Bachelor of Science in Paramedic Studies

Key information
About the course
What you will study
Entry requirements
How to apply
Fees and funding
Your future career

Bachelor of Science in Paramedic Studies
NFQ Level 8 major Award Honours Bachelor Degree NFQ Level 8

Apply now for September

CAO points history:

392

Course code:

LM103

Duration:

4 Years

Fees: See what fees may apply to students
Subject area: Health Sciences

Course leader:

Dr Chris O'Connor

Email:

paramedicstudies@ul.ie

Tel:

061 213 521

Admissions:
Tel: 00 353 61 202015
Queries: www.ul.ie/admissions-askus

Work experience Scholarships

Download our prospectus

If you are the type of person who can demonstrate accurate decision and evaluation skills to provide the best patient care possible, then this course will be interesting to you. Key personal attributes include an ability to work under pressure, calm and caring demeanour with flare for initiative and innovation.

Why study Paramedic Studies at UL?

As the only university in Ireland to currently offer Paramedic Studies at undergraduate degree level, our innovative campus with state-of-the-art high fidelity simulation, offers unequalled opportunities for the developing paramedic student.

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Read about our students experiences

What you will study

The curriculum has 4 main domains:

Knowledge of Health and Illness
Clinical and Anatomical Skills
Professional Skills
Pre-Hospital Research

You will be taught via Problem Based Learning (PBL). The ‘problems’ are highly structured hypothetical clinical cases, each of which takes a week to work through. Each semester, students are divided into groups of seven or eight, each with its own tutor in a tutorial room, with PC, state of the art AV equipment and walls lined with whiteboards. The group meets with the tutor to work through the week’s case. The tutor acts as teacher and facilitator, guiding the group through the sequence of steps which have been devised to help students learn from the clinical cases. Each step and new development in the case (such as results of investigations or details of drugs prescribed) is only given out after the group has finished discussing the previous step.

Off Campus Programme

In Year 1, Semester 2 with core knowledge and skills acquired, students are required to attend a wide range of clinical placements. Allied health placements as well as emergency and non-emergency ambulance deployments form the basis for your undergraduate experience; these include: Coronary Care, Emergency Department, Operating Theatres, Paediatrics, Maternity, Fire and Rescue, Learning Disabilities, Care of the Elderly Person.

To maximise potential exposure, compulsory emergency ambulance placements for Year 2 are based in the United Kingdom. High call volumes, diverse population and an established university based educational system ensure students can maximise patient exposure in a sophisticated peer-led environment.

Year 1

Semester 1	Semester 2
Human Science (Biology, Physics & Chemistry)	Core Anatomy and Physiology (Part B)
Structure of the Body in Illness and Injury	Principles of Emergency Care 1
Core Anatomy and Physiology (Part A)	Principles of Emergency Care 2
Paramedic and Population Health	Respiratory System in the Community
Patient Centred Practice	Cardiovascular System in the Community
Emergency Driving Theory	Emergency Driving Practice

Year 2

Semester 1	Semester 2	Summer
Rostered Clinical Placement 1	Rostered Clinical Placement 2	Rostered Clinical Placement 3

Year 3

Semester 1	Semester 2
Anatomy and Physiology in Emergent Care 1	Principles of Pre-Hospital Emergency Care 1
Anatomy and Physiology in Emergent Care 2	Principles of Pre-Hospital Emergency Care 2

Year 4

Semester 1	Semester 2
Pre-Hospital Trauma Management	Introduction to Emergent Care Research
Population Health and Emergent Care	Pre-Hospital Research Proposal

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Entry requirements

CAO points history	392
Minimum grades	Applicants must hold, on enrolment, the Leaving Certificate (or approved equivalent) with a minimum of 6 subjects including: 2 H5 (Higher level) and 4 O6 (Ordinary level) or 4 H7 grades. Subjects to include Maths, Irish or another language and English.
Subject requirements	Applicants must hold an O6/H7 in Biology; Physics; Chemistry; Physics and Chemistry; or Agricultural Science.
Additional considerations	A valid provisional C1 or full C1 licence is required prior to offer of a place on the programme. Applicants must produce a full C1 licence by the end of Year 1. Penalty points may preclude progression. Students who wish to be considered for a place on the grounds of mature years must satisfy their suitability by means of an assessment test. Mature applicants should be 23 years old on or before January 1st of the year of enrolment. Mature applicants must apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO) by 1 February. Students are required to successfully complete a Garda Vetting process and Occupational Health Clearance

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Fees & funding

Student course fees are broken into three components - Student contribution, Student Centre Levy and Tuition Fees.

