BCU Sixth Form Pathways
Join Shireland Biomedical UTC, the perfect stepping stone for aspiring healthcare professionals and life scientists. Our health-focused sixth form offers specialised courses, expert teaching, and hands-on experience to prepare you for exciting careers in medicine, including nursing, physiotherapy, paramedical care, midwifery and beyond. Our unique links to the health industry and partnership with Birmingham City University will ensure that you stand out in a crowd when putting your Post 18 applications together providing you with the best possible chance of success.
Students on this pathway will study AAQ Medical Science (Extended Certificate) and AAQ Applied Science (Extended Certificate) alongside one other qualification chosen from a list of options. An AAQ Extended Certificate is the equivalent of one A level.
As a Shireland Biomedical UTC student you will have:
- Opportunities to complete the Emergency First Aid at Work qualification with The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.
- CPR training facilitated by the British Heart Foundation and Midlands Air Ambulance.
- Opportunities to build employability skills through our unique access to work placements at various health-centred organisations including Midlands Air Ambulance, West Midlands Ambulance and St Johns Ambulance.
- Support in submitting applications for the BCU scholarship programme.
- Guest speakers and career talks from various universities and employers within the health industry.
- Practical workshops delivered by Midlands Air Ambulance on nursing and paramedicine.
- Opportunities to attend the Helicopter Emergency Medicine (HEMS) awareness sessions.
- Opportunities to attend the Air Ambulance National Student Conference.
- A visit to the NEC Care Show.
- Priority opportunities to experience clinical skills facilities at Birmingham City University.
- Guaranteed interviews at Birmingham City University.
Compulsory subjects
AAQ Medical Science (Extended Certificate)
Course Overview:
- Accredited by Pearson Education
- Qualification gained will be Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Medical Science (Extended Certificate)
- Assessment will be via exam and coursework
- The course is modular so some assessments will take place in the first year and count towards your final grade
- The course includes specified practical work that must be completed by learners to enable completion of some modules and to fully prepare students for exams
- Skills in mathematics, critical thinking, and practical work will be essential
Course Content:
The qualification has three mandatory units covering the following topics:
- Human Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology − Human body systems, cell ultrastructure, and how substances are transported
- Health Issues and Scientific Reporting − The immune system, its dysfunction and genetic technologies. The validity and reliability of information used in health science reporting
- Practical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases − Methods of pathogenicity and infectious agents, growth of microorganisms and health and safety in a laboratory environment.
Students have a choice of three optional units covering the following topics:
- Diseases, Disorders, Treatments and Therapies − Principles of physiological diseases and disorders and their associated drug and medicine development
- Biomedical Science − Biomedical science techniques and their clinical application
- Human Reproduction and Fertility − Reproductive science including causes of infertility and associated impacts on health and well-being
| Unit Number | Unit Title | GLH (360) | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Principles of Human Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology | 90 | External |
| M2 | Health Issues and Scientific Reporting | 120 | External |
| M4 | Practical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases | 90 | Internal |
| O1 | Diseases, Disorders, Treatments and Therapies | 60 | Internal |
| O2 | Biomedical Science | 60 | Internal |
| O3 | Human Reproduction and Fertility | 60 | Internal |
AAQ Applied Science (Extended Certificate)
Course Overview:
- Accredited by Pearson Education
- Qualification gained will be Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Applied Science (Extended Certificate)
- Assessment will be via exam and coursework
- The course is modular so some assessments will take place in the first year and count towards your final grade
- Students will develop fundamental scientific principles and applied knowledge relating to biology, chemistry and physics
- Students will develop laboratory techniques, including health and safety assessment, and associated professional practice
- Skills in mathematics, critical thinking, and practical work will be essential
Course Content:
The qualification has four mandatory units covering the following topics:
- Principles and Applications of Biology – Structure and function of cells and tissues, biological molecules, enzymes and their role in organisms
- Principles and Applications of Chemistry – Structure of the Periodic Table and its implications on physical and chemical properties of substances, through analysis of different bonding methods
- Principles and Applications of Physics – Waves and their applications; force principles and their application in transportation and construction of electrical circuits
- Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques – Practical applications across the sciences, including chromatography, colorimetry and electrical circuits.
Students have a choice from two optional units covering the following topics:
- Scientific Investigation Skills – Investigative research, including planning, data collection, analysis and evaluation.
- Contemporary Issues in Science – Contemporary scientific issues including the reliability of sources of scientific information and their associated validity.
| Unit Number | Unit Title | GLH (360) | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| M1 | Principles and Applications of Biology | 60 | External |
| M2 | Principles and Applications of Chemistry | 60 | External |
| M3 | Principles and Applications of Physics | 60 | External |
| M4 | Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques | 60 | Internal |
| O1 | Science Investigation Skills | 90 | Internal |
| O2 | Contemporary issues in Science | 90 | Internal |
What is AAQ?
AAQ is a Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification and provides a BTEC National in the course choice. It is accredited by Pearson Education; it is the equivalent of one A level. Assessment is via exam and coursework
Optional subject
You will also need to choose 1 additional qualification from this list:
- Maths (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Biology (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Chemistry (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Physics (requires GCSE grade 6)
- Health and Social Care
- Sociology
- Psychology
- History
- English
- Art
- Drama
- Music
- Sound Engineering
- Computer Science
