Health and Social Care - Foundation Degree

Start Date	Location	Duration / Fees
13/09/2021	University Centre	2 Years / £8,750 per year	Apply

Course Overview

This two-year course will equip you with sector-specific skills and experience working in an ethical and safe way to support your career progression.

This begins with developing an appreciation of working in a resilient way to maintain your own mental health and wellbeing.

You will:

Build on your skills of reflection so you are able to support clients accessing services alongside your ability to be able to articulate for them when they need a voice.
Develop safe research practices that support positive change in provision for service users, staff and employers alongside currency of knowledge drawn from international research.
Gain the knowledge to become a conduit of change and improvement in our community, supporting and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable people in society.

This programme is entirely suited to people with a passion for Health and Social Care who wish to gain the necessary knowledge, skills and graduate attributes to work confidently throughout the sector.

Students attend College one day each week, and spend another day in placement every week throughout the course. If you are already in employment within the Health and Social Care sector you may, once it is verified, use this to satisfy the placement requirement of the programme.The course will provide you with a contemporary blend of practical, vocational and theory based knowledge that will respond directly to employer needs.

It's ideal for current Health and Social Care practitioners who wish to gain further knowledge and understanding in the discipline and have career aspirations of a team leader or supervisor role in industry.

This course can lead to varied career paths in services aligned to the elective modules at Level 5.

For students wishing to advance further from the Foundation Degree there is also opportunity to progress onto the Level 6 BA (Hons) Top Up in Health and Social Care.

Entry Requirements

A minimum of 64 UCAS points or equivalent from an appropriate discipline.

You will be required to be employed (paid/voluntary) in the health and social care sector within 30 days of the start of the course and thereafter for a minimum of 256 hours per year (average 8 hrs per week over 32 weeks) and supply a letter of support from your employer at enrolment.

Applicants who are able to demonstrate relevant work/life skills or knowledge will also be considered on an individual basis.

Qualification Obtained

FdA Health and Social Care

Career Options and Progression

Assessment Methods

Coursework

Most courses are assessed via a combination of coursework and exams – the percentage weighting of each of these is outlined below. Coursework might range from written tasks and assignments to the collation of a portfolio of evidence based around a work placement. Coursework differs from exams in that it is usually non-timed and carried out independently.

Exam

Exams are formal, timed written assessments, carried out in a controlled environment and overseen by one or more invigilators. They assess your grasp of the theory and underpinning knowledge related to your chosen career area. The opposite of practicals, they require you to set out your practical understanding within an academic context. Some courses have no exams – the exam/coursework ratio is outlined below.

Practical

Practical assessments identify your technical ability to apply theory to hands-on tasks in your chosen career area. They can be timed or non-timed and involve observation of your practical skills and competencies, either in a work-based environment or a dedicated College setting that closely resembles the workplace. Practical work-based assessments are supported and carried out by a trained assessor.

Assessment Method	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6
Coursework	79%	84%	0%
Exam	0%	4%	0%
Practical	21%	12%	0%

Course Structure

Level 4 Modules

Title	Code	Credits	Options
Legal and Ethical Issues	SM4MD139	20	Mandatory
Quality Assurance	SM4MD140	20	Mandatory
Reflective Practice Health Socal Care	SM4MD141	20	Mandatory
Safeguarding	SM4MD142	20	Mandatory
Social Policy	SM4MD143	20	Mandatory
Introduction to Academic Study Shac	SM4MD150	20	Mandatory

Level 5 Modules

Title	Code	Credits	Options
Work Based Research Project	SM5MD191	20	Mandatory
Developing a Resilient Workforce	SM5MD192	20	Mandatory
Ageing Health and Wellbeing	SM5MD193	20	Optional
Children and Families	SM5MD194	20	Optional
Learning Disability	SM5MD195	20	Optional
Mental Health	SM5MD196	20	Optional (most common)
Substance Misuse	SM5MD197	20	Optional (most common)
Risk and Prevention	SM5MD198	20	Optional
Stigma and Intervention	SM5MD199	20	Optional (most common)
Strategies Policy and Practice	SM5MD200	20	Optional (most common)
Theory Policy and Practice	SM5MD201	20	Optional
Therapy and Intervention	SM5MD202	20	Optional

Teaching and Learning Methods

Scheduled Learning

Scheduled time relates to the time you spend in directed study with the guidance and support of our academic tutors. Scheduled learning can take a variety of forms and will vary from one course to the next, but may include lectures, seminars, tutorials, project supervision, demonstrations, studio or workshop time, fieldwork and external visits.

Independent Study

Higher education courses rely on students undertaking work outside of formal, scheduled sessions and this is generally categorised as independent study. Independent study might include preparation for scheduled sessions, follow-up work, wider reading or practice, completion of assessment tasks and revision.

Placement

Many of the degree programmes at B&FC incorporate opportunities for work placements to provide you with the opportunity to link your studies to relevant professional practice in a real work environment. Our programme teams are able to offer support in securing an appropriate work placement where it forms part of your programme, and will work closely with you during the placement to ensure that the opportunity allows you to develop personally, professionally and academically.

Learning Method	Level 4	Level 5
Scheduled	280	288
Independent	920	816
Placement	0	96
Total	1200	1200

Industry Placement and Field Trips

Other Costs and Equipment Needed

Expert Tutors

All staff involved in the delivery of higher education courses within the College are approved to teach the subjects and modules they deliver. The approval process ensures that staff delivering a given programme are appropriately qualified and, where appropriate, possess relevant technical and industrial experience and professional practice.

Tuition Fees

Read our tuition fees guide.