About Healthcare Science, Bsc (hons) in University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN)

If you wish to follow this route you must initially apply for BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and successfully complete the first year. Cohort size is dependent on placement capacity. Admission to the programme will depend on a successful interview to transfer to the second year of Healthcare Sciences and you will then start your first clinical placement. Completion of subsequent modules and final year placement will lead to the award of the degree title BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science. Combining practical and theoretical modules, you’ll gain the knowledge you need to make confident, informed decisions about patient care and treatment in a laboratory setting. Everything you’ll learn is tailored to the NHS, and you’ll spend time each year preparing for an NHS career by learning and working in one of their pathology laboratories. To be admitted to this course you must successfully complete year one of the Biomedical Science degree at UCLan and pass a selection interview.

• Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology at UCLan is 2nd in the North West and in the top 5 in the UK for teaching quality  - National Student Survey 2019.
• Guaranteed work placements in NHS pathology laboratories, allowing you to complete a portfolio to achieve HCPC registration as part of the course.
• Opportunity to specialise in blood science, cellular science or infection science.
• All learning is tailored to prepare you for a career in the NHS.

DBS CHECKS

This course will involve you working with vulnerable groups of individuals, including children. In order to ensure that the University offers places on their programmes to suitable candidates you will all be required to obtain a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance (formerly termed CRB). We will be able to guide you through this process once you have been offered a conditional place of study at the University of Central Lancashire.

It is important to note that should your Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check prove to be unsatisfactory for the purpose of the course you have applied to, your offer of a place for that course may be withdrawn. If you have already enrolled on a course and your DBS check subsequently discloses a criminal conviction, you may be required to withdraw from the course even if you have already started. If you are aware that your DBS check will disclose a previous conviction, please contact the course leader for advice as not all convictions may preclude you from continuing with the course.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Healthcare Science involves an in-depth understanding of how the human body functions in both normal and diseased states so healthcare scientists must appreciate how events arising at a molecular, cellular or tissue level can contribute to and also affect health and wellbeing. This course combines practical and theoretical modules to provide a sound underpinning knowledge that can be used in a laboratory setting to make informed decisions about patient care and treatment. 

Many of the staff who teach on this course have a long association with the NHS pathology service and have a deep understanding and extensive experience of pathology laboratory procedures.

As you progress through the course you will undertake an increasingly greater degree of specialisation that will allow you to move towards defined paths in either blood, cellular, infection.

The first year of the course provides a broad-based understanding of the key scientific concepts that will be developed and explored in greater depth in Years 2 and 3 of undergraduate study. You will cover cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology and pharmacology. These areas will be supported by skills and professional practice modules that together form a sound starting point for a career in the NHS. The material that is covered forms part of a common mode of study for all students on our biosciences routes and, in this way, provides the opportunity for transfer into and out of the course on a seamless basis. Students will study a number of modules that explores how the human body functions on a variety of levels. Allied to this will be periods of laboratory training and research skills as well as an introduction to the working of the NHS. Importantly there will be a 10 week placement period in the second year of the course where you will be located in a pathology laboratory seeing processes and procedures at first hand. This will allow you to begin to amass portfolio-type evidence that will form part of the professional registration process.

The third year of the course involves a further level of specialisation in a single discipline consolidated by a 40 week placement that will give you a unique insight into how this area of pathology operation functions in a busy NHS setting. This will extend and build upon the Year 2 placement experience.

In addition to the placement period you will also expand your academic studies to cover areas such as how disease process originate, how a variety of techniques can be brought to bear on identifying and treating a range of disease states and an in-depth appreciation of how the NHS functions to provide patient care. You will also refine your skills at data and information handling - an essential step in preparing you for the final year of your course which involves a research project in one area of healthcare specialism.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND ASSESSMENT

A 3 year degree qualification typically comprises 360 credits and each 20 credit (a standard module) equates to 200 hours of study, which comprises of a mixture of lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical sessions and independent study. Independent study is an important aspect of your degree course. The exact combination of study time will be detailed within your module descriptors, and will depend on your option choices.

Teaching on the course involves a diverse range of methods and styles including lectures, tutorials, seminars, computer-based learning, case studies and laboratory practicals. As well as the traditional methods of teaching, e-learning (based around a virtual learning environment) and problem-based learning techniques will be used. Years 2 and 3 of the course will involve a work-based learning element based in an NHS pathology laboratory.

Assessments are by a combination of examinations, essays, data handling and interpretation, log-books, portfolios, practical reports, project reports, poster and oral presentations all allowing a full range of information handling and presentation skills to be developed.

PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATION

The course is accredited by Health Education England (HEE) and the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). The course has been approved by the regulatory body Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

OPPORTUNITIES

This course provides a government prescribed route into NHS pathology. Healthcare scientists are employed in a range of areas including, hospitals, industry and the Civil service. You may decide to follow a career in medical sales, technical writing or progress to teaching by obtaining a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

FACILITIES

Our state-of-the-art practical and research laboratories constantly evolve to ensure they are in line with modern practice, having recently been further enhanced by our impressive purpose-built JB Firth Building.

58% from listed boards (The All Indian Senior School Certificate awarded by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), or The Indian School Certificate (ISC) awarded by the Indian Council for School Examinations (ICSE), or a recognised Indian State Education Board, such as the West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka Education Boards
60% from other boards, not listed above
Where a specific subject is required for entry to the degree programme, 58% must be achieved in this subject
Pre-University Certificate, Government of Karnataka can be considered – send to tutor – evidence from Govind included in entry requirements folder
3% margin to be considered by UCLan staff based on reputation of institution, work experience etc

65% in Year 12 English *
Or
65% average grade in Year 11 and Year 12 English provided Year 12 is not below 60%
Or
Standard English language requirements – IELTS 6 or equivalent

University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) Highlights

University of Central Lancashire Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

Preston is officially the cheapest city in the UK for students. The following are the categories of the tuition fee payable by the students.

The total estimated annual cost of attendance for the 2020/2021 academic session is as presented on the table below: