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Duration

Three years, full time

Application Deadline

29 January 2021

Location

St George's, University of London

UCAS Code

B781, institution code S49

Start dates

September 2021

Overview

Managing life-threatening emergency situations, responding to patients suffering from illness or injury – it’s all in a day’s work for the paramedic. Working in a tight-knit team and with other healthcare professionals, you’ll provide immediate assistance indoors, outdoors, on the road or in the air.

Approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), our course provides eligibility to apply for registration on graduation. You will be taught by an energetic, enthusiastic team bringing a wide range of clinical experience for both pre- and post-registration study.

Our University offers a uniquely diverse range of paramedic teaching staff and uses state-of-the-art simulation facilities and with placement opportunities at the UK’s busiest ambulance service, as well as opportunities in other clinical settings. You will be educated in out-of-hospital care, urgent care, mental health, social needs, maternity, chronic conditions, pharmacology and trauma

Read more information about our courses and university services terms and conditions.

Highlights

 

  • Education split between study and practice with approximately half your time spent on a variety of different placements with the London Ambulance Service (LAS), in hospital wards, theatres, A&E and maternity, beginning the first year.

  • The course is approved by the HCPC and confers eligibility to apply for registration on successful completion.

  • Cutting-edge facilities include a state-of-the-art paramedic simulation centre comprising home environments, ambulances and immersive rooms with the use of professional role players, to learn clinical skills and practise techniques in a safe environment.

  • As a Department we put a huge emphasis on student support throughout the three years through innovative pastoral support, learning support and peer support.

  • Established in 1752, St George’s, University of London is the UK’s specialist health university, and we are the only UK university to share our campus with a major teaching hospital, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is both on the clinical frontline for a diverse local community and a centre of excellence for specialist conditions.

  • Opportunity to study and work alongside the full range of clinical professionals and their patients while building your multidisciplinary understanding and context.

  • NHS funding offers eligible new and continuing students on this course £5,000 maintenance grant each year.

 

Introduction to Paramedic Science webinar

This webinar will give you an introduction to the Paramedic Science BSc degree at St George’s.

Course info

One of the largest courses of its kind in the country, our degree attracts a range of students of all ages and backgrounds. Some have always wanted to be a paramedic, while others are drawn to the profession by its fast pace, the chance to work outside of a hospital and be the first healthcare professional at a scene.

Combining workplace learning with academic study and practical skills training, our BSc is designed to develop you into an effective clinician capable of responding to a wide range of situations, such as minor illness, long term conditions, mental health and social care, which typically form the bulk of a paramedic’s workload. You will also be prepared to handle any situation, from cardiac arrest to traumatic injuries.

Approximately half of your time will be spent on placements in diverse clinical settings – not only with London Ambulance Service (LAS), which is the UK’s busiest ambulance service, but also in various hospital departments, including accident and emergency, theatre and maternity, and community placements, which can include GP surgeries and mental health units.

Practical skills training takes place in the dedicated paramedic simulation centre which includes an immersion room, clinical skills lab and simulation suite, which includes two replica ambulances. The centre enables students to learn skills, practice scenarios and be involved in simulations in a range of different environments utilising the wide range of manikins and equipment. This allows students to transfer theory into practice that will replicate their future profession and be prepared for practice placements.

This degree, awarded by St George’s, is run by the Centre for Allied Health, which is a partnership between St George’s, University of London and Kingston University. You will benefit from the combined teaching and research expertise, comprehensive and specialist resources provided by these two institutions, as an established medical school and a modern multi-faculty university, respectively.

Learn more about studying at St George's

If you're looking to start your studies in 2022 or beyond, sign up for our free intro email series.

“St George's doesn’t just have incredible facilities, the calibre and passion of the teaching staff are also second to none. The majority of the department work as paramedics with a diverse background of specialisms, so they’re all bang up to date on current clinical practice and understand the job that you’re training to do.”

- Eloisa

Paramedic Science BSc

Top tips on your application

Hear advice from our Finance and Admissions teams.

Tuition fees

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Home (UK) tuition fees

Academic Year

UK (per academic year)

Total fee*

2022/23

£9,250

£27,750

*Tuition fees for Home (UK) students are determined by UK government policy. Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. Fees for second and subsequent years are likely to increase annually in line with UK inflation as measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI-X) and subject to maximum regulated fee rates set by the government.

For more information about fees, check our fees and funding pages, and read the UK government information about fees and funding.

Additional costs

The following table gives you an indication of additional costs associated with your course.  These costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Item 

Description

Admissions costs

DBS - £40
Post office verification - £5 
Administration fee - £6

Technology requirements

Find out more about technology requirements associated with online learning.

Clubs, Societies and Community Projects at St George's

Visit the Students' Union website

Students' Union

As a student at St George's you're also automatically a member of our Students' Union, which offers over 120 clubs, societies and community projects.

Find out more

Aviation & Space Medicine Society

We provide specialist clinical knowledge of aviation and space medicine, through lectures, forums and tutorials.

Find out more

Cheer & Gym Society

The Firebirds are an all-inclusive level 1 cheer team who stunt, tumble, jump and dance both competitively and recreationally.

Find out more

Afro-Caribbean Society

The Afro Caribbean Society (ACS) aims to empower people from a variety of backgrounds by bringing people together to appreciate the culture and heritage of different African and Caribbean countries.

Find out more

Marrow

Marrow is a voluntary student organisation that works with Anthony Nolan to recruit potential donors onto the stem cell register. We organise donor recruitment clinics here at St George's and also raise charitable funds to run the events and support the charity.

Find out more

Henry Gray Anatomy Society

If you are interested in Anatomy, Surgery, or just want to further your anatomical education, then this is the perfect society for you!

Find out more

Athena SWAN Student Network

Our Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network) chapter is a student society that fundamentally promotes racial diversity and the equality of all genders within STEMM career advancement.

Find out more

Yoga Society

Namaste! The Yoga Society is one of the most active societies at St George's, with students and staff taking part in the three weekly yoga sessions.

Find out more

Craft Society

This is the home of all different crafts at George's. We meet every Monday in the Dragon Bar from 5pm to craft. We welcome everyone, experienced or not and are always happy to teach!

Find out more

Vegan and Vegetarian Society

We hope to create a community for vegans, vegetarians & anyone interested in moving towards a more cruelty free lifestyle and to provide support in adopting a plant based lifestyle.

Find out more

Catholic Society

We're a family of Catholic (and non-Catholic) students from St George's who gather occasionally to pray the rosary, share stories, food and encouragement.

Find out more

Christian Union

We are a group of Christians from multiple denominations - united around the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our mission and aim is to build each other up in our faith and to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the St Georges community.

Islamic Society

Our aim is to help students develop academically, socially and most importantly spiritually as they progress through university.

Find out more

St George's Jewish Society

The Jewish Society aims to be a family away from home for all of the Jewish students on campus! We are warm, welcoming and inclusive, and invite anyone from any background to join us.

Find out more
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Our entry requirements for 2021 entry and 2022 entry may differ. Please scroll down if you would like to view our 2022 entry criteria.

Entry criteria 2021

You must meet both the entry and personal statement criteria to be considered for this course. With the exception of GCSEs, all qualifications must have been completed within the previous five years, including the year of application.

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Nationality

Citizens of the UK, or those with indefinite leave to remain in the UK, can apply for this course.

GCSEs

Grades

5 subjects graded C (4) or above

Subjects

Five subjects which must include English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Double Award Science.

Additional information

We accept resits of GCSEs. We do not accept Adult Literacy and Numeracy or Functional Maths instead of GCSEs.

A Levels

Grades

BBC

Subjects

Must include one science subject.

Contextual admissions

At St George’s, we want to attract students who share our mission to improve the health of society, regardless of their background. That’s why our Contextual Admissions schemes take into consideration additional information from your application, like the school you attended or the area you live in or if you have been in care, to make the admissions process fairer. Further details on Contextual Admissions are available here.

Additional information

A Levels must be completed within two years.

Accepted science subjects include: Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Human Biology, Physics, Psychology and Sociology

International Baccalaureate

Award

Full Award Diploma

Scores

5, 5, 4 at Higher Level (HL)

4, 4, 4 at Standard Level (SL)

Subjects

Biology or Chemistry (score 5 at HL)

Maths and English Language at SL

Access Diploma

Award

Full Award Diploma (in a science subject)

Scores

60 credits at level 3 (45 graded and 15 ungraded)

Grades

To include a minimum of 30 pure science related credits.

Overall 24 credits must be graded at Distinction and 21 credits a minimum of Merit.

Subjects

Pure science includes Biology and Mathematics related credits, excluding Sociology.

Additional credits

Any additional credits outside of the 60 credit diploma will not be accepted.

Additional information

You are required to have GCSEs in English Language and Maths alongside the Access Diploma as per the requirements outlined above.

Students studying an Access Diploma need to provide a detailed transcript. All units must be verified by the local Open College Network (OCN).

The Access course must be completed within the last 4 years.

Other qualifications

14-19 Diploma

Overall grade C in one of the following lines of learning, with an additional A2 Level in a science subject at grade C: Construction and the Built Environment, Engineering or Health, Society and Development.

Advanced GNVQ

AGNVQ Science at Distinction and Human Biology at A Level with a minimum grade B.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended National Diploma

DDM 
Must be in a science or healthcare subject.

BTEC Extended Certificate or BTEC Diploma

DM with a science A Level
Subject: Healthcare-related subject and supplemented with an additional science A Level.

Irish Leaving Certificate

Six subjects at Higher Level, including 1 science at C1 or above.
English, Maths and Biology at Ordinary Level at C3 or above.

Open University

90 units at level 1 and 2.
Level 1: Exploring Science module, 60 units.
Level 2: Any other science, social science or healthcare-based module, 30 units.
If you do not have Maths GCSE A* to C, you will need to complete the Discovering Mathematics module, 30 units.
All results must be received and verified by us by 1 September of the year of entry.

University of East Anglia

Certificate of Higher Education in Emergency Medical Care, two years, 120 credits.

