Bachelor's Programme in Paramedic Science Programme description

The programme is suitable for individuals who wish to actively contribute to development work, research, and innovation processes within their own field and in interdisciplinary collaboration involving technology and digital solutions.

The specialisation in assistive technology in health is relevant for individuals in the private or public sector who are interested in working interdisciplinary to develop and implement technology in the field of treatment, (re)habilitation, and health promotion.

The specialisation in biomedicine is relevant for individuals with a background in laboratory sciences who wish to deepen their expertise in biomedical analytical methods and biomedical research as a foundation for medical diagnostics and treatment.

The specialisation in radiography is relevant for individuals who wish to deepen their expertise in diagnostics and treatment, as well as the development and implementation of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures within radiation-based technologies in healthcare.

A graduate of this program has acquired the following learning outcomes defined as knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The graduate can

• demonstrate thorough familiarity with basic and advanced principles of experimental, conceptual and applied behavior analysis
• discuss the relationship between theoretical knowledge, experiments, and applied science
• analyze and state the difference between description and explanation
• generalize knowledge over settings and phenomena
• demonstrate theoretical and working knowledge of the ethical principles that govern scientific research and interventions in applied settings

Skills

The graduate can

• analyze practical problems using relevant principles of behavior science, and argue for the analysis with reference to relevant scientific literature
• conduct experiments and demonstrate working knowledge of the natural scientific method
• demonstrate appropriate strategies for measuring effects of interventions by using different designs and inferential statistics
• critically assess the quality of scientific information

Competence

The graduate can

• contribute to the development of evidence-based methods for intervention and change
• share knowledge and skills with public and peers according to the standards of professional scientific communication, including the current APA standards
• justify his/her professional behavior with reference to relevant professional and ethical guidelines, general ethical considerations, and assessment of the situation.

Additional learning outcomes for specialisation in Innovation and Implementation (BSII)

The following additional learning outcomes apply to candidates taking the specialisation in Innovation and Implementation:

Skills

The graduate can

• conduct and report a supervised innovation project with a behavioral perspective in accordance with research ethical guidelines and regulations
• implement new knowledge in social systems, or implement established competence in new settings

After completing the programme, the graduate should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The graduate has

• advanced knowledge of social science theories and legal understanding of relevance to the work of the child welfare service and other welfare services.
• in-depth knowledge of children’s and families’ rights in dealings with the child welfare service
• in-depth knowledge of ethical issues encountered by the child welfare service
• an understanding of theory of science, with a particular focus on understanding of the profession and the child welfare service’s heterogeneous knowledge base
• in-depth knowledge of analytical perspectives on professional practice, institutions and social policy interventions
• specialised knowledge of the exercise of discretionary judgement in child welfare assessments and decisions

Skills

The graduate can

• analyse and take a critical approach to different sources of knowledge and use them when making assessments and decisions in the best interests of the child
• carry out care assessments by analysing and considering what would be in the child’s best interests in light of the child’s and family’s situation and the context
• reflect on the child welfare service’s complex social remit and role in society
• analyse and assess the child welfare service’s methodological procedures
• carry out professional child welfare work in a metropolitan context

General competence

The graduate can

• apply relevant research-based knowledge in the field of child welfare
• critically assess social policy measures and professional recommendations concerning children and families in child welfare and associated services
• critically assess the opportunities and limitations of new research-based knowledge in the field of child welfare
• assess ethical issues related to research and development in the field of child welfare

Students will encounter a variety of work methods and coursework requirements. Teaching methods vary between lectures, seminars and other student-active learning methods.

Pursuant to the Regulations relating to studies and examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, compulsory requirements may be stipulated that must be met before students can take an exam. Any coursework requirements set (including compulsory attendance) are given in the course descriptions. Required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam. If required coursework has not been submitted or has not been approved, the student will lose the right to take the exam in the course in question.

Approved by NOKUT on April 15th, 2004

Approved by the Board of Akershus University College on September 7th, 2004

Last amendments approved by the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences on April 17 2024

Coursework requirements are all types of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are conditions for being allowed to take an exam. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. Please see the course descriptions for more information about the coursework requirements that apply to each course.

The purpose of the coursework requirements is to:

• promote progress and academic development
• encourage students to seek out and acquire new knowledge
• facilitate cooperation and communication on health and technology issues

The programme mainly has coursework requirements in the form of compulsory attendance, various compulsory activities and written assignments.

Attendance and compulsory activities

Compulsory attendance or compulsory activities may be required in areas where students cannot acquire knowledge and skills simply by studying literature.

If a student exceeds the maximum limit for absence or fails to attend compulsory activities, the lecturer must assess whether and, if so, how, the student can compensate for the absence through e.g. an individual presentation or other written work. Absence that cannot be compensated for may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Written assignments

Several courses have compulsory written assignments or reports as part of their coursework requirements. Written work that is not approved must be reworked before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary exam/assessment.

Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. An assignment that is not approved the third time it is submitted may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Required coursework means all forms of work, tests and compulsory attendance that are requirements for a student to be assessed/permitted to take the exam or complete periods of clinical training. Required coursework is assessed as approved/not approved. The coursework requirements for each course are described in the respective course descriptions.

The purpose of the coursework requirements is to:

• promote progress and academic development in the programme
• encourage students to seek out and acquire new knowledge

The programme’s main coursework requirements are in the form of compulsory attendance, written assignments and practical tests.

