Paramedic Science

• To effectively prepare you for your graduate career, the programme has been developed in consultation and partnership with healthcare providers who facilitate clinical learning, including South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. This allows you to experience healthcare provision in a range of clinical settings, increasing your knowledge and understanding to enhance your practice upon graduation.
• You will benefit from excellent teaching facilities for Student Paramedic use, including dedicated specialist clinical skills suites and an extensive range of simulation resources/equipment.
• The Paramedic teaching team offer a friendly and supportive environment in which you’ll learn. They have an extensive range of clinical experience as paramedics, specialist practice roles and professional activity.
• During the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science degree you’ll undertake over 2000 hours in clinical practice. This will take place working with registered healthcare professionals and paramedics in the ambulance service environment and in other healthcare settings, to develop and consolidate fundamental and advanced skills to effectively care for patients.
• You will learn fundamental patient care and communication skills to underpin your practice as a graduate Paramedic. Your skill set will be broadened by clinical experience and learning in a diverse range of settings such as: Medical Assessment Units; Surgical Decision Units; Falls Services; End of Life Care; Chronic Conditions Management; Minor Illness and Minor Injury Management; Airway Management; Emergency Departments; Care of Obstetric and Gynaecological conditions; Mental Health Assessment and Management; and in Paediatric specialist facilities.
• You will be supported by an individual Academic Advisor, Link Lecturer for Clinical Placements and a Student Paramedic Society

The overall aim of the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science programme is for you to to develop the knowledge, skills, behaviour and values to practice as a paramedic at the newly qualified level. It will provide attributes and experience which promote and foster the professional characteristics (skills, behaviours and values) to facilitate career long development and practice opportunities.

Graduating from this programme will enable access to employment as paramedics who are prepared to undertaken autonomous roles as a team orientated professional; equipped with the skills to adapt to emerging paramedic roles which meet changing patient healthcare provision needs and practice opportunities in an evolving context.

The course is delivered full-time over three extended academic years with a varied mix of academic and clinical learning. Its structure is linear and modular in nature; all modules are compulsory and credit bearing to achieve the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science degree.

During your studies the curriculum focuses upon development of professional knowledge and skills, alongside personal attributes of insight, resilience and empathy.

BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science curriculum focuses on developing six core skills:

• Knowledge, understanding and skills related to the physiological basis for paramedic intervention and care
• Critical and analytical awareness and understanding of research/evidence-base for paramedic practice
• Critical awareness of psychosocial issues and interprofessional working
• A professional portfolio of baseline and advanced paramedic skills
• Principles of leadership and management applied to trauma and emergency care
• A major project of study in order to demonstrate skills in critical analysis, research and service improvement.

During the programme you will be required to undertake clinical placements spent in a variety of settings across the Thames Valley region. These will follow clinical shift patterns including unsociable hours.

You will need a car to travel to these settings and transport allowances will not be provided.

You will need to purchase a stethoscope suitable for practice and clinical assessment and examination of patients; a copy of the National Clinical Guidelines and associated pocket book.

Study modules

As courses are reviewed regularly, the module list you choose from may vary from that shown here.

The course consists of a series of Paramedic Science specific modules which are all compulsory.

Teaching, learning and assessment will take place in a variety of settings including classroom based activities, group workshops and clinical practice simulations. This variety ensures that you are equipped with the full range of skills and attributes contemporary Paramedic practice demands.

In Year One you will be introduced to the fundamental areas of Paramedic practice, developing underpinning paramedic science understanding, anatomy and physiology knowledge, an introduction to professional judgement, social factors and evidence informed practice. Alongside these modules you will undertake 750 hours of clinical practice learning including periods with SCAS and in specialist clinical placements to appreciate healthcare provision and core service user care skills.

In Year Two you will build upon your foundation module to develop breadth and depth of knowledge in subjects of physiology, urgent and emergency care skills and pharmacology knowledge, whilst acquiring specialist knowledge of mental health presentations and research methodologies. You will have the opportunity to build upon the fundamental skills acquired in Year One, whilst developing new patient management strategies to underpinning Year Three. During this year you will undertake a further 750 hours of clinical practice learning including periods with SCAS and in specialist clinical placements to consolidate and develop practice skills.

In Year Three you will undertake modules which equip you with specialist knowledge that enhances your practice as a contemporary Paramedic. These focus upon effective professional judgement formation, a dissertation, clinical leadership and assessment and management of both minor injury and illness. The dissertation will involve critical investigation of a topic or issue and we encourage you to publish or present your work. In this final year you will undertake a further 750 hours of clinical practice learning including periods with SCAS and in specialist clinical placements to consolidate and develop specialist practice skills.

