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BSc (Hons) Cardiac Physiology

Learn the fundamentals of professional practice, physiology, and cardiovascular and respiratory science. Develop these skills further, learning the pathophysiology of disease in the cardiac and respiratory system, alongside current methods of testing for the presence of disease.

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Cardiac physiology students using a manikin
UCAS codeB810
Duration3 years
Fee (UK)£9,535
Fee (Int)£17,500
LocationOn campus

Course summary

The BSc (Hons) Cardiac Physiology course follows the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) curriculum, which is designed to prepare you for a career as a healthcare science professional specialising in cardiac physiology.

You’ll learn the core principles of professional practice, human physiology, and the science behind the heart and lungs. As you progress further, you’ll build on this knowledge by exploring how diseases affect the heart and respiratory system, and you'll learn how modern techniques are used to detect and diagnose these conditions.

By the end, you’ll be confident in carrying out and interpreting a variety of clinical tests, such as 12-lead ECG, ambulatory ECG monitoring, non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) checks, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), and exercise tolerance tests (ETT). You’ll also gain the skills to work in more advanced clinical settings, including environments where procedures like cardiac catheterisation and pacemaker implantation are performed. As well as developing an understanding of how specialist non-invasive techniques, like echocardiography, are used in practice.

Our structured curriculum will prepare you to work independently within a diagnostic cardiology department and adopt an ethos of seeking out potential improvements to clinical care.

Accreditations and approvals

  • The course is accredited with the National School of Healthcare Science
  • Upon successful completion of this course, you'll be eligible to register with the Academy of Healthcare Science as a Healthcare Science Practitioner.

What you'll study

Many of our courses include a range of modules you can choose from. Some of these options may only be available if you’ve already studied specific required modules. If you’re not sure what you need before picking a module, your course leader can help.

Undergraduate module credits should total 120 credits per academic year. If optional modules are available alongside core modules on your course, you should choose an amount that totals 120 credits.

How you'll learn

We've adopted a hybrid approach to learning, meaning you can study closer to home or your workplace when not on campus. You'll be asked to come onto campus for one week per semester. During this time, you'll participate in laboratory teaching, clinical simulation exercises, and problem-based learning activities.

You'll study four modules per academic year, two in semester 1 and two in semester 2. Each module will be taught on one day a week during the semester, meaning you'll be expected to participate in formal sessions two days per week. These sessions will take the form of virtual lectures and seminars, where you'll take part in a collective class session at the start of the day, complete additional exercises and activities during the late morning and early afternoon, and reconvene as a class at the end of the day to discuss what's been completed.

Clinical simulation

You'll participate in six weeks of on-campus clinical simulation during the course, with one week of on-campus teaching delivered each semester. You'll also complete an integrated programme of clinical placements within a diagnostic cardiology department for a minimum of 50 weeks over the three-year course.

Clinical placement

Work-based learning will be delivered through clinical placement where you'll participate in supervised activities within an NHS Trust. You'll perform a range of procedures within this live hospital environment, allowing you to build on your experience working as a healthcare science practitioner.

Assessment

Each module includes both summative assessments and formative exercises. Summative assessments consist of:

  • Coursework
  • Written reviews
  • Narratives
  • Evaluations and reflections
  • Oral presentations.

Examinations will take place at each stage of the course ranging from multiple choice and single best answer quizzes in year 1, through to short answer and essay questions in years 2 and 3.

You'll also complete a clinical logbook and professional portfolio as part of the work-based learning component. This will involve completing assessments and collecting evidence that will collectively demonstrate your developing knowledge and skills.

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

UK£9,535
International£17,500

Undergraduate fees are set according to rules from Government in line with forecast inflation. The fee for your first year of study for 2026/27 will be £9,535. You'll pay tuition fees for every year of study. Fees may increase every year based on the Retail Price Index.

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UK students

International students

Disclaimer

We want to make sure you have clear and accurate information about our courses. Our website always shows the latest updates. If you’ve applied and been offered a place, we’ll contact you in writing if anything important changes.

View our programme specifications(opens in new tab) for further information about what the course covers, learning outcomes and the skills you'll gain when you graduate.