Applied Biomedical Science (Distance Learning) (Degree Apprenticeship) BSc (Hons)

University of Portsmouth

United Kingdom, Portsmouth

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Home/United Kingdom/Portsmouth /University of Portsmouth/Applied Biomedical Science (Distance Learning) (Degree Apprenticeship) BSc (Hons)

University of Portsmouth

United Kingdom , Portsmouth

Key Facts

Program Level

Bachelor

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

Online

Campuses

London

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Next Intake September-2026

Applied Biomedical Science (Distance Learning) (Degree Apprenticeship) BSc (Hons)

About

If you work in a supporting role in a pathology lab environment and want to register as a Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), this three-year, full-time by distance learning BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science degree apprenticeship is for you. You'll study alongside your existing job, and won't need to pay anything towards your course fees.

When you successfully complete the apprenticeship, you'll be eligible to apply for registration as a Biomedical Scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You'll have a vital, in-demand, skill set that can open up a variety of routes within pathology. With the right experience and postgraduate training this could lead to a career as a consultant biomedical scientist and future pathology leader.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements

Applied Biomedical Science (Degree Apprenticeship) entry requirements

Typical offers

Entrants will typically have completed A-levels or equivalent, including at least one science subject, or the L4 Healthcare Science Associate Apprenticeship. For applicants without relevant Level 3 qualifications, experiential learning will also be considered.
Applicants aged 16-18 must have acceptable Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths, such as GCSE with grade C/4 or above or Functional Skills. If you do not have acceptable qualifications, you will be required to obtain this. Those aged 19 and over are only subject to these requirements if you or your employer choose for you to study towards English and Maths qualifications, which will be funded. Please note that you may still be required to evidence accepted Level 2 qualifications for the course, as part of academic assessment.

Selection process

All applicants will be required to complete a Skills Gap Analysis before completing an application form.
All applicants will be invited to attend an academic interview and may be asked to submit a portfolio of work or undertake additional assessment.
Applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health checks before starting the course.

Selection process

All applicants will be required to complete a Skills Gap Analysis before completing an application form.
All applicants will be invited to attend an academic interview and may be asked to submit a portfolio of work or undertake additional assessment.
Applicants must pass Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and Occupational Health checks before starting the course.

You may need to have studied specific subjects or GCSEs – find full entry requirements and other qualifications we accept.

We look at more than just your grades

While we consider your grades when making an offer, we also carefully look at your circumstances and other factors to assess your potential. These include whether you live and work in the region and your personal and family circumstances which we assess using established data.

Explore more about how we make your offer

Values and the NHS Constitution

We embed the principles and values of the NHS Constitution in all our health and social care courses. When you apply for this course, we’ll expect you to demonstrate how your values align with the values of the Constitution.

Find out more about the values we look for.

You and your employer

When you begin studying for your degree apprenticeship:

You need to be 18 or over
You should be able to satisfy government requirements on residency:
- you must be a citizen or have the right to live in the UK/EEA
- you must have been a resident in the UK/EEA (not the Channel Islands or Isle of Man) for a minimum of 3 years
- you must not need a Student Route visa, and must not have been on a Student Route visa within the past 3 years
You need to have the right to work in the UK, and to spend at least 50% of your working hours in England
Your job should meet the requirements of the apprenticeship standard relevant to this degree – we can advise you and your employer on this
Your employer needs to have registered an apprentice service account – we can help your employer with this if needed

If you aren't currently working in a relevant field, you can apply for a job and degree apprenticeship simultaneously. Read more about applying for this degree apprenticeship.

During the first year of the Applied Biomedical Science Degree Apprenticeship, I feel I can already apply my newly gained knowledge to my working role in the microbiology laboratory. I have enjoyed attending the campus for lectures, practicals and to use the wide array of facilities on offer, including the well-stocked library.

Simon Alidina, BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science Degree Apprenticeship

Career

Whether it's processing tests for diseases such as coronavirus or providing diagnosis services to GPs, accident and emergency departments and other health services, registered Biomedical Scientists play a key role in public health.

They analyse fluid and tissue samples from patients in order to identify diseases or evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments. In fact, more than 70% of NHS diagnoses are based on lab findings by biomedical scientists, so it's a profession that's always in high demand.

When you graduate, you'll be ready to work in a Band 5 Biomedical Scientist role in areas such as:

Main pathology disciplines, such as haematology, biochemistry, blood transfusion, microbiology, histology or immunology
Molecular medicine
Genetics
Government and professional research

With further training and experience, this qualification allows progression to roles such as:

Section leader
Laboratory manager
Consultant Biomedical Scientist

You'll also be able to continue onto qualification routes such as:

Master's
PhD
Professional Doctorate
IBMS professional qualifications (subject to accreditation approval)
The Scientist Training Programme (STP)

Apprenticeships have been invaluable in future-proofing our workforce by allowing us to grow our own. Apprentices have gained cross-discipline knowledge and discipline specific skills which have helped develop their specialist knowledge, bridging gaps between their current role to those required of a Biomedical Scientist.

Tina Drury, Senior Biomedical Scientist, Isle of Wight Trust (St Mary’s Hospital)

I’d been an Associate Practitioner for 10 years, and an Medical Laboratory Assistant for 14 years before that, so I had a lot of experience working in an NHS Microbiology department. When the opportunity to study and become a qualified Biomedical Scientist was presented, I didn’t hesitate.

Samantha Farmer, Applied Biomedical Science BSc (Hons)