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BSc Single Honours Paramedic Science

Undergraduate

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Paramedic students in uniform

BSc Single Honours Paramedic Science

Discover how specialist paramedic training supports inclusive care and clinical confidence. The BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science at Birmingham Newman University offers a dynamic and compassionate route into frontline healthcare. If you’re driven to support people in moments of crisis and committed to delivering inclusive, person-centred care, this course equips you with the clinical knowledge and real-world experience to thrive. You’ll learn how to respond effectively across a range of emergency and non-emergency situations, while developing practical skills in patient assessment, decision-making and communication. From your first day, you’ll be part of a university community that empowers you to grow, reflect and lead with integrity.

Why Study This Course?

This course is ideal for those who are passionate about delivering urgent, compassionate care and making a real difference in people’s lives. It offers a professionally grounded and academically rigorous route into paramedicine, combining theoretical depth with practical clinical experience. Whether you're beginning your journey into healthcare or returning to study, you’ll develop the knowledge, confidence and skills to thrive in high-pressure environments. With a strong focus on evidence-based practice, critical thinking and real-world application, the course lays the foundation for a rewarding and impactful career in emergency care.

Explore the Foundations of Effective Paramedic Practice

Paramedic practice is built on clinical knowledge, ethical awareness and responsive care. This course helps you explore how these elements support safe decision-making in urgent and emergency settings. You’ll study anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and patient assessment, alongside key areas such as safeguarding, mental health and professional standards. Simulation-based training, clinical placements and interprofessional workshops help you apply theory in real-world scenarios. Many students find that the course not only builds confidence in clinical reasoning and communication but also prepares them to adapt and thrive across diverse healthcare environments.

Supportive and Personalised Learning

At Birmingham Newman University, you will join a close-knit and inclusive academic community that places your development at the heart of everything we do. The course is delivered by experienced paramedics and healthcare educators who are committed to supporting your progress and helping you grow as a safe, reflective and resilient practitioner. With small-group teaching, personalised mentoring and regular feedback, you’ll be empowered to find your professional voice and take your next steps with clarity and purpose. Whether you choose to work in ambulance services, urgent care, remote settings or pursue further study and advanced clinical roles, you’ll be well prepared to make a lasting difference.

Got a question you’d like to ask?

UK home students Entry requirements, for UK home students, for September 2025 entry: UCAS Tariff: 112 points A-Level: Grade profile of BBC. To include a Science (Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Physical Education and/or Psychology are also acceptable). BTEC: Grade profile of DMM. This can be achieved from either an Extended National Diploma (Sport and Exercise Science, Health Science, Applied Science or Health and Social Care preferred) or a combination of smaller BTEC qualifications. T-levels: A T-level in Health or Science with an overall Merit grade. Other Level 3 qualifications are also accepted for entry. Please contact the admissions team for further information. Graduate Entry: A 2:2 or above in a related area will also be considered. Plus: GCSE/IGCSE English Language and Maths grades 9-4/A*-C or equivalent GCSE/IGCSE Biology or Human Biology grade 9-4/A*-C or equivalent If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score of 7.0, with no element below 6.5. (Other English language qualifications are also accepted. Please contact admissions for further information). Applicants must have achieved these before commencing on the three year programme. Applicants will also be required to be successful at a values based in person interview. All applicants for professional health programmes must undergo additional screening to ensure their suitability. Screening includes assessment of disclosure and barring service (DBS) status; as well as occupational health checks. Occupational health assessments ensure that applicants are fit to fulfil the demands of placements. As part of the programme you will be required to successfully complete manual handling training and a mandatory assessment. This assessment includes carrying a weighted mannikin up and down the stairs using appropriate equipment.

The full-time course fee, for UK home students, for September 2025 is: £9,535

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Paramedic intervention and management
20 Credits (Compulsory)

