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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
The Bachelor of Osteopathy course is a five-year, part-time course of study that has been flexibly designed to allow students to hold down a full-time job whilst undertaking the first three years of the course, and to work part-time during the final two years.
The qualification differs from the M.Ost in that the research dissertation is marked at an undergraduate rather than a Masters level; the clinical credits remain at Masters level and the competence of B.Ost graduates as osteopaths will remain at the BSOs very high standards. Subject to validation and RQ.
The integrated Masters course is an undergraduate degree, but on completion you will be working at a level beyond most first degrees, including taking responsibility for patient care. It provides you with the best osteopathic education available, tutored by experienced practitioners. From the first year, you have contact with patients, and this expands throughout your degree.
In addition, our osteopathic library is one of the best in the world. You will gain experience of managing problems, diagnosis, evaluating and selecting treatments, and developing your interpersonal skills.
Key features
Areas of study include:
The assessment strategy aims to implement a programme that is reliable, valid and fair, enabling the learning outcomes to be assessed while promoting learning. To this end the assessments have been kept to a minimum within our requirement to ensure that the learning outcomes are achieved. You will experience a range of assessment methods including negotiating a learning contract, critical incident analysis and development of a personal evidence portfolio. You have an opportunity to pursue a topic of personal interest in the Individual Enquiry; this major piece of work is part of the Critical Analysis and Enquiry Area of Study.
A range of formative assessments at various stages provide you with useful knowledge of your achievements and capability as well as feedback to guide future development. In addition, we are moving towards offering on-line assessments using computer technology.
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:
1. Have a broad knowledge of human structure and function focusing on its integrated nature, and detailed knowledge of the musculoskeletal system.
2. Have knowledge of osteopathic health care, its history and distinctive features.
3. Have an understanding of how healthy human functioning can be compromised by environmental, psychological and social conditions, resulting in illness and disease.
4. Be highly skilled in performing and have a comprehensive understanding of a range of manual techniques ranging from gentle soft-tissue and tissue release type techniques to stronger articulation and high velocity thrust techniques.
5. Be able to critically evaluate current research and methodologies, review data and evaluate outcomes of clinical interventions and propose new hypotheses.
6. Be able to deal with complex and unpredictable clinical situations both systematically and creatively, make sound diagnoses in the absence of complete data and communicate your conclusions to other healthcare practitioners and patients.
7. Be competent in managing a range of clinical problems and of applying appropriate treatment interventions effectively and ethically, while acknowledging the inherently uncertain nature of health care practice.
8. Be able to undertake independent learning required for continuing professional development demonstrating self-direction and originality in problem-solving and autonomy as an osteopathic healthcare practitioner.
9. Be able to communicate professionally, effectively and efficiently with patients, osteopathic colleagues and other healthcare professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds in order to deliver high quality osteopathic care, utilising both verbal and non-verbal skills to a high standard.
10. Be competent in producing, presenting and storing high quality and organised written records and data (both qualitative and quantitative) in compliance with appropriate legal requirements and for the purposes of Continuing Professional Development.
The General Osteopathic Council Codes of Practice:
http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/about_gosc/4387CodesOfPractice_A_W.pdf
The General Osteopathic Council Standard of Proficiency (S2K):
http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/about_gosc/standard_2000.pdf
The aim of the M.Ost is:
To enable you to attain the capabilities and qualities of the Definitive BSO Graduate as identified in the Student Handbook.
To be able to recognise and promote:
To promote an approach to teaching and learning that embodies effective management of change and uncertainty, and encourages a commitment to self-managed, life-long learning.
The ability to work with others is another key skill in practice and one that informs our selection process. Team work is an important aspect of the BSO to ensure the highest standard of osteopathic education. Small group seminars and tutorials are interactive where learning occurs through interaction. In practical classes you will work with other students to develop your practical skills where mutual respect and care are essential.
Career opportunities in osteopathy are increasing and, as the public awareness of osteopathy grows, there is an increasing demand for qualified and registered osteopaths.
Most osteopaths are self employed, which means that there is no clear pre determined career path. Career progression usually begins, however, by working as an osteopath's assistant and this often leads to running your own practice. Self employed osteopaths with their own practices must be prepared to spend time building and marketing their businesses. The conversion course has components to enable you to ensure that you build on your skills to run an effective and efficient practice including marketing skills to help you to build and develop this.
BSO-trained osteopaths are renowned for their high-quality practice; although most work in private practice, osteopathy can open the door to a wide choice of careers within the NHS. It also provides an opportunity to work flexibly, and acts as a gateway to postgraduate studies (MSc and Professional Doctorate), osteopathic research and osteopathic education.
Career:
Completion of the conversion course will provide evidence which may be able to be used as contributing to revalidation processes when the GOsC revalidation scheme is announced.
Addressing the increased expectations of health care practitioners to evaluate and describe their practice in a competitive market, including bidding for and gaining public sector funding.
Developing higher level skills that may be helpful for osteopaths, who are keen to develop an academic role at one of the approved osteopathic schools as part of their career development.
Research in osteopathy is also a growing area of the profession and there is an increasing number of opportunities to undertake research into particular areas of specialism.
Subjects studied on the LPA unit could lead to diversification of your practice and enhancement of the services you offer.
Further study:
There are an increasing number of Masters qualifications in the field of osteopathy. Usually these are more specialised areas e.g. Osteopathy in the Cranial Field, Paediatric Osteopathy and Osteopathy related to Sports Science. The BSO is also developing a professional doctorate, the first in this country. You must have a Recognised Qualification to be eligible for entry onto all of the aforementioned courses.
