About this course
Today’s Paramedic is a highly skilled healthcare practitioner, who provides high quality urgent or emergency care to patients in a wide range of exciting, fast-paced and challenging environments. The Paramedic profession is at the forefront of the developing modern NHS, with paramedics extending their role in to an increasing range of new and exciting areas.
At NTU, learning is hands-on, preparing you for real-world scenarios and emergencies. By choosing to study with us you'll kickstart your career in a place where compassion meets expertise, and everyday is an opportunity to transform someone's future.
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Apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Paramedic upon successful completion of the course. -
Study at our state-of-the-art Health and Allied Professions Centre with ambulances, a VR suite, a mock apartment, and a range of other healthcare simulation facilities. -
92% of our Paramedic Science students believe the course has improved their career prospects (National Student Survey, 2024).
What you’ll study
This course aims to provide a full-time, three-year route to achieving the BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science by combining all the components required paramedic registration in this unified programme of study.
120 credits will be completed each year.
Foundations of Paramedic Practice (40 credits)
This module covers the essential skills and practices for placement in the ambulance environment. You'll get prepared for your placement; develop your skills in patient assessment, treatment and disposition; and understand essential safety skills for clinical practice.
Human Health and Illness (40 credits)
This module will develop your understanding of human anatomy and physiology, and biological aspects of ill health and how this can change across the human lifespan. You'll explore mental health disorders, and issues around death and dying, as well as considering the link between common conditions and disease management and treatment plans.
Professional and Legal Issues in Paramedic Practice (40 credits)
This module introduces you to the principles of professional practice and professional identity. You'll explore how professional skills and holistic, patient-centred care can be enhanced through reflection and evidence-based care.
Developing Paramedic Practice (40 credits)
This module follows on from the Foundations of Paramedic Practice module to further develop your skills in patient management. You'll enhance your clinical skills; develop clinical reasoning and management of adult trauma and medical patients; and support your own mental health in practice through the Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) principles.
Pharmacology in Practice (20 credits)
This module integrates pre-hospital interventions with the underpinning knowledge of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. It will provide you with the necessary knowledge to administer interventions to a range of patients under your care. You'll also learn about commonly prescribed medication and the use of recreational and illegal drugs and alcohol.
Research and Evidence-Based Practice (20 credits)
You'll build on your existing knowledge of research and evidence-based practice by exploring methodologies and data gathering alongside searching literature and reviewing. It will enable you to consider the factors that impact on literature appraisal, future planning and managing an investigation as a professional practitioner.
Public Health and Wellbeing (20 credits)
This module considers the role of the paramedic within public health and wellbeing. You'll consider how social, economic and political factors can influence health and wellbeing and the role of the paramedic in empowering individuals.
Paediatric and Obstetric Practice (20 credits)
The aim of this module is to conduct a thorough and detailed physical examination of the patient using appropriate skills to inform clinical reasoning, and guide the formulation of a differential diagnosis of the obstetric and paediatric patient. You'll also learn about the safe management of a paediatric cardiac arrest utilising advanced life support skills.
Professional Practice, Supporting and Developing Others (20 credits)
This module will support you in your transition to professional practice. It will develop your understanding of the knowledge and skills required to supervise others and provide feedback.
Complex and Specialist Issues (40 credits)
This module contemplates the components of integrated health and social car, and the challenges surrounding the requirements of those with complex health needs. Furthermore, you'll learn to critically appraise collaborative working within the out-of-hospital, unscheduled emergency and urgent care setting, along with the environment and organisations in which paramedics practice.
Dissertation Project (40 credits)
The dissertation module provides you with the opportunity for originality and intellectual independence into a specific area of your clinical practice. You'll get to choose between an impact study (e.g., service evaluation or audit), a clinical change project, or a critical review of clinical practice. You can also suggest another project with the agreement of your dissertation supervisor.
