Programme Specification


Date Specification Approved 14/08/2025
College College Medicine and Health
School School of Medical Sciences
Department Birmingham Medical School
Partner College and School Computer Science
Collaborative Organisation and Form of Collaboration
Qualification and Programme Title M.B.Ch.B. with Year in Computer Science Full-time
Programme Code 818I
Delivery Location Campus
Language of Study English
Length of Programme 6 Year(s)
Accreditations This programme has no outside accreditations
Aims of the Programme The MB ChB programme (1707 and 1708) aims to enable the Birmingham Medical Graduate to be:
  • Honest, compassionate and kind to patients, their colleagues and themselves.
  • Committed to promoting health as well as to treating disease.
  • Clinicians with a firm understanding of the fundamental sciences underpinning medical practice.
  • Intellectually curious, committed to being the lifelong learner the medical profession needs, able to interpret and apply research to bring a sound evidence base to their practice.
  • Future focused, embracing new technologies and sustainable approaches to health and care, with an entrepreneurial spirit, able to counter health inequalities through their practice.
  • Critical and creative thinkers, bringing together complex information, managing uncertainty and making decisions, applying practical wisdom.
  • Ethically, socially engaged, culturally confident, natural collaborators able to relate to, work and communicate with people from different backgrounds and disciplines in multicultural environments both in the West Midlands and globally.
The Birmingham Medical School MBChB programme offers strong foundations in the Fundamental Medical and Social sciences, complemented by a world class research portfolio. Teaching is integrated and contextualised from the very beginning of the course. Clinical Sciences are taught together with, and applied to, clinical learning. Teaching takes place on campus, at community placements and in NHS trusts in and around the West Midlands, giving students clinical exposure from their very first semester. Opportunities to study medicine abroad in specialist interest areas as part of an elective are offered. Additionally, students may choose to intercalate and study an additional degree whilst at the University, developing their breadth of experience further. The remainder of this Programme Specification relates to Programme 1707 unless otherwise specified. Documentation for 1708 will be submitted in Spring 2025.
Programme Outcomes
Students are expected to have Knowledge and Understanding of: Which will be gained through the following Teaching and Learning methods: and assessed using the following methods:
The scientific disciplines fundamental to the study of medicine and clinical practice
The causes and mechanisms of disease
The principles of therapeutic interventions, health promotion and illness prevention
The fundamentals of holistic patient-centred care
The professional, ethical and legal issues relating to the practice of medicine
The principles underlying patient safety, quality improvement, sustainability, leadership and team working in health care
The principles and use of technology in health care, learning and assessment
The principles and application of clinical research, including study design
In years 1 and 2, theoretical teaching will be delivered using blended learning including lectures, small group facilitated learning, practicals, and workshops, using collaborative learning, problem-solving, inquiry-based learning and technology enhanced learning.

All methods will be created using the principles of learning science and with an emphasis on facilitating integration and synopsis.

Clinical learning involves students in all aspects of practice-based education, including clinical communication, clinical procedures and reflection, with an emphasis on students gaining experience by deliberate practice.

Independent, self-directed learning is expected as an integral part of both theoretical and practice-based learning.
Assessed by
  • • Examination
  • • On campus ‘closed book exams’
  • • Practical exams and assessments
  • • Coursework
  • • Portfolio of work/tasks (assessing skills, behaviours and professional competencies)
There will be opportunities for all competences to be assessed formatively before summative assessments
Students are expected to have attained the following Skills and other Attributes: Which will be gained through the following Teaching and Learning methods: and assessed using the following methods:
Educational skills and attitudes required by a medical practitioner to be an effective lifelong learner
Competence in using computers and information technology in all aspects of learning, health care and assessment
Synthesis and application of evidence to support problem solving
Employment of appropriate communication skills and behaviours toward patients, colleagues, and teachers
Appropriate strategies for for management of their personal physical and mental wellbeing
Management of complexity and uncertainty
Competent assessment of patient presentations and development of appropriate management plans
Behaviour according to ethical and professional principles
Effective functioning in a team

In Years 1 and 2, theoretical teaching will be delivered using blended learning, including lectures, small group facilitated learning, practicals and workshops, using collaborative learning, problem-solving, inquiry-based learning and technology enhanced learning.
All methods will be created using the principles of learning science and with an emphasis on facilitating integration and synopsis.
Clinical learning involves students in all aspects of practice-based education, including clinical communication, clinical procedures and reflection, with an emphasis on students gaining experience by deliberate practice.
Independent, self-directed learning is expected as an integral part of both theoretical and practice-based learning.


Assessed by
  • Examination
  • On campus ‘closed book exams’
  • Practical exams and assessments
  • Coursework
  • Portfolio of work/tasks (assessing skills, behaviours and professional competencies)
There will be opportunities for all competences to be assessed formatively before summative assessments