I Want to be a Paramedic

Hi,
I've just got an unconditonal at Edge Hill so hopefully I can help

The DipHE's are a 2-year intense course, usually in lectures 9-5, 5 days a week for 6 weeks, then you'll be on placement with a paramedic for the next 6 weeks. The course is typically 45 weeks long, so you get 2 weeks off at Christmas and Easter, and 3 in the Summer.

BSc is a 3-year, more "tradional" uni course - at UWE you only spend 3 days a week in lectures and at Brighton you only have 1! however, more of your course is self-directed - I was told at Brigton that you are only taught 25% of what you will be examined on, the rest you must learn for yourself. 50% of the course is still on placement, but you get more holiday time as the course is 40 weeks long per year. The main difference with the BSc is that significant portion (1/2-1/3) of the third year is spent on your dissertation, so if research isn't for you, you may prefer the DipHE.

In my experience, more DipHE courses are funded, wheras you have to pay the £9000 p/a tuition fees for more of the BSc's.
You are qualified at the end of both the DipHE and BSc to register as a paramedic with the HCPC and are very likely (usually 95%+) to be employed at the end of the course as a paramedic - check unistats.com for specific data on employment for unis

However, the BSc is starting to become the more valuble of the 2 qualifications - many universities are looking to change their course to a BSc in the future, and you need a BSc to get a Master's or PhD (to become an advanced paramedic) or to practice abroad (I.e. Australia).
You can top-up to a BSc after getting a DipHE - many universities that offer the DipHE offer a top-up course where you pay per module and study part time whilst working.

In the end, I cant tell you which qualification is best for you personally - only you can decide. Go to open days, talk to lecturers...for me, it was more important to find a course at a uni that was best suited to my learning style, rather than whether it was a DipHE or BSc, as I will achieve a BSc eventually but I need to pass the course to practice as a paramedic.