BA (Hons) Health and Social Care

Although designed as a three year full-time degree programme, there are three named routes into the qualification. The Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE) allows for study of the first year of the programme and the BA (Hons) route allows students to study the full qualification.

The CertHE can be used as a stepping stones towards an Honours Degree with progression allowed following successful completion of each stage. All options are available to be studied either full-time or part-time.

The CertHE Health and Social Care is a one year programme explores a range of disciplines within the health and social care area and encourages students to develop skills in reflective practice, critical enquiry and independent study.

Module title: Anatomy and Physiology – 15 credits

What’s it about?

This module looks at the different body systems in connection to human performance. It also provides the underpinning knowledge to develop a rational, critical approach to physical illness and conditions. It develops students’ ability as preparation for academic work at level 5 and to apply their knowledge in practical situations.

What do I learn? 

All about the different systems within the body such as homeostasis, cells and tissues, muscular and skeletal systems, and nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, lymphatic, reproductive and urinary systems.

What’s the assignment?

1.5 hour exam

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Childhood in Society

What’s it about?

This module will introduce you to the concept of childhood and how it has changed over time. We explore how attitudes and values have historically shaped what it means to be a child. In addition, you will examine and challenge your own attitudes about childhood.

What do I learn?

This module is sociologically challenging as much as it is reflective. You will explore the origins of childhood and the differing cultural views of childhood as well as examine the factors that impact childhood such as gender, race, and class.

What’s the assignment?

3,000 word assignment on the social construction of childhood.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title:  Ethics and Values (15 credits)

What’s it about?

The module explores the values and theories which inform how Health and Social Care professionals make ethical decisions.

What do I learn?

You will learn how socialisation contributes to the development of personal values as well as the role of education and professional codes of conduct in shaping professional values. There will be discussion of the potential for conflict between personal, professional and societal values. You will learn a number of ethical approaches and consider how to apply them in practice.

What’s the assignment?

3,000 word essay based on a case study.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Health and Wellbeing

What’s it about?

What is health and what does it mean to have a good sense of ‘wellbeing’? This module explores the complex and multifaceted nature of health and wellbeing in contemporary societies, questioning the social, cultural and political factors that influence an individual’s health.

What do I learn?

Different concepts and definitions of health, illness and disability, how social inequalities create health disparities, health interventions, and forms of empowerment.

What’s the assignment?

A 4,000 written assignment in the form of a patchwork text and a presentation summarising the patches (15 mins)

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Human Growth and Development (15 credits)

What’s it about? 

This module introduces students to the process of development that individuals go through during their lives, providing a holistic approach.  It looks at anatomical and physiological changes, psychosocial development and issues of culture, class, race, gender, ability and sexual orientation, applying them to human development.  It also looks at how development influences individual identity.

What do I learn? 

Nature versus Nurture, holistic development, stage theory and comparing theories of growth, child development, family systems, old age, and disability.

What’s the assignment? 

Essay based on case study

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Research and Study Skills

What’s it about?

Students entering Higher Education will need a specific set of study skills for successful completion of their degree. This module equips you will the necessary skills to succeed and includes learning how to Harvard reference, structuring and writing essays as well as research methodologies

What do I learn?

Harvard referencing, research skills for books, journals and academic websites, analytical and evaluative skills, and Quantitative and Qualitative research methods.

What’s the assignment?

A 3,000 word patchwork assignment, which is made up of three individual patches that you will complete over the duration of the module.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Safeguarding and Risk (15 credits)

What’s it about?

Understanding risk in Health and Social Care in the context of safeguarding children and adults.

What do I learn?

You will appreciate the nature of risk as well as differing perceptions of risk and attitudes to risk taking. The module includes law and policy in relation to safeguarding and health and safety at work, and evaluates a range of risk assessment and risk management strategies.

What’s the assignment?

The assignment consists of two parts. (1) A 10 minute presentation on chosen health and safety topics. (2) A 2,000word essay based on a case study.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: The Social & Political Context of Health and Social Care (15 credits)

What’s it about?

This module explores the social, economic, and political factors and scientific advances which have influenced the development of health and welfare over the centuries.

What do I learn?

