This course will give you the skills and qualifications to become a paramedic.

The Bachelor of Paramedicine will teach you how to:

• analyse situations using appropriate assessment techniques
• examine patients and consider their particular needs
• cope in a high-pressure environment.

As a graduate, you will be qualified to work as a paramedic with an ambulance service in Australia and in some international ambulance or health organisations. With further study, you can go on to become an:

• ambulance service manager
• clinical instructor
• flight paramedic
• intensive-care paramedic (ICP)
• special operations team (SOT) rescue paramedic
• specialist educator
• team leader

Bachelor of Paramedicine students will undertake extensive clinical practice throughout the course within an emergency or simulated emergency environment.

3 years full-time or equivalent part-time.

Campus availability

• Brisbane (Attendance)
• Melbourne (Attendance)
• North Sydney (Attendance)

Study mode definitions

Attendance: Face-to-face and/or via video conference, at an ACU campus or another location.

Multi-mode: A combination of Online and Attendance (including examinations, practicums, residentials, etc.).

Online: Fully online (including assessments).

'Pre:' – indicates a unit that must be completed before the next unit can be undertaken (prerequisite).
A blank cell indicates that there are no additional units required for that study period.
This is a sample program only and units will vary between states. Please refer to the handbook for the prerequisite units and the current listing.

Deferment

Credit Points

240

Course Units (Subjects)

• Average first year fee: $8455 Commonwealth Supported (indicative only; subject to passage of legislation)

Important Note on Fees

All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a full-time study load of 40 credit points (normally 4 units) per semester.

A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:

• the number of units studied per semester;
• the choice of major or specialisation; and
• elective units.

The University reviews fees annually.

An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites at year 12 level, or equivalent.

New South Wales

• Assumed knowledge: Nil at year 12 level

Queensland

• Prerequisites: English (4, SA)

Victoria

• Prerequisites: Units 3 and 4 – a study score of at least 30 in English (EAL) or 25 in any other English.

*Disclaimer: The Course entry requirements above are for 2020 Admission. Refer to your relevant Tertiary Admission Centre website for future years' entry requirements.

The table below shows the range of ATARs/OPs (excludes adjustment factors) and Selection Ranks (may include adjustment factors) achieved by students who were accepted into this course last year. These may vary from year to year. Learn more about admission to ACU.

ATAR/OP range

For those offered places in 2019

Student Profile

Breakdown of how students entered this course last year and in what numbers.

Further information

• ACU
• Pathways and entry schemes
• Handbook
• Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching
• Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC)
• TEQSA National Register
• University Admissions Centre (UAC) for NSW and ACT students
• Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)

There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of the course or unit. Learn more about inherent requirements and how they affect you, and explore the requirements for your course.

Brisbane, Queensland

Apply through QTAC

Melbourne, Victoria

Apply through VTAC

Sydney (North Sydney), NSW

Apply through UAC

Admission Schemes

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Admission Program
• Community Achiever Program (CAP)
• ACU's Schools' Recommendation Program (SRP)
• Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) - NSW/ACT only

Adjustment Factors which may improve your Selection Rank

• Most applicants to undergraduate courses at ACU are eligible for adjustment factors – which can help improve your selection rank when applying for a degree. Your location, school or personal circumstances may make you eligible too. Learn more about the full list of available adjustments.

If you have a Selection Rank but it's not enough for this course

• Complete a VET qualification such as an AQF Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma
• Commence another ACU Bachelor degree with a lower required Selection Rank, successfully complete 2 or more units, then apply for an internal transfer to this course. A new Selection Rank will be calculated from your results in the ACU units. Note- you may need to complete up to 8 units (equivalent to one year fulltime) and achieve more than a pass grade to gain entry to this course

Graduates will be eligible for employment as a paramedic with an emergency ambulance service in Australia and in some international ambulance or health organisations. With further study qualified paramedics can go on to become intensive-care paramedics (ICPs), team leaders, clinical instructors, ambulance service managers, specialist educators, flight paramedics or special operations team (SOT) rescue paramedics.

Students will undertake five clinical practice units in acute health care settings, throughout the course.

Medical and Physical Capacity Test

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Paramedicine will be required to undertake a medical and physical capacity test prior to commencing clinical placement with an Australian Ambulance Service. This is an ambulance service mandatory requirement.

As part of your course, you will be placed in a range of organisations to integrate the theory you learn with practical workplace experiences (placements). As part of your enrolment, you must complete the Faculty of Health Sciences pre-placement requirements. To ensure you meet these requirements you need to start as soon as possible. Visit ACU’s Work Integrated Learning (WIL) websiteto view your Pre-Placement Requirements checklist.

Uniforms

Students are required to purchase the required paramedicine uniform including shirt and trousers, epaulettes, hard hat, baseball cap, belt (optional), black boots, wet weather jacket, fleece jacket and other personal protective equipment as required. Students are also required to wear a wrist watch with a second hand whilst on clinical placement.

Details regarding uniform purchase is available via ACU's Work Integrated Learning site www.wil.acu.edu.au.

As of 1 December 2018, Paramedicine has become a regulated profession under AHPRA.

ACU graduates of the Bachelor of Paramedicine and the Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Paramedicine are eligible for registration with AHPRA. AHPRA has a list of ACU’s graduates from 2015 onwards. Paramedics who graduated prior to 2015 will need to demonstrate that they are using their paramedic knowledge and skills in their current work. Some aspects of nursing would contribute to this body of evidence.

ACU’s Bachelor of Paramedicine and Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Paramedicine are both accredited by the Council of Ambulance Authorities Inc. The Council of Ambulance Authorities does not consider that the Bachelor of Paramedicine (Professional Entry) requires accreditation.

An Honours year is available to meritorious students, with a grade point average of 5.75, who meet the admission requirements for the Bachelor of Paramedicine (Honours).

Graduates may be eligible to progress to a postgraduate coursework degree in paramedicine, including the Graduate Certificate in Paramedicine, the Graduate Diploma in Paramedicine and the Master of Paramedicine

Graduates may also progress to other postgraduate coursework degrees within the Faculty of Health Sciences, such as the Master of Leadership and Management in Health Care.

Before you can begin placements for this course, you must meet mandatory State or Territory legal and industry policy requirements. Comprehensive information about these requirements and the submission process of relevant documentation can be found here www.wil.acu.edu.au

• Individual Units (apply for units outside of a course)
• Financial support
• Student support
• Exchange and Study Abroad