Paramedic Science

BSc (Hons)

UCAS code: B950

Start dates: September 2024 / September 2025

Full time: 3 years

Location: Headington, Headington (Marston Road site)

Department(s): Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development

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Overview

Responding to 999 calls. Delivering life-saving care. Helping people in their hour of need. Working on the front line is fast-paced and rewarding. If that’s your ambition, we’ll help you get there, training you to become a registered paramedic. We’ll also show you other exciting opportunities so you can forge a career as an allied health professional.

We’ve designed this course to help you care for patients with diverse healthcare needs, in and out of hospital settings. We’ve developed our modules in partnership with healthcare providers including South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

As a student paramedic, you’ll complete placements in a variety of ambulance and healthcare settings in the Thames Valley region. Applying theory to practice is central to your time with us, so you become the best paramedic you can be.

Whether on placement or studying on campus, you’ll be surrounded by support. Our friendly teaching team will share their own experiences and expertise. And you’ll meet other students on the same journey as you by joining the Student Paramedic Society.

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Paramedic Science students in class

Why Oxford Brookes University?

  • Accredited course

    Our degree is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council meaning employers will value your qualification.

  • Hands-on placements
    You’ll experience at least 14 weeks of clinical practice education each year in diverse settings.
  • Benefit from specialist facilities
    Apply your skills in our specialist clinical skills suites with a range of simulation equipment including a SimBulance.
  • Diverse career opportunities
    Prepare for positions in clinical practice, education, management and research.
  • Experienced academics
    Learn from a team who have worked as paramedics in a wide range of settings and listen to the stories from their careers as you kickstart your own.
  • Free language courses

    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.

  • Accreditation(s)

    Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council

    • Health and Care Professions Council

Course details

Course structure

From novice to fully-fledged paramedic, our course provides you with the knowledge you need to practise safely and effectively. The curriculum is designed to provide you with the behaviours, clinical experience and values you need for success.

Your learning falls under 5 themes:

  • bioscience basis for paramedic practice
  • evidence-based practice skills and attributes
  • patient assessment and management development
  • clinical practice experience and development
  • paramedic practice skills and attributes.

You'll learn to assess and manage the patients paramedics encounter, with simulation on campus and at least 14 weeks each year in real clinical settings. This could be within the ambulance service, emergency departments or primary care. You can experience placements in end-of-life care, airway management, or paediatric settings to aid your development.

The curriculum is updated to help graduates more effectively support society. For example, we’ve added a module on mental health to address the growing need for health professionals to understand this area when treating patients.

Paramedic Science students

Learning and teaching

You will have practical and theory-based modules. We take a research and evidence informed approach to clinical practice. You’ll often reflect on your personal and professional development. 

In health and social care, professional groups work together. You’ll meet students from our wide range of courses, including:

  • health and social care
  • nursing (adult, children's and mental health)
  • midwifery
  • occupational therapy
  • physiotherapy
  • social work.

This helps you understand the other professional roles you’ll encounter in practice. We offer you a wide range of learning resources, including:

  • online lectures
  • handouts and information
  • learning exercises.

Assessment

We will assess you through:

  • Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) - practical exams
  • coursework
  • placement hours/competencies
  • presentations
  • online quizzes
  • vivas.

Study modules

Teaching for this course takes place Face to Face and you can expect around 11 hours of contact time per week. In addition to this, you should also anticipate a workload of 1,200 hours per year. Teaching usually takes place Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 6.00pm.

Contact hours involve activities such as lectures, seminars, practicals, assessments, and academic advising sessions. These hours differ by year of study and typically increase significantly during placements or other types of work-based learning.

Year 1

Compulsory modules

  • Principles of Professional Practice

    On this module you will investigate and review relevant literature and research. You’ll look at issues surrounding role expansion in relation to paramedic practice. Also you will explore decision-making processes; that includes:

    • socio-economic
    • ethical
    • legal
    • psychological

    factors that may inform professional judgement. 

    Within this context, you will consider your role parameters and evaluate your effectiveness and decision-making abilities.
     

     

  • Fundamentals of Evidence Based Practice

    This module will help you to build your knowledge foundations to be able to review, research and analyse. You will explore decision-making processes considering, for example:

    • socio-economic
    • ethical
    • legal
    • psychological factors 

    that may inform professional judgement. 

    Within this context, you will be encouraged to consider your role parameters and evaluate your effectiveness and decision-making abilities.
     

