About the programme

Health care and social care are increasingly sharing common concerns, bringing with it a need for multi skilled professionals. As well as covering health theory and research, and national and international health policy, this degree will provide you with essential social care skills, such as supporting vulnerable groups and individuals including children and those with rehabilitative needs, and working with specific communities such as elders.
With the knowledge you gain on this programme, you’ll learn how to help others in a wide variety of ways. As well as understanding issues like stress in families, and drug or alcohol problems, you’ll look at subjects like health management and the importance of supportive environments.
This extensive qualification gives you a sound foundation for a wide range of careers in both the Health and Social Care sectors including Health Promotion Officer, Advice Worker, Welfare Officer, Community Development worker, and Healthcare Manager. As well as traditional public sector employers like the NHS, private sector companies and the rapidly-expanding charity sector also offer career opportunities.

Programme modules:

On each level of the BA (Hons) Health & Social Care programme, you must study six modules – 3 in health care, and 3 in social care. At each level, you have core modules that are compulsory, along with a choice of optional modules for you to select from allowing you to specialise in a particular area. A research project module is compulsory at level 3. This allows you to put into practice what you have learnt on the programme and provides you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills.
Level 1

• Personal and Professional Skills (Core)
• Skills for Learning Social Care (Core)
• Who Cares? The Social Care Mosaic (Core)
• Caring in Context: Poverty, Exclusion and Care (Core)
• Understanding Health (Option)
• Development of Healthcare (Option)
• Introduction to Management in Healthcare (Option)
• Introduction to Health Promotion (Option)
• Public Health Foundations (Option)
• Supporting Children, Young People and Families (Option)
• Exploring Social Care Theory and Practice (Option)
• Social Care with and within Groups (Option)

Level 2

• Research Methods (Core)
• Research Skills for Social Care (Core)
• Evidence Based Health and Healthcare (Core)
• Social Care Practice 1 (Core)
• Contemporary Social Policy (Core)
• Principles & Values in Health Care (Option)
• Information Management in Healthcare (Option)
• Managing Resources in Healthcare (Option)
• Health Promotion: Working with Groups (Option)
• Measuring Health and Disease (Option)
• Personal Lives, Identities and Social Care (Option)
• Violence in Everyday Life (Option)
• Legal Contexts of Care (Option)

Level 3

• Work Based Learning - Employability (Core)
• Social Care Practice 2 (Core)
• Project (Core)
• Research Project (Core)
• Global Context of Public Health (Option)
• Policies and Practices in Health (Option)
• Planning Change in Healthcare (Option)
• Power & Empowerment in Health Promotion (Option)
• Implementing Change in Healthcare (Option)
• Bodies and Minds (Option)
• Crime and Justice (Option)
• Education and Everyday Life (Option)
• Housing and Homeless (Option)

Learning materials

This programme is offered on a distance-learning basis allowing you to select your learning environment – be it at home, office or a public library. Learning materials are presented in the format of textbooks with specially written Study Guides containing interactive activities; feedback is provided to enable you to monitor your own progress.

Assessment and examinations

There are two opportunities each calendar year at which to take exams or submit final assessments. There is an expectation that students require this first year to "learn how to learn". This means that the degree award only draws on marks in level II and III for the final classification.

Duration

Each module requires 200 study hours (approximately six months) but you can study more than one module at a time.

Award

BA (Hons) Health and Social Care on successful completion of the full programme. You can also study individual modules, or gain an Ordinary BA degree, a Diploma of Higher Education, a Certificate of Higher Education, a University Undergraduate Certificate or a University Undergraduate Associate Certificate depending on the number of modules completed.