BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care
** Please note this course is now closed for applications for the May 2024 intake **
Our four-year health and social care degree programme, delivered in partnership with Leeds Trinity University, allows you to commence your studies with an initial foundation year. This initial one-year period of study allows you to develop your academic skills and confidence. Students will then study a combination of core and option modules across their remaining years of study.
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Course overview
** Please note this course is now closed for applications for the May 2024 intake **
A healthy population is about the joined-up delivery of services, driven primarily by the needs of patients and communities. Our programme will introduce you to the key concepts and debates influencing health and social care, developing the skills and knowledge you need for a successful career. You’ll explore issues such as life quality, effective caring and communication to build a solid grounding in individualised health and care provision, exploring models of person-centred provision and the impact of behaviours on health.
To meet the demand for skilled professionals in this growing area of provision, this health and social care degree has been designed in partnership with leading health and social care employers. You’ll be at the forefront of learning and professional practice in health and social care, developing the knowledge, understanding and skills to shape the future health of our populations.
In the integrated Foundation Year in Health and Care you will undertake modules to help develop your academic skills and confidence and will be introduced to key concepts, debates and skills that will support and inform your second, third and fourth years of undergraduate degree study.
You’ll explore issues such as life quality, effective caring and communication. You will also gain an understanding of the basic factors that influence health and social care.
Following successful completion of your Foundation Year, you’ll gain a solid grounding in individualised health and care provision, exploring models of person-centred provision and the impact of behaviours on health. You’ll learn how to manage in health and care, understanding the factors that influence health and social care decision-making.
You’ll learn from experienced professionals in their fields, who will help you develop subject-specific skills and examine health and social care from national and global perspectives, considering cultural values and beliefs, enabling you to deliver compassionate, high-quality and inclusive care services for individuals, families and communities.
The importance of cultural competence, social justice, adherence to relevant legislation and professional standards will be evident throughout all levels of your study.
Professional work placements, which form an integral part of your degree, will give you the chance to gain experience in multiple health and social care settings. For example, in facilities that provide residential care for adults and older adults, with youth work teams, in the NHS, in children’s and family centres, and with charities and non-government agencies.
The applied nature of this degree means you’ll graduate with the knowledge, skills and experience needed for professional practice and that employers in this growing sector are looking for.
Please note this course will not be running at our Greenford campus for our January intake.
Year 0 (Foundation)
Core modules (students are required to take):
- Academic Skills and Studying with Confidence (30 credits)
- Project (30 credits)
- Being Healthy in a Modern World (30 credits)
- Introduction to Effective Caring (30 credits)
Year 1
Core modules (students are required to take):
- Psychological Perspectives on Health and Wellbeing (30 credits)
- Social Influences on Health and Wellbeing (30 credits)
- Supporting People with Long-term Conditions (30 credits)
- Developing Values and Principles in Health and Social Care Practice (30 credits)
Year 2
Current modules
Core:
- Person Centred Care and Integrated Working (20 credits)
- Mental Health Today (20 credits)
- Nutritional Biochemistry (20 credits)
- Planning, Designing and Evaluating Health Interventions (20 credits)
- Research Methods 2 (20 credits)
Optional:
- Professional Development and Placement 2 (20 credits)
- Volunteering in Sport, Health and Nutrition (20 credits)
Core modules effective from September 2024 for all students:
- Applying Health and Social Care Policy, Ethics and Law (30 credits)
- Multi-agency Working (15 credits)
- Professional Placements (15 credits)
- Research Methods and Evidenced-based Practice (30 credits)
- Personalised Care and Social Prescribing (30 credits)
Year 3
Current modules
Core:
- Leading Health and Social Care in a Multi-Agency Environment (20 credits)
- Professional Learning through Work (20 credits)
Optional:
- Dissertation (40 credits)
- Difficulties Families Face (20 credits)
- Valued Ageing (20 credits)
- Entrepreneurship and Creativity (20 credits)
- Reflection and Supervision (20 credits)
- Therapeutic Interventions with Families (20 credits)
- Contemporary Issues in Public Health and Individual Wellbeing (20 credits)
Core modules effective from September 2025 for all students
- Leadership and Enterprise in Health, Social Care and Community Settings (30 credits)
- Difficulties Families Face with Therapeutic Interventions (30 credits)
- Mental Health, Resilience and Recovery Across the Life-course (30 credits)
- Independent Project (30 credits)
This GBS course will provide you with opportunities to test your knowledge and understanding informally through ‘formative’ (informal) assessment. ‘Formative’ assessment will be completed before your formal ‘summative’ assessment, which will determine your final marks.