Birkbeck College Certificate of Life Science

Pre-2017: Merit

Post-2017: Minimum of 60%

Scottish Highers

Five B grades at Higher Level including English Language, Maths and Science

BBC at Advanced Higher Level including one Science

Undergraduate science or health-related degree

2:2 honours degree awarded in the past five years.

Other

Please contact us.

English language

If English is not your first language and you are not a national of a country deemed by either the UK Home Office or St George’s, University of London to be ‘majority English speaking’ listed here, you will be required to meet the English Language requirements outlined below. Tests are valid for a period of two years.

GCSE / IGCSE

English Language Grade 6 / B or above.

IELTS

(International English Language Testing System)

7.0 overall (including 7.0 in Writing and component and a minimum score of 6.5 in the Speaking, Reading and Listening component)

You can take two attempts to achieve your IELTS qualification per year, and your test results are valid for two years.

Pearson's Test

Overall score of 67 (with at least 67 in Writing and at least 61 in your other 3 components).

Non-academic criteria

Work experience

We understand the challenges for our prospective applicants for medicine and allied health courses trying to gain work experience at this time, particularly in clinical settings.    

In response to the government’s social distancing guidelines, which have a significant impact on all areas of life, we have chosen to relax our work experience requirements for prospective applicants for our courses which would normally require these.    

Despite the relaxed requirements, we still require our applicants to have an understanding of the realities of working as a healthcare professional and to show they have the necessary skills and attributes for their chosen career. Online resources can give you valuable insight into working in the healthcare sector and outline the wide range of careers and courses available. You can find a number of suggested resources for each of our courses here. 

Personal Statement

Must be able to demonstrate an understanding of the paramedic sciences, and an awareness of and interest in the potential career opportunities

Health and Police screening

Satisfactory clearance in both, including immunisation against Hepatitis B, MMR, Meningitis, TB and Chicken Pox
Enhanced Police Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Candidates accepted onto healthcare courses are required to pass an occupational health screening. When admitting candidates to study and practice as a health practitioner, we have an obligation to both patients and to the individual student. Candidates who are concerned about a health issue are strongly advised to contact us prior to applying. All offers of places are made subject to satisfactory health clearance and an agreement to undergo appropriate blood tests and immunisations.

Offer holders will be asked to be immunised against Hepatitis B for personal safety, and will receive a confidential health questionnaire and further information about the process of health screening if they firmly accept their offer. However, you may wish to contact your general practitioner (GP) to begin a course of Hepatitis B immunisation before  you receive an offer, as it consists of three injections over a six month period.

This course will include work with children and vulnerable adults so all applicants will be required to have an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. More information about this is sent to offer holders as part of the admissions process, but you can read more about DBS checks here.

Driving Licence

As a registered paramedic, you are not required to hold a driving licence. However, it will be easier to secure a job when you graduate if you do have a current driving license with no more than three points on it.

Professional registration

If you are a current healthcare professional or a member of a registered professional body, you must provide details of your registration. If you have had your professional registration suspended or revoked, or undergone a disciplinary/fitness to practice investigation, you will be required to provide further information if selected for interview. This will be reviewed by the admissions tutor and you may be required to provide full copies of related documentation. Any information you disclose will only be used for the purpose of considering your application to the applied course.

Voluntary and work experience

You should have work or voluntary experience in a medical or health-related field and be able to demonstrate a broad awareness of the scope of paramedic science. We consider anything that involves working directly with patients or people in need of care as relevant. Although clinical experience is useful, your work experience does not have to take place in a hospital. It can be paid or voluntary. We prefer hands-on work experience to shadowing. Working in a care home, hospice or doing community work with disabled adults or children are considered very relevant.

We do not specify a minimum amount of work experience and although you can use experiences from your past we always recommend that you include your most recent experience.

 

Contextual admissions

Find out more about our contextual admissions schemes.

Entry Criteria: 2022 entry

To be eligible for the Paramedic Science BSc programme, you must meet the requirements outlined under Entry Qualifications, Other Academic Requirements, and Non-academic Requirements below.

Entry Qualifications

With the exception of GCSEs, all qualifications must have been completed within the previous five years, including the year of application.

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A Levels

If you are applying on the basis of A Levels, you must meet both the A Level and GCSE requirements below.

Grades

BBC

Subjects

Including one science subject. General Studies is not accepted.

Contextual admissions

At St George’s, we want to attract students who share our mission to improve the health of society, regardless of their background. That’s why our Contextual Admissions schemes take into consideration additional information from your application, like the school you attended or the area you live in or if you have been in care, to make the admissions process fairer. Further details on Contextual Admissions are available here.

Additional information

Accepted science subjects include: Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Human Biology, Physics, Psychology and Sociology.

GCSEs

Grades

Five subjects graded 4 (C) or above

Subjects

Five subjects which must include English Language, Maths and Science (Double or Triple Award).

Additional information

We accept resits of GCSEs. We do not accept Adult Literacy and Numeracy or Functional Skills instead of GCSEs.

International Baccalaureate

If you are applying on the basis of International Baccalaureate, you need to meet both our Higher Level and Standard Level requirements, as outlined below.