  • Fundamentals of Paramedic Patient Assessment and Management

    This module will support you, through sound clinical decision making, to apply fundamental Service User assessment and management strategies in the out of hospital context across a range of urgent and emergency situations.  

    You will develop knowledge and understanding of the delivery of care at an assisted level across the lifespan, considering the complex issues surrounding the delivery of care to service users belonging to vulnerable groups.
     

  • Anatomy and Physiology for Paramedics

    On this science-based module you will explore both a systems and regional approach to anatomy and physiology for Paramedics. You will explore major systems of the human body related to clinical practice. Looking at examples of pathology reflecting a lifespan approach throughout the module, you’ll build an understanding of the basic structure and function of the different body systems.

     

  • Fundamentals of Paramedic Clinical Practice

    This module is your introduction to the clinical and operational environments in which a Paramedic may practice. You will be introduced to fundamental theoretical concepts, equipping you with appropriate knowledge and understanding, which you will consolidate in your supervised clinical practice placements. 

    As a paramedic student, your practice will be evidenced in the Practice Assessment Document, following relevant professional guidelines.
     

Year 2

Compulsory modules

  • Mental Health: Application to Paramedic Practice

    You’ll cover the application of mental health within the scope of paramedic practice. As part of your training you’ll learn how to hone your interpersonal skills, problem-solving skills and decision-making skills to easily apply them to the mental health needs of others across their lifespan.

    Your diagnosis of mental health issues will be underpinned by your knowledge of psychosocial and biomedical theories. You’ll be trained to carry out mental health assessments, care planning, and intervention across a range of disorders encountered in Paramedic practice.

     

  • Paramedic Research Methods and Analysis

    In this module you’ll address key methods of investigation used in the healthcare world to enable the identification of solutions relevant to your field of practice. You’ll be introduced to research methodology, recruitment, data collection, research techniques, and ethical considerations associated with health and social care research.

    At the heart of this module will be the opportunity to focus on a broad spectrum of research designs, which will prepare you for completing an evidence-based research proposal/project in your final year of the BSc (Hons) degree. 

  • Developing Paramedic Patient Assessment and Management

    Central to this module will be the development of your systematic and comprehensive approach to making sound clinical decisions in terms of service user assessment and management strategies across a range of non-urgent, urgent and emergency situations.

    You’ll be exploring the facilitation of minimally supervised delivery of care across the life span, taking into account complex process issues with service users belonging to vulnerable groups. 

  • Pathophysiology for Paramedics

    In this module, you’ll take a whole-body approach to identifying disordered physiological processes associated with disease and injury throughout the lifespan.

    You’ll build your knowledge gained during your Level 4 studies in Anatomy & Physiology - Application to Paramedic Science.  You will have the opportunity to relate information learned from this module to the management of patients in practice with a variety of diseases and disorders.

  • Developing Paramedic Clinical Practice

    Immerse yourself in experiential workplace learning in this hands-on module. You’ll put yourself in the centre of a practical placement across a range of clinical environments under the supervision of an expert healthcare professional. There will be the opportunity to build upon your knowledge, understanding, skills and assessment achieved in Year 1.

    Alongside practice placement, developing clinical practice for paramedic will include a number of insightful theory-based sessions on campus to further support your development in this year of education. 

Year 3

Compulsory modules

  • Pharmacology & Medicines Management for Paramedics

    This module will prepare you for managing the complexities of administering medicine from a paramedic perspective. You’ll develop your knowledge, understanding and application of pharmacology, building on your existing practice experience gained in anatomy, physiology and paramedic clinical practice. Your study will incorporate the responsible regulation of medicines to those who have been prescribed and will consider the associated exemptions and restrictions. By the end of this module you will have gained a thorough working knowledge of the legal parameters surrounding the administration of medicine as a paramedic in the field. 

  • Applied Practice Education

    This module is designed to enhance your ability to reflect on your practice as an educational practitioner in the paramedic field. You’ll gain a thorough understanding of the education and learning approach systems that will contribute to your paramedic professional development in healthcare settings. You’ll acquire knowledge and understanding of learning preferences in the practice education environment. You’ll use this knowledge to plan and facilitate learning events to meet the needs of learners effectively, applying diverse and innovative educational approaches. 

