Program Overview
Course Overview
This Integrated Foundation Year entry route offers an alternative supportive route for students who may not have the required entry qualification for direct entry onto some of our level 4 programmes, or those who may have taken an extended break from education.
You will study a range of modules taught by a team of supportive lecturers with professional experience and academic specialisms. You will learn about the challenges and opportunities young people face, the contexts for these challenges and the support they require.
Your learning journey will provide you with opportunities to understand the core principles of social prescribing and the positive impact it can have on health and wellbeing outcomes. It will also support you to understand the roles of key individuals, services and organisations in delivering a social prescribing pathway and the actions and processes required to support a successful referral to community provision.
On this course you will...
Study a range of engaging modules that will develop your confidence in your academic skills so that you are prepared for further study.
Access pastoral and academic support that is embedded in the programme to guide you on your journey into higher education, with a Student Development Coordinator providing advice and guidance.
Make links between real-world practice and academic learning by completing placements across the sector, reflecting on your learnings.
Explore social prescribing to support people of all ages with diverse needs, whilst providing an opportunity to support and empower change in the community.
Be part of a vibrant and inclusive learning community of people who want to make a change in society and support young people's mental health and well-being.
Know your own life experience is valued and that you can build on your experiences to develop your academic, professional and personal skills.
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Program Outline
What you will learn
Year one allows you to settle into University life and gain the confidence and skills to succeed in your chosen degree by participating in a supportive academic, personal and professional development programme.
On this degree, you will learn the foundations to enabling positive life changes through an understanding of the potential impacts and the benefits of improved health and wellbeing.
You will progressively develop the approaches, skills, knowledge and experience concerning working with children and young people and their communities. The main threads of learning embedded across years 2 to 4 include:
• Issues in society that constrain or enable young people
• Research, academic and professional skills
• Mental and physical health
• Well-being in relation to all of these factors.
The programme is designed to equip you with academic, research, analytical and problem-solving skills, along with providing the employability skills required for the children's workforce.
Year one
During the integrated foundation year, you will be taught alongside students from a range of programmes within the Institute of Health. During this time, you will be equipped with the essential skills needed to study at university level while undertaking challenging and authentic tasks that aim to test your decision-making skills.
Essential University Skills 1
Develop your academic and professional skills required for effective learning and successful progression through your chosen honours degree programme and beyond.
Essential University Skills 2
Build upon the skills developed in Essential University Skills 1. You will expand your learning in the areas of research, writing structure and reflective learning. You will gain skills in presenting research to an audience and in reflecting on your development throughout your integration foundation
Contemporary Issues and the Media
Explore a range of contemporary issues through the lens of the media that relates to your subject area. Underpinning social theories and concepts will be applied to develop an appreciation and understanding of key issues in society.
Professional Practice in the Community
Develop your awareness of community groups and activities to help your understanding of society. The module is based on a foundation of social policy and theory to contextualise the work of community groups and to broaden your appreciation of the work these groups do for the community.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
We will cover a range of different topics and explore mental health from a number of different perspectives, for example, understanding how social environment, biological factors, and psychological processes can influence our wellbeing.
Families, Communities & the Criminal Justice System
Through the use of a case study this module give you an insight into how your chosen discipline relates to a wide range of agencies and organisations, which have a criminal justice focus and the ethical and value base of those agencies.
Year two
The second year will continue with nurturing your academic and personal development whilst looking at policy and practice and the development of individuals with regards to health and wellbeing.
Developing Academic Writing and Reflective Practice
Supports your confidence in beginning undergraduate study and developing professional skills.
Introduction to Health and Wellbeing
Explore a variety of issues affecting our health and wellbeing.
The Core Principles and Concepts of Social Prescribing
An introduction to the professional role of social prescriber and explore where they have come from and why, along with how a social prescriber can work on an individual level as well as with communities.
Development Through the Life Course
Explore human development and the transitions from birth to old age.
The Wider DetermiNAts of Health and Health Inequality
Understand various perspectives of health and why it is important to explore different lenses and consider the impact of health inequality for the individual or the community.
Social and Political Influences on Policy and Practice
Explore inequalities in society and how they affect people’s lives.
Qualificatory Practice Unit
Experiential learning in practice.
Year three
Year three focuses on skills supporting health and wellbeing, and understanding the importance and value of equality, diversity and inclusion in communities and societies.
Introduction to Advancing Mental Health Across the Healthcare Spectrum
Develop an innovative practice in health and wellbeing, focusing on mental health.
Theories of Behaviour Change Principles of Motivational Techniques and their Application to Personalised Care
Apply key models and consider interventions used by social prescribers to evoke positive change, whilst focusing on the practitioners’ values, attitudes and behaviours.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Equity in Practice
Exploring issues of equality in the workplace and in our community practice.
Conduct and Personalised Care Consultation
Using purposeful real-world tasks to enable critical reflection, and explore skills such as positive challenge, conflict and lack of self-worth.
Leadership and Change
Developing knowledge on leadership and management across the sector, supporting personal career development.
Negotiated Learning
A student-led enquiry into a health and wellbeing topic.
Qualificatory Practice Unit
Experiential learning in practice.
Year four
Year 4 focuses upon the principles of leadership and management and how equality, diversity and inclusion can lead to social change and improved practice.
Extended Professional Practice Report: Research
An opportunity to choose your own related topic for extended study, developing personal expertise.
Collaborative Working
Collaborative Working
Contemporary Approaches and Fundamental Principles of Safeguarding Across the Lifespan
The importance of multi-agency working in practice and a clear focus on safeguarding issues.
Managing Self and Others
A focus on professional skills looking ahead to managing others and ensuring personal health and wellbeing.
Advanced Negotiated Learning
A student-led enquiry into a health and wellbeing topic.