Award

Full Award Diploma

Scores

Overall score of 30

Subjects

14 points at Higher Level, including a minimum grade 5 in Biology or Chemistry.

At Standard Level, a minimum score of 4 must be attained in Maths and English, if at least a 4 (C) has not previously been attained in GCSE/IGCSE Maths and English. We accept both Mathematics: analysis & approaches and Mathematics: applications & interpretations. 

Access Diploma

If you are applying on the basis of an Access Diploma, you must meet both the Access Diploma and GCSE requirements below.

Award

Full award diploma (in a science or healthcare subject)

Scores

60 credits at level 3 (45 graded and 15 ungraded)

Subjects

30 science related credits. 21 credits at Distinction and 24 credits at Merit.

Additional information

Science subjects include Applied Science, Biology, Chemistry, Human Biology, Physics, Psychology and Sociology.

GCSEs

Grades

Two subjects graded 4 (C) or above
Subjects English Language and Maths

Additional information

We accept resits of GCSEs. We do not accept Adult Literacy and Numeracy or Functional Skills instead of GCSEs.

Other UK Qualifications

Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended National Diploma

If you are applying on the basis of a Pearson BTEC Level 3 Extended National Diploma, you must meet both the Diploma and GCSE requirements below.

DDM 

Must be in a science or healthcare subject.

5 GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above. Subjects must include English Language, Maths and Science (Double or Triple Award).

Pearson BTEC Diploma

If you are applying on the basis of a Pearson BTEC Diploma, you must meet both the Diploma and GCSE requirements below.

DM with a science A Level at grade B

Must be in a science or healthcare subject.

5 GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above. Subjects must include English Language, Maths and Science (Double or Triple Award).

Cambridge Pre-U Diploma

If you are applying on the basis of a Cambridge Pre-U Diploma, you must meet both the Diploma and GCSE requirements below.

M2, M2, M3

Three principal subjects to including one science subject.

5 GCSEs at grade 4 (C) or above. Subjects must include English Language, Maths and Science (Double or Triple Award).

Scottish Highers

If you are applying on the basis of Scottish Highers, you must meet the Highers, Advanced Highers and National 5 requirements below.

Highers: BBC including one science subject

Advanced Highers: BC

English Language and Maths National 5 at grade C or higher is required.

UK Undergraduate Degree

If you are applying on the basis of a degree, you do not need to meet our GCSE or Level 3 (A Level) requirements.

2:2 Honours

Must be in a science or healthcare subject.

Other

Please contact us.

Other Academic Requirements

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English Language

If you are applying from outside of the UK, you will need to meet the English language requirements outlined here. This is a group 1 course.

Non-academic Requirements

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Nationality

Citizens of the UK, or those with indefinite leave to remain in the UK, can apply for this course.

Personal Statement

In addition to meeting the academic criteria for admission, you must be able to demonstrate an understanding of the paramedic role, and an awareness of and interest in potential career opportunities. Alongside this you should be able to demonstrate through relevant life and/or work experiences how your personal values align with the values of the NHS, and explain why you want to study Paramedic Science.

Work Experience and Insight

We understand the challenges for our prospective applicants for medicine and allied health courses trying to gain work experience at this time, particularly in clinical settings.    

In response to the government’s social distancing guidelines, which have a significant impact on all areas of life, we have chosen to relax our work experience requirements for prospective applicants for our courses which would normally require these.    

Despite the relaxed requirements, we still require our applicants to have an understanding of the realities of working as a healthcare professional and to show they have the necessary skills and attributes for their chosen career. Online resources can give you valuable insight into working in the healthcare sector and outline the wide range of careers and courses available. You can find a number of suggested resources for each of our courses here.

Occupational Health Check

Should you receive an offer to study at St George’s, you will be required to complete a health check and be declared fit to study and practise by the Occupational Health (OH) department before you begin your studies.

The following vaccinations are mandatory for all healthcare students before you begin your studies:

  • MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
  • Meningococcal meningitis
  • Diphtheria
  • Pertussis (whooping cough)
  • Poliomyelitis
  • Tetanus

As part of the process, you will also be screened by the OH team for Chickenpox, Tuberculosis, HIV and Hepatitis B and C.

When admitting candidates to study and practise as a health practitioner, we have an obligation to both patients and to the individual student. Candidates who are concerned about a health issue are advised to contact us.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check & Additional Declarations

This course will include work with children and vulnerable adults, so you will be required to submit a series of declarations.

If you are invited to an interview, we will request some additional information from you, regarding your criminal record, educational history and employment history. You will also have the opportunity to make any other declarations that you’d like us to be aware of. We may not able to consider applicants who were suspended from previous study/work due to fitness to practise issues or failure in assessments/examinations.

If you are made an offer, you will be required to complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. More information about this is sent to applicants as part of the admissions process.

The time on the programme is split between university based learning and clinical placements.

Patient-focused from the outset, your learning is designed to equip you with a range of essential professional skills and competencies, which become progressively more advanced as the course develops. Leadership and medicine management form part of the spiral curriculum embedded in the programme.

