advanced Emergency Care: You will build on the knowledge and understanding acquired in year 1 to develop critical thinking, reflection and decision-making skills encountered in paramedic practice.

• Research for Healthcare Practice: This unit aims to raise your awareness of a range of evidence and how it guides practice. You will be expected to build on your learning in year 1.

• Developing Pathophysiology and Pharmacology: This unit aims to develop your understanding of pathophysiological processes and how they affect the patients which we encounter. In addition, you will explore the management of these conditions and how pharmacological interventions play a major role within our professional scope.

• Paramedic Practice Portfolio C & D: These are practical units where you will continue your professional practice alongside opportunities to gain experience in different areas of clinical practice, to compliment your experiences. 

• Long-Term Conditions: Within this unit you will consider many of the specialist patients seen in the pre-hospital environment. These specialist patients will include: elderly care including dementia and vulnerability, mental health, end of life and palliative care.

Core units

• Enhancing Care of Minor Illnesses: This unit aims to ensure you’re competent in the assessment, examination and treatment of patients with a variety of minor ailments. You will need to be able to demonstrate the knowledge you have gained in years 1 and 2.

• Enhancing Care of Minor Injuries: You’ll assess, plan, implement and evaluate the total care and safe discharge of patients presenting with minor injuries with reference to evidence-based practice.

• Evidence for Professional Practice: You will have the opportunity to undertake an in-depth, independent study, the focus of which will be an aspect of professional practice negotiated with their facilitator.  Students will develop skills in searching and evaluating the quality of different types of literature and learn to analyse and synthesise the findings to identify evidence that will enhance practice.

• Transition to Qualified Paramedic: This unit seeks to blend a number of elements together to afford you the opportunity to critically evaluate your own practice in the context of clinical decision making. In addition, you will consider the wider context of health disparities in UK healthcare and analyse, your own part in addressing these. This unit will also give you an understanding of coaching and mentoring methods in practice and your role in this through critical evaluation of leadership and its importance in autonomous paramedic practice.

• Paramedic Practice Portfolio E & F: The final practical units of your programme. You will be expected to demonstrate evaluation and critical reasoning in practice placement competencies- ready for your professional registration as a paramedic.

Programme specifications provide definitive records of the University's taught degrees in line with Quality Assurance Agency requirements. Every taught course leading to a BU Award has a programme specification which describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the programme specification, the information is liable to change to take advantage of exciting new approaches to teaching and learning as well as developments in industry.

If you have been unable to locate the programme specification for the course you are interested in, it will be available as soon as the latest version is ready. Alternatively please contact us for assistance.

With practical learning being integral to your degree, we provide practice simulation facilities, including an ambulance simulation suite, to mirror both clinical and community workplace settings and provide a safe environment.

We’re continuing to enhance our state-of-the-art facilities too – with the brand new, £48 million building, that houses our Health & Social Care courses.

Visit our facilities page to find out more – you can also take a 360° tour to get a feel for where you’ll be studying while you’re based on our Lansdowne Campus.

Ambulance service placements will be undertaken across either the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASfT) or South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS). In addition to these placement blocks, you'll also go on a number of specialist placements which may include: operating theatres and recovery wards, maternity units, community midwives, paediatric settings, minor injury units and other primary care settings.

You will experience placements in a variety of settings including emergency ambulances and solo response vehicles, usually over a consolidated block of time which may span from four to six weeks. You'll typically spend time at BU’s Lansdowne campus learning the theory and putting that theory into practice through simulated based education before you then go on placement where you will have the opportunity to apply the theory and the clinical skills you’ve learned. A process which will be repeated throughout the course.

While on placement you will be allocated a Practice Educator/ Mentor, who will be your professional assessor, and you will also have a Personal Tutor assigned to you, who teaches on the course. You'll be planned and expected to work the same full rotating shift patterns as your Clinical Mentor.  

When on placement you will experience the full 24-hour shift pattern which includes 10- and 12-hour shifts, weekends and night shifts. You will follow the shift pattern of the practice placement educator/mentor assigned to you which means you cannot choose which days you work.

Although this does involve some weekend working, it is highly unlikely that you will be working every weekend.

Ambulance placements will be undertaken across either the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) or South Central Ambulance Service and you will be assigned to one of these trusts. We will attempt to place students based on their preferences but please note this is not always achievable due to the number of placement spaces available.

