Healthcare Science (Medical Engineering) Part-time, BSc (Hons)

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Key Course Details

UCAS Code: B85P
Mode of Study: Blended Study
Typical Offer (view equivalents): HECert
Location: Singleton Park Campus

Start Date	Tuition Fees - Year 1
Sep 2025	NHS

Healthcare Science (Medical Engineering) Part-time, BSc (Hons)

Fully Funded Part-time Course

Course Overview

The part-time Medical Engineering degree is available to individuals who are employed within NHS health boards and has a focus on clinical and practical aspects of Medical Engineering within your NHS role.

This part-time degree course in Medical Engineering will give you the expert training to enable you to progress your skilled career whilst working in the healthcare profession as a Medical Engineer.

This part-time course comprises of two levels of study, FHEQ level 5 and 6, and is accessible following completion of a recognised FHEQ level 4 qualification, or equivalent. The programme will be completed part-time over three years and combines rigorous academic and theoretical work with the extensive practical clinical experience you will need in your employment in this vital profession.

Over the three years you will learn about the medical equipment lifecycle, including acceptance testing of new equipment, introduction of equipment and devices into service, advising on the correct use of equipment, addressing patient safety issues and safely disposing of old devices. You will combine in-depth academic work with practical clinical and technological skills in a range of specialised healthcare settings.

Why Medical Engineering at Swansea?

Swansea University offers Healthcare Sciences degrees across a growing range of specialities, all fully accredited by professional industry bodies.

Our excellent facilities provide realistic workplace simulations and many of our academic staff in Health Sciences are practicing clinicians, providing invaluable professional insight and expertise.

You will also benefit from using our bespoke workshops and our new extensive simulation suite which contains a fully equipped Operating Theatre.

The course is accredited by the National School of Healthcare Science and fulfils the criteria of the Register of Clinical Technologists. We have very strong links with Welsh NHS health boards, where you will receive hands-on clinical learning through paid employment.

Your Medical Engineering experience

This part-time degree programme comprises of a blended learning approach, whereby you will be expected to engage with a host of online learning activities and on-campus teaching sessions one day per week. The programme of study has been developed specifically to complement the clinical learning experience you will receive at your host NHS health board, to give you the skills and qualifications you need to begin your career as a Medical Engineer.

Careers in Medical Engineering

The NHS starting salary for Medical Engineers is £28,407- (start of band 5), with typical career earnings rising to £50,056.

Modules

Year 1 (Level 5)

FHEQ 5 Undergraduate / HEDip

Compulsory Modules

Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code
Clinical Engineering 1	Academic Year	40	SHC252
Professional & Evidence-Based Practice and Clinical Equipment	Academic Year	40	SHC251
Innovation and Medical Devices	Academic Year	40	SHC253

Year 2 (Level 6)

FHEQ 6 Undergraduate / Honours

Compulsory Modules

Module Name	Module Duration	Credits	Module Code
Managing and working with Medical Devices in the Clinical Environment	Academic Year	40	SHC355
Research and Quality Improvement project	Academic Year	40	SHC352
Science and Principles supporting Medical Engineering in the Healthcare Environment	Academic Year	40	SHC356

Entry Requirements

Completion of HECert or apprenticeship in Medical Engineering
Completion of BTEC Higher National Diploma in Electrical Engineering/Medical Engineering plus healthcare-based competencies or equivalent
Completion of Recognition of Prior Learning Admissions Mapping Portfolio

Applicants who sit outside these routes will need to demonstrate equivalent knowledge and clinical skills which maps to level 4 studies and is sufficient for entry to the programme at level 5.

Minimum five grade A-C GCSE passes including Welsh/English language, Maths and Science.

All applicants will need a satisfactory educational reference.

Applicants who meet the entry requirements and selection criteria will be invited to interview, which may take place in person or via telephone/video call. Our Interview Tips explain more about what to expect.

If you are successful at interview, any offer of a place will be conditional upon a satisfactory DBS/police check or equivalent from your home country as well as an occupational health declaration and assessment prior to starting your studies. Further details will be provided if you receive an offer.

If you are offered a place you will also need:

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, or approved equivalent
NHS Wales Values and Standards of Behaviour.

All applicants will be required to have a satisfactory enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check and occupational health check. Any concerns arising from these may be considered at the School of Health and Social Care’s Professional Suitability and Fitness to Practice Panel and may result in admission to the programme being withdrawn.

How You're Taught

We are proud to provide an outstanding educational experience, using the most effective learning and teaching approaches, carefully tailored to suit the specific needs of your course.

This programme is primarily delivered via online synchronous and asynchronous activities, complemented by on-campus practical skills sessions, at routine intervals. Students on this programme will be employed within NHS Wales health boards and given designated study time to attend online and on-campus teaching.

Practical skills sessions, lab work seminars, and workshops predominantly take place in person, allowing for group working and demonstrations. We also operate virtual labs and Simulated Learning Environments which will facilitate greater access to training opportunities in the future.

Online learning may take place ‘live’ using software such as Zoom, allowing you to interact with the lecturer and other students and to ask questions. Lecture recordings also allow for more flexibility to revisit material, to revise for assessments and to enhance learning outside of the classroom. Some modules have extra resources in Canvas, such as videos, slides and quizzes enabling further flexible study.

You will have around 8 hours of contact time per week when studying to become a Medical Engineer through this part-time programme. An additional half-day of self-directed study time will be agreed within your NHS contract of employment.