In Year 1, you will become familiarised with the safe selection and use of ambulance and paramedic equipment, practising safe assessment and handling of patients, measuring vital signs and administering immediate life support, including defibrillation, in simulated sessions.

You will also be introduced to the essential foundations, gaining a broad understanding of the role and responsibilities of paramedics, the legal and ethical framework underpinning professional practice. You will build a strong foundational knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and physiological processes of the human body and other relevant basic sciences, including microbiology, pharmacology, genetics, growth and development.

In Year 2, you will increase your knowledge of health, disorder and dysfunction so that you can better understand, anticipate, direct and provide appropriate care to patients. This includes the pathophysiology of pain, tumours and infectious or genetic diseases affecting the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, endocrine and renal systems in both children and adults. You will consider problems with drugs in renal and liver diseases, pregnancy, the elderly and children. Medical ethics, law, and the effects of human factors on patient safety are also covered.

Clinical skills development focuses on acute and critical illnesses, such as heart attacks, strokes and diabetic emergencies. This will include advanced analgesia, airway management, advanced vascular access, allowing for the knowledge and understanding required to offer advanced life support to patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OOHCA). You will also spend time assessing, identifying and managing treatment regimens for a range of mental health conditions.

The third and final year aims to help you transition to professional paramedic practice. Skills development focuses on styles of leadership, mentoring, communication, decision making and the adoption of a holistic patient approach involving other healthcare professionals. You will look at alternative referral pathways for stable and unstable chronic conditions to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. You will also undertake a literature review on a topic of your choice – this could range from analysing certain treatment techniques to methods of diagnosing injury or illness.

You will graduate as an effective, independent paramedic with empathy, sensitivity and a patient-centred approach to practice, able to problem solve, prioritise and adapt to the changing needs and demands of the profession.

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Modules throughout the course may include

  • Introduction to Paramedic Clinical Care

  • Science for Paramedics

  • Professional Practice 1

  • Applied Paramedic Clinical Care

  • Paramedic Management of Acute and Critical Illness

  • Applied Science for Paramedics

  • Professional Practice 2

  • Assessment and Evaluation of Mental Health in Out of Hospital Setting

  • Evidence Based Practice for Paramedics

  • Paramedic approach and Management of Hospital Avoidance

  • Paramedic Management of Minor Health Problems

  • Transition to Paramedic Practice

This course will enable you to train as a paramedic, providing immediate assistance to patients in the emergency out of hospital environment.

Teaching and learning methods

Practice placements form an integral part of the course and help you link the theoretical knowledge with your practical experiences, enabling you develop a high standard of patient care.

Academic and skills modules are taught weekly throughout the academic year in sessions spread over two to four days per week. In addition to face-to-face learning, you will spend an average of 20 hours each week working online, assimilating information, performing activities and undertaking self-directed learning. Delivery may vary from one module to another, but we will ensure you are always properly guided and advised.

The skills required for the paramedic profession are wide and varied. We pay particular attention to developing your practical skills using the same equipment that is used in the ambulance services. These skills are practised using a variety of manikins and other equipment in various scenarios, that are constantly being updated to ensure realism and authenticity. Non-technical skills such as confidence in communication, compassion and empathy are a crucial element of Paramedic practice. Through the use of simulation and a variety of role players and professional actors, these skills are developed and tiered throughout the three years.

Each year, final year paramedics support and promote mental health and wellbeing in collaboration with the mental health charity MIND, as part of the student paramedic Blue Light Champion volunteer initiative. Every year the student paramedic Blue Light Champions organise a national mental health conference, held at St George’s.

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Our expertise

You will be taught by an energetic, enthusiastic team bringing a wide range of clinical experience for both pre- and post-registration study. No other University offers such a range of paramedic teaching staff on one programme. Paramedic staff members come from a wide range of clinical backgrounds including critical care paramedics, patient transfer, and helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS). We also have a Red Cross Clinical Lead, mental health practitioner, urgent care and primary care specialists, anaesthetists, intensivists, educational technologist, senior technician, and an anatomist on the team.

Our teaching draws on the expertise of our placement collaborators and where possible* includes a number of inter professional away days working with other emergency services in and around London. Hugely popular and with limited places, Transport for London (TFL), London Fire Brigade (LFB) and METPOL (Metropolitan Police) days feature real-life accident and crime scenes, for example, requiring patient extraction from crashed vehicles or access to locked buildings, a mass casualty incident on an escalator or the underground, to name just a few.

We also offer a rich programme of guest lectures from consultant paediatricians, gynaecologists, doctors, midwives and paramedic facilitators from LAS and SECAmb (South East Coast Ambulance Service), as well as ethics, consent, mental health and end-of-life experts.

*Our priority remains to keep our staff and students safe and make sure we follow government guidance on Covid-19, which may affect the scheduling of inter-agency activities and on-site teaching.

Assessment methods

We employ a range of assessment methods for this course, including essays, reports, presentations and exams as well as clinical practice assessments, case reviews and specific research topics.