Each module normally contains at least one piece of formative assessment from which you will receive feedback from your course team. Formative assessments are purely for developmental purposes. They do not count towards your final marks but do help you gain more knowledge and confidence in the module material and approaches to formal assessment. Students who do not engage with informal assessments often struggle with Foundation Year progression, as well as with the academic levels above.
The formal ‘summative’ assessment usually occurs (but not always) towards the end of each module. Assessment methods could include written examinations, a range of coursework, including reports, portfolios, essays and presentations. The grades from the summative (formal) assessments count towards your module mark. (For example, if there was one piece of summative coursework in a module, this would count overall for up to 100% of your module mark.) Assessment methods at GBS are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback, to suit content or based upon feedback from an External Examiner. An External Examiner is an independent academic expert from an external Higher Education Institution that acts as a safeguard to academic assessment standards.
Standard Entry Requirements (Under 21 years old)
Under 21 year old applicants for Foundation year programmes must have 48 UCAS tariff points from at least 1 full A level or accepted equivalent qualification.
Applicants aged 21+
We welcome mature students with few or no formal qualifications. If applicants do not meet the standard entry requirements but can demonstrate that their life/work skills would make them suitable for undergraduate study, they will be considered for our Foundation programme.
Any previous relevant work experience and learning will be assessed and, where appropriate, accredited as part of the application process.
English Language Requirements
All Applicants should have GCSE English Language at grade C/4 or higher or accepted equivalent qualification.
Application Process
Documents required:
1. Complete application form
2. Supervised entry essay
3. Admissions Interview
4. English language certificate
This course is not available to students on a Student Route Visa. Following a review of your application by GBS, information will be shared with Leeds Trinity University who will contact you with final confirmation of a decision on your application.
Enhanced DBS Check - Students are required to undertake an Enhanced DBS check before they start the programme
Funding your study
You can apply for help with your fees from the government by visiting gov.uk/studentfinance. This could take the form of a Tuition Fee Loan, Maintenance Loan or Maintenance Grant.
A Tuition Fee Loan will cover the cost of your up-front fees, and will be paid to your university or College. The Loan must be repaid once you finished your course and are earning £26,575 a year or more.
If you are eligible, you can apply for a Maintenance Loan too. The loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of term. The loan repayments only start once you leave your course and when your earnings are more than £26,575. For more information please visit gov.uk/studentfinance.
Maintenance Grants are paid into your bank account at the start of term. You don’t have to pay it back, but any funds you get will reduce the amount of Maintenance Loan you are eligible for.
New students must prove they have been living in the UK for five years before their course start date in order to get living cost support from Student Finance England.
When you apply for your student loan you will need to supply the correct UCAS code for your course of study. This code will depend on your study location, course and start date (see table below) and will be sent to you in any offer email you receive from Leeds Trinity University. Please ensure that you use the correct code to help avoid delay with the processing of your application and receipt of any student loan.
| Course Name | Location | Intake | UCAS Code |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | Birmingham | September | L550 |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | Birmingham | January | L553 |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | London - Canary Wharf | September | L552 |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | London - Canary Wharf | January | L555 |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | London - Greenford | September | L259 |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | London - Greenford | January | L258 |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | Manchester | September | L551 |
| BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year in Health and Care | Manchester | January | L554 |
Fees
Tuition fees cost £9,250 a year for this course in 2022/2023.
For more information please click here for course fees or call us +44 (0)20 3011 2638
Year 0 (Foundation)
Core modules (students are required to take):
- Academic Skills and Studying with Confidence (30 credits)
- Project (30 credits)
- Being Healthy in a Modern World (30 credits)
- Introduction to Effective Caring (30 credits)
Year 1
Core modules (students are required to take):
- Psychological Perspectives on Health and Wellbeing (30 credits)
- Social Influences on Health and Wellbeing (30 credits)
- Supporting People with Long-term Conditions (30 credits)
- Developing Values and Principles in Health and Social Care Practice (30 credits)
Year 2
Current modules
Core:
- Person Centred Care and Integrated Working (20 credits)
- Mental Health Today (20 credits)
- Nutritional Biochemistry (20 credits)
- Planning, Designing and Evaluating Health Interventions (20 credits)
- Research Methods 2 (20 credits)
Optional:
- Professional Development and Placement 2 (20 credits)
- Volunteering in Sport, Health and Nutrition (20 credits)
Core modules effective from September 2024 for all students:
- Applying Health and Social Care Policy, Ethics and Law (30 credits)
- Multi-agency Working (15 credits)
- Professional Placements (15 credits)
- Research Methods and Evidenced-based Practice (30 credits)
- Personalised Care and Social Prescribing (30 credits)
Year 3
Current modules
Core:
- Leading Health and Social Care in a Multi-Agency Environment (20 credits)
- Professional Learning through Work (20 credits)
Optional:
- Dissertation (40 credits)
- Difficulties Families Face (20 credits)
- Valued Ageing (20 credits)
- Entrepreneurship and Creativity (20 credits)
- Reflection and Supervision (20 credits)
- Therapeutic Interventions with Families (20 credits)
- Contemporary Issues in Public Health and Individual Wellbeing (20 credits)
Core modules effective from September 2025 for all students
- Leadership and Enterprise in Health, Social Care and Community Settings (30 credits)
- Difficulties Families Face with Therapeutic Interventions (30 credits)
- Mental Health, Resilience and Recovery Across the Life-course (30 credits)
- Independent Project (30 credits)
FAQs for BSc Health and Social Care Degree
- Managerial roles in healthcare
- Management level roles in healthcare administration
- Health and wellbeing coach
- Care navigator
- Psychological wellbeing practitioner
- Community engagement officer
GBS will review your application when we receive i, before passing it on to Leeds Trinity University. They will contact you with final confirmation and a decision on your application.
Documents required:
1. Complete application form
2. Supervised entry essay (1,000 words)
3. Admissions Interview
4. English language certificate (Functional skills level 2)
You’ll also need to be 21 years or over OR under 21 and have the equivalent of 80 UCAS points. You'll need to prove that you have the right to reside and study in the UK.
You will begin with your Foundation Year, designed to deliver a solid grounding in individualised healthcare provision. You’ll explore multiple healthcare models, the impact of behaviours on health and lessons in effective management.
Your studies will also take you into how contemporary delivery frameworks operate in healthcare, learning to critically appraise the effectiveness of joined-up approaches to service delivery.
Experienced professionals will guide you through your personal and professional development, helping to build your capability in delivering evidence-based practice and future research.
The practical experience gained during your professional placements will provide an invaluable scope for how the industry operates. Your placement could take you into several different rewarding environments including:
- Residential care for adults and older adults
- Youth work teams in the NHS
- Children’s and family centres
- Charities and non-government agencies
Each module normally contains at least one piece of formative assessment from which you will receive feedback from your course team. Formative assessments are purely for developmental purposes. They do not count towards your final marks but do help you gain more knowledge and confidence in the module material and approaches to formal assessment. Students who do not engage with informal assessments often struggle with Foundation Year progression, as well as with the academic levels above.
The formal ‘summative’ assessment usually occurs (but not always) towards the end of each module. Assessment methods could include written examinations, and a range of coursework, including reports, portfolios, essays and presentations. The grades from the summative (formal) assessments count towards your module mark. (For example, if there was one piece of summative coursework in a module, this would count overall for up to 100% of your module mark.) Assessment methods at GBS are reviewed annually and may be updated based on student feedback, to suit content or based upon feedback from an External Examiner. An External Examiner is an independent academic expert from an external Higher Education Institution that acts as a safeguard to academic assessment standards.
PART OF THE GBS FAMILY
What our students say
It’