Paramedic Science, BSc (Hons)

Applicants will need to achieve 120 UCAS points by attaining one of the following qualification sets or  Swansea University approved equivalent.

A-levels/Welsh Baccalaureate: Minimum BBB. Health or science-related courses are desirable.  Welsh Baccalaureate minimum B accepted in lieu of one A Level.

BTEC: DDD. Health or science-related courses are desirable.  Welsh Baccalaureate minimum B accepted in lieu of one Distinction.

Access: 60 credits overall with at least 45 credits at level 3 (minimum 24 distinctions; minimum 18 merits; maximum 3 passes) and 15 credits at level 2.  Health or science-related courses are desirable.

Irish Leaving Certificate: 360. Health or science-related courses are desirable.

Scottish Highers: Applicants will be judged on individual merit.

IB: Overall score of 32. Health or science-related courses a Higher Level are desirable.

As well as one of the above qualification sets, all applicants are required attain: 

GCSE: 5 GCSEs including English, Maths and a Physical or Double Award Science minimum Grade C/4.

For applicants whose first language is not English, all applicants are required to attain: 

IELTS: 7.0 (or equivalent) and no less than 7.0 in each component*.

SWELT: Applicants will be judged on individual merit*.

Any offer of a place will also require:

Driving licence: A full Category B driving licence with a maximum of three penalty points. A provisional Category C1 licence will be required by the start of the course. 

DBS Check: A satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check**.

Occupational Health Assessment: An Occupational Health Assessment confirming that you are fit to undertake the programme.

Health Clearance: Learners must meet Department of Health Guidelines (March 2007) ‘Health clearance for Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV: New healthcare workers’.

We are proud to provide an outstanding educational experience, using the most effective learning and teaching approaches, carefully tailored to suit the specific needs of your course. Apart from a small number of online-only courses, most of our courses consist of in-person, on-campus teaching, enabling full engagement with your lecturers and fellow students.

Practical skills sessions, lab work seminars, and workshops predominantly take place in person, allowing for group working and demonstrations. We also operate virtual labs and Simulated Learning Environments which will facilitate greater access to training opportunities in the future. However, our approach also includes the use of some online learning to support and enhance traditional face-to-face teaching. 

Online learning may take place ‘live’ using software such as Zoom, allowing you to interact with the lecturer and other students and to ask questions. Lecture recordings also allow for more flexibility to revisit material, to revise for assessments and to enhance learning outside of the classroom. Some modules have extra resources in Canvas, such as videos, slides and quizzes enabling further flexible study.  

You will benefit from a flexible, blended learning approach, including lectures, seminars, computer assisted learning, clinical practice, service user involvement, simulation, mentoring sessions plus a full range of NHS e-learning modules, e.g., Violence & Aggression training, manual handling, patient assessment, etc.

You will study half of the theory at university and half in practice so you will be able to put your academic learning into real clinical practice settings supported by experience Health care practitioners. To develop interpersonal skills and support insight into ambulance services; the first placement will be 3 weeks with the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) with WAST and one day in one of the regional clinical contact centres situated within Wales.

This course offers some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.

Some provision

There are opportunities for Welsh speakers to study some elements of this course through the medium of Welsh but there is not yet enough provision to reach 40 credits in each year.

Academi Hywel Teifi is here to support you throughout your time at Swansea University. We can offer you:

• Access to generous Welsh-language study scholarships or bursaries.
• Access to modules taught wholly or partly in Welsh.
• Access to the Arwain mobile app for the latest information about Welsh-medium courses and modules available to download free on the App Store and Google Play.
• An interview through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place.
• The option to receive your personal correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually.
• The option to write and submit your coursework or exams through the medium of Welsh (even if you have chosen to study in English), and your work will be marked in Welsh.
• A Welsh-speaking Academic Mentor.
• One-to-one support to improve your academic Welsh language skills.
• An opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers.
• Opportunity to be a member of the Swansea University Branch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

To learn more about the above and all the opportunities available to you through the medium of Welsh, visit Academi Hywel Teifi's undergraduate pages.

Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council

Tom Hewes - Programme Director for BSc Paramedic Science and Senior Lecturer

Andy Davies - Senior Lecturer

Neil Hore - Senior Lecturer

Marc Lewis - Programme Director for Dip HE Paramedic Science and Senior Lecturer

Fen Sanders-Lamb - Lecturer

Marc Thomas - Programme Director for Dip HE Paramedic Science for EMTs and Senior Lecturer

Fees for full time Undergraduate UK students may be increased in subsequent years of study by an inflationary amount determined by Welsh Government.

You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.

If you can commit to working in Wales for 2 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.

Please see our NHS Funding webpage to check your eligibility for funding before applying.

Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

• Travel to and from campus
• Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
• Purchase of books or texts
• Gowns for graduation ceremonies

• An enhanced DBS check. This currently costs £40 and is payable by applicants
• GP costs to process an occupational health check form. Your health check is funded by the School of Health and Social Care but you will be expected to pay any GP costs
• Parking and travel while on clinical placement. Mileage incurred will be reimbursed (currently at 27p/mile) at the end of your placement. Where free parking is not available on clinical placement, parking costs may also be reclaimed at the end of the placement
• You may want to purchase your own stethoscope (available from around £40) and/or a fob watch (available from approximately £6).

Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) will support you at each stage of your career journey helping you build a bright future.

Our career support services include:

• Employability workshops, employers’ talks, bespoke events and careers fairs
• Individual advice and guidance from professionally qualified Careers Advisers
• Help with finding jobs, internships, work placements and volunteering opportunities
• Access to information resources on a wide range of career management topics
• Advice and guidance on postgraduate study and funding
• Funding to support student internship opportunities and Student Society/Club events.

We also provide help and advice for Swansea University Alumni up to two years after you graduate.

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal academic mentor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

• Academic writing
• Maths and statistics
• Critical thinking
• Time management
• Digital skills
• Presentation skills
• Note taking
• Revision, memory and exam techniques
• English language skills (if English is not your first language).

In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability, mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.

To learn more about study abroad, visit our Go Global webpages. Enrolment on a programme with a semester/year abroad does not guarantee you a semester/year abroad placement. Spaces are limited and subject to a competitive selection process. In the event you do not secure a semester/year abroad placement, you will be transferred to the standard variant of your degree scheme without a semester or year abroad.

International summer programmes are open to students from all colleges. Programmes typically range from 2 to 6 weeks, across destinations such as China, Zambia, South Korea, Japan, Canada and across Europe. For more information about programmes and eligibility visit our Summer Abroad webpages.

EU students - visa and immigration information is available and will be regularly updated on our information for EU students page.

Apply now – UK, EU and international students.

For further guidance please visit our how to apply pages.

EU students - visa and immigration information is available and will be regularly updated on our information for EU students page.

EU students - visa and immigration information is available and will be regularly updated on our information for EU students page.

We recommend that you submit your application to our courses as early as you can in advance of our application deadlines. Courses will close earlier than the application deadlines listed if all available places are filled. You can find further information on our Application Deadlines webpage.

During the course you can gain one of two awards:

Certificate of Higher Education (Emergency and Unscheduled Care)

You must pass 120 credits at level four to receive this certificate; you can complete the certificate in one year. If you exit the course at the end of year one you will not be eligible to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council for registration as a paramedic.

Diploma of Higher Education (Paramedic Science Studies)

You must pass 240 credits, of which 120 credits must be at level five to receive a diploma. You can complete the Diploma within two years full-time.