Placement

The variety and volume of clinical placement opportunities we offer is one of the highlights of our course. You will sample professional life in a range of ambulance and hospital clinical settings, which includes hospital wards, theatres, GP surgeries, walk-in centres, minor injuries units, maternity, community nursing, mental health and palliative care teams. You will spend approximately 10 weeks each year on placement with the LAS.

Interspersed throughout the three years, these elements tend to be in blocks, and you will be required to attend shifts alongside your Practice Educator’s working pattern, encompassing both day and night shift patterns. On placement, you are supervised by experienced clinicians and trained mentors.

The structure of your placement is as follows:

  • Year 1 placements are mainly ambulance-based with a short placement on an Hospital unit/ward.

  • Year 2 placements go into theatres, maternity, coronary care unit (CCU) and A&E, (one-week each) plus 10 weeks of ambulance placement.

  • Year 3 placements consist of four weeks of community, mental health placement and 10 weeks of ambulance placement.

Practice placement locations include:

  • London Ambulance Service (LAS), South West London

  • Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust, Carshalton, Surrey

  • Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London

  • Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Kingston, Surrey

  • St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London

  • Croydon University Hospital, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, Surrey.

*This list is subject to change.

While the St George’s programmes are recognised by many different countries, applicants are advised to check with their own individual national authorities if they wish to practise in their chosen country.

There is a huge demand for paramedics, not just here in the UK, but all over the world.

Paramedics can now work in a variety of environments including traditional 999 ambulance services, GP practices, walk-in centres, minor injuries units, helicopter emergency services, research establishments, and remote environments like oil rigs or expeditions.

Our Paramedic Science BSc Degree will prepare you for one of several available clinical routes – assessing, treating and transporting sick and injured people and helping individuals, families and groups meet their healthcare needs in an emergency or crisis. It is approved by the HCPC, and on graduation you will be eligible to apply for registration as a Paramedic.

In line with the evolution of health and social care practice and NHS Long Term Plan, many of our graduates will go on to work in the NHS. However, more and more are now choosing to work in a range of out-of-hospital emergency and primary care services, some will also choose to go on to work in the private and charity sectors.

Paramedic careers are hugely rewarding and form an integral part of the emergency healthcare workforce. Alternatively, you may choose to further your study with postgraduate education in a variety of topics.

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Possible career pathways

  • Emergency control centres

  • General Practice

  • HEMS

  • Minor injury units

  • NHS ambulances

  • A&E

  • Walk-in centres

  • 111

  • Police custody suites

  • Prisons

  • Oil rigs

  • Rapid response units

Advanced careers

  • Specialist practice

  • Management

  • Research

  • Teaching

Careers support for new graduates

Graduates from St George’s have access to support from the careers service for two years after graduation.

Facilities

St George’s is the only UK university based on a hospital site, St George’s Hospital, which is where the Channel 4 television series 24 hours in A&E is filmed. We offer a unique opportunity to study and work alongside the full range of clinical professionals and their patients. Based in the thriving multi-cultural hub of Tooting in South West London, our location has the added advantage of being just a short tube ride from Central London and all the city lifestyle has to offer.

We also have a range of specialist paramedic facilities to support your learning, listed below.

Paramedic simulation centre

Complete with two fully-fitted rear sections of an ambulance, three purpose-built domicile rooms, a skills lab and an immersion room capable of 270° projections, these spaces can be adapted to fit any required environment or scenario. Using the facilities to simulate real-life situations helps you build confidence, flexibility and resilience. 

We also have a range of specialist health and academic facilities to support your learning, listed below.

Dissection room

In addition to the face-to-face sessions and online materials and activities, the Paramedic programme at St George’s, University of London includes some Dissecting Room visits. The Dissecting Room is a unique learning resource that aids your understanding of the human body and explores practical and clinical applications such as physical assessment and clinical procedures. 

Pathology museum

Our on-site museum houses a collection of over 2,000 pathological specimens, including display specimens exhibiting diseases from lung cancer to tuberculosis. This space is used for small group tutorials by students across all of our courses as an educational tool to help you understand the mechanisms of disease. 

Library and learning technology

Our modern health sciences library offers a wide range of books, e-books, academic journals and other resources to support you. You will also have access to online resources, such as the Canvas virtual learning environment

and our Hunter discovery service to help you find the information you need. The library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and comprises silent, quiet and group learning areas, as well as four group discussion rooms. 

IT facilities

We have five computer suites housing 260 workstations. Three of these suites are accessible 24 hours a day. It’s easy to find a free space with our handy real-time computer locator. We also have 75 self-service laptops available. Free Wi-Fi covers the whole campus, including all accommodation. You can use these resources to access your course materials, discussion boards and feedback through Canvas.

Student support

Whether you are heading off to university straight from school or college, or returning to education as a mature student, we want to ensure your experience is positive from the outset. At St George’s, you’ll be welcomed by a multicultural student and staff body of different ages, ethnicities, nationalities and backgrounds, all with one thing in common – an interest in healthcare, science and medicine.

Students frequently tell us they greatly appreciate the diversity of our student and staff body, as well as the patients who access healthcare services in the borough of Tooting. We attract a substantial number of ‘mature’ students, aged 21 or over when they start; many have family and caring responsibilities.