Going on placement will involve travel to any of the locations across our region, in order to experience the full spectrum of clinical incidents paramedics respond to in practice, some of which may not be accessible via public transport. You will be responsible for getting to and from your allocated placements and it is essential for you to have transport available to do this throughout the entire degree. If you are made an offer it is under the expectation that you attain your driver's licence and access to your own transport prior to the start of the course. If you start the course without these, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to reach placement providers. You may choose to consider arranging short-term accommodation in order to participate in some of the specialist placements.

To help you with this, the NHS learning support fund may be able to support eligible UK students with placement travel expenses and dual accommodation costs.

Work experience 

We are looking for applicants that typically have six months of work experience (paid or voluntary) within a healthcare or social care environment. We appreciate this may be challenging to achieve but shortlisting will consider a range of work experience:

• Healthcare Assistant (HCA) in a hospital or primary care environment.
• Domiciliary care roles
• Community first responder roles

We will also consider work experience across other environments, for example, but not limited to:

• Beach & Pool Lifeguarding.
• St John Ambulance volunteer.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) responder.
• Experience with other youth organisations and charities

Please note, the scope of this experience will be evaluated across various roles that engage people, but all applications should demonstrate insight into our profession, linking their own experiences to date.  

We will use this information to shortlist applicants so it should be evidenced clearly on your UCAS application form, in the employment history section and clearly appraised in your written personal statement.

Occupational Health (OH) Checks

This course is physically and mentally demanding and you will  need to be mentally and physically able to undertake your chosen course. Places are offered subject to passing an OH check, and this will be carried out by the Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust. Health conditions need to be dealt with on an individual basis e.g. deafness, blindness, eczema (or other dermatological allergic reactions) on exposed areas, epilepsy, back problems, or mental health conditions, eating disorders and other disabilities. These do not automatically exclude you but please ensure that you fully disclose your condition  to OH. The University can then consider the recommendations made by OH and whether reasonable adjustments can be made to support you on your chosen course. If you require more guidance please contact us for more information.

You will be required to provide a record of your immunity status or be vaccinated or have the required blood tests. You may need to ask your GP or current OH department or find your childhood vaccination record for details of your past immunisation records. You should be aware that there may be charges made (for which you will be liable) relating to your gaining the appropriate immunity required prior to starting your training programme.

Refusing Immunisations

The University has an expectation that all students will comply with the vaccination programme as it is Public Health England requirement for health care workers to have certain immunisations. This ensures that you will be able to undertake the wide range of training placements that your course will require and aims to keep you, as well as the people in your care as safe as possible. Please note that at this time Covid-19 vaccinations are not a mandatory requirement for healthcare workers and so are therefore not a mandatory requirement for healthcare students either. Occasionally some vaccinations are contraindicated in certain medical conditions. Occupational Health (OH) will advise the University in these cases. The University will consider students on an individual basis. Refusal to have immunisations may result in the student not being allowed to attend practice placement and being withdrawn from the course. There is no opportunity to appeal against the requirements of the immunisation policy.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check (previously known as CRB)

All successful applicants will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barred List check; this will be a condition of offer and will need to be completed prior to commencing the course. Please see the Government website for the most up to date information.

AccessBU

AccessBU provides you with the opportunity to tell us about your circumstances that are not always evident in your UCAS application. This widening access initiative also considers relevant criteria such as being in care or if you live in an area with a low participation rate in Higher Education - if you are eligible, your offer could be up to 16 UCAS tariff points below the published tariff.

Apprenticeships

We recognise the transferable knowledge and skills gained through apprenticeships and welcome applications from students with a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship recognised by the Institute for Apprenticeships. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Direct entry

We welcome applications from students who have previously studied at degree level at other institutions and wish to transfer onto a BU course. Our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) procedure enables credit awarded from one institution to contribute to a BU award, subject to an application process. Please visit our RPL webpage for more information.

Mature applicants

​We recognise that mature applicants may have a wealth of experience rather than formal qualifications, so we’ll consider your application on these merits if included in your application. You’ll need to apply to BU in the usual way through UCAS and you may be invited to an interview to discuss your suitability for the course based on the experience you tell us about in your application.

For Paramedic Science we are looking for applicants who:

• Have a clear understanding of the profession, as well as the motivation and commitment to undertake the course.
• Have undertaken relevant work experience.
• Can demonstrate personal skills and qualities relevant to the course.