Building upon the content of your Person-Centred Assessment and Human Function modules, the aim of this module is support you to develop the values, skills, knowledge and behaviours required to plan initiate and effectively execute a range of interventions and therapeutic actions based on an evidence-based decision making process. This will include consideration of personal scope of practice and employing a person-centred approach, ensuring capacity is established and informed consent is gained, adapting practice where necessary to meet the needs of the service user, their relatives and carers in the emergency and urgent care environment. In this module you will be supported to understand how the principles and theories from physics, biomechanics, electronics and ergonomics can be applied to paramedic practice. You will explore and learn about moving and handling techniques, equipment and patient extrication techniques, as well patient positioning, and airway management. You will also develop skills to safely select, apply, evaluate and record the use of a variety of emergency equipment and appreciate how the application of these treatment options can result in physiological and structural change within the body. You will develop knowledge of the principles of pharmacology including pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and explore the safe administration of specific therapeutic medications via intramuscular, nebulised, oral and inhaled routes in the management of conscious and unconscious patients across the lifespan according to JRCALC guidelines. This will include the use of universal precautions, personal protective equipment and aseptic techniques to minimise the spread of infection, identifying indications and contraindications to specified medications, evaluating effectiveness and recognising and reporting adverse drug reactions to ensure safe, legal and appropriate management of medications in the acute environment.?Through simulation activities, you will develop your proficiency in Adult Basic Life Support with airway management, recognition of shockable and non-shockable ECG rhythms with safe and appropriate defibrillation whilst appreciating how to Basic Life Support techniques differ in newborn, neonatal and paediatrics. You will also learn how to manage foreign body airway obstruction across the lifespan. You will be introduced to the concept of clinical handover and the contemporary models used in healthcare settings to ensure the safe and efficient transfer of service users, their relatives and carers to the wider healthcare team.?Case studies will be used throughout the module to support you in taking a holistic and evidenced based approach to implementing paramedic intervention and management strategies. Learning and teaching activities during this module may be supported by our ?experts by experienceÊ group (service users) through discussing their lived experiences of their condition.? The values, skills, knowledge and behaviours gained during this module will form a foundation which will be further developed in your subsequent Level 5 modules and practice placements.

Human function
40 Credits (Compulsory)

The aim of this module is to develop your foundation knowledge relating to how the human body works as well as your knowledge of physical, disorder and dysfunction relevant to being a paramedic.? This module will introduce you to the structure of the human body (anatomy) and how the human body functions (physiology). You will be supported to understand the body systems and the processes that take place within the body which are key to maintaining the health and wellbeing of an individual. You will also study the adaptations of these body systems and structures to ageing, perceived threat (such as pain, infection, inflammation and trauma) and to a range of disease processes (pathophysiology). Through exploring the pathological changes that occur in certain diseases you will be able to identify clinical features commonly encountered in paramedic practice. You will also be encouraged to develop skills in communicating key knowledge related to the structure and function of the human body in health and disease to a given audience such as service users, carers or other health professionals. This will prepare you to be able to provide information that enables individuals to be centre in their care or, for example to educate others about a disease process. The focus during this module is the structure and functioning of the cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, nervous, genitourinary and gastrointestinal systems in health and disease. However, integration and interplay of other body systems will be addressed through case studies and simulation activities.? Learning and teaching activities during this module may be supported by our “experts by experience” group (service users) through discussing their lived experiences of their condition.

Practice education – level 4
20 Credits (Compulsory)

The aim of this module is to build upon your theoretical knowledge and practical skills developed from previous modules whilst assessing the fundamental qualities and behaviours required of a paramedic healthcare professional. This module consists of two practice placements?- Practice Education 1 (Block One) and Practice Education 2 (Block Two) which take place in a placement environment with supervision by practice educator(s)/supervisor(s)/mentor(s).PE1 Block One – Two-week (75 hours) placement within a care setting.PE1 Block Two – Ten-week (300 hours) within West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Trust (WMAS) Emergency Services Ambulance Regional Hubs. In addition, to these two practice placements, you will undertake 60 hours of simulated practice within the University Skills and Simulation facilities. These are scheduled into your course programme and designed to prepare to for practice. During your practice placements and simulated practice hours, you will be guided by a practice educator(s)/supervisor(s)/mentor(s) who will support you in the development of your knowledge and skills in relevant settings, which will normally include observing, analysing, and implementing evidence-based assessment strategies and paramedic interventions under supervision and within your scope of practice. Working with colleagues, patients, carers and other emergency and healthcare professionals you will develop your communication and teamworking skills. During this module, you will be required to fulfil your duties and responsibilities in a professional, ethical, and moral manner as set down in the Health and Care Professions Council Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics.

Person centred assessment
20 Credits (Compulsory)

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the process of patient assessment through the application of underpinning paramedic science knowledge, theories and concepts in a variety of pre-hospital and unscheduled care settings. Evaluation of the findings of the assessment (also known as clinical reasoning) will enable you to make informed decisions in partnership with the patient about subsequent treatment and management options (plan). In this module you will develop essential communication skills including assessing capacity and gaining informed consent. You will learn how to conduct a systematic primary and secondary survey (including recognition of immediate threats to life) and to use different methods to establish rapport and gather relevant information about the patient’s condition and history taking into account your patientÊs individual differences and preferences. You will develop your knowledge of, and the skills to understand scientific units of measurements and undertake a range of clinical measurements such as respiratory rate, pulses, pulse oximetry, blood pressure, glucometer, thermometers, and electrocardiogram (ECG), to ascertain your patient’s physiological status recording and recognising their significance, including patterns and changes during patient care episodes. You will be supported to understand the principles of recording clinical data and record keeping, enabling you to meet the requirements of the profession. Throughout the module, the focus will be on identifying risk to yourself, colleagues and others and you will be expected to demonstrate dynamic risk assessment and an ongoing awareness of health and safety and patient safety during the assessment process. Your learning will be enhanced by the use of case studies and simulation activities to facilitate you to link theory with practice and provide you with the opportunity to practice and receive feedback in a safe and supportive environment. Activities during this module may be supported by our “experts by experience” group (service users) and/or practice partners through the demonstration of assessment and management techniques, and/or by discussing their lived experiences of their condition. The knowledge and skills gained during this module will prepare you for your practice placements.

