About.

The BTEC Extended Diploma in Biomedical Science is a vocational qualification designed to reflect aspects of employment in a scientific organisation through enabling leaners to develop their practical and communicative skills. This qualification is suited to learners who would prefer portfolio based assessment of their abilities covering various aspects of forensic science.

This course will offer those students who would like to study Level 3 Science but have not achieved the necessary grades for an A-level course or prefer a vocational portfolio based learning environment. This course will still allow pupils who want to pursue further education into healthcare science to do so. This course may not be suitable for students wishing to study medicine, dentistry or attend Oxbridge.

Entry requirements: 4 or above in Combined Science/Separate Sciences and 4 or above in English and 5 or above in Maths (average GCSE point score 4.8 or above)

Complementary Subjects.

Maths Biology Chemistry

Career Pathways.

Laboratory technician, forensic scientist, audiology, armed forces, biologist, biochemist, pharmacy, teaching, forensic psychologist, optometry, radiography, paramedic science, nursing and midwifery.

Careers Page

Further Information.

If you require further information on any aspect of the course you should contact the following:

Shehla Rahman
Ms Shehla Rahman,
Science ACAL/Subject Leader Chemistry

Assessment.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Biomedical Science is worth 1080 points- equivalent to 3 A levels.

Each unit can be achieved at a Pass (equivalent to grade E), Merit (equivalent to grade C) and Distinction (equivalent to A).

Each unit will be assessed through various methods including scientific laboratory reports, photographs, presentations, essays and technical drawings.

Teaching Units, Assessment Method and Weighting.

Unit Name and Number
Summary of Unit
Unit 1: Principles and Applications of Science I
This is an external written exam, which covers the foundations in biology, chemistry and physics. This exam in 90 marks (each section is 30 marks)
Unit 2: Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques
This is an internal assignment unit, which covers practical experiments from science such as titrations, calorimetry and chromatography. You will be looking at their execution and the safety around them.
Unit 3: Science Investigative Skills
This is an external task, which looks at ways to plan a scientific experiment, draw conclusions and evaluate the method. This links to Unit 1 and 2.
Unit 4: Laboratory Techniques and their Application
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at the laboratories as well as the chemical and manufacturing systems present in a scientific organisation.
Unit 5: Principles and Applications of Science II
This is an external written exam, which builds on Unit 1. This exam is 120 marks (each section is 40 marks)
Unit 6: Investigative Project
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at the skills needed to produce a scientific report. You will be expected to review literature and produced a project report.
Unit 7: Contemporary Issues in Science
This is an external task, which looks at current issues in science and then checks the reliability of the data collected.
Unit 8: Physiology of Human and Body Systems
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at the various systems of the human body and how they work together.
Unit 12: Diseases and Infection
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at the causes of infection and how interact with the environment as well as looking at epidemiology.
Unit 14: Applications of Organic Chemistry
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at the various organic compounds such as haloalkanes and carboxylic acids and how to turn one into another.
Unit 9: Human Reproduction and Regulation
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at the different endocrine and neural pathways in the human body.
Unit 22: Materials Science
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at different materials, their manufacturing and the issues around their disposal.
Unit 21: Medical Physics Applications
This is an internal assignment unit, which looks at the various imaging and radiography techniques available as well as their advantages and disadvantages.