Applicants should have at least six months full time work experience (paid or voluntary) or related activities within an ambulance, first response, care or healthcare environment. We can consider work experience from other environments, for example, Lifeguarding, St John Ambulance or Red Cross in addition to other experience, or a clear insight into the field of work being applied for.

We'll use this information to shortlist applicants so it must be evidenced clearly on your UCAS application form in the employment history section and in your personal statement. Please contact our Future Students Enquiry Team if you would like clarification on your eligibility for this course. 

Our courses are built around the NHS’ constitution values, and when assessing your application we will take these values into consideration:

• Working together for patients
• Respect and dignity
• Commitment to quality of care
• Compassion
• Improving lives
• Everyone counts.

Find out more about the NHS Constitution principles.

Non-academic requirements

Work experience

We are looking for applicants that typically have six months of work experience (paid or voluntary) within a healthcare or social care environment. We appreciate this may be challenging to achieve but shortlisting will consider a range of work experience:

• Healthcare Assistant (HCA) in a hospital or primary care environment.
• Domiciliary care roles
• Community first responder roles

We will also consider work experience across other environments, for example, but not limited to:

• Beach & Pool Lifeguarding
• St John Ambulance volunteer
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) responder
• Experience with other youth organisations and charities

Please note, the scope of this experience will be evaluated across various roles that engage people, but all applications should demonstrate insight into our profession, linking to experiences to date. We will use this information to shortlist applicants so it should be evidenced clearly on your UCAS application form, in the employment history section and clearly appraised in your written personal statement.

In the healthcare sector IT is now a vital tool for accessing and maintaining patient records, accessing literature to client care and conducting clinically-related research. As a student you will receive an introduction to IT near the beginning of your course and you will be provided with computer access and your own email address.

During the course you will be expected to use your developing IT skills to produce assignments, to conduct literature searches, and to use client-related record systems in the clinical setting. Following instruction some of your study will be undertaken through web-based learning tools, for example by participating in online discussions.

We select candidates for this course by looking at your application. For that reason, make sure your application really stands out from the crowd, and leave us in no doubt as to why you should be joining BU. View our flowchart for information on how we process applications for courses with additional selection measures. 
 
For our health and social care courses our admissions team use the DRIVE criteria to assess your application and evidence of this must be show in your personal statement. You can also find some handy hints about filling in your UCAS form on our how to apply web pages. 
 
Please note that interviews are part of our selection process and you must be able to demonstrate at interview that you show the necessary insight into paramedic science, as well as the motivation and commitment to become a paramedic. 

What to expect at interview

Your interview will take place online, on a free video communication platform.

A member of the Admissions Team will email you with joining instructions and information about what to expect at interview.

Your individual interview is where you will have the opportunity to tell us a little more about yourself and why you would be a great candidate for the course. You will be scored using a common template and offers will be made based on these scores.

If you are invited to interview, you will also be able to access online on-demand information presentations, course talks, virtual campus tours and more which you can watch before your interview. On the day of your interview you may also be able to join a live chat-room where you can ask questions to our current student ambassadors and other members of staff.

Additional reference

In addition to the reference on your UCAS form, once we’ve received your application we will contact you to ask for a second reference; depending on the course you’ve applied for, this may be an academic reference, or from an employer or person who knows you in a professional capacity.

We look at individual applications and make a tailored offer based on your potential to succeed on the course considering a range of factors, including your academic achievements, work and other experience, reference and personal statement, and in some cases, your performance at an interview or a portfolio review. Typically, we make an offer at the bottom of the tariff range.

If you are unable to meet the entry requirements, we may be able to make you an offer through AccessBU if you meet certain criteria e.g. you have been in care or live in an area where fewer people typically progress to Higher Education. If you don't meet our published tariff, we will accept you at least 8 points below if your personal circumstances match our AccessBU criteria. 

Our offer-making will typically be based on your most recent qualifications, including any required subjects where applicable. We'll consider all qualifications when assessing your application, although these may not be part of our offer.

If you do not meet the criteria of your original offer, we may still offer you a place. We will review your whole application and consider all academic qualifications (including those not in the offer) to see if you have the academic potential to succeed on the course. If we feel the answer is yes, we will confirm your place.

Further study

Once you have completed an undergraduate Honours degree, you can further develop your education by studying for a postgraduate degree. Please visit our Postgraduate section for further details about our range of Master's degrees.