Introduction to professional healthcare practice
20 Credits (Compulsory)

This interprofessional module will provide you with the opportunity to learn from, about and with students from other professional programmes. As an interprofessional group of learners you will explore what it means to be a professional within the context of ethical, legal and regulatory frameworks as applied to your professional healthcare discipline. You will be given the opportunity to reflect and develop self-awareness to foster an understanding of your own beliefs, attitudes, values, knowledge, attributes and skills and explore how others may see the world differently to build and develop your professional identity. This module aims to aid your transition to university as a professional healthcare student, introducing you to the concept of evidence-based practice and some of the study skills you will need to develop as an experiential and lifelong learner.

Placement Information

Throughout your BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science course, you will engage with clinical placements across the West Midlands and surrounding areas. These experiences are carefully integrated with your academic modules to support your development. You will be guided by registered professionals and supported by university staff, with progress monitored through structured reflection and assessment. You will also work with patients, healthcare teams and emergency services, helping you to build confidence, resilience and a deeper understanding of inclusive, person-centred care. These opportunities are designed to help you apply theory to real-life scenarios and grow into a capable and reflective paramedic.

Live, Learn & Belong at Birmingham Newman??

At Birmingham Newman University, you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds: a peaceful, green campus that creates the ideal setting for focused study and personal reflection, yet remains just eight miles from the vibrant city centre. As the UK’s second-largest city, Birmingham is also one of the youngest and most diverse in Europe, offering a dynamic blend of culture, innovation and opportunity. From world-renowned museums and music venues to a thriving food scene alongside a growing business and tech sector, it’s a place where creativity and ambition naturally thrive.?

Experience Birmingham: A City Full of Possibilities?

Whether you're discovering the Midlands for the first time or already know the area well, Birmingham provides a lively and inclusive environment for students. As one of the most energetic and multicultural cities in the UK, it’s a place where you can grow academically while developing personally. Its rich cultural heritage, creative energy and broad range of opportunities make it an inspiring backdrop for your university journey.?

A City That Loves Great Food?

Birmingham is a brilliant place to explore diverse culinary experiences. You might wander through the famous Balti Triangle, sample global street food at Digbeth Dining Club or enjoy a relaxed meal by the canals in Brindleyplace. The city is also home to independent cafés, vegan-friendly eateries and countless hidden gems. Whether you're grabbing a quick bite between lectures or planning an evening out, there’s always something new to discover.?

Arts, Culture and Entertainment?

The city pulses with creativity. You could catch live music at the O2 Academy, experience a world-class performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome or browse exhibitions at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Creative spaces like the Custard Factory showcase local talent while hosting events that celebrate innovation. With festivals, sporting fixtures and cultural celebrations taking place year-round, there’s never a shortage of things to enjoy.?

Simple & Convenient Travel?

Getting around Birmingham is straightforward thanks to its well-connected public transport system. Buses, trams and trains make it easy to reach campus, explore the city or travel further afield. Whether you're commuting daily or heading off for a weekend adventure, transport is both accessible and affordable.?

Life Beyond the Lecture Hall?

Your time at Birmingham Newman University extends far beyond academic study. You’ll have the chance to join student societies, contribute to community projects or try something entirely new. The university’s supportive atmosphere encourages you to build confidence, develop practical skills and feel genuinely at home throughout your studies.?

Where This Course Can Take You. You’ll graduate ready to begin your career as a registered paramedic, eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Birmingham Newman graduates are valued across NHS trusts and independent providers for their adaptability, empathy and clinical competence. Whether you choose to work in ambulance services, urgent care, community health or specialist roles, you’ll be prepared to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives. You’ll also join a supportive network of healthcare professionals who continue to inspire throughout their careers.

Accreditations and Exemptions

This degree leads directly to eligibility for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), enabling you to practise as a qualified paramedic upon successful completion. Birmingham Newman University has designed the course to meet national standards for paramedic education, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based practice, interprofessional learning and patient-centred care. While the course does not currently offer exemptions from other professional bodies, it provides a robust foundation for further study and career progression, including advanced clinical roles, leadership pathways and postgraduate qualifications such as the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice.

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