Enhancing Paramedic Practice (20 credits)
This module aims to further develop your skills in patient management. You'll enhance your consultation skills; develop clinical reasoning and management of undiagnosed minor illnesses or injury; develop confidence in determining clinical risk; and promote awareness of the role of the paramedic.
We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
Take a look around the HAP Centre
How you're taught
Delivery mode
Your learning will include a blend of face to face tuition in university, alongside blended and independent learning activities to support your learning. You will also spend a significant amount of time on placement, predominantly with your practice educator within the ambulance service but also in a range of additional placements that will compliment your experience.
Placement
Practice placement is a compulsory component of the course to enable you to develop the necessary competences required for registration and practice as a registered Paramedic. You will not be paid for this time and travel expenses are not refunded as part of the course.
You will spend most of you time on placement working with your dedicated Practice Educator who will guide and develop your skills and knowledge. You will follow compulsory clinical shift patterns of your practice educator and this will include unsociable hours including days, nights, weekends and bank holidays.
You will be expected to complete approximately 1,500 hours over the 3 years.
Assessment
Assessment methods on the course include but are not limited to:
- OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations) - Practical demonstrations of skills in a simulated environment
- Practice Educators observations of competency in practice
- An E-portfolio (PebblePad)
- Case studies
- Reflective accounts
- Presentations
- Academic posters
- Essays
- Multiple-choice and short-answer question exams.
- Simulated Multi-disciplinary meetings
- Moot Court case
Careers and employability
After graduating from this undergraduate degree in Paramedic Science, you'll be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. Your career prospects in this field are excellent because of the current high demand for registered paramedics in urgent and emergency care settings, locally, nationally and internationally.
Following the completion of your Newly Qualified Paramedic (NQP) programme in addition to the traditional roles of the Ambulance paramedic there are many other roles available to you as your experience grows.
These include but are not limited to:
- Advanced Paramedic (AP)/ Specialist paramedic (SP) Specialising in Emergency Department, Prehospital or Primary care
- Critical care paramedic (CCP)
- Hazardous area response teams (HART)
- Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)
- Helicopter / Search and rescue
- Wilderness / Remote medical support
- Telephone triage /111 call advisors
- Event medics
- Primary care paramedic (GP or Community)
- Emergent or Urgent care (Hospital)
- Mental Health Specialist
Further details are available from the College of Paramedics.
If you’d like to know more about NTU’s groundbreaking Employability Promise, and the support you’ll receive both during and after your course, visit our Careers and Employability page.
Campus and facilities
You’ll mainly be studying in the purpose-built Health & Allied Professions (HAP) Centre. The 34,000 square foot building features mock hospital wards, consultation and counselling rooms, creative teaching spaces and specialist equipment.
Our self-contained, community-focused Clifton Campus has been designed to keep our students busy between lectures. Catch-up with your coursemates in the Pavilion’s barista café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in chic and stylish study spaces; enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union. The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!
You’re also right next to the bright lights of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. All through termtime, a dedicated on-campus bus service will get you to the heart of the action (and back) in under 25 minutes. You’ll find a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.
Take our virtual tour to get a real feel for the campus.
Entry requirements
UK students
Standard offer: 128 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications, two of which must be A-Level equivalent including a health, science or social science subject.
Contextual offer: 120 UCAS Tariff points from up to four qualifications, two of which must be A-Level equivalent including a health, science or social science subject.
Other requirements: An interview, a personal statement, and GCSE English, Maths and Science grade C/4
To find out what qualifications have tariff points, please use our tariff calculator.
Additional requirements for UK students
- be at least 18 years of age at the start of the course. This is the minimum age requirement set by our placement providers. If you will be under 18 at the start of the course, your application may be declined, or you may be offered the opportunity to defer your application until next year
- undertake an interview with a lecturer and practitioner or service user,
- complete an enhanced-level Disclosure and Barring Service check
- you will be required to provide detailed health information to occupational health who will, after reviewing your evidence, assess your suitability for the role.
- confirm the ability to use a range of IT facilities including email, internet, and word processing.