A number of illustrative examples of fees for this course based on the current fee levels have been set out in the tables below.

An explanation of the components, how to determine status and the criteria involved is provided below the examples as is a list of possible scholarships and funding available.

EU Students with Free fees status in receipt of a SUSI grant

HEA pays	Tuition Fees	€4,262
SUSI pays	Student contribution	€3,000
Student pays	Student Centre Levy	€92
		€7,354

EU Students with Free fees status not in receipt of a grant

HEA pays	Tuition Fees	€4,262
Student pays	Student contribution	€3,000
Student pays	Student Centre Levy	€92
		€7,354

Students with EU fee status not in receipt of a grant

Student pays	Tuition Fees	€4,262
Student pays	Student contribution	€3,000
Student pays	Student Centre Levy	€92
		€7,354

Non-EU Students

Student pays	Tuition Fees	€24,627
Student pays	Student Centre Levy	€92
		€24,719

Student course fees are comprised of three components:

Student Contribution

Annual charge set by the government for all full-time third level students. All students are liable unless they have been approved for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please refer to https://www.studentfinance.ie to determine your eligibility for a grant and for instructions on how to apply. The curent student contribution is set at €3000.

Student Centre Levy

All students are liable to pay the Student Centre Levy of €90. Please note the Student Centre Levy is not covered by the SUSI Grant.

Tuition Fees

These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.

Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows

Residency
- You must have been living in an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course
Citizenship
- You must be a citizen of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland or have official refugee status
Course Requirements (all must be met)
- You must be a first time full-time undergraduate (Exceptions are provided for students who hold a Level 6 or Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 course in the same general area of study).
- You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 year’s duration
- You cannot be undertaking a repeat year of study at the same level unless evidence of exceptional circumstances eg serious illness is provided (in which case this condition may be waived)

Depending on how you meet these criteria your status will be one of the following -

Free Fee Status: You satisfy all three categories (1, 2 and 3) and therefore are eligible for the Higher Education Authority’s Free Fees scheme.
EU Fee Status: You satisfy the citizenship and/or residency criteria but fail to satisfy the course requirements and are liable to EU fees
Non EU Fee Status: You do not meet either the citizenship or residency criteria and are therefore liable to Non EU fees.

More information about fees can be found on the Finance website

These scholarships are available for all courses

Title	Award	Scholarships available
Plassey Campus Centre Scholarship Programme
All Ireland Scholarships - sponsored by J.P. McManus	€6,750	125
Higher Education Grants & VEC Grants
Financial Aid Fund
Elaine Fagan Scholarship	€5,000	5
Stuart Mangan Scholarship
Provincial GAA Bursaries Scheme	€750
The Michael Hillery and Jacinta O’Brien Athletics Scholarship	Various benefits equating to over €7,000 in value
Paddy Dooley Rowing Scholarship	€2,500
UL Sports Scholarships	Varies depending on level of Scholarship	Multiple
Cooperative Education Award		1 award per faculty
UL 40 Entrance Scholarship	€2,000	40

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Your future career

As a graduate of Paramedic Studies, you will be ready for employment within state and private emergency medical services.

Student Profile - Mark Williams

Paramedic practice is a fast-developing profession which is finding it’s foothold in the medical world, and this degree programme is the next logical step for practitioner training and development. I’ve been outside formal education for quite a while but UL’s innovative course structure offered just what I was looking for and suited me. I enjoy the different teaching approach at UL. I’m expected to go beyond what’s given to me during lectures and classroom sessions, finding information and evidence for myself to inform my practice and develop my knowledge. This is a vital skill as I’m entering a profession that is constantly changing and developing as new therapies and treatments are offered to patients.

In the first year of the course, there is a lot of theory and learning followed by some placements. I love the challenges that each patient presents, whether that’s basic communication, assessment and treatment decisions, or extrication and transport. No two patients are the same, and you never know what is coming next!

The second year of our course is working for the Paramedic Emergency Service in Liverpool. Working with Paramedics on the front line, we’re responding to everything from coughs and colds to cardiac arrests, from sunstroke to stabbings and everything in between. The placement is a critical part of our registration requirements to work as Paramedics in Ireland. The exposure to all types of calls, from newborns to centenarians, puts all our theory and learning into practice. I’m seeing how classroom scenarios translate into real life, learning from experienced colleagues, learning my craft and picking up all sorts of tips and tricks! It’s hard work – physically and mentally – but very rewarding and very enjoyable. This year has completely reinforced the idea that I’ve made the right career choice!

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