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Paramedic Science

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B

Health or science-related courses are desirable.

Access to HE Diploma

D:24,M:18,P:3

60 credits overall with at least 45 at level 3 and 15 at level 2. Of the 45 credits at level 3, you will need a minimum of 24 distinctions, a minimum of 18 merits and a maximum of 3 passes

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

32

360

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

Applicants will be judged on individual merit.

UCAS Tariff

120

Grade B with BB at A level or DD at BTEC

About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Paramedic science

Studying a BSc in Paramedic Science will give you the essential skills, knowledge, and attributes to begin an exciting and rewarding career as a Registered Paramedic. You will learn about anatomy and physiology, the major body systems and the conditions that affect them, how to assess patients and identify life-threatening conditions, and administering life support. You will also develop an understanding of the role and relevance of research, concepts of patient care, and legal and ethical principles relating to healthcare.

Swansea University has over ten years experience supporting learner paramedics through their educational journey. Many of our teaching staff are registered paramedics who still work in practice, providing an unrivalled combination of academic rigour and professional expertise.

We are also ranked in the Top 10 in the UK for Paramedic Science (Guardian University Guide 2022).

Our course is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council, enabling you to apply for registered status on completion of the course. This is a legal requirement for anyone who wishes to practise as a paramedic.

Our excellent facilities in the School of Health and Social Care include a realistic clinical suite so you can learn practical skills in a safe, supervised environment before using them in a real-life situation. You will also have access to realistic workplace experiences at the Welsh National Ambulance training centre.

Together with face-to-face learning activities, you will use digital solutions, such as Learning Space for clinical simulations, where you will receive immediate and detailed video feedback to enhance clinical learning and facilitate the development of essential paramedic skills. Virtual reality will be used to enhance anatomy teaching, allowing you to visualise organ systems and their relationships within the body.

Half of your course will be taught at our Singleton Park and the other half will take place in key clinical placements within the NHS and at Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust facilities.

These placements will include working on board operational ambulances, as well as with colleagues in hospital settings such as theatres, and accident and emergency departments.

You will join a university that is;

• 15th in the UK for Course Satisfaction - Guardian University Guide 2023
• 12th in the UK for Student Satisfaction – NSS 2021
• UK Top 25 University - Guardian University Guide 2022

Modules

Year 1
• Personal & Professional Attributes
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Medical conditions in the emergency & unscheduled care setting
• Trauma conditions in the emergency and unscheduled care setting
• Care across the lifespan
Year 2
• Clinical Leadership in Practice
• Mental Health & Social Exclusion
• Anatomy & Physiology (2) - Community based Care Management
• Managing time critical patients
• Evidence Informed Practice
Year 3
• Enhanced Decision Making
• Transition into professional practice
• Educating and Learning in Practice
• Personal & Professional Practice Development

Assessment methods

Assessments will include practical Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), written exams, oral presentations, written assignments, practical observations, and clinical skills assessments. The range of assessment methods is chosen to develop and demonstrate a range of skills transferable to the modern healthcare environment including reflection, oral and written communication, confidence and competence in care delivery and the ability to research, appraise and evaluate evidence. Placement competency will be assessed by your practice assessor.

Extra funding

If you can commit to working in Wales for two years after graduating, you could get your tuition fees covered in full through the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme, as well as maintenance funding and a reduced rate loan from Student Finance.

The Uni


Course location:

Singleton Park Campus

Department:

Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

88%
Paramedic science

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Health sciences (non-specific)

Teaching and learning

75%
Staff make the subject interesting
92%
Staff are good at explaining things
83%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
78%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

78%
Library resources
83%
IT resources
83%
Course specific equipment and facilities
71%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

99%
UK students
1%
International students
48%
Male students
52%
Female students
86%
2:1 or above
9%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
B
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Health sciences (non-specific)

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£22,000
med
Average annual salary
100%
high
Employed or in further education
43%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

42%
Health professionals
21%
Health associate professionals
8%
Therapy professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Health sciences (non-specific)

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£22k

£22k

£28k

£28k

£33k

£33k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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