We offer a full range of academic support and student services across all institutes, departments and faculties, some of which are listed below. We believe we offer a transformative educational experience underpinned by cooperation and collaboration between staff and students. Our innovative Student-Staff Partnership Grants (SSPGs), for example, provide funding for small projects led jointly by students and staff.

Wellbeing

The Department of Paramedic Science prides itself on our unique model of pastoral and learning support, provided by two dedicated members of staff. The Department puts a huge emphasis on promoting positive wellbeing and provides tools and strategies for looking after yourself when undertaking your study as a future health care professional. We champion our culture of support within our learning community and have a peer support model with our student paramedic Blue Light Champions.

Personal tutor

You will be allocated a personal tutor at the beginning of the programme – someone with whom you can have regular contact, who you ask questions and discuss problems with, both academic and personal. The main purpose of a personal tutor is to monitor your progress, pick up and help you resolve any problems, whether academic or welfare related. Even if they do not have the answer they will point you in the right direction towards the best people to deal with specific problems.

Induction programme

Within your first week at St George’s, you’ll take part in an induction programme to help with your orientation and introduce you to various study skills, including interprofessional learning and use of the Dissecting Room. Additional sessions provide advice and guidance about the Registry, Students’ Union, personal tutor system, safety, occupational health and sexual health awareness.

Clinical placement support

We have service level agreements with most placement sites and lecturers act as clinical placement co-ordinators. They work closely with placement sites to ensure all students receive high quality training and mentoring whilst on clinical placements, and will visit students during placements to support and monitor progress.

Academic staff support

You’ll have access to your lecturers, usually by arrangement via email.

Mums and dads scheme  

‘Mums and dads’ is a buddy scheme organised by the Students’ Union. Every fresher (first year student) has the choice of being assigned a ‘parent’ from the year above in their respective course. The returning student then acts as a ‘go to’ for advice about courses and university life, providing an additional support system during your first year, both academically and socially. They have been in your position and know the struggles of starting university; they also know all of the best pubs, clubs, restaurants, gyms and will help introduce you to your new St George’s family.  

Student Life Centre

Our Student Centre team can help you with every aspect of student life: finances, accommodation, exams and assessment, academic procedures, admissions, international queries, disability and wellbeing, even finding your way around – whatever it takes to make you feel at home. Each course has a designated contact within the student centre to link to and your personal tutor can signpost you to relevant support, including a confidential counselling service. 

Careers service

Our careers service works to support current students and recent graduates to find and maintain the career of their dreams. We work with careers tutors from each course area to ensure that careers activities specific to your programmes and future profession come to you. Each year, primarily for second and third-year students, we hold an annual radiography careers fair, hosted online in 2020, to which we invite various NHS trusts to come and showcase their organisations.

Apply for this course through UCAS (the University and College Admissions Service) by 15 January in the year of entry. There are no upper age limits, so we welcome applications from mature students.

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Application checklist

 

 

 

You must provide the following.

  • Full details of your Level 2 (GCSE or equivalent) qualifications with grades.

  • Full details of your Level 3 (A-level or equivalent) qualifications with achieved/predicted grades.

  • A personal statement (more information about this document is available on the UCAS website). We recommend that you include in your personal statement a recognition that studying a BSc Physiotherapy will include practice and study in a number of settings.

  • An academic reference from your current or most recent institutions with predicted grades.

After submitting your application to UCAS:

  • log in to UCAS Track and make sure all your academic details have been included
  • if any subjects or predicted results are missing, email the admissions officer with your UCAS number and missing subjects and grades.

Deferred entry

We will consider applications from applicants who wish to defer entry by a year, provided you plan to use the time constructively. If you are offered a place on the course and subsequently decide to defer, you must inform us by 1 June of the year of application.

After application

We will send you an acknowledgement email and letter when we receive your application. Please make sure your email account is able to accept communications from St George’s as we will mainly communicate with you via email. Selected applicants will be invited to attend interview.

Decisions from St George’s will be entered onto UCAS Track and direct applicants will be contacted via email.

Make your application stand out

Read our guidance on preparing a strong application for a course at St George's.

We have been working hard to find ways to teach our courses without disruption, while keeping our staff and students safe and making sure we follow government guidance on Covid-19. We won’t be making any significant changes to the content of our programmes, but there will be some changes to the way they are delivered. Please see below for further details of how this may affect this course. 

If government advice changes, we may need to update our plans. If we do so, we will update this information, and will keep current students and offer holders informed by email. 

We will also continue to update our frequently asked question page for applicants and offer holders and current students as more information becomes available. 

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Location of study

All face-to-face teaching will take place on the campus that we share with St George’s Hospital in Tooting, with appropriate social distancing measures in place.

We have not explored alternative locations for teaching, and have no immediate plans to do so.

If government advice on social distancing changes, we will consider ways in which we can deliver teaching onsite in a manner that is safe for students and staff.

Course content

We are not making any significant changes to the content of the Paramedic Science BSc programme.

