Course Overview:

Within the Science department, our ambition is to help you achieve the best possible grade from your Applied Science course, to help you with your next steps.

Through the internal assessments, you will develop your independence and resilience, meeting internal deadlines. You will be supported and guided by your expert teachers, to develop the fundamental practical skills during your two-year course.

We will endeavour to make the course applicable to careers and relevant real-world examples, to make this an engaging, inspiring and academically challenging qualification.

The Applied Science course prepares you for the next step in your educational journey: apprenticeship, university or the workload, whichever you choose to pursue.

Many students use this qualification to enter science-related university courses and careers, including:

Analytical Chemistry

Environmental Science

Diagnostic radiography

Biomedical Science

Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences

Marine Biology

Physiotherapy

Nursing (Child Health, Adult Health and Mental Health)

Forensic Science

Teaching

This course provides a practical-based scientific qualification.  The course aims to provide you with the relevant skills and knowledge that employers value, as well as the confidence to progress into a fulfilling, exciting career.

With a qualification in Applied Science and Medical Science, you will gain valuable hands-on experience which can be applied to a career in industry or allow you to progress into higher education. You will gain two separate BTEC qualifications, each one equivalent to one A Level.

Pearson Level 3 AAQ BTEC National in Applied Science

You have four mandatory units (three are externally assessed), and one optional unit. The external assessments make up 50% of the overall qualification.

Unit 1: Principles and Applications of Biology – Structure and function of cells and tissues, biological molecules, enzymes and their role in organisms (externally assessed)

Unit 2: 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 (externally assessed)

Unit 3: Principles and Applications of Physics – Waves and their applications; force principles and their application in transportation and construction of electrical circuits (externally assessed)

Unit 4: Practical Scientific Procedures and Techniques – Practical applications across the sciences, including chromatography, colorimetry and electrical circuits (internally assessed)

PLUS, one of (to be confirmed):

Uni 5: Scientific Investigation Skills – Investigative research, including planning, data collection, analysis and evaluation (internally assessed)

Unit 6: Contemporary Issues in Science – Contemporary scientific issues including the reliability of sources of scientific information and their associated validity (internally assessed)

Pearson Level 3 AAQ BTEC National in Medical Science

You have three mandatory units (two are externally assessed), and one optional unit. The external assessments make up 58% of the overall qualification.

Unit 1: Human Physiology, Anatomy and Pathology − Human body systems, cell ultrastructure, and how substances are transported (externally assessed)

Unit 2: Health Issues and Scientific Reporting − The immune system, its dysfunction and genetic technologies. The validity and reliability of information used in health science reporting (externally assessed)

Unit 3: Practical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases − Methods of pathogenicity and infectious agents, growth of microorganisms and health and safety in a laboratory environment (internally assessed)

PLUS, one of (to be confirmed):

Unit 4: Diseases, Disorders, Treatments and Therapies − Principles of physiological diseases and disorders and their associated drug and medicine development (internally assessed)

Unit 5: Biomedical Science − Biomedical science techniques and their clinical application (internally assessed)

Unit 6: Human Reproduction and Fertility − Reproductive science including causes of infertility and associated impacts on health and well-being (internally assessed)