You will identify significant turning points in policy and service development such as the Victorian Poor law and the introduction of the post war welfare state. You will explore how scientific progress and challenges to attitudes to the poor and vulnerable have influenced models of understanding of disability and ageing and evaluate these in relation to current policy and practice.

What’s the assignment?

3,000 word patch work essay

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title (15 credits) Counselling Skills in the Workplace

What’s it about?

This module offers students the chance to develop their skills and knowledge in any role associated with mentoring, counselling skills and active listening.  It will also help students understand when a service user might benefit from these skills in a professional capacity.

What do I learn? 

Active listening, role of the counsellor, different therapeutic models and their origins, values and ethics in counselling, self-reflection, evaluation, peer review/support, mentoring and supervision.

What’s the assignment? 

3,000 word essay.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Domestic Abuse (15 credits)

What’s it about?

The nature and impact of domestic abuse and current responses by Health and Social Care and the criminal justice system.

What do I learn?

You will learn about the different manifestations of coercive and controlling behaviour associated with domestic abuse and the impact on victims in relation to gender age, culture and sexual orientation.  You will develop an understanding of different theories of domestic abuse with particular reference to patriarchal societies. You will appreciate the experience of survivors in the criminal justice system and evaluate current practice and services.

What’s the assignment?

Written assignment (3,000 words)

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title:  Effective Communication (FdA)

What’s it about?

To be an effective care practitioner, you need to be able to adapt and adjust your communication skills when necessary. This module allows you to examine key communication theories and strategies. Moreover, you will reflect on you own communication skills in your professional practice and assess your strengths while recognising your areas for development.

What do I learn?

Theories, concepts, and techniques of communication. This includes: assertiveness strategies, questioning techniques and understanding emotional intelligence. You will identify and evaluative barriers to communication as well as analyse your own skills in this area.

What’s the assignment?

3,000-word essay based on the above.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Gender and Society

What’s it about?

What is gender? What is sex? This module examines the often complex and contradictory terrain of sex and gender and its implications for men, women, and non-binary individuals in society.

What do I learn?

How gender and sex are both a social construct and material practice – we often perform our gender in given cultural and social constructs. What implications does this have for society? Politically, how does sex and gender reinforce and intersect with other social inequalities such as class, race, and species?

What’s the assignment?

A 3,000-word essay on a topic of your choice, making links to gender and health and wellbeing.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Law and Ethics (15 credits)

What’s it about?

This module builds on the Ethics and Values module in the first year with a focus on the law and how it contributes to ethical decision making.

What do I learn?

You will develop a detailed understanding of relevant social work laws and the principles underpinning them. You will evaluate the legislation with reference to anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice and learn how an understanding of the law relates to ethical decision making. You will appreciate the ethical dilemmas arising from conflicting principles and legislation.

What’s the assignment?  

The assignment consists of two parts: (1) a 2,000 word essay based on a case study. (2) A 1.5-hour open book exam.

Module title Loss in Health and Social Care (15 credits)

What’s it about?

This module looks at the different types of loss experienced in care practice.  It considers the similarities and differences between the types of loss and the way we experience it.  It looks at the potential impact it has on self and practice, avoidance, and the way we deal with it.

What do I learn?

Identification of situations of loss in Health and Social Care, personal experience of loss, theoretical perspectives on grieving (both individual and social), personal and professional boundaries, your own experience, support/supervision, and networks.

What’s the assignment?

3,000-word essay based on theory and experience in practice.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Mental Health (60 credits)

What’s it about?

The module promotes an understanding the nature and development of mental health problems, substance misuse, and the dementias, and evaluates current service provision and practice issues.

What do I learn?

You will understand different models of mental health problems, substance misuse, and ageing, and their implications for professional practice. You will develop an appreciation of risks associated with mental health problems, substance misuse and the dementias, including risks posed by service users and risks to service users arising from the mental health system. You will be able to evaluate the complex issues arising from service users with overlapping needs and consider the effectiveness of current service provision.

What’s the assignment?

6,000 word patch-based essay. You should choose to write about one of the following: mental health problems, or substance misuse, or the dementia’s.

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title Promoting Health in Health and Social Care (15 credits)

What’s it about?

This module introduces the concepts of health and illness and develops an understanding of the importance of promoting health in all care capacities and practice.  It introduces key themes such as advocacy, empowerment, and effective communication.

What do I learn? 

