Paramedic Science, BSc (Hons)

Academic entry requirements apply to all applicants, including mature students. The minimum academic entry requirements applicants will require are as follows:

Level 2

5 GCSEs at Grade C + including:

• Maths
• English or Welsh Language
• Science 

Level 3: A-Levels / BTEC / Access to Higher Education

• 3 A-Levels at Grade B (BBB). A Science A-Level is preferable.
• BTEC Extended Diploma (DDM)

This is equivalent to 120 UCAS Tariff Points.

Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma courses in health or science subjects are accepted with the specifications below.

The required Access to HE Diploma grades are:

• 24 Distinctions
• 18 Merits
• 3 Passes

The credits should consist at minimum of:

• 15 Level-2 credits and
• 45 Level-3 credits (graded)

Any additional credits that may be undertaken require a minimum grade of Merit.

Level 4

A Higher Education Diploma, Certificate of Higher Education or Degree would negate the need for A-levels. A healthcare or science topic is preferable.

Academic Reference

All applicants must include a satisfactory academic reference from their last place of study. Applications without an academic reference will not be considered.

Accreditation/Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Individuals with or without the above qualifications may have relevant experience that would afford them entry onto the programme. In these unique circumstances Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Accreditation for Prior Learning (APL) principles and processes can be used.

English Language Ability

Candidates must be able to communicate in English to a good standard as part of the professional requirements of the programme.

This will be measured as an equivalent to level 7 of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no element below 6.5.

Driving License Requirements

It is expected that prior to the course commencing, candidates must have:

• A full (Category B) manual driving licence with a maximum of three penalty points.
• A Provisional Category C1.

A full Category C1 (or higher) is desirable but not essential.

Experience

Whilst experience is not essential, generally successful applicants have undertaken either voluntary or paid healthcare work. This can be within the ambulance service but does not have to be. Paramedicine is a caring profession and there are plenty of opportunities to develop communication skills, care and compassion in wider healthcare:

• Community, Older People & Domiciliary Care
• Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW)
• Call Handler
• Emergency Medical Dispatcher
• Non-Emergency Patient Transport

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Successful candidates need to supply a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants will be required to pay for their own DBS check.

Occupational Health

An Occupational Health assessment is required confirming that applicants are fit to undertake the programme. A vaccination policy is followed and all students will require vaccinations unless medically exempt.

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 may offer 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 Personal Tutor.
• 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

Nikki Williams - Associate Professor & Paramedic Science Lead

Tom Hewes - Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine & Programme Director of Paramedic Science BSc

Marc Lewis - Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine & Programme Director of Paramedic Science BSc for EMTs

Paul Haddow - Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine

Marc Thomas - Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine

Fen Sanders-Lamb - Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine and Admissions Tutor

Jason Sadler - Senior Lecturer in Paramedicine

Dean Messer - Lecturer in Paramedicine

Matt Waters - Lecturer in Paramedicine

Catrin Davies - Lecturer in Paramedicine

Tace Richards - Lecturer in Paramedicine (Welsh fluent)

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 tutor, 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.