Compulsory attendance

The study programme emphasises a social learning environment with student-active learning methods. The students are expected to attend scheduled teaching in order to foster knowledge, skills, suitability and clinical competence. Attendance is compulsory in areas that are important to the competence of a paramedic, and where the student cannot acquire knowledge and skills through self-study alone.

The minimum attendance requirement is:

• 90% compulsory attendance in all simulation and skills training
• 90% compulsory attendance in all forms clinical practice placements
• 80% attendance at seminars and study groups

Other activities may also be subject to compulsory attendance requirements. Teaching activities that require attendance will be marked as mandatory in the student’s timetable.

Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet the attendance requirements. If a student exceeds the limit for absence, the person responsible for the course will consider whether it is possible to compensate for absence by meeting alternative requirements, for example individual written assignments. Whether or not it is possible depends on the extent of the student’s absence and which activities he/she has missed. Absence from compulsory teaching activities that cannot be compensated for may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Separate regulations on attendance apply to placement in the ambulance service. For more information, see ‘Assessment of placement in the ambulance service’ below.

Written assignments

Several courses include compulsory written assignments. Written work that is not approved must be reworked before re-submission. If the work is not approved on re-submission, the student cannot take the ordinary exam/assessment. Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Separate regulation apply to written coursework requirements related to placement in the ambulance service; see the course descriptions for PMEDPRA10 and PMEDPRA30 for more information.

More detailed requirements for written work, deadlines etc. are set out in the teaching plan for the course in question.

Practical tests

Practical skills that are important for professional practice are tested in practical tests. If a student’s practical test is assessed as ‘not approved’, he/she will be given another attempt before the ordinary exam. The student cannot sit the ordinary exam if the practical test is not approved after two attempts.

Students are entitled to a third attempt before the resit/rescheduled exam. If a piece of required coursework is not approved, this may lead to delayed progress in the programme.

Separate regulations apply to the practical test related to placement in the ambulance service in the course PMEDPRA30; see the course description for more information.

Different forms of assessment are used that are adapted to the learning outcomes of the different courses in the programme. The forms of assessment used are intended to support learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcomes. The students will receive advice and supervision and have their performance assessed during the programme. It is important and necessary to assess students’ knowledge and skills often, so that they receive feedback on whether their performance is in line with the programme’s requirements and whether they have achieved the learning outcomes.

The assessment of exams and clinical training is carried out in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet and the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet.

The forms of assessment are described in the individual course descriptions. All exams taken will be stated on the diploma, along with the title of the student’s bachelor’s thesis.

Exams

Most courses conclude with an exam. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, and what is assessed is whether the student has achieved the stipulated learning outcomes. The grades used are either pass/fail or letter grades on a scale from A to F, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the exam.

Most courses have required coursework that must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course descriptions for more details.

Resit and rescheduled exams are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description. In the case of resit or rescheduled exams in courses with group exams, it may in special cases be applicable to take the resit/rescheduled exam individually.

For exams where a percentage of the exam papers are selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner’s assessment must benefit all the students. In such cases, one external and one internal examiner will first grade the selected papers. The internal examiner then continues grading the remaining papers together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the assessments carried out by the two internal examiners.

Grades awarded for written exams can be appealed, cf. Section 11-10 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical exams. For a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who submitted the appeal. This means that all members of the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Assessment of placement in the ambulance service

The placement in the ambulance service is assessed as pass/fail. The assessment is based on the learning outcomes for the course, the student’s specification of the learning outcomes and the formative assessment. The formative assessment, which means the assessment of the student’s knowledge, skills and suitability, is carried out during the placement period, and summarised half-way through and at the end of the placement period.

To pass the clinical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirement. A minimum attendance requirement of 90% applies to clinical placement courses. The attendance requirement includes both the time spent at the clinical placement site and any teaching provided as part of the programme in relation to the clinical placement.

The following also applies to absence:

• less than 10% absence: The student can complete the clinical placement course as normal.
• Between 10 and 20% absence: The student can make up for the missed clinical placement time, provided that this is doable. This must be agreed with the training supervisor and the contact lecturer at the university.
• more than 20% absence: The student must normally retake the whole clinical placement course. This will result in delayed progress in the programme.

If the student exceeds the maximum limit for absence, the course will be registered as failed and count as an attempt.

If a student is awarded a fail grade for a clinical placement course twice, the student will normally have to leave the programme, cf. the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet, Chapter 5.

Suitability

Diplomas for the completed programme will only be awarded to graduates who are suited to practise the profession. A student who represents a potential threat to the physical or mental health, rights and safety of their patients and colleagues is not suited for the profession.

Suitability assessments are made on a continuous basis throughout the study programme and will be included in the overall assessment of the students’ professional and personal suitability for work as a health care worker. Students who demonstrate little ability to master the paramedic profession must be informed of this at the earliest possible stage of the programme. They will be given supervision and advice on how to improve, or be advised to leave the programme. Special suitability assessments are used in exceptional cases, cf. Regulations to the Act Relating to Universities and University Colleges, Chapter 7.

Programme description:

Approved by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences on 9 December 2020.

Most recent amendments adopted by the Academic Affairs Committee at the Faculty of Health Sciences 11 December 2024.

The programme description applies to students starting the programme in 2025.