Work placements

Throughout the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science course you undertake a variety of clinical placements that are carefully planned and organised to integrate theory and practice. These include operational placements with SCAS to learn and gain experience which enables safe practice in this setting. These offer supplemental and development clinical practice learning placements in a variety of settings; these allow you to gain specialised experience in other health, social and care settings, developing specialist skills and patient management experience. This combination will help prepare you to work effectively as a paramedic and provide a broad basis to develop your career and clinical care provided to service users.

To support you in practice learning settings, a range of support mechanisms are provided by both the University (including a link lecturer) and the placement area. While on placement, you will be supported by a named member of staff, known as a clinical mentor. There is a dedicated Practice Education Unit that provides administrative and academic support for placement learning/practice education for all its pre-qualifying courses.

Students are allocated to their SCAS ambulance for clinical placements based upon a fair and equitable model. This means each student will be allocated a return journey (to/from the Marston Road site) which is either short (4-28 miles), medium (40-54) or long (56-76) journey distance. Over the three years of the programme students will undertake one of these journeys which, where possible, will be balanced to provide students with a fair and equitable distribution of distances travelling to clinical placements. Where possible non-SCAS placements will be undertaken in a similar region to provide consistency, although this is dependent upon clinical placement availability.

Study abroad

This option is not currently available to students on the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science programme.

Free language courses are available to full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students on many of our courses, and can be taken as a credit on some courses.

Please note that the free language courses are not available if you are:

• studying at a Brookes partner college
• studying on any of our teacher education courses or postgraduate education courses.

Additional costs

Further information on additional costs for healthcare courses can be found here.

Programme changes

On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been published on the website. For more information, please visit our Changes to programmes page.

Teaching and learning

During your studies you will undertake modules which are practice- and theory-based. Each module is accompanied by a specific module handbook. The course has a research and evidence informed approach to paramedic clinical practice. You will be required to continually review your personal and professional progress and development.

In health and social care no professional group works in isolation. Oxford Brookes teaches a very wide range of pre-qualification and foundation courses including health and social care, nursing (adult, children's and mental health), midwifery, occupational therapy, osteopathy, operating department practice, physiotherapy and social work. This is a key component of the course as it is essential to developing your teamwork skills and your understanding of the other professional roles you will encounter in practice.

Digital literacy plays an increasingly important role in health and social care courses and a very extensive range of learning resources can be accessed through Moodle, an online repository of lectures, handouts, information and learning exercises.

Approach to assessment

This course is assessed with the following methods:

• Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) - practical exams
• coursework (eg case studies, assignments, clinical workbooks)
• placement hours/competencies
• presentations
• online quizzes
• vivas

Tuition fees

Home/EU - full time fee: 2018/19: £9,250 2019/20: £9,250

Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning home and EU students at the maximum permitted level.

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course, if any, are detailed in the 'This course in detail' window above.

Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
+44 (0)1865 483088
finance-fees@brookes.ac.uk

Funding and scholarships

For general sources of financial support, see funding for Undergraduate students from the UK and EU

Typical offers

UCAS Tariff points: 112 - preferably including Biology or Human Biology

A-Level: BBC or equivalent, including Biology or Human Biology at grade C or above

Wherever possible we make our conditional offers using the UCAS Tariff. This combination of A-level grades would be just one way of achieving the UCAS Tariff points for this course.

IB Diploma: 30 points including Biology HL4

BTEC: Extended Diploma (DDM) (Health and Social Care or Medical Science only)

Access course: Pass with 60 credits overall; 45 at level 3 which should include 12 credits in Biology. Of the level 3 credits, at least 15 should be passed at merit or above and 15 at distinction level. English and maths level 2 credits will no longer be accepted as GCSE equivalencies. GCSE English and Maths are now required as separate qualifications.

Specific entry requirements

A-Level: Grades BBC or equivalent, including Biology or Human Biology at grade C or above

GCSE: 5 GCSEs at Grade 4 (C) to include Mathematics, English Language and Science

Applicants should have a full clean UK driving license, ideally with provisional C1 entitlement.

We welcome application from mature students but they must show evidence of academic achievement in the last two-years, typically meeting the entry requirements. Please contact us for further advice on your personal circumstances, which may include recommendation to undertake further recommended academic modules/A Levels.

In addition to being screened for fitness for practice, including Occupational Health Screening and through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), all students are screened for HIV and Hepatitis A, B and C. This is a Department of Health requirement for this professional group, linked to DoH/NHS exposure prone procedures guidance. If clearance has not been completed prior to enrolment or a DBS issue has been declared on application, then enrolment may not be possible. If enrolment has been agreed, then continuation on the programme will be contingent on satisfactory clearances.