What’s included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Materials for laboratory and mandatory field-based teaching activity
• Support for finding placements (UK or abroad) and/or fieldwork and non-financial support whilst on placement
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support and careers service.
• Access to Brightspace, our virtual learning environment, which offers a responsive and personalised learning experience with powerful learning analytics capabilities, integrated social media and advanced video features.
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces.
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow.
• Free software download to your personal device of Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus while you are studying, as well as access to applications provided on AppsAnywhere, subject to licensing and compatibility restrictions
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• The BU Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language skills.
• 24 hours a day, 365 days a year security team.
• Professional body accreditation of the course.
• Occupational Health services and checks are included but you will be charged if you do not attend Occupational Health appointments without giving appropriate notice. You are also responsible for travel costs to Occupational Health appointments.
• Specific paramedic uniform is required for placements. When your placement is allocated, you will be able to find out if you need to buy your own uniform from the placement provider or if it will be provided for you.

Additional costs

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding hardship funds.
• Textbooks, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of textbooks and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• You will need to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check as a condition of enrolment, including any Post Office verification charges. 
• You may need to pay for immunisations if they are not covered by your GP, and you will be charged for missed immunisation appointments
• Accommodation and living costs. Please visit our website for more information.
• Travel costs to and from the university campus, and to Occupational Health appointments. An annual bus pass can be purchased alongside your rent if you are living in halls of residence/Unilet accommodation or may be purchased separately..
• Your placement could be in Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and/or Hampshire. You must pay for any secondary accommodation and travel costs (including car parking charges and car insurance). Eligible UK students may claim reimbursement towards travel and accommodation costs from the NHS. Please visit the NHS Business Services Authority website for more information. International students will need to cover these costs in addition to their course fee. 
• You may claim NHS reimbursement for placement travel and secondary accommodation. Visit the NHS Business Services Authority website for details: 
• If not supplied by your placement provider, you must buy your own uniform (approx. £300). If uniform is provided, you must pay for any additional items to the standard single set. You must provide your own suitable belt and HS3 standard safety boots.
• SportBU membership.

While all aspects of the programme, including required field trips, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

If you need to repeat one or more units during your studies (with or without attendance) the pricing will be pro-rata of the full-time fee.

UK Paramedic students may be eligible for a government training grant of at least £5,000 a year, which you will not need to pay back. The funding will be given to all new and continuing degree-level nursing, midwifery and many allied health students.

Further funding is available for eligible students, including:

• Parental Support allowance of £1,000, on top of the £1,000 already on offer. 
• Up to £1,000 specialist subject payment for subjects such as mental health nursing. 
• A regional incentive payment in areas of the country which have seen a decrease in people accepted on some nursing, midwifery and allied health courses.

Students will not need to apply for specialist subject or incentive payments as they will be automatically added to their account, if eligible. 

This means that some students could be eligible for up to £8,000 per year, with everyone getting at least £5,000. 

Peter graduated from BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science in 2009 and worked as a paramedic in London and Dorset. In 2013, he graduated as an Emergency Care Practitioner (Specialist Paramedic), delivering emergency and urgent care within an NHS Ambulance Service and Out-of-Hours GP Service.

Since 2014, Peter has been a full-time lecturer at Bournemouth University and is now joint programme lead of BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science with Alison Trinder. He has a wide range of both education and clinical research interests, and in 2016, commenced a PhD studying the nature of resilience in newly qualified paramedics.

Peter’s passion is in championing the paramedic profession and enabling BU graduates to make a positive impact upon the paramedic profession as a whole.

Adam has worked in NHS Ambulance Services since 2002, starting his career in London and, moving to Hampshire in 2012 to work with South Central Ambulance Service. He professionally supported toward a Diploma in Health Emergency Planning in 2014 enabled part-time study at Coventry University where he was awarded an MSc Degree in Emergency Planning and Management in 2017.

Currently, has numerous teaching responsibilities at BU as a full-time lecturer since 2016 in the Paramedic Science team.

Iain has worked in the NHS Ambulance services since 2000 and has gained a large body of experience in pre-hospital healthcare. During this time, he worked with a number of Paramedic students within this operational setting, helping them to prepare them for their future careers.

Iain remains professionally active within the NHS and in addition joined BU as a Lecturer in Paramedic Science, holding a number of teaching responsibilities and research interests.