Paramedic in ambulance assessing patient

Overview

The BSc Paramedic Science will help you develop confidence, compassion and the skills required to deliver high-quality care for a challenging career in frontline emergency care as a paramedic.

On successfully completing this degree you’ll be eligible to apply for registration as a paramedic with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Special Notice for Applicants

Please note that due to the special contractual arrangements between the University and NHS Education for Scotland (NES), we are only permitted to recruit Scottish applicants on the BSc Paramedic Science.

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

You’ll put the academic theory learned in the classroom into practice in our Lanarkshire Campus’s state-of-the-art clinical simulation environments including our immersive suite and dedicated paramedic clinical skills labratory
Practice-based opportunities will be based within the Scottish Ambulance Service and in a range of associated health and social care settings across Ayrshire and Arran, Dumfries and Galloway and Lanarkshire
Opportunities to work within a team of healthcare professionals will help you develop an integrated approach to health and social care approaches required for contemporary paramedic practice

WATCH A ZOOM SESSION FROM THE PROGRAMME LEADER

Our Programme Leaders have recorded Zoom sessions to help you discover all there is to know about our courses. From professional accreditation to programme modules and career opportunities, our Programme Leaders will help answer all your questions. You can find them on our YouTube Channel or by clicking the link below.

Paramedic Science Programme Leader

LEARN FROM THE BEST

Programmes underpinned by internationally excellent or world-class research – Research Excellence Framework 2014

Entry Requirements

What qualifications do you need?

Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience.

If you are applying with an EU or non-EU qualification, please check our Undergraduate Entry Requirements page which gives more information about country-specific entry requirements.

Year 1

Scottish Highers*:
Standard Entry: ABBB (114 UCAS Tariff points) including Biology or Human Biology
Minimum Entry: BBBB (108 UCAS Tariff points) including English and 1 science
A levels: BCC (104 UCAS Tariff points) including Biology or Human Biology
Irish Leaving Certificate: H1 H1 H2 H2 including Biology or Human Biology
Scottish Wider Access Programme: Access to Medical Studies or Access to Health and Sciences or Access to Paramedic Science or Access to Life Sciences (BBB)
Access to Higher Education Diploma: Paramedic Science
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma: 27 points, 3 @ HL including HL Biology
SQA HNC / BTEC Level 4 HNC: Health or Science related subject that includes Human Physiology/Biology

Entry to the course will be competitive and dependent on the outcome of the selection process and background checks:

Personal interview (which will include numeracy and literacy assessment)
Health screening
Membership of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme

* for more information on standard and minimum entry requirements, see the drop-down section below

English Language Requirements

For Paramedic courses that lead to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

overall score of 7.0
no sub-test less than 6.5

Recognition of prior learning

Applicants who do not meet the standard entry requirements but hold relevant qualifications or work experience will be considered on an individual basis.

*Our Entry Requirements Explained

On our course pages, you will find details of our entry criteria listed as Standard Entry Requirements and Minimum Entry Requirements. These are the academic qualifications that, depending on your personal circumstances, you will be required to meet to allow your application to be considered for a place at UWS.

Competition for places on many of our courses can be very high and even if you meet the standard or minimum qualifications stated, there is no guarantee that your application will progress to the next stage of the admissions process. We review individual applications very closely and place great importance on your personal statement and academic reference as well as your academic qualifications before making selection decisions.

Standard Entry Requirements

Our Standard Entry Requirements are the grades that you will need to achieve to allow you to be considered for entry to a specific programme of study.

Minimum Entry Requirements

Our Minimum Entry Requirements are applicable to those applicants who have not had an equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic ability at school or college and are known as ‘widening access’ applicants. We also sometimes refer to this type of applicant as receiving a ‘contextual’ offer. We may be able to provide you with a contextual offer if you fall into one of the categories below:

You have been in care (care-experienced/care-leaver)
You are a young carer
You have government-recognised asylum or refugee status
You are estranged from your family or guardians
You live in an SIMD decile 1-4 (SIMD20/40)* Scottish postcode area
*if you are unsure if you live in one of these areas you can check using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation Postcode calculator SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation)

If you fall into any of the first four categories above, please mention this on your UCAS application. We will automatically apply category 5 if it applies to you.