Applicants will be considered if they meet the following criteria:
If you meet these criteria you will be awarded AP(C) L credits for Levels 4, 5 and 6. The course constitutes a programme that recognises and takes account of previous study and professional experience.
You must provide evidence of satisfactory completion of appropriate prior educational and professional achievement. The satisfaction of these requirements shall equate to completion of Level 4, 5 and 6 and you will therefore be admitted directly to level 7.
The course content claimed from other institutions will be subject to confirmation from the Institution in question. This may incur an administration charge.
For further information about BSO Entry Requirements, please see: http://www.bso.ac.uk/mm2enreq.htm:
A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.
Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.
Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.
We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.
We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.
The general requirement is one of the following:
Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.
As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.
We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.
(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)
We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.
Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.
Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section
APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.
Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `
The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.
We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.
Return your completed application to:
University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk
1. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks:
2. Attendance & Punctuality Requirements:
3. General Behaviour:
4. Clinic Professional Standards:
5. Use of Mobile Phones:
6. Contact Arrangements:
7. Assessment Requirements:
8. School Policies and Procedures:
If you have, or think you may have a disability or special learning need, you are advised to disclose this to the Disability Advisor as soon as possible. You may be entitled to Disabled Students Allowance and extra examination time. The Disability Advisor is based in Room 3.06.
The BSO promotes equality for all and has published the BSO Disability Equality Scheme in December 2006 and updated annually. You are warmly welcomed to contribute to this by joining the Disability Equality Committee which meets termly.
Communication:
Communication skills are fundamental to clinical practice and feature in case history taking, writing case notes, as well as verbal and non-verbal communication with tutors, students, patients (and their families). The ability to write professional letters to other health care workers and to write reports for patients and their agents also requires high level communication skills. In addition, you will be expected to present to small and large groups supported as necessary by AV media. Communication skills are covered explicitly in the Osteopathic Practice Unit and are covered implicitly in all areas of the course, as good communication skills are fundamental to being a successful osteopath.
Information Literacy:
IT is an important resource both within the BSO and increasingly in professional practice. You will be expected to use IT for: word processing; communication between yourself and faculty, staff and other students using both email and on-line conferences; statistical data analysis; searching on-line resources; presentations; and to record resources such as video of your clinical performance to support your learning. The BSO believe that it is best developed within the context of the academic curriculum, rather than as a separate add-on removed from the subject content. It is suggested that students are more likely to recognise the relevance and importance of information literacy if teaching is delivered at the point of need, affiliated with their own subject, and included in assessment. A basic IT introduction is offered to all students to enable them to access all of the relevant resources. Students are then encouraged to seek help as and when required. If there is an identified need the School will aim to run specific workshops to address the issues raised.
Research and Evaluation:
To help with the development of this you will undertake the Critical Analysis and Evaluation Unit and the Bridging Course. Subjects covered will be Introduction to Critical Thinking, Nature and Hierarchy of Evidence, Referencing and Literature Searching, and the PDP as a strong reflective element. All aspects of the delivered and self-managed study in this area focus on deepening your awareness and knowledge of osteopathic research. It also prepares you for the transition from guided learning with some self managed component to a higher level of self managed learning for the CAE Project.
Creativity and Critical Thinking:
To help with the development of this you will take part in different methods of teaching and learning such as case based learning, smell group seminars, tutorials, and also in a variety of assessment methods such as study journals, portfolios and self-assessments. These are creative works, and you are encouraged to experiment with fictional forms of writing, or writing from different perspectives. Completing practicals and assignments will demonstrate the application of understanding and ability to utilize knowledge that goes beyond the learning materials that were provided. You are given the opportunity to explore new opportunities with the Student Learning Advisor and your Academic Tutors with regard to academic and personal skills development, and different ways of learning.
The BSO works hard to promote personalised learner development as appropriate preparation for a profession that demands its practitioners to become reflective. This is headed up by the Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) that is completed by all students. This document encourages the students to highlight their own areas of development while building on their personal successes and they are supported in this by Academic Tutors. Students are encouraged to open a dialogue about their work with these tutors as well as those who assess them to ensure they can more effectively highlight where they need to go next. A bridging course is a key component of the conversion course to introduce you to studying at M level and the study skills that you will need to be successful.
In line with other sectors in Higher Education, the BSO has introduced Professional Development Plans (PDPs) into the course structure. Your PDP will help you to monitor your progress, record your achievements and enable you to plan your development through the course most effectively. Support will be provided by the Student Learning Advisor who is part of the Student Support Team. Your PDP will also record and enable us to assess your progress in the six key skills outlined above and help you to formulate an action plan to further develop these skills. You are expected to manage your learning under guidance from faculty. You will undertake a Personal Development Plan where you identify your strengths and devise strategies and plans to build on them and to improve areas of weakness. In addition, you are expected to keep a record of a range of experiences from practice, to reflect on them and modify your performance as a consequence.
Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks:
Attendance & Punctuality Requirements:
General Behaviour:
Clinic Professional Standards:
Within any clinical environment you are required to behave and present yourself as the professional that you are. Should you be treating patients in the BSO clinic there are several standards that you are required to adhere to:
Dress Code:
Behaviour:
Confidentiality:
Use of Mobile Phones:
Contact Arrangements:
Assessment Requirements:
School Policies and Procedures:
1. Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Checks:
2. Attendance & Punctuality Requirements:
3. General Behaviour:
4. Clinic Professional Standards:
5. Use of Mobile Phones:
6. Contact Arrangements:
7. Assessment Requirements:
8. School Policies and Procedures:
