Overview 2021
Location
Commonwealth Supported places available
This course may not be available to international students. Please see the International Online Course Guide (PDF 809KB) for courses that are offered to international students
Applications for the conversion study pathway will remain open beyond 30 September, 2021
Please view our undergraduate Paramedicine study page for an overview of our 2022 offerings.Integrity, accountability, respect and teamwork – these qualities embody the practice of Paramedicine.
If you are compassionate, committed and want to make a difference in your community then a career in Paramedicine may be right for you.
The Bachelor of Paramedic Practice degree is offered in Hobart TAS, and in Rozelle NSW. This degree will provide you with the knowledge and skills to assess and manage the broad range of out-of-hospital clinical presentations within a safe, effective and ethical practice framework, preparing you for a role as a paramedic.
The degree will include a number of opportunities to learn in a simulated environment and in the real-world. This includes in the University's ambulance simulation vehicle, and in practice at various ambulance stations and other specialist health facilities, such as hospitals and aged care organisations.
Course objectives
As a graduate of the Bachelor of Paramedic Practice, you will have the knowledge and skills to assess and manage the broad range of clinical presentations in an out-of-hospital setting.
You will understand the importance of critical, informed clinical reasoning in the context of the out-of-hospital care of the undifferentiated patient, in situations often complicated by unpredictable and challenging environments.
Practical experience
Students will undertake clinical placements in various ambulance stations and other specialist health facilities, such as hospitals. The student will be responsible for their transport and other associated costs during these clinical placements.
In addition to experience in healthcare settings, you will also have the opportunity to:
- Access the latest technology and modern simulation equipment in both Hobart and Rozelle
- Undertake interdisciplinary learning activities with students studying other health courses such as nursing and medicine
- Participate in community engagement activities such as Open Day
"The opportunity to work alongside Tasmanian paramedics confirmed for me that a career in Paramedicine was something that I would enjoy."
Professional Experience Placement Requirements
Safety in Practice Compliance
All students enrolling in College of Health and Medicine programs which include a professional experience placement component, laboratory and/or field activity are required to establish and maintain their capacity to practice safely via Safety in Practice Requirements compliance documentation.
The College, in accordance with Safety in Practice Compliance and Risk Assessment Procedure (PDF), assesses student compliance with Safety in Practice Requirements, which include:
- national criminal history;
- working with children registration;
- medical, physical and psychological capacity to safely undertake the College of Health and Medicine Mandatory Functional Requirements (PDF); and
- infectious disease and immunisation status.
National criminal history and medical, physical and psychological disclosures can inhibit student eligibility to participate in courses. Students must submit the Safety in Practice Requirements compliance documentation to enable risk assessment to be completed before:
- semester one census date annually; or
- in case of late enrolment, prior to beginning study.
The exceptions are the Working with Children Registration and Immunisation Record Card check, which must be completed 4 weeks prior to first PEP.
Career outcomes
You could find work as a paramedic in organisations such as:
- Your state based emergency service around Australia or New Zealand
- International ambulance services
- Industry emergency response units
- Non-emergency transport
- Community based emergency health settings
"The Fast-track option persuaded me to study at the University of Tasmania because it means that I can get into the workforce earlier than other options."
Professional Recognition
Graduates will have met the professional requirements for employment as a Graduate Ambulance Paramedic and be eligible for membership of Paramedics Australasia.Graduates will also possess the attributes to be employed in a Paramedic role within other occupations, such as industry emergency response personnel and community-based emergency health settings.
Course structure
This course is offered two years full-time (and may only be studied full-time, on-campus), studying across three semesters per year.
During first year you will:
- Learn the theoretical and practical sides of foundational health care
- Undertake specialist paramedic units to develop an overview of health care and bioscience
In the second year you will:
- Continue to further develop and build on your knowledge and skills in the critical care environment
- Incorporate your understanding of out-of-hospital health care and its critical place in the field of emergency patient care
You will be taught within a safe, effective and ethical practice framework. The course content and patient management approaches are based upon current best evidence, nationally and internationally, combined with considerations of patient values, and local health resource considerations.