If you have already achieved the required grades for either our standard or minimum entry criteria, we may be able to offer you an unconditional offer for some course areas. If you have not yet achieved these grades, we may be able to make you a conditional offer, which will rely on you achieving further qualifications before you can be accepted on to a programme of study.

Further details of our Admissions processes can be found as follows:

Check our Student Experience section of our Polices & Procedures webspage for the latest copy of our Admissions Procedure.
Download our Admissions Statement for Entrants in 2022 (pdf)

Course details

You’ll undertake a wide variety of practice-based education experiences over the three years of this programme, which will be split between ambulance and non-ambulance placements across a range of placement areas.

While on practice-based learning, you will be working full-time and experience the 24/7 continuum of care supported by trained health care professionals.

This will allow you to get 'hands-on' practical experience of working with a range of different service users and health professionals as you progress from dependent to independent practice.

Year 1

Paramedic Science: Paramedic Science: Principles & Practice - 40 credits
Paramedic Science: Health and Human Development 1 - 20 credits
Paramedic Science: Understanding Self and Society - 20 credits
Paramedic Science: Community Health & Social Care - 20 credits
Investigation and Communication - 20 credits

LEARNING AND TEACHING:

Scheduled teaching: 20%
Independent learning: 42%
Practice-based education: 38%

ASSESSMENT:

Observed structured clinical assessment: 33%
Coursework: 66%

Year 2

Paramedic Science: Patient Assessment and Clinical Decision Making - 60 credits
Paramedic Science: Health and Human Development 2 - 30 credits
Paramedic Science: Building Healthy Communities - 30 credits

LEARNING AND TEACHING:

Scheduled teaching: 15%
Independent learning: 34%
Practice-based education: 51%

ASSESSMENT:

Observed structured clinical assessment: 50%
Coursework: 50%

Year 3

Paramedic Science: Emergency Care and Complexities of Practice - 40 credits
Paramedic Science: Evidence Led Enquiry - 40 credits
Paramedic Science: Leadership in Healthcare - 40 credits

LEARNING AND TEACHING:

Scheduled teaching: 15%
Independent learning: 43%
Practice-based education: 42%

ASSESSMENT:

Observed structured clinical assessment: 33%
Coursework: 66%

Staff Expertise

As the largest modern university in Scotland, The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) has extensive staff, physical resources and services required to deliver the Paramedic Science course.

The programme delivery team led by an HCPC registered Paramedic will include staff who are highly qualified academics registered with relevant professional bodies. The School has a practice learning team who will work with the Scottish ambulance service practice education lead to co-ordinate and support placements. The programme will be further supported through our partnership with NHS Education for Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS Health Boards.

Teaching & Assessment

The BSc Paramedic Science programme will incorporate a balance of theory and practice-based education learning hours, providing educational opportunities to support the development/demonstration and integration of knowledge, skills and clinical competency required for paramedic registration.

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, practical workshops and guided clinical laboratory skills work. Theory and skills will be developed and applied in ambulance and non-ambulance placements throughout the course developing your knowledge, skills and understanding required of a paramedic.

The course will use a variety of assessment methods. The following is a guide to the types of assessment methods you can expect:

Exams
Reports
Clinical practice
Skills
Case studies
Oral and poster presentations
Lab assessments

Career Prospects

Jobs

This programme will prepare you for a career as a paramedic that can progress to a wide variety of clinical roles in health and social care, service management or, education and research.

Further career options include working in primary or secondary care, events medicine and providing medical cover for a range of industries such as the sports and entertainment sector, providing you meet the requirements of the employer and employment opportunities.

Further Study

The programme provides a foundation for ongoing education and learning, with an option for further postgraduate study.