Students will gain an understanding of theories of health and illness, analyse the impact of inequality on health and access to health improvement, and analyse how theories of health promotion can be used to plan health promotion strategy.

What’s the assignment? 

Group Presentation and 2,500-word essay

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Research Appreciation and Critiquing

What’s it about?

Every day we carry out some form of research, whether it is for train times, seeking out our next holiday destination, and even looking for appropriate courses at University! This module introduces you to the research process in academia, and examines why research is important to Health and Social Care. How does research on health inequalities or research into the experiences of living with schizophrenia inform your practice? This module will help you understand these connections.

What do I learn?

You will be learning new terminology as well as examining the process of quantitative (research by numbers) and qualitative (research by text) inquiry.

What’s the assignment?

3,000 word critique of a research paper.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title. Advocacy (15 credits)

What’s it about?

This module offers the opportunity for participants to explore the purpose, principles, and models of advocacy. Advocacy is now embodied in legislation relating to children and people with mental health problems, and is an important method of raising awareness on a variety of issues that may lead to improvements in policy, legislation and service development and delivery.

What do I learn?

You will Identify and critique the purpose and principles of advocacy and critically examine and compare the various models of advocacy. You will critically reflect and review the role of advocacy in relation to children and people with mental health problems.

What’s the assignment?

3,000 word written essay.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: Collaboration and Change in Health and Social Care (15 credits)

What’s it about?

The role of multi-disciplinary and multi-agency collaboration, as well as working in partnership with service users in safe and effective service delivery.

What do I learn?

You will learn about factors driving the need for collaboration in the context of inquiries, Serious Case Reviews and legislation and policy.  You will understand factors contributing to effective working relationships at an individual, group and organisational level, as well as identifying barriers to collaboration. You will appreciate the progress towards integration of Health and Social Care services and the implications for organisational change. You will understand theories of change including the role of collective leadership. You will have reflected on the experience of service users as experts by experience and their role in collective leadership.

What’s the assignment?

3000 word patch work essay.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title:  Undergraduate Dissertation

What’s it about?

This module will allow you to independently conduct your own literature review (with or without a research proposal), or extended essay. You can choose your own topic on whatever aspect of Health and Social Care interests you.

What do I learn?

You will explore a specific topic in more depth and critically examine it. Writing a dissertation is both challenging and fun, as you independently shape your own assignment.

What’s the assignment?

This module is divided into two parts. Part one is a 10-15 minute presentation on your chosen topic, assessing what you have found out so far. Part two is writing an 8,000 word literature review, or literature with research proposal, or an extended essay on your chosen topic.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title: 15 credits – Looked after Children and Young People

What’s it about? 

This module looks at the impact that care has on children and young people and the systems that deliver this care to them.  The module examines attachment and resilience theories giving an understanding of the needs of this group.  Rights of children will also be explored as well as the difficulties and dilemmas they may experience.

What do I learn? 

To understand the needs of the children and young people in care and critique the roles and responsibilities in relation to children and young people in care, and evaluate theories relevant to the needs of children and young people in care.

What’s the assignment? 

3,000 word essay.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title:  Supervision: models, process and practice

What’s it about?

You will learn to understand the value of supervision in your professional practice, learning about the theoretical models and concepts which underpin the process. You will reflect on processes involved from both the recipient’s and provider’s perspectives.

What do I learn:

You will learn about the benefits reflective and collaborative practice brings to the Health and Social Care environment, alongside the ethical implications and importance of supervision. You will critically evaluate and compare and contrast the models of supervision.

What’s the assignment?

A written assignment based on knowledge, understanding and experience of supervision either as a recipient or provider.  The assignment will consist of a balance of theoretical perspectives on supervision, reflective accounts of the supervisory process, and critical awareness of the role of supervision within professional practice.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.

Module title:  Youth and Crime

What’s it about?

What does it mean to be a criminal? What is deviance? This module explores the social construction of crime and its implication for young people.

What do I learn?

Amongst many things, you will examine the criminological literature on young offenders in relation to a host of social factors such as gender, race, and class. Are young people who commit crimes offenders or victims? You will analyse the complex social and political contexts of crime and deviance in relation to young people and education.

What’s the assignment?

A 3,000 word essay on youth and crime.

Want to know more?

To see the module description, please click here.