Course overview

The University of Portsmouth is proud to introduce an exciting new course designed to meet the needs of the NHS pathology service. This degree specialises in life sciences and is an opportunity for you to study a vocational degree focussed on the analytical techniques used for the diagnosis and monitoring of disease and measuring the body’s responses to treatment. Healthcare science utilises the important pathological specialisms (microbiology, biochemistry, haematology, transfusion science, histology, and immunology and molecular biology) to give you a broad understanding of the causes and consequences of human disease.

Our healthcare science degree is fully integrated, enabling you to experience the clinical laboratory environment alongside your academic studies.

An accredited course that meets NHS needs

This degree was the first in the UK to be approved by the Health Professions Council (HPC) in response to the Department of Health’s (DoH) 'Modernising Scientific Careers' programme. It was also one of the first to be accredited by Medical Education England, on behalf of the DoH, which ensures that the healthcare science workforce can meet the evolving needs of the NHS.

We also have an excellent relationship with our local employers enabling us to develop a robust and durable degree focussing on the needs of the healthcare system.

As we have produced a programme meeting the current and projected requirements of the NHS, we are confident that our graduates will have the very best opportunities for employment following graduation. Successful candidates can register with the Health Professions Council (HPC) using the Protected title ‘Biomedical Scientist’ and practice within the NHS as either a biomedical scientist or healthcare science practitioner, improving the scope of practice for graduates.

Course content

The academic year begins in September and teaching lasts until early May. There will then be a few weeks where you will have a number of small tutorial and seminar-based activities to help you consolidate all of your knowledge prior to examinations.

This is a unitised course and each unit comprises 20 credits, with the exception of the final-year project. You should expect to accrue 120 credits per year of study, helping you build up your skills over three years.

Although the pathological disciplines feature throughout the whole programme, you will specialise in either blood sciences, infection sciences or cellular sciences in your final year, tailoring your academic requirements with those of your area of practical specialisation.

Year one

The first year will give you a general introduction to university-level education and to the systems of the body and the diseases that affect them:

• Neuroscience and Pharmacology
• Cells to Systems
• Pathological Sciences 1
• Introduction to Professional Laboratory Practice
  • Including a six-week laboratory placement
• Graduate Skills and Careers
• Laboratory Skill

Year two

In the second year you will build on the knowledge obtained from the previous year:

• Research Methods
• Biomedical Toolbox
• Scientific Basis of Disease
• Pathological Sciences 2
• Healthcare Science in Practice
• Healthcare Science Placement
  • Ten-week laboratory placement

Year three

During the third year you will develop in-depth knowledge of the body and how it is affected in health and disease:

• Integrated Pathology
• Projects in Pathology
• Genetic Basis of Disease
• Specialist Unit:
  • Blood Sciences
  • Infection Sciences
  • Cellular Sciences
• Clinical Laboratory Practice
  • 22-week laboratory placement

Work placements

Work placements are a substantial component of the course, comprising 38 weeks of the three-year programme. This is complemented by 12 weeks of specific work-focused learning in the University. You will be allocated to a placement provider soon after enrolment on the course. This could be to any of the University-approved local clinical training laboratories or to any of the healthcare science specialisms offered by the University. All placement locations are deemed to be within reasonable travelling distance from the University and you will be required to bear the cost for travel and subsistence or parking changes as appropriate.

Teaching andassessment

This course is delivered using a student-centred approach including lectures, seminars, practical laboratory work and guided reading. You are also expected to attend regular tutorials.

All units are fully supported by online lectures and study materials and simulation will give you the opportunity to prepare for patient facing roles and develop other work-related experiences in a protected environment prior to your placement.

Most units are assessed by a combination of examinations and coursework. Coursework will be set throughout the year and you are encouraged to submit draft work for formative feedback. Examinations are set within the consolidation and assessment period at the end of the academic year. In some situations, units are assessed by examination or by coursework alone.

Competencies achieved during the laboratory placement will be monitored through completion of the University of Portsmouth Healthcare Science Practitioner training manual in the form of a portfolio of evidence.

Career prospects

BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science graduates are ideally placed to enter a career in an NHS clinical laboratory or related healthcare field as healthcare science practitioners.

Graduates can also pursue careers in other fields including teaching, life sciences research, medical/laboratory sales and marketing and scientific specialist support.

It is expected that the considerable level of practical competence and substantial workplace experience you have will be attractive to prospective employers. As such, you can anticipate enhanced employability rates.

You can also build upon your studies and register for a higher degree in the life sciences, including MSc and PhD.

Facilities and features

You will have access to the University’s Centre for Simulation which has a ‘clean’ medical laboratory and medical mannequins, as well as to our pharmacy practice consulting rooms used to prepare our students for a minor patient-facing role, using simulation and role-play, which will be encountered during your first year of clinical placement.

These facilities enable us to incorporate novel teaching strategies into our curriculum.

All units are also fully supported by online lectures and study materials.

Entry requirements

View all the entry requirements for BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science for the academic year 2013/14 (opens in new window).