We will continue to deliver simulation and skills onsite using appropriate safety measures. The 12 modules of the BSc will still be delivered in full and will use a blended approach to teaching and learning, including online lectures, seminars and simulated patients. We will use a creative approach to delivering all learning outcomes and will ensure an accessible, engaging programme which places student and patient safety at the heart.

There is a possibility that government advice on social distancing may change in the future and this may restrict access to the campus. We will have alternative provision regarding assessments if this takes place.

How the course is being delivered

The existing learning outcomes for our modules and courses will remain in place. From September 2021 all students will primarily access their learning, including learning materials, via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Canvas.

Hands-on practical teaching and learning activities will be delivered on campus with appropriate social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) measures put in place, and with controls on the number of people in each location.

We are hoping also to resume some fact to face lectures as and when it is safe to do so.

The online components of the course will be designed to balance interactive real-time sessions with lecturers and other students, with self-paced independent study. Students will have clear learning pathways through the activities they are expected to engage with, and there will be opportunities to check learning and progress. We deliver a mix of theoretical and practical sessions throughout the programme and are hoping that there will be no change to practical elements of the course.

Personal tutor support and all other student support, such as the Academic Success Centre, will also be online for this period, using a range of methods for staying in touch, such as telephone, email and the University’s web conferencing systems BigBlueButton and Microsoft Teams.

Placement opportunities are expected to continue and subject to risk assessment.

To get the most from online study, hardware requirements have been established and communicated to all existing students and offer holders. Students will need their own personal computer or laptop and an internet connection in their place of accommodation. This needs to be in place at the start of the course. Once enrolled, students will have the ability to use Office 365 as part of our institutional licence, and access software required for their modules/courses via AppsAnywhere. In addition, we offer Office for Mac via Office 365, but only the following applications are available for Mac: Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote. Web-based Office applications are available on Mac. Full details are available here.

There is a provision for students who may struggle to meet the hardware requirements to contact our IT Hardship team.

Course length

At this stage, we expect to deliver the course within the planned timescales to enable successful students to progress through the programme and to graduate without delay.

Although some assessments are designed to be taken onsite, you will be aware that we have developed an alternative strategy to enable students to complete assessments remotely without coming to campus.

The programme does include practical elements that are delivered in our paramedic simulation centre. These will run as planned in 2021/22 with appropriate social distancing measures in place.  There is a possibility that government advice on social distancing may change. If that is the case, we will endeavour to delay practical components of the programme to a subsequent semester (or year) to protect the safety of students.

Placement providers will continue to offer placements as they have in the previous years. Their capacity to offer placements may change if, in the event of a further outbreak of Covid-19, delivering care to affected patients becomes the overriding priority. For continuing students, it may be possible to delay placements to the next academic year to protect their safety. However, there is a possibility that graduation for some final year students may be delayed until they are able to complete all placements.

Assessments

Assessments where students are directly observed performing a practical or clinical skill by an examiner can only be delivered on campus. Assessments which test a student’s ability to communicate appropriately with a patient or simulated patient can also only be delivered on site. At this stage, we expect to be able deliver assessments of this kind on site. 

However, if government advice changes and the campus is closed, we would not be able to deliver these assessments as planned. In that case, it might be possible to have alternative online assessments in some instances, or it may be necessary to delay these assessments to the next academic year of the course to protect student safety.

If that happens, graduation for some final-year students may be delayed until students are able to complete all assessments, because we have an obligation to our regulators to confirm that our students have met the clinical and practical outcomes for the programme before they graduate.

Additional costs

We do not expect students to incur any extra costs over and above the normal level, as previously advertised on the course page.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be provided for you if needed.

Course timetable

This will depend on social distancing guidance.

At least 1 day of clinical skills/simulation on site per week and 1 to 2 days teaching (either on site or online),plus self-directed study.

Term dates

Academic terms dates can be found on this page.

Consenting to these changes

At enrolment or re-enrolment you consented to the changes we anticipated as a result of the pandemic, which were outlined on the ‘Covid-19 updates’ tab of your course page at: www.sgul.ac.uk/study/courses.

The changes that we are making are the consequence of current public health advice and our need to anticipate changes to that advice. Our capacity to offer alternatives is therefore limited.

We do not feel that the changes will adversely affect students.  If you wish to avoid these changes (e.g. by taking a year out from your studies) please discuss this directly with your course team in the first instance.

We remain, as always, focused on the best experience and outcomes for our students.  

Making a complaint

If you have concerns about the quality of course delivery, please raise these with your course team in the first instance.

If you wish to take a more formal route, guidance is available to you in our student concerns and complaints procedure.

Frequently asked questions about Covid-19

We've answered student's frequently asked questions about key principles to returning to site, placements, teaching, support and more.

“I have found online studying to be quite successful for me. You can interact with your peers and lecturers as you usually would, but all from the comfort of your home. ”

- Jennifer, Medicine (MBBS) student, 4th year

Apply now

Duration

Three years, full time

Application Deadline

29 January 2021

UCAS Code

B781, institution code S49

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Page last updated 20/07/2021 03:21 PM

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