Year 1
This unit introduces students to the various understandings of health and models of health care in contemporary Australia. Factors that determine and influence health and illness are explored. The experience of health and illness is considered in the context of…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for CNA151 Health and Health Care in Australia
This unit is the first paramedic-specific unit and as such introduces the student to paramedic clinical practice. The unit prepares the student for following units in Semester 2, such as CAA108 Principles of Paramedic Practice 2. The student will learn…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for CAA107 Principles of Paramedic Practice 1
Delivery of health services requires the application of proven interventions. Practitioners in health service areas must be able to evaluate information they receive to make evidence-based decisions in order to justify their care. This unit enables participants to understand the…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
This unit focuses on developing the students’ understanding, knowledge and skills in communication within the pre-hospital setting. Areas such as paramedic self-care and dealing with stressful situations will also be addressed. Students will be required to perform basic assessments and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for CAA210 Mental Health Care in Out of Hospital Practice
This unit continues to develop students' understanding of Paramedic Practice and their development in the competent use of ambulance equipment and its application in routine clinical presentations. Further development of core paramedic skills will ensure that the student is able…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for CAA108 Principles of Paramedic Practice 2
This unit aims to support your ability to appraise critically, attitudes to ageing and aged care in Australia, and to engage in independent inquiry and reflection in the online environment with inter-professional peers and teachers. You will gain an understanding…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
The content of Fundamentals of Bioscience is based on the structural organisation of the human body and the general functions of the body systems, with particular emphasis on the relationship between structure and function. Major concepts of human biology are…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
This unit explores how historical, cultural and social elements and policy frameworks have shaped the health and wellbeing of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. Cultural safety, self-determination and collaboration are central concepts within this unit. You will…
Credit Points: 6.25
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for CNA156 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Well Being
Health service providers in Australia need to respond effectively to diverse populations. This unit will introduce to you the diversity of races, ethnicities, religions, sexualities, genders and abilities in Australia. You will examine how belonging to a diverse group can…
Credit Points: 6.25
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for CNA157 Responding to Diversity: Global Perspectives
This unit explores how legal and ethical principles inform the practice of healthcare professionals in Australia. You will gain knowledge of the fundamental legal and ethical principles governing practice and reflect on how to apply these in everyday situations. Through…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | Spring school (extended) | ||||
View all details for CNA308 Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care
This is the first emergency ambulance clinical placement, which will provide the student with the opportunity to observe and integrate into the ambulance team culture and environment. The student will be a third member of an emergency ambulance crew moving…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Spring school (extended) | ||||
View all details for CAA109 Emergency Ambulance Clinical Placement 1
CAA205 is the first of two medical emergency units. This unit will assist you in your development of the necessary knowledge and skills to enable you to identify, assess and manage common medical emergencies encountered in the out of hospital…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Spring school (extended) | ||||
View all details for CAA205 Medical Emergencies for Out-of-Hospital Practice 1
Year2
This unit builds on the basic knowledge from CXA107 Fundamentals of Bioscience to develop an understanding of the physiology and pathophysiology of the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal and immune systems. Principles of pathophysiology and pharmacology are introduced and, through…
Credit Points: 25
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 1 | ||||
Pharmacology is the study of drugs, including their actions and effects on the human body. This unit introduces you to the discipline of pharmacology by examining key areas of health and disease, the mechanisms whereby drugs elicit responses in cells,…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 1 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Spring school (extended) | ||||
CAA206 is the second of two medical emergency units. This unit will provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to identify, assess and manage the common cardiovascular and respiratory medical emergencies that may be encountered in the out-of-hospital setting.…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 1 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 1 | ||||
View all details for CAA206 Medical Emergencies for Out-of-Hospital Practice 2
In Bioscience 2 (CXA310), you will build on your knowledge base from Bioscience 1 (CXA204), Fundamentals of Bioscience (CXA107) and your clinical practice to continue to develop an understanding of the biological basis of health care. This unit contributes to…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
This is the second clinical placement unit which focuses on interprofessional and rural paramedic practice. Students will be exposed to the clinical environment in association with other professions, working as a Paramedic in the rural health care team will be…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for CAA207 Interprofessional Clinical Placement 2
This unit will help you develop a systematic approach to assessment and care of patients following trauma. You will further refine your clinical reasoning skills, patient communication, clinical judgement and critical thinking in the context of patients experiencing minor and…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Semester 2 | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for CAA306 Trauma Care in Out-of-Hospital Practice
