BSc (Hons) Osteopathy Degree

Osteopaths in the UK are regulated by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) and are recognised as an allied health profession by the NHS. Osteopathy uses manual therapy and a range of non-invasive techniques to provide pain relief. Osteopaths are trained to treat musculoskeletal issues, from back pain and neck problems to issues with the joints and muscles. It is a treatment that uses manual and physical therapy to reduce pain and improve the function of the body.

Osteopathy can help alleviate pain with a range of conditions and concerns including sporting injuries, postural problems, and hip or joint aches, to digestive problems, migraines and rheumatic pain. The focus of osteopathic treatment is to handle the root cause of the symptoms, to reduce pain and discomfort and improve your overall wellbeing. The benefits of osteopathy include improved mobility, a regular and more restful sleep pattern, increased energy levels, a reduction in stress and muscle tension, and a positive impact on your mood.

The four year BSc(Hons) Osteopathy is an undergraduate ‘modified attendance’ degree programme, blending face-to-face/live-streamed theory lectures with in-person practical classes and clinical experience.

The course is designed for those looking to become a registered osteopath who need to study flexibly around work/life commitments. It runs over two evenings a week (6-9pm) and one weekend day a month (9am-5.30pm). Additional hours needed for the completion of essential clinical hours and for optional tutorials. This is an intense full-time degree programme, which requires commitment from the student to undertake additional self-directed study.

Successful students will graduate from BCOM or ESO with a BSc(Hons) Osteopathy, validated by the University of Plymouth. The university’s rigorous validation process is in place to ensure all educational standards are met.*

*The BSc (Hons) Osteopathy degree is validated by our partner university, University of Plymouth, and is fully accredited by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) with ‘recognised qualification’ status in accordance with the Osteopaths Act 1993.

For information about our full-time Master of Osteopathy (MOst), available in London and Kent, please click here.

On successful completion of this degree, graduates may apply for registration with the General Osteopathic Council, the UK regulator for the profession and the General Council and Register of Naturopaths and then start practising as an osteopath straight away.*

BCOM is an experienced and established osteopathic school with a reputation for high quality education. It currently delivers a course with ‘recognised qualification’ (RQ) status.

*The BSc (Hons) Osteopathy degree is validated by our partner university, University of Plymouth, and is fully accredited by the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) with ‘recognised qualification’ status in accordance with the Osteopaths Act 1993.

The BSc(Hons) is delivered through live-streamed theory and in-person practical classes and clinical experience at the BCOM (London) site and from September 2024 at the ESO (Kent) site. Students have access to online and library resources to support their studies.

The curriculum involves problem-based learning, case-based scenarios and research in osteopathy over four years. The teaching clinic sits alongside practical skills classes, lectures, tutorials, online learning resources, which aims to develop clinical reasoning, student reflection and self-directed learning. Throughout the four years, students engage with evidence-based medicine and learn to evaluate and appraise evidence critically. Students need to complete a minimum of 1000 hours of clinical practice; students initially observe in clinic in Year 1, progressing to ‘hands-on’ experience in Years 3 and 4.

For more information about module content, assessment and delivery click here

The BSc(Hons) Osteopathy programme specification can be found here

Please note the BCNO Group is committed to ensuring that courses run as advertised; however, if a minimum number of students is not reached, courses may be changed, rescheduled, or cancelled. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible. In most cases, the approval of courses usually lasts for five years, from the point of validation until the point of periodic review of the course. During this period, a course may be modified to enhance provision and ensure that it is compliant with accreditation bodies or partners to meet quality standards. As part of this process current students will be consulted on any proposed change and current and prospective students will be notified of any change.

This is a full-time, modified attendance course, combining face-to-face and streamed/online classes:-

• In Years 1 and 2, there will be two evening lectures per week (6-9pm) and lectures one Saturday a month (9am – 5.30pm)
• In Year 3, there will be lectures one evening per week and one Saturday per month. Clinical Practice will take place on two half days a week. 
• In Year 4, there will be one evening lecture per week. Clinical Practice will take place on two half days a week and there will be Clinical Practice every Saturday
• There will be a mixture of face-to-face and online lectures
• Over the four years you will need to spend 1000 hours in the Clinical setting in order to meet the requirements of the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC).  The majority of these hours will be in scheduled teaching slots, but you need to have the flexibility to manage additional hours depending on your needs
• As with all UK degree courses, students are expected to spend time in self-directed study.  This will vary from student to student and is not a fixed figure, but you need to plan to be able to spend around three hours in self-study for every one hour of contact time

The programme utilises a range of assessments. The assessments are designed to be stimulating and challenging, stretching the students’ knowledge and practical skills. Assessments include essays, presentations, group work, reflective accounts, ISCE and clinical assessments either as individual students or group work.

A-level BBC including a science subject*

BTEC National Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma DDM in health, science or sports related subject

Access to Higher Education 18 Level 3 credits at merit or above in science or health-related subject

Welsh Baccalaureate BBC including a science subject*

Scottish Qualifications Authority BBBBC including a science subject*

Irish Leaving Certificate H33334 including a science subject*

International Baccalaureate 32 points to include 5 points in 2 science subjects. If overseas and not studying English within IB, must have IELTS 6.5 overall with 5.5 in all other elements.