     

  • Enhanced Paramedic Patient Assessment and Management

    This module aims to prepare you for the paramedic field by enhancing your decision-making capabilities, clinical knowledge and skills base in terms of enhanced patient assessment and management. You’ll be encouraged to consolidate your understanding of prior professional practice acquired, and you’ll be introduced to relevant theoretical assessment and management concepts, with a special focus on urgent and unscheduled healthcare. On completion of this module, you shall be highly equipped with the required Paramedic Practice skills to transition to professional registration.

  • Enhanced Paramedic Clinical Practice

    This dissertation module will enhance your professional knowledge and understanding of legal obligations when delivering and managing care. You’ll be supported in developing a research project involving secondary data in order to critically explore a relevant area of practice. You’ll be given the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to argue coherently, to gather evidence, to evaluate critically, and to synthesis various sources of secondary data within an appropriate methodological framework. Your dissertation will build upon your past knowledge and experience, and will provide a suitable platform, enabling you to define a practice-based issue for in-depth analysis. 

  • Paramedic Science Dissertation

    This module is designed to support you in developing a research project relevant to an area of your practice. You’ll analyse secondary data to critically explore your project and you’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to argue coherently, to gather evidence and present your findings within an appropriate methodological framework. You’ll draw on your past knowledge and experience to define your project theme for in-depth analysis. You’ll utilise the latest research literature to support your dissertation write-up with an aim to reach completion by the middle of the final semester.
     

Work placements

Compulsory modules

  • Work placements

    Clinical practice experience is an important part of your programme of study, developing the behaviours and skills required to practise as a modern paramedic. There are 750 hours of practice education placements each year, where you’ll always practise as a supernumerary Student Paramedic. 

    The planning and organisation of these clinical placements allows your learning to integrate theory and clinical practice. A structure of development allows your experience to build upon ‘Fundamentals’ which are introduced in Year One, ‘Developing’ in Year Two, and ‘Enhanced’ in Year Three.   

    You’ll experience placement including operational experience with SCAS to learn safe and effective practice in this setting. You will also gain experience in other health, social and care settings.

    More information is available about placement locations, allocation, quality assurance and reasonable adjustments on the Practice Education site.

Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.

Careers

Your employability is a top priority for us. As you prepare to graduate, we’ll invite you to a careers fair where you’ll meet employers who will explain different career paths and spend time answering your questions. We’ll also provide support with writing applications and interviewing.

Paramedics work in a variety of healthcare settings with pathways such as: 
  • clinical practice
  • research
  • education  
  • management.
There are career opportunities at the specialist, advanced and consultant levels in paramedic practice. Opportunities are available in NHS Ambulance Trusts, where many of our graduates work but you might also find work in other NHS/alternative organisations.

Perhaps you’ll specialise in an area like critical care or forensic medicine. Maybe you’ll work with colleagues in general practice. There are even more niche opportunities like working on cruise ships or oil rigs, which appeal to graduates who want to have an international career.

Professional accreditation

Please note that the Health and Care Professional Council's approval is subject to review and can be withdrawn at any time.

Our Staff

Mr Martin Berry

Read more about Martin

Shelly Everett

Read more about Shelly

Entry requirements

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

Standard offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 112

A Level: BBC

IB Points: 30

BTEC: DMM

Contextual offer

UCAS Tariff Points: 88

A Level: CCD

IB Points: 27

BTEC: MMM

International qualifications and equivalences

Tuition fees

Please see the fees note
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

International full time
£16,700

Home (UK) full time
£9,250

International full time
£17,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

Tuition fees

2024 / 25
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

International full time
£16,700

2025 / 26
Home (UK) full time
£9,250

International full time
£17,750

Questions about fees?

Contact Student Finance on:

+44 (0)1865 534400

financefees@brookes.ac.uk

Please note, tuition fees for Home students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by government. Oxford Brookes University intends to maintain its fees for new and returning Home students at the maximum permitted level.

Tuition fees for International students may increase in subsequent years both for new and continuing students. 

The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Financial support and scholarships

All eligible Paramedic Science students on courses from September 2020 (new and continuing) will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year which they will not need to pay back. For more information please visit NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF).

For general sources of financial support, see our Fees and funding pages.

Additional costs

Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.

 

You will be required to undertake clinical placements spent in a variety of settings across the Thames Valley region. 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. You will also need a copy of the National Clinical Guidelines and associated pocket book. Further information on additional costs for healthcare courses can be found here.

Information from Discover Uni

Full-time study

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.