This unit aims to broaden students understanding of the Australia Health Care System and its operation. It provides the opportunity for students to critically analyse and review the current and emerging challenges in health care delivery. Weekly topics will explore…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | Semester 2 | ||||
View all details for CXA309 Health Services and Health Informatics
This unit will reaffirm the importance of employing a systematic approach to patient care, in particular relating to unique environmental emergencies and will prepare you for practice as a beginning paramedic practitioner. You will further develop clinical reasoning skills, patient…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Spring school (extended) | ||||
View all details for CAA305 Environmental Emergencies for Out-of-Hospital Practice
This unit will build upon previous paramedic studies to develop the students' knowledge and skills in the assessment and management of obstetric and paediatric patients in the out-of-hospital setting. These patient groups have unique anatomical and physiological variances which require…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Spring school (extended) | ||||
View all details for CAA307 Obstetrics and Paediatrics in Paramedic Practice
This unit is intended to integrate the paramedic student’s knowledge and practice, preparing them to work as a beginning out-of-hospital practitioner. This unit will develop the research, ethical practice and professional development skills required of a health care professional, focusing…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
View all details for CAA309 Professional Development in Paramedic Practice
This is the final unit which completes the students' preparation to work as a beginning practitioner Graduate Paramedic. This capstone unit is the third clinical placement which focuses on consolidation all the knowledge and skills the student has acquired during…
Credit Points: 12.5
| Location | Study period | Attendance options | Available to | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hobart | Spring school (extended) | ||||
| Rozelle - Sydney | Spring school (extended) | ||||
View all details for CAA208 Emergency Ambulance Clinical Placement 3
Optional Additional Unit
x…
Credit Points: 12.5
This unit is currently unavailable.
Need help choosing your first year units? Try the Unit Selection Guide.
Entry requirements
Eligibility
We encourage you to apply for the courses you most want to study. If you’re not eligible to enter your chosen course right now, the admissions team will work with you to find the best pathway option.
Enquire online for advice on the application process and the available pathways to study.
DOMESTIC APPLICANTS
Domestic applicants who recently completed secondary education (completed in the past two years)
Applicants are ranked by ATAR and offers made based on the number of places available. In 2020, the lowest ATAR to receive an offer into this course was 77.05. The lowest ATAR to receive an offer may change from year to year based on the number of applications we receive
Applicants who have recently completed senior secondary studies but have not received an ATAR may still be eligible for admission. We will consider your study plan and subject results on a case-by-case basis when we assess your application.
Domestic applicants with higher education study
To be eligible for an offer, you must have:
- Completed a course at university Diploma level or higher at any Australian higher education provider (or an equivalent overseas qualification); or
- Completed at least four units of study (equivalent to 50 UTAS credit points) of a course at Associate Degree level (or an equivalent overseas qualification). If you have failed any units your application may be subject to further review before an offer is made
Domestic Applicants Domestic applicants with VET / TAFE study
To be eligible for an offer, you must have completed a Diploma of Nursing (the approved program of study for enrolled nurses) or Diploma of Paramedical Science
Domestic applicants with work and life experience
Applicants without senior secondary, tertiary or VET / TAFE study can complete a personal competency statement.
Applicants may be eligible for an offer if they have relevant work and / or life experiences which demonstrate a capacity to succeed in this course.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION
If your ability to access or participate in education has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for special consideration as part of your application. We will consider a range of factors for special consideration, including economic hardship, a serious medical condition or disability.
We can only approve applications for special consideration where we are confident that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in your studies. If your application is not approved, the admissions team will work with you to find the best alternative pathway to your chosen course. Special consideration is not available for international applicants.
SAFETY IN PRACTICE REQUIREMENTS
This course includes compulsory work placements. All students must meet the course’s Safety in Practice Requirements before their first placement. The safety in practice requirements are completed separately to the course admission application.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
This course is not available to international students. Please enquire online for advice on alternative course options.
Detailed Admissions Information
Detailed admissions information and advice for all undergraduate courses, including comprehensive, course-level student profiles, is available from UTAS Admissions.
Fees & scholarships
Domestic students
Domestic students enrolled in a full fee paying place are charged the Student Services and Amenities Fee but this fee is incorporated in the fees you pay for each unit you enrol in. Full fee paying domestic students do not have to make any additional SSAF payments.
Detailed tuition fee information for domestic students is available at the Domestic Student Fees website, including additional information in relation to a compulsory Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
International students
International students should refer to the International Students course fees page to get an indicative course cost.
Scholarships
For information on general scholarships available at the University of Tasmania, please visit the scholarships website.
How can we help?
Do you have any questions about choosing a course or applying? Get in touch.
- Domestic
- 1300 363 864
- International
- +61 3 6226 6200
- Course.Info@utas.edu.au
- Online
- Online enquiries