University of Portsmouth
UCAS Code: Not applicable | Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
Entry requirements
A level
112-120 from 3 A levels, or equivalent, to include 40 points from Biology and 40 points from a second Science subject or Mathematics. For A levels which include a separate science practical component, a pass is desirable and may strengthen an application.
112-122 Tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma (Science), with a minimum of 18 level 3 credits in Biology at Distinction and a minimum of 12 level 3 credits in Chemistry at Distinction.
Cambridge Pre-U score of 54-56. To include Principal Subjects in Biology at M2 plus a second Science subject or Mathematics at M2.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
GCSE English and mathematics at grade C/4 or above.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
29 points from the IB Diploma. 655/754 at Higher Level, to include 6 points from a Higher Level in Biology plus 6 points from a second Science subject or Mathematics - 29 points from the IB Diploma. 664 at Higher Level to include 6 points from a Higher Level in Biology plus 6 points from a second Science subject or Mathematics. 4 points from Standard Level English and Mathematics (if not passed at GCSE grade C or above).
Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)
H3,H3,H3,H3,H4-H3,H3,H3,H3,H3
To include Higher Level Biology at H3, plus a second pure Science subject or Mathematics at H3.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)
Must be in a Science or Applied Science subject.
112-120 from Advanced Highers, to include Biology at grade C, plus one other Science subject or Mathematics at grade C.
T Level
Acceptable T Level Subjects: T Level in Health, T Level in Healthcare Science, T Level in Science (Acceptable Occupational Specialisms: Laboratory sciences).
UCAS Tariff
112-120 from 3 A levels, or equivalent, to include 40 points from Biology and 40 points from a second Science subject or Mathematics. For A levels which include a separate science practical component, a pass is desirable and may strengthen an application.
112-120 points from the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate including 2 A levels, with 40 points in A level Biology plus 40 points in a second Science subject or Mathematics, plus the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
Present a portfolio
About this course
If you work in a supporting role in a pathology lab environment and want to register as a Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), this 3-year, full-time BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science degree apprenticeship is for you.
You'll build on your existing knowledge of working in a pathology lab, learning more about how diseases behave and how this can be exploited in the lab to diagnose disease and monitor patients.
You'll learn about the main pathological disciplines and the practical approaches used in their investigations. You'll learn how to interpret data effectively, and have the opportunity to apply what you learn straightaway in your role.
You'll study alongside your existing job, and won't need to pay anything towards your course fees.
When you complete the course successfully, you can apply to register as a Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You'll have a vital, in-demand skill set, opening paths to roles from diagnosing illnesses such as COVID–19 to establishing whether a patient and donor are compatible for transplantation.
**What you'll experience**
On this Applied Biomedical Science Degree Apprenticeship course, you'll:
- Learn about the main pathological disciplines, including haematology, blood transfusion, microbiology, clinical biochemistry, histology and immunology
- Develop your skills in interpreting data in a laboratory context
- Have the opportunity to apply for membership to the IBMS, opening up a further portfolio of training courses, and the potential for future professional advancement
- Share your experiences with the wider undergraduate biomedical science community, developing both your independence, and your ability to work in a team
- Improve your communication skills in scientific and analytical writing, learning how to communicate complex scientific concepts to a broad audience
- Learn with a university that has been teaching prospective biomedical science practitioners for more than 40 years
- Continue your full-time job as you study, allowing you to put what you learn in to action in the workplace
- Have access to the University's student support services and community, including the Library, study support, sports and recreation facilities, and the Students’ Union
- Get a personal tutor from the University and a workplace mentor, with 12-weekly reviews of your progress with your tutor and mentor
**Careers and opportunities**
Never has the role of Biomedical Scientists been so prominent and publicly important. Qualification as a Biomedical Scientist gives you the opportunity to make a significant impact on the health of the nation.
Whether it’s testing during a pandemic to enable effective Test, Track and Trace or determining if a patient has active immunity following vaccination, Biomedical Scientists have a significant role to play.
When you graduate, you'll be ready to work in a Band 5 Biomedical Scientist role in areas such as:
Main pathology disciplines, such as haematology, biochemistry, blood transfusion, microbiology, histology or immunology
- Molecular medicine
- Genetics
- Government and professional research
With further training and experience, this qualification allows progression to roles such as:
- Section leader
- Laboratory manager
- Consultant Biomedical Scientist
You'll also be able to continue onto qualification routes such as:
- Master's
- PhD
- Professional Doctorate
- IBMS professional qualifications
- The Scientist Training Programme (STP)
Modules
Each module on this course is worth a certain number of credits. You'll study modules worth 360 credits over 4 years.
What you'll study
Year 1
- Cells to Systems (DA) (20 credits)
- Experiential 1 (DA) (40 credits)
- Pathological Sciences 1 (DA) (20 credits)
Year 2
- Experiential Practice in Biomedical Science (DA) (20 credits)
- Practical Biomedical Science in Practise (DA) (20 credits)
- Barriers to Disease, Immunity and Immune Dysfunction (DA) (20 credits)
- Experiential 2 (DA) (20 credits)
- Pathological Sciences 2 (DA) (20 credits)
Year 3
- Experiential 3 (DA) (40 credits)
- Professional Practise in Biomedical Science (DA) (20 credits)
- Genetic Basis of Disease (DA) (20 credits)
- Integrated Pathology (DA) (20 credits)
Year 4
- Experiential 4 (DA) (20 credits)
- Pathological Sciences 3 (DA) (20 credits)
- Projects in Pathology (DA) (40 credits)
We use the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from our students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, course content is revised and regularly reviewed. This may result in changes being made in order to reflect developments in research, learning from practice and changes in policy at both national and local levels
Assessment methods
You'll be assessed through:
written exams
multiple choice assessments
interpretation of case studies
portfolios of work
written evidence sheets
learning contracts
short video documentary productions
proficiency testing
final year research project
IBMS registration portfolio during years 3 and 4
You’ll be able to test your skills and knowledge informally before you do assessments that count towards your final mark.
You can get feedback on all practice and formal assessments so you can improve in the future.
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if the overall teaching satisfaction score here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
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.
Biomedical sciences (non-specific)
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
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.
Biomedical 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.
Top job areas of graduates
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Biomedical 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.
£27k
£30k
£37k
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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Teaching Excellence Framework (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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