BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with foundation year
Course Overview
Health and social care is a vast service sector providing support to vulnerable people, such as children, older people and adults with disabilities or mental health issues. Our BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with foundation year offers you the opportunity to develop the values, skills and knowledge essential to good health and social care practice, opening the door to a huge range of rewarding employment opportunities.Balancing policy, practice and academic training, our course is strongly linked to the UK government's health and social care agendas. Our highly experienced and dedicated team will lead you in exploring the principles of care, person-centred health and social care, the ethical aspects of care, and areas such as health promotion, safeguarding, and more. We'll support you as you learn how to collaborate across professional boundaries, use evidence to inform your decisions, and understand critical health and social care issues and ways of dealing with them.
Practical experience, including a work experience placement in a health and social care setting, is key to your development. Our focus is on helping you become a knowledgeable, compassionate, and person-centred care professional.
Highlights
- This course includes a foundation year that supports you in developing essential academic and research skills by examining key social issues that impact the health and wellbeing of individuals.
- Guest lectures and talks by health and social care service providers and users give alternative perspectives to enhance your understanding.
- Professional experience is an essential element of the course that gives valuable, hands-on, real-life experience in a health and social care setting. Our extensive network of health and social care contacts means we can offer a wide variety of placements.
- Alongside specialist health and social care knowledge, you'll have the chance to develop your skills in research, data evaluation, critical reasoning and analysis, as well as in areas such as communication, team working, problem-solving and self-reflection.
Key Features
- We use small group and tutorial teaching, so you have the opportunity to benefit from the excellent support offered by our teaching staff.
- Getting out of the classroom and into the workplace is a key part of your learning, so you'll undertake a placement in a health and social care setting at level HE5 of the course.
- We'll encourage you to volunteer in health and social care environments throughout the course. These activities contribute to your portfolio of evidence, ready to impress employers when you enter the jobs market.
- By studying alongside students who are already health and social care professionals, you'll be able to share the knowledge and experience they have developed in their working environments, helping you to provide the highest standard of care for your patients in the future.
- Free Pre-sessional English classes are available if you need support to improve your English language skills to meet the English language requirements for your chosen course.
- You'll benefit from dedicated student and academic support during your time at our London Academic Centre.
- We offer Success, Character, Opportunity and Progress Enhancement (SCOPE) sessions that are designed to support your growth and enable you to develop wider thinking across your curriculum.
- You'll be able to take advantage of our Thinking into Character (TiC) suite of educational programmes that focus on helping you to think bigger, aim higher and achieve your dreams.
- A link tutor provides academic communication between our London Academic Centre at Regent College London and the University of Bolton's academic school so that the experience you receive as an off-campus student is equivalent to that of an on-campus student.
- As an off-campus student, you'll also have access to the support of the University's dedicated off-campus team and resources to help make you truly feel part of the institution.
- You'll also have access to the University's e-learning resources, an extensive e-library and the support of University librarians.
Entry Requirements
- 48 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T-levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
- Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3.
- You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics. If you didn't study GCSEs, please contact us for details of other acceptable qualifications.
- If you have non-traditional entry qualifications and relevant experience, or a suitable portfolio of work that we consider a reasonable substitute for the qualifications we typically accept for this course, then we will be happy to consider your application.
- Every application will be considered on its individual merits.
- You’ll be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
- If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 5.0 with no less than 4.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details. Where we think you’ll benefit from English language tuition, we’ll support you to improve your English language skills as part of your foundation year. This will help you to succeed at degree level.
- Some work placements (taken during Level HE5 of the course) involve regular unsupervised access to children and/or vulnerable adults, also known as regulated activity. If you'll be undertaking a placement that involves regulated activity you'll have to get an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) beforehand. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service. You don't need to apply for DBS Enhanced Disclosure before starting the course.
- Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.
- Please visit www.rcl.ac.uk to find out more about our London Academic Centre and Regent College London.
Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.
Career Opportunities
Our BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with foundation year looks at health in its broad context and investigates contemporary health issues. There's a growing demand for health and social care workers who are not restricted by boundaries and can work flexibly to accommodate the increasingly complex health and social care needs of individuals, families and communities.
This degree will also enable you to develop a range of key transferable employability skills, including written and verbal communication skills, IT skills, the ability to work independently and in a team, research and data analysis skills, the ability to provide support and guidance, and work in complex and demanding situations.
What can I do with this qualification?