Applicants must also have GSCE in English and Maths at level 4 (or equivalent)

Other qualifications We accept a range of other UK, European and International qualifications that could be considered equivalent to the above list.  For further information or to check if your qualifications meet our entry requirements, please contact our friendly Admissions team here. 

*usually biology but will also consider chemistry, physical education, sports science, psychology, mathematics. General studies are not accepted.

English language If English is not your first language, you must have an acceptable Secure English Language Test (SELT), for example, IELTS with a score of 6.5 total with a minimum of 5.5 in all four components (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). 

For further information and a list of approved English test providers click here.

If you have completed a qualification in a majority speaking English country that is equivalent to a UK degree, it is possible this may exempt you from the above requirement.

As part of the conditions of entry, applicants will also be required to complete a health declaration and DBS/criminal records check if choosing to study with us.

For those students who need a refresher in biochemistry and human biology, we offer a free two week online course, ahead of starting the main degree course. This is useful for students who have not covered one of the subject areas or for those who have studied these subjects but some time ago. The course has proved invaluable to students and is a very useful introduction to the main degree course.

Applicants who have studied in a related field (such as Physiotherapy or Sports Science) may be eligible to join us in Year 2 via our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process.

If you would like to be considered for APL, please see our handy PDF guide for more information.

Year 1: £7,700 

Year 2: £7,700 

Year 3: £6,160 

Year 4: £6,160 

The BSc(Hons) is full-time for student finance purposes.

In addition to the annual course tuition fees, there are further requirements and costs for students on the BSc (Hons) Osteopathy course.

Additional Costs:

• Enhanced DBS check – £51.60 (From 1 July 2021)
• Clinic coat – approx. £25
• Clinic equipment – approx. £200 for complete kit
• Massage oil  – approx. £10
• Flexible spine –  approx. £50 
• First aid course - approx. £35 in Year 2
• Graduation ceremony – approx. £60. Guest tickets are £10 each

All costs above are indicative

Our Admissions team is happy to provide guidance and help with any questions you have about the application process. You can contact them directly here.

Step 1: Apply

Apply online through UCAS at www.ucas.com. The codes for the BSc(Hons) can be found below:-

BCOM Institution code: B81
BSc(Hons) Osteopathy Course Code at BCOM: B200

ESO Institution code: E80

BSc(Hons) Osteopathy Course Code at ESO: B210

UCAS will electronically send your application to us for consideration. We will accept applications until 30th June (subject to availability). After that date, please contact our Admissions team.

Step 2: Application Review

Applications are considered individually and with flexibility. When considering your application, we look at the content of your personal statement, as well as your academic profile and reference. Decisions are based on grades (achieved or predicted), personal statements and references. For UCAS guidance on your personal statement please follow this link, and for UCAS guidance on your references, please follow this link.

Successful applicants will be invited to attend an interview via Microsoft Teams (interview times are flexible and can be arranged to fit in with you).

You can find more details about the  relevant selection criteria and Admissions Policy on the ESO and BCOM websites.

Step 3: Interview

The interview will last approximately 30 minutes and is fairly informal. Normally, there will be 2 people interviewing you. Interviews are also an opportunity for you to ask us questions.

At interview, we will want to know why you want to be an osteopath and what skills you think you have that may be relevant. We may also ask about any work experience you have gained. We may ask you questions about the content of your personal statement.

We may ask you to provide documentary evidence of the qualifications you have listed on your UCAS form – either prior or following the interview.

Step 4: Decisions and Offers

Usually, interview outcomes are conveyed to you via UCAS within 5 working days of your interview.

Successful applicants will receive a formal offer letter by email following their interview, detailing either a conditional offer or an unconditional offer of acceptance. An unconditional offer means you do not have to do anything before you start the course. If you receive a conditional offer then the offer conditions have to be met before the end of August. Offer conditions are usually linked to qualification, so we may ask that you obtain specific grades in qualifications such as A-Levels, BTEC qualification or the Baccalaureate. You can either accept or decline the offer through UCAS and they will give you a date by which you have to make your decision.

Step 5: Offer accepted

Congratulations – you have just taken the first step towards your exciting career as an osteopath.

From around May you will be given further information about accommodation and starting the course.

Please note the BCNO Group is committed to ensuring that courses run as advertised; however, if a minimum number of students is not reached, courses may be changed, rescheduled, or cancelled. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible. In most cases, the approval of courses usually lasts for five years, from the point of validation until the point of periodic review of the course. During this period, a course may be modified to enhance provision and ensure that it is compliant with accreditation bodies or partners to meet quality standards. As part of this process current students will be consulted on any proposed change and current and prospective students will be notified of any change.

"I’m a first-year student on the BSc(Hons) Osteopathy modified attendance course and I chose this course because it is quite unique. It is a full-time course but it’s mainly in the evenings and one Saturday a month, to begin with, which means it fits in with my lifestyle and I can still work and study and do all the other commitments that I’ve got.

It also means I get to be an Osteopath within 4 years, so at the end of 4 years, I can start working, whereas many of the other courses I have looked at would take 5 years to get to the same place.

I really like the course content as it is very holistic. We will have units on psychology, functional nutrition, as well as the classic anatomy and osteopathic techniques."

Rose Bundock, Year 1, BSc(Hons) Osteopathy