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (Academic Session 2022/23)

Academic Session 2022/23 Undergraduate Tuition Fees - Full-time / work-based

Scottish

£1,820 Cost of study per year (paid by the Scottish Government via SAAS*)

Check Your Tuition Fee Status

Undergraduate Tuition Fees (Academic Session 2023/24)

Academic Session 2023/24 Undergraduate Tuition Fees - Full-time / work-based

Scottish

£1,820 Cost of study per year (paid by the Scottish Government via SAAS)

Check Your Tuition Fee Status

Note: due to the special contractual arrangements between the University and NHS Education for Scotland (NES), we are only permitted to recruit Scottish applicants for this degree.

Additional Costs & Sources of Funding

Students will be expected to travel to placements which can be within Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran or Dumfries and Galloway. While on placement you will be full time and expected to work the shift pattern of the placement provider which may cover the 24 hour/7 day continuum of care.

The course will use all three terms of the year.

You can also find additional information in our Undergraduate Money, Fees & Funding section.

Additional Costs

Students on certain degrees will incur some additional costs not covered by their tuition fees. These could be for things like specialist equipment, study materials, work placements, graduation, membership of relevant organisations or costs related to carrying out fieldwork.

For students on course with an element of fieldwork, there may also be extra costs for travel and accommodation.

Please contact the course leader for details of the additional costs associated with this course.

Tuition Fees* & Living Cost Support

Tuition Fees & Additional Costs

Tuition fees are calculated based on where you are from and what you are studying. Some courses also involve additional costs, such as mandatory field trips, equipment or studying abroad.

Find out how much it will cost you to study at UWS as an undergraduate student.

Funding for Scottish Students

Scottish students studying at undergraduate level at UWS are entitled to various funds and support towards tuition fees and living costs.

Find out more.

Funding for English, Welsh & Northern Irish Students

English, Welsh and Northern Irish students studying at undergraduate level at UWS are entitled to various funds and support towards tuition fees and living costs.

Find out more.

Funding for EU Students

EU students studying at undergraduate level of UWS may be eligible for SAAS funding, as well as support to meet the costs of childcare and various sources of additional funding.

Find our more.

Funding for International Students

There are several scholarship and incentive schemes available to international students studying at undergraduate level at UWS, as well as support to meet the costs of childcare and various sources of additional funding.

Find out more.

Other Financial Support

Discretionary & Childcare Funds

UWS administer a range of discretionary and childcare funds. These are designed to support students who are experiencing financial difficulty or struggling to meet the costs of childcare.

Find out more.

Benefits & Tax Credits

Becoming a student can have an impact on your entitlement to certain benefits. It may mean you are no longer eligible to claim a benefit you have been receiving, or your new income from student funding may affect the amount you are able to receive.

Find out more.

Additional Financial Support

If there isn’t a statutory source of funding for you or your course, or you are in need of additional financial support, you may wish to consider more alternative sources of funding such as trust funds and scholarships.

Find out more.

WEST Scholarship Programme

At UWS, we believe financial restrictions should never be a barrier to your education.

The WEST (Widening Education and Supporting Talent) Scholarship Programme aims to remove the financial barriers that stop talented students from progressing throughout their degree to graduation.

Find out more.

Money & Debt Advice

Choosing to become a student can have a big impact on your budget and you may need to reassess your spending to account for a reduced income. We’ve put together some guidance to help you manage your money and make the right financial choices for you and your family.

Find out more.

How to apply

Full-time (domestic & EU/EEA)

All UK and EU applicants for undergraduate study, not applying through an agent or partner, should apply through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)

The on-time application deadline for 2023/24 entry is 25 January 2023, 18:00 (UK time). For some courses it may still be possible to apply beyond this period, subject to suitable vacancies remaining. The final deadline for late applications via UCAS is 30 June 2023, 18:00 (UK time). Beyond this deadline, you may be able to apply via 'UCAS Clearing' if the course you are interested in has remaining places.

Please refer to our Undergraduate Application Guide for domestic & EU/EEA to find more information on when and how to apply to study at UWS.

Apply on UCAS

Get in touch

Do you have a question about applying for this course? Get in touch. We are here to help!

Open Days

31 May