Skip to content

Healthcare Science (Assisting with Healthcare Science; Pharmacy Services)

Course Code: TLHCS
  • Level: 3
  • Qualification: T Level
  • Awarding body: Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE)
  • Duration: Two years
  • Course type: Full-time
  • Time of day: Daytime
  • When you'll study: TBC

What's it all about?

The healthcare science industry offers a wealth of opportunities for people who are passionate about helping others, but are also looking for satisfying and well-paid careers.

You will develop a general understanding of health and science and about working within the health and science sector. You will further your knowledge of core scientific concepts such as cell structure, genetics, microbiology and immunology, whilst also developing the principles of good scientific and clinical practice.

The Healthcare Science T Level will give you the option to specialise to allow you to develop more specific skills in either:

  • pharmacy services
  • assisting with healthcare science.

T Levels are a brand-new qualification designed to give you a head start towards the future you want. They follow GCSEs and are equivalent to three A Levels.

This two-year T Level qualification brings classroom and work placement together on a course designed with employers and businesses.

You’ll spend 80% of your time in the classroom and 20% on a 45-day placement to give you the skills and knowledge employers are looking for.

Your T Level will help you to step straight into your chosen career, an Apprenticeship or a degree.

Course information

All students will develop a general understanding of health and science and will study:

  • working within the health science sector
  • health, safety and environmental regulations
  • managing information and data
  • principles of good scientific and clinical practice
  • core science concepts including the structure of cells, tissues and large molecules, genetics, microbiology and immunology.
  • providing person-centred care
  • infection prevention and control.

You will choose between two occupational specialisms: pharmacy services and assisting with healthcare science.

By choosing the pharmacy services pathway, you will study:

  • the roles and responsibilities of those who offer pharmaceutical care and advice
  • microbiology and physiology for pharmacy
  • pharmacy law, ethics and practice
  • the importance and essential information gathering.

By choosing the assisting with healthcare science pathway, you will study:

  • best patient care
  • how to produce reliable data and images for use by healthcare professionals in diagnosis and treatment.
  • how to recognise when to make referrals
  • skills for laboratory work.

In our experience, to be successful on this level of programme you will need an appropriate functional level in English and maths to be able to fulfil the coursework requirements. We welcome applications from those who have one or more of the following:

  • five GCSEs at grades 9-4, with English, maths and science at grade 5 or above
  • a BTEC Level 2 certificate or equivalent graded merit or above
  • successful completion of an Apprenticeship programme.

This course is currently only for 16 to 18-year-olds.

Assessment will be through written and practical examinations, employer projects, group work, presentations and analysis.

Click here to visit the official NCFE website.

On successful completion of the T Level you may progress to:

  • the HNC/D in Applied Science  at the College
  • the Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care at the College
  • university-level study in a related subject at institutions throughout the UK
  • an Apprenticeship
  • employment in a variety of jobs, for example: biomedical scientist/engineer, dental technician, healthcare scientist, pharmacy technician, radiography assistant.

Please note fees are quoted for one year only.

Download course PDF

Future careers

What you could earn:

Social Workers

£49,274.84

Potential salary

£18,577.38

Entry level salary

£34,237.00

Average salary

23

Annual openings in Plymouth

Related courses

Understanding Behaviour That Challenges

  • Level: 2
  • Qualification: Certificate
  • Awarding body: Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE)
  • Duration: Six weeks
  • Course type: Short course

Interpersonal Skills

  • Level: 1
  • Awarding body: Northern Council for Further Education (NCFE)
  • Duration: Six weeks
  • Course type: Short course

British Sign Language

  • Level: 1
  • Qualification: Award
  • Awarding body: BSL
  • Duration: 12 weeks
  • Course type: Short course
View all courses

Book an open day and come visit us!

Come and visit us on one of our college open days, where you can find out more about our courses, check out our facilities and speak to current students and staff.