In addition, as a graduate with a health and social care background, you'll be in a good position to be considered for careers in health education and promotion, welfare, health research, community mental health and commissioning and care management services. You'll be able to pursue roles in service management and coordination or advocacy, education and training. You might also seek work as a technician and support worker helping children and families, older and disabled people, drug and alcohol abusers, and people with mental health problems.
Further study is a popular option for health and social care graduates. For some career areas, such as social work, nursing, research and teaching, additional study is required to achieve professional recognition.
Alternative career options
Graduates can use this qualification as a stepping stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include the following:
- Probation work
- Substance misuse
- Victim support
- Youth work
- Social housing
- Learning support
- Counselling
- Mental health
- Occupational therapy
- Community education
- Teaching and training
- Journalism
- Dietitian
Fees & Funding
Home/EU Fees
No fee information is currently available, please contact the University of Bolton’s Academic Fees team by emailing AcademicFees@bolton.ac.uk for more information.
International Fees
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Bursaries
Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.
The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.
How to apply
Home Applicants
If you wish to apply to multiple institutions or courses for September, then apply through UCAS
You can apply for up to 5 courses through UCAS (at the same or different institutions) for a fee of £27. Alternatively, if you only wish to apply for a single course at a single institution then a reduced applicant's fee of £22.50 is applicable.
The online application form and guidance notes are available on the UCAS website.
You will need the following information to complete your UCAS application form:
Institution Code Name: BOLTN
Institution Code Number: B44
Tel: 0870 1122211
Web: www.ucas.com
International Applicants
International applications are not possible for this course
As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.
We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.
Partner Organisation Applicants
Please contact Admissions by telephone on 01204 903903 or email enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Admissions
University of Bolton
Deane Road
Bolton, BL3 5AB
United Kingdom
Tel: 01204 903903
Email: enquiries@bolton.ac.uk
Teaching & Assessment
We use a wide variety of learning, teaching and assessment methods. These aim to help you develop the skills, knowledge and competencies you need to achieve the learning outcomes of this course and, more importantly, the values and attitudes essential to good health and social care practice that will support you to succeed in your future career.
Lectures introduce the core course content, while seminars and group-based activities allow you to explore subjects in greater detail and consider the policies and practices involved. In tutorials, you can ask questions to ensure you understand the topics covered in lectures and seminars. We use case studies, practical scenarios, and role-play to help you learn to apply academic theory to real-life problems, allowing you to gain insights into health and social care practice in the working environment. You'll also have the chance to gain practical skills in our clinical skills laboratory with simulated patients. We'll encourage you to use online learning resources to enhance your studies.
In addition, we offer masterclasses with practitioners from the health and social care sector, sessions with guest speakers who use health and social care services and applied work experience. These seek to enhance employability and bridge the gap between theory and professional practice.
Our assessment methods aim to replicate activities that are required in the workplace. For example, we'll expect you to write reports, give presentations, create leaflets, develop your portfolio of practice, analyse care plans, review relevant literature, analyse complex cases and discuss how to manage change. You'll also be required to write essays and reflective accounts, take practical and written tests and get involved in group discussions. Some assessments will contribute to your final module mark and allow you to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes. In contrast, others are designed to help you identify areas that need extra attention on your part or where you need additional support from your tutors.
This programme adopts a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.
Modules
The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.
- Reading Modern Society
- The Individual and Society
- Research Methods in Social Science
- The World of Work
- Reading Contemporary Society
- Self-reflection and Academic Skill Development
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Introduction to Social Policy
- Principles of Care
- Anatomy & Physiology for Health and Social Care
- Introduction to Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Enhancing Communication and Academic Skills
- Group Dynamics and Working in Teams
- Work-based Experience
- Health Promotion - Challenges and Opportunities
- Social Inclusion, Empowerment and Health
- Employability Skills
- Person Centred Health and Social Care
- Research Proposal/Methods
- Compassionate Health and Social Care
- Dissertation/Research Project
- Safeguarding Children
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
- Care of the Older Person
- Contemporary Mental Health
- Working With Children and Families
Assessment methods
| Level | Assessment method |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 1 | Coursework 95% Practical exams 5% |
| Level 2 | Coursework 100% |
| Level 3 | Coursework 100% |
Learning Activities
| Level | Activity |
|---|---|
| Level 0 | Guided independent study 64% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 36% |
| Level 1 | Guided independent study 70% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 30% |
| Level 2 | Guided independent study 70% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 30% |
| Level 3 | Guided independent study 78% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 22% |
The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.