Screening

All applicants will be screened for fitness for practice and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be made.

Please also see the University's general entry requirements.

Selection process

All Oxford Brookes University Health and Social Care Programmes conduct Value Based Recruitment (VBR). We recognise that values and attitudes have the greatest impact on the quality of people's care and their experiences.

VBR is a way of helping our Programme recruitment teams to assess the values, motives and attitudes of those who wish to work with people in health and social care settings. When we refer to values we mean, for example, the values included in the NHS constitution.

VBR focuses on 'how' and 'why' an applicant makes choices in how they act and seeks to explore reasons for their behaviour. Further details about the VBR framework can be found here.

Applicants will be assessed on their academic ability, their work experience and their ability to demonstrate the following qualities:

• caring and helping skills
• communication and interpersonal skills
• working with and respect for others
• a compassionate nature
• commitment to quality of care and improving lives
• reliability, honesty and trustworthiness.

Applicants will be shortlisted for interview based on the strength of their UCAS application.

Any place offered is subject to satisfactory Enhanced DBS clearance and health screening.

English language requirements

If English is your second language, you must be able to demonstrate that your level of English is of a sufficient standard (IELTS 7.0 or equivalent).

Please also see the University's standard English language requirements

How to apply

Student numbers are limited for this course and therefore securing a place is highly competitive.

Terms and Conditions of Enrolment

When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.

Credit transfer

Oxford Brookes operates the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). All undergraduate single modules are equivalent to 7.5 ECTS credits and double modules to 15 ECTS credits. More about ECTS credits.

Why Oxford is a great place to study this course

As a student in Oxford, you will be able to learn in clinical and community settings with excellent reputations, exposing you to up-to-the-minute practice in patient care and support.

One of the world's great academic cities, Oxford is a key centre of debate, with conferences, seminars and forums taking place across education, science, the arts and many other subjects. It is a vibrant city with plenty of attractions for its large student population, from theatres and cinemas to museums, art galleries and music venues.

Support for students studying Paramedic Science

All our courses adopt a student-centred approach to teaching and learning and are strongly focused on encouraging you to attain your full potential as a lifelong learner. There are a range of support mechanisms for students, such as academic advisers, who will facilitate your academic development, and student support co-ordinators, who provide a drop-in service for queries about any aspect of student life, covering both academic and personal welfare.

The University’s support services include Upgrade, which provides advice on study skills such as planning and writing essays, assignments and dissertations, research or preparing for an exam.

There is a dedicated Student Disability and Dyslexia Service, which provides support for students with disabilities including sensory and mobility impairments, dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties, mental health problems and medical conditions. Here, staff offer advice and support on a range of issues, including physical access, funding, alternative assessment arrangements and liaison with teaching staff to ensure that they are aware of your requirements.

Brookes Union Student Paramedic Society offers the opportunity to participate in a range of social, education and professional events. These will enhance your learning as a student paramedic and enhance your overall experience whilst studying at Oxford Brookes University.

Accommodation

We recommend that Paramedic Science students live in one of our university-managed houses reserved for students on this course. We offer this accommodation to enable Paramedic Science students to a keep a car in Oxford and travel easily to their placements. See our accommodation page for more information.

Specialist facilities

We offer a very friendly and supportive environment in which to learn. We have excellent teaching facilities including a 280-seat lecture theatre, dedicated clinical skills suites and fully networked computer rooms.

Our simulation resources include a very well-equipped movement laboratory; a family of computerised simulation manikins, including a simman, simbabies (a newborn and an older baby under six months old) and a birthing mother; and an extensive range of anatomy models. The programme incorporates regular immersive simulation and specialist equipment for trauma, road traffic incidents and urgent & emergency care presentations. We also work closely with Bucks Fire and Rescue Service to provide cooperative learning opportunities.

We also have excellent library resources, accessible both through the web and through a range of locally based facilities on University and NHS sites.

 

General support services

Supporting your learning

From academic advisers and support co-ordinators to specialist subject librarians and other learning support staff, we want to ensure that you get the best out of your studies.

Personal support services

We want your time at Brookes to be as enjoyable and successful as possible. That's why we provide all the facilities you need to be relaxed, happy and healthy throughout your studies.

Professional accreditation

Please note that Health and Care Professional Council's approval, and College of Paramedics' endorsement are subject to review and can be withdrawn at any time.

Career prospects

Further study

Paramedics are required to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) as part of their registration requirements. A number of paramedic graduates go on to study postgraduate course, such as an MSc degree in a related field, or register for a PhD. 

Related courses

• Biomedical Science
• Operating Department Practice BSc