Healthcare Science

Respiratory and sleep physiology is a specialist branch of healthcare science concerned with the diagnosis and management of conditions affecting breathing and sleep. Respiratory diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis affect millions of people in the UK, and sleep-related breathing disorders such as sleep apnoea are increasingly recognised as significant contributors to serious health problems including cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment. Healthcare scientists in this field work directly with patients and alongside clinical teams to perform diagnostic investigations and help guide treatment decisions.

At Swansea University this three-year, full-time BSc provides the expert training needed to begin a career in this specialist field. You will study the physiology of the respiratory system and the science of sleep, developing both the theoretical knowledge and the practical skills required to perform lung function tests, sleep studies, and other diagnostic investigations. Clinical placements form a significant part of your training, placing you in real healthcare settings where you work under supervision with patients who have respiratory and sleep-related conditions.

By graduation you will be equipped to work as a qualified healthcare scientist, contributing directly to the care of patients and collaborating with doctors, nurses, and other members of the clinical team.

Graduates of this programme typically work within NHS respiratory and sleep departments, in roles that combine hands-on patient contact with technical precision and clinical judgement. The degree leads to registration as a healthcare scientist, and many graduates go on to develop specialist expertise or take on supervisory and leadership roles within their departments. Advanced practice, research, and postgraduate study in respiratory physiology, sleep medicine, or healthcare science management are all available pathways for those who want to develop their career further.

The demand for qualified respiratory and sleep physiologists is supported by the growing burden of respiratory and sleep-related conditions in the population.