Course Overview
This Foundation Degree responds to the needs of health and social care providers in the voluntary, private and public sector in the North West of England. This industry ready qualification aims to enhance staff training and qualifications to meet service quality and performance agendas. It combines academic understanding and skills, with generic and
specific work-related skills, and incorporates occupational standards for health and social care workers. It aims to equip you with the relevant knowledge and skills, as well as addressing your continuing professional development needs.
The programme aims to equip students who are working or intending to work with people who have a range of social care needs. Awareness of human rights, cultural diversity and ethical, policy, legislative and resource issues in health and social care is developed to support practice
in the principles of social welfare. The course combines academic theory and work related skills alongside occupational standards for health and social care providers.
Course Content
The programme contains specific teaching materials and methods designed to enhance the acquisition of the intended knowledge, skills and professional etiquette. As part of the
course’s ethos of encouraging work-based learning, you have the opportunity to do two placements where you can apply your skills and knowledge in an area of practice that interests you.
Students will study a range of core and specific modules which provide knowledge in the key areas of the health and social care industry. The subject areas include:
Study Skills and Lifelong Learning
The Development of UK Social Policy
Communication and Collaboration
Community Practice
Ageing & Social Care
Power and Oppression
Management & Leadership
The course programme is 2 full days per week, plus one day per week in placement.
Students are also required to undertake 100 and 150 hours of work placement in year 1 and year 2 respectively.
Learning & Assesment Methods
The course includes the following units:
Study and Lifelong Learning Skills
Contextualising Welfare 1
The development of UK Social Policy
Foundations for Practice
Introduction to Community Practice: Research and Development, Communication and Collaboration.
Power and Oppression and Society
Health and Ageing and Social Care
Social Care: Theory and Practice, Supporting Professional Practice, Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care.
Assessment ranges from assignments, group presentations, online assessments and portfolio development. Work-based learning is integral to the course aims, enabling the use and
evaluation of skill and knowledge in practice.
Progression Opportunities
Students who successfully complete this Foundation Degree may choose to complete a further one year of study at the college to gain a full honours degree: Health & Social Care BSc (Hons) Top Up.
Alternatively, they may wish progress directly into their chosen career path.
Career Opportunities
The aim of a Foundation Degree course is to produce a “practice ready workforce” and maintain an excellent learning environment where you can be positively transformed by the programme. Higher Education Institutions therefore aim to respond to that need by constantly
updating and developing the course in response to the standards set by the Knowledge Skills Framework (KSF), NHS Knowledge and Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education frameworks. You will be required to observe these core components from a range of professional codes of conduct focusing on treating patients as individuals as well as ensuring that their professional skills are up to date.