- provide evidence of vaccination against Hep B, or undergo a vaccination programme, before any placements can be undertaken.
Personal Statement
In addition to the entry requirements listed above, you will need to submit a personal statement demonstrating:
- an understanding of the role of a Paramedic and current issues in Paramedicine
- any evidence of health-related work (Paid or voluntary)
- How your personal values align to the NHS Core values
Contextual offers
If you don’t quite meet our entry requirements, we might be able to make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (such as where you live and the school or college you attended), your experiences and your individual circumstances (you may have been in care, for example). This is called a contextual offer, and we get data from UCAS to help make these decisions. We do this because we believe everyone with the potential to succeed at NTU should have the opportunity to do so, no matter what barriers you may face.
Meeting our entry requirements
Hundreds of qualifications in the UK have UCAS Tariff points attached to specific grades, including A-levels, BTECs, T Levels and many more. You can use your grades and points from up to four different qualifications to meet our criteria. Enter your predicted or achieved grades into our Tariff calculator to find out how many points your qualifications are worth.
Other qualifications and experience
NTU welcomes applications from students with non-standard qualifications and learning backgrounds, either for year one entry or for advanced standing beyond the start of a course into year 2 or beyond.
We consider study and/or credit achieved from a similar course at another institution (otherwise known as credit transfer), vocational and professional qualifications, and broader work or life experience.
Our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy outlines the process and options available for this route. If you wish to apply via Recognition of Prior Learning, please contact the central Admissions and Enquiries Team who will be able to support you through the process.
Getting in touch
If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form.
International students
Academic entry requirements: 128 UCAS Tariff points from up to four A levels , two of which must be A-Level equivalent including a health, science or social science subject.
We accept equivalent qualifications from all over the world. Please check your international entry requirements by country.
Other requirements: An interview, a personal statement, and GCSE English, Maths and Science grade C/4
Please note: We are unable to accept applications from individuals on a Student Route visa. Due to the mandatory teaching and placement requirements of this course, we are also unable to accept applications from individuals with a Tier 2 Skilled Worker Visa.
English language requirements: See our English language requirements page for requirements for your subject and information on alternative tests and Pre-sessional English.
Additional requirements for international students
- be at least 18 years of age at the start of the course. This is the minimum age requirement set by our placement providers. If you will be under 18 at the start of the course, your application may be declined, or you may be offered the opportunity to defer your application until next year
- undertake an interview with a lecturer and practitioner or service user,
- complete an enhanced-level Disclosure and Barring Service check
- you will be required to provide detailed health information to occupational health who will, after reviewing your evidence, assess your suitability for the role.
- confirm the ability to use a range of IT facilities including email, internet, and word processing.
- provide evidence of vaccination against Hep B, or undergo a vaccination programme, before any placements can be undertaken.
Personal Statement
In addition to the entry requirements listed above, you will need to submit a personal statement demonstrating:
- an understanding of the role of a Paramedic and current issues in Paramedicine
- any evidence of health-related work (Paid or voluntary)
- How your personal values align to the NHS Core values
English language requirements
View our English language requirements for all courses, including alternative English language tests and country qualifications accepted by the University.
If you need help achieving the language requirements, we offer a Pre-Sessional English for Academic Purposes course on our City campus which is an intensive preparation course for academic study at NTU.
Other qualifications and experience
If you have the right level of qualifications, you may be able to start your Bachelors degree at NTU in year 2 or year 3. This is called ‘advanced standing’ entry and is decided on a case-by case basis after our assessment of your qualifications and experience.
You can view our Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer Policy which outlines the process and options available, such as recognising experiential learning and credit transfer.
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Getting in touch
If you need advice about studying at NTU as an international student or how to apply, our international webpages are a great place to start. If you have any questions about your study options, your international qualifications, experience, grades or other results, please get in touch through our enquiry form. Our international teams are highly experienced in answering queries from students all over the world.
Policies
We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.
