Health & Social Care (Foundation Year)

Program Overview

The University of Central Lancashire's Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care (Foundation Entry) provides a solid foundation in the field for students seeking to work in healthcare or continue their education. Through compulsory and optional modules, this part-time program offers insights into healthcare professions while emphasizing academic writing, critical thinking, and professional skills. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in various healthcare settings or for advancement into higher-level healthcare studies.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

This program is a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care (Foundation Entry) offered by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). It is a full-time program delivered in-person at the Preston Campus and Burnley Campus. The program is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in health and social care, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to pursue further studies or enter the workforce. The program aims to:

• Develop academic writing, research, and presentation skills essential for degree-level study.
• Provide insights into health professional careers in a supportive and engaging learning environment.
• Enhance self-awareness and interpersonal skills.
• Foster an understanding of evidence-based practice within Health and Social Care.

Outline:

The program is structured as a one-year full-time program. It is delivered in-person and is consolidated to the same two days per week throughout the year, allowing students to work and manage other commitments.

Modules:

The program includes both compulsory and optional modules.

Compulsory Modules:

• Applied Anatomy and Physiology: This module covers the anatomy and physiology of the body, exploring how these aspects are affected by illness, disease, or injury.
Students learn to apply key principles in practice.
• Academic Writing and Studying in Health and Social Care: This module introduces students to the principles of academic writing and study, preparing them for their academic careers.
Students reflect on their current practice, interpret research, and apply it to practice.
• Developing Professional Skills for Delivering Health and Social Care (2): This module supports students in applying their understanding of professional skills needed in the Health and Social Care Sector.
It emphasizes collaborative communication, teamwork skills, and developing essential professional qualities and values for the field.
• Measuring Health and Wellbeing: This module introduces students to health interventions at all levels, including government policy and individual practice.
Students gain an understanding of key sources of evidence and develop skills in interpreting and analyzing these interventions.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Health and Social Care: This module explores the concepts of equality, diversity, and inclusion in health and social care services.
Students examine social concepts like discrimination, stereotyping, and social identity within health and social care services and wider society. They discuss diversity approaches to equality, exploring legislation and cultural contexts. The module also explores patterns of segregation and disadvantages for various groups, considering visible and non-visible dimensions of diversity, including ethnicity, race, religion, gender, social class, age, disability, and sexual orientation.
• Volunteering and Community Action: This module provides students with practical volunteering experience, including planning and arranging placements and considering the ethics of volunteering.
Students are expected to reflect on their practical volunteering experience.

Optional Modules:

The program allows students to choose optional modules depending on their interests and the number of compulsory modules they take.

Assessment:

The program utilizes a variety of assessment methods, including:

• Written assignments
• Workbooks
• Presentations
The assessments are designed to evaluate students' understanding of the course content and their ability to apply their knowledge and skills in practice.

Teaching:

The program employs a range of teaching methods, including:

• Short lectures
• Group discussions
• Debates
• Presentations
The teaching team is composed of academics and practitioners from various health and social care specialties, ensuring a diverse and engaging learning experience.

Careers:

Graduates of the Health and Social Care Foundation Degree can pursue careers in various health and social care settings, including:

• Youth justice systems
• NHS trusts
• Private hospitals
• Children's services
• Social services
• Family centers
• Children's homes
The program also provides a pathway for students to progress to further studies in related fields, such as:
• Social Work
• Community and Social Care
• Nursing
• Midwifery
• Physiotherapy
• Operating Department Practice
• Sports Therapy

Other:

• The program is designed to meet the standards set by the Knowledge Skills Framework (KSF), NHS Knowledge and Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education frameworks.
• Students have the opportunity to hear about the experiences of service users, carers, patients, and public members through community engagement and service user support groups (Comensus).

For the 2024/25 academic year:

• UK: £9,250 for the first year, £9,250 per year for full-time study
• International: £16,400 for the first year, £16,500 per year for full-time study