| Code | CK708 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 Years |
| Teaching Mode | Full-time |
| Qualifications | BSc (Hons) |
| NFQ Level | Level 8 |
| Fees | €3,137 See Fees and Costs for full details. |
| Start Date | September 2024 |
Course Outline
Our BSc Paramedicine degree, offered by the College of Medicine and Health, will prepare you for work as a Paramedic practitioner in the pre-hospital environment. The course will provide you with a variety of modules in numerous settings including modules in theory and clinical practice. In addition, you will participate in ambulance-supervised placements and multiple clinical settings such as emergency departments, coronary care units etc.
The four-year degree comprises modules worth 60 credits per year. Year 1 is divided between college-based learning, and hospital/ambulance placements during which the curriculum for the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) National Qualification for Emergency Medicine Technician (NQEMT) will be covered.
In Year 2 of the programme you will continue to develop and consolidate your knowledge and experience in college-based learning and hospital placements followed by a paid clinical internship in Year 3. By Year 4 you will focus on your clinical and research practice while an active member of an operational ambulance crew.
BSc Paramedicine will provide excellent opportunities for you to develop skills relevant to the scope of practice for registered paramedics. On graduating with a degree in Paramedicine, you will be able to practice autonomously in the field of pre-hospital care.
Course Practicalities
Theory Modules
Theory modules comprise lectures, seminars, workshops, clinical skills training, experiential learning sessions, field visits, and protected study time scheduled throughout a 39-hour week. These modules are taken at University College Cork throughout each year of the course.
Clinical Practice Modules
Clinical Practice modules require you to be in supervised clinical practice in ambulance settings, hospital, community, and other healthcare settings for 39 hours per week for scheduled weeks each year.
Driving Licence
Students on this programme will be required to obtain a full C1 driving licence by semester 2 of Year 3. The National Ambulance Service will check these licenses as part of the application process for the Year 3 clinical internship.
Why Choose This Course
Paramedic training at UCC is highly sought-after, as evidenced by the consistently high number of applications made to the Health Service Executive’s National Recruitment Service.
This degree offers you a wide variety of clinical placements across our nationwide ambulance system including select university hospitals and community facilities, representing all the major medical specialties. This is a highly rewarding, evolving, and stimulating area of work and you will be a sought-after professional upon graduation.
Placement or Study Abroad Information
Our BSc (Hons) Paramedicine programme places our students in major hospitals and ambulance bases throughout the State, enabling you to consolidate your learning and gain clinical exposure throughout the programme. Clinical placements are facilitated by the HSE National Ambulance Service. Our extensive network of teaching hospitals includes Cork University Hospital which is a Major Trauma Centre.
You will have the opportunity to travel the world on summer electives or begin practice as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) after successfully completing the first year of the programme.
Skills and Careers Information
BSc Paramedicine aims to provide you with sound paramedic skills (and the supporting knowledge base) necessary for starting your professional career as a Paramedic. These skills will be further developed through clinical experience.
You will also develop skills in independent thinking, problem-solving, and analytical and clinical decision-making, as well as fundamental research utilisation and application skills. As this programme includes a significant piece of scholarly research it allows our students the option to continue their discipline in an academic context.
The combination of academic rigour and reflection on current practice also provides you with various options for future career developments including postgraduate education.
Requirements
Leaving Certificate Entry Requirements
At least six subjects must be presented. Minimum grade H4 in a Lab Science, minimum grade H5 in one subject and minimum grade O6/H7 in four other subjects. English and Irish are requirements for all programmes unless the applicant is exempt from Irish.
The following are considered Lab Science subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physics with Chemistry, and Agricultural Science.
Applicants will need to meet the following minimum entry requirements:
| English | Irish | Maths | Lab Science |
|---|---|---|---|
| O6/H7 | O6/H7 | O6/H7 | H4 |
EU/EFTA/UK Qualifications
EU/EFTA/UK applicants presenting an equivalent school-leaving qualification should review the EU/EFTA/UK Applicants page for information on equivalent grades and how to prove their level of English.
Mature Students
To compete through the mature entry route, applicants must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January of the application year and apply online via the CAO by 1 February. The application should include a statement of interest. Applicants may also be called for interview.
Applicants must have a H4 in a Lab Science subject in the Leaving Certificate (or equivalent). (HC2 if presenting a pre-2017 Leaving Certificate).
Further information on applying as a mature student is available on the Mature Applicants and Mature Student Entry support pages.
QQI FET Entry
Applicants who meet the required level of distinctions in required subjects can apply for entry to this course using specific QQI FET qualifications. Please review the Programme Requirements on our Information for QQI FET Applicants page for information on related QQI courses, and visit Access UCC’s QQI/FET Entry section for further support.
Student Vetting
All students on this programme will come into contact with the public and assume positions of trust through educational and training opportunities. To ensure the protection of the public, and to justify public trust and confidence, UCC is committed to ensuring that only suitable candidates are allowed to undertake this programme.
Vetting is carried out by the Admissions Office in UCC under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Acts) once a student has accepted their place on the programme. This involves a police check to establish whether the individual being vetted has had criminal convictions in the past or whether any criminal proceedings are pending. The Garda Siochána provide this information for students who have resided in Ireland for a period of six months or more (including permanent residence).
All students who have resided outside Ireland for a period of six months or more must furnish a Police Clearance Certificate from their country or countries of residence. This certificate should state that the student has had no convictions recorded against them while residing there.
Further information can be found on our Student Vetting page.
Fees and Costs
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
You will be required to have the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to complete the internship phase of the programme (helmet, steel-toe boots, safety goggles).
Note that PPE purchased for use in UCC must comply with the European Communities (Personal Protective Equipment) Regulations 1993 (S.I. No. 272/1993), as amended by S.I. No. 13/1994, which requires PPE to have the appropriate CE mark.
How To Apply
Irish and European (EU/EFTA/UK) Applicants
Apply via the CAO. See the CAO Handbook for useful information on applying through the CAO.
Mature Applicants
Apply via the CAO by 1 February. To apply for a place as a mature student, you must be 23 years of age on or before 1 January of the year of entry.
QQI/FET Applicants
Apply via the CAO. See our QQI/FET Applicants page for information on the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Further Education and Training (FET) application process.