The syllabus is delivered via a combination of online live and recorded lectures, guided study tasks, e-learning packages and practical classes. Then, through your employment within the NHS Wales health board, you will also get the opportunity to put theory into real-life practice.

Learning is assessed via a variety of methods throughout the three years of study. You will complete written examinations, written assignments, presentations, case-based discussions and assessments of clinical competency. In year three, you will have the chance to complete a research project in your chosen healthcare science programme. The results of this will be presented as part of your dissertation.

This course may offer some modules taught through the medium of Welsh or bilingually for students who consider themselves to be fluent Welsh speakers. For more details on the provision available see the Welsh Provision expander below.

Welsh Provision

No Provision

Unfortunately, there is currently no formal Welsh-medium provision on this course. If you would like to let us know that you are interested in pursuing an element of your course through the medium of Welsh, please email astudio@abertawe.ac.uk to indicate your interest along with your year of entry and we will do our best to see what is possible.

Whilst this course does not offer academic content delivered in Welsh, the University can provide you with the following, and Academi Hywel Teifi is here to support you:

An interview through the medium of Welsh when applying for a place.
The option to receive your personal correspondence in Welsh, English or bilingually.
The option to write and submit your coursework or exams through the medium of Welsh (even if you have chosen to study in English), and your work will be marked in Welsh.
A Welsh-speaking Personal Tutor.
One-to-one support to improve your academic Welsh language skills.
An opportunity to gain an additional free qualification that serves as evidence of your Welsh language ability for future employers.
Opportunity to be a member of the Swansea University Branch of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

To learn more about the above and all the opportunities available to you through the medium of Welsh, visit Academi Hywel Teifi's undergraduate pages.

Professional Body Accreditation

National School of Health Care Science (pending)

Meet Your Lecturers

Andrew Morris (Programme Director)

Jensen Evans (Clinical Learning facilitator)

Tuition Fees

Start Date	UK	International
September 2024	NHS	N/A
September 2025	NHS	N/A

Fees for full time Undergraduate UK students may be increased in subsequent years of study by an inflationary amount determined by Welsh Government.

You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

International students and part-time study: It may be possible for some students to study part-time under the Student Visa route. However, this is dependent on factors relating to the course and your individual situation. It may also be possible to study with us if you are already in the UK under a different visa category (e.g. Tier 1 or 2, PBS Dependant, ILR etc.). Please visit the University information on Visas and Immigration for further guidance and support.

Current students: You can find further information of your fee costs on our tuition fees page.

Funding and Scholarships

You may be eligible for funding to help support your study.

To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available please visit the University's scholarships and bursaries page.

Academi Hywel Teifi at Swansea University and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol offer a number of generous scholarships and bursaries for students who wish to study through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. For further information about the opportunities available to you, visit the Academi Hywel Teifi Scholarships and Bursaries page.

If you can commit to working in Wales for two years after graduating, you could get your tuition fees covered in full through the NHS Wales Bursary Scheme, as well as maintenance funding and a reduced rate loan from Student Finance.

Please see our NHS Funding webpage to check your eligibility for funding before applying.

Additional Costs

Access to your own digital device/the appropriate IT kit will be essential during your time studying at Swansea University. Access to wifi in your accommodation will also be essential to allow you to fully engage with your programme. See our dedicated webpages for further guidance on suitable devices to purchase, and for a full guide on getting your device set up.

You may face additional costs while at university, including (but not limited to):

Travel to and from campus
Printing, photocopying, binding, stationery and equipment costs (e.g. USB sticks)
Purchase of books or texts
Gowns for graduation ceremonies

Careers and Employability

Swansea Employability Academy (SEA) will support you at each stage of your career journey helping you build a bright future.

Our career support services include:

Employability workshops, employers’ talks, bespoke events and careers fairs
Individual advice and guidance from professionally qualified Careers Advisers
Help with finding jobs, internships, work placements and volunteering opportunities
Access to information resources on a wide range of career management topics
Advice and guidance on postgraduate study and funding
Funding to support student internship opportunities and Student Society/Club events.

We also provide help and advice for Swansea University Alumni up to two years after you graduate.

Academic Support

As well as subject specific support by college teaching staff and your personal tutor, the Centre for Academic Success provides courses, workshops and one-to-one support in areas such as:

Academic writing
Maths and statistics
Critical thinking
Time management
Digital skills
Presentation skills
Note taking
Revision, memory and exam techniques
English language skills (if English is not your first language).

In addition, if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), disability, mental health or medical condition, the Centre for Academic Success have Specialist Tutors to support your learning, working alongside the Disability Office and Wellbeing Service to support all your needs and requirements whilst studying at Swansea University.

Study Abroad and Global Opportunities

To learn more about study abroad, visit our Go Global webpages. Enrolment on a programme with a semester/year abroad does not guarantee you a semester/year abroad placement. Spaces are limited and subject to a competitive selection process. In the event you do not secure a semester/year abroad placement, you will be transferred to the standard variant of your degree scheme without a semester or year abroad.

International summer programmes are open to students from all schools. Programmes typically range from 2 to 6 weeks, across destinations such as Sri Lanka, South Korea, Fiji, Bali, the USA and across Europe. For more information about programmes and eligibility visit our Summer Abroad webpages.

How to Apply

Application Deadlines

We recommend that you submit your application to our courses as early as you can in advance of our application deadlines. Courses will close earlier than the application deadlines listed if all available places are filled. You can find further information on our Application Deadlines webpage.