Paramedic Practice BSc (Hons)

Course overview

Accredited

Become a highly skilled autonomous practitioner able to confidently assess, prioritise, transfer, manage, treat, refer and discharge service users in the community. Gain skills to manage almost every category of patient, including children and adults, mental health, obstetric, medical and trauma incidents.

Benefit from an equal balance of theoretical and practical learning, undertaking a range of practice placements throughout each year. Theory provides you with the knowledge, understanding and critical decision-making skills you need as a paramedic. You put this knowledge into your practice placements, enhancing and developing your skills as you make an immediate and continuing contribution to service user care. You also develop enhanced communication, personal and professional skills.

Learn to confidently take a history from a service user to assess their needs, prioritise care, formulate a management and treatment plan, refer them to other healthcare providers or professionals and offer care at home, promoting healthy interventions and conversations with them, their carers and their family. Support them to understand healthcare information and clinical guidance, and offer advice from your well-developed understanding of evidence-based practice.

Care, compassion and commitment to high-quality care are essential skills. Gain support as you develop as a clinical leader and key decision-maker and improve your understanding of the wider healthcare network in practice placements. You integrate your knowledge, paramedic skills and attributes to competently assess and manage service users across the lifespan and in a range of settings.

Within a practice setting you are supernumerary, ensuring maximum exposure to the paramedic role and patient care episodes. A qualified practice educator supports your learning and helps you develop your knowledge and skills in practice. As part of the placement experience, you participate in a shift pattern rota or work weekends.

We have ongoing approval from the Health and Care Professions Council, a multi-professional regulator that sets the minimum standards of education and training proficiency for 16 separate professional groups, including paramedics. This ensures that as a graduate you become a competent, autonomous professional, prepared for the demands of 21st century out-of-hospital healthcare.

Top reasons to study this course:

1. Nationally recognised: Teesside is ranked 10th out of 37 institutions for Paramedic Science in the Guardian University Guide 2024. (122 institutions participated, tees.ac.uk/source).
2. Industry-standard facilities: you benefit by training in an immersive environment, such as our fully-equipped ambulance, preparing you for the role.
3. Financial support: study this course and you may be eligible for a £5,000 maintenance grant each year from the NHS Business Service Authority. Find out more.

Download pdf Order prospectus

Where you study

You study at Teesside University's Middlesbrough campus. Placements are across the North East and Yorkshire. You should expect to travel to placements which can be some distance from the University. Emergency care placements are hosted by ambulance trusts in the North East, Yorkshire and other areas. You do not have to have a driving licence to apply for this programme but access to transport is essential to ensure you are able to attend clinical placements.

Supporting information for applicants

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Course details

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You are expected to have:

• Level 3 Academic Study in a relevant subject (such as science, social sciences or health and social care) and applicants must demonstrate an understanding of the paramedic role.
• a minimum of three GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above including English language and maths. Key Skills/Functional Skills Level 2 in Communication and Application of Number can be accepted in place of English and maths GCSE.

Plus any of the following qualifications:

GCE and VCE Advanced Level
112-128 points from two or three A levels, or equivalent T levels.

AS Level
These are only acceptable when combined with other qualifications. One AS level can be accepted when combined with two or three A levels to meet the 112 points required.

Access course
A pass in a QAA-recognised Access course in a science or health subject equivalent to 112-128 UCAS points.
*We can accept Level 2 Access units in communication and maths in place of English and maths GCSEs.

BTEC QCF Extended Diploma
112-128 points (DMM), preferably in a science or health subject. Uniformed services is acceptable.

CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health & Social Care
120 points (B) in health and social care.

Foundation degree
A pass in a relevant subject.

Irish Leaving Certificate
112 points from four or five Highers/Honours subjects including a science or social science.

Scottish Highers
117 points from five Highers including a science or social science subject.

Advanced Scottish Highers
112 points from three Advanced Highers including a science or social science subject.

EU applicants must meet International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at Level 7 with no element below 6.5. You must also:

• be aware you need to declare any convictions, cautions or allegations to the relevant professional body before you apply to register
• provide an enhanced DBS check

If you are invited to an interview and the date is not suitable we may not be able to offer you an alternative date due to the high volume of applications received for this course but it is important that you contact the admissions office immediately.

If you are successful in both shortlisting and interview you will receive an offer which is subject to the following:

1. evidence of achievement of the required academic qualifications
2. a successful work-based risk assessment which will reflect the appropriate HEOPS recommendations. Find out more about all of the HEOPS standards
3. an enhanced criminal history (DBS) check may be required for certain modules or placements which involve working with children and/or adults at risk. Where an enhanced DBS check is required, applicants will cover the cost of these checks which can only be processed through the University.
4. satisfactory references.

Please note until 1 to 4 have been successfully completed the offer of a place on the course remains conditional.

• International applicants must have IELTS 7.0 with a minimal score of 6.5 in all sections or Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 100/120 (in conjunction with a Teesside University English language test)* before an unconditional offer is made
• If you are successful at shortlisting you will be invited to attend an interview (which may be in person OR video call) in one of our international offices in either India, Malaysia or China, or through a secure web link (which will be arranged by the University).
• If you cannot attend an interview as stated, you will be unable to proceed with your application.

*Students holding TOEFL qualifications at the required grade will be able to combine the qualification with a Teesside University English language test to meet the English language requirement. The English language test will assess listening and speaking competency.

For international enquiries please email internationalenquiries@tees.ac.uk

For general information please see our overview of entry requirements

International applicants can find out what qualifications they need by visiting Your Country

You can gain considerable knowledge from work, volunteering and life. Under recognition of prior learning (RPL) you may be awarded credit for this which can be credited towards the course you want to study.
Find out more about RPL

Employability

Career opportunities

Employment opportunities are global – HCPC-registered paramedics are recognised and in-demand in many countries. There are a variety of roles available in organisations from public bodies, such as the NHS, to more commercially-focused organisations.

A large proportion of paramedics are employed by NHS ambulance services and voluntary organisations such as St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross. This includes traditional roles in ambulances, rapid response cars, hazardous area response (HART) teams and other specialist or advanced roles such as clinical leadership or education. If you choose to work for an NHS ambulance service, they currently require a driving licence and you must meet the requirements of other Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency regulations.

Paramedics are also found in emergency departments, urgent care centres, GP surgeries, helicopter emergency services, cruise liners, in the community as part of the medical team, events companies, search and rescue, close protection and working for the government, and arm’s length bodies such as Atos. There are research roles, teaching pre-registration paramedic programmes, consultant roles leading the profession, and lead allied health professional roles both locally and nationally.

In addition to post-qualifying roles, the University supports additional and enhanced qualifications to further your career in specialist, advanced and consultant roles through postgraduate qualifications. For example, PgC, PgDip, master’s and professional doctorate qualifications which may further enhance and develop your career in clinical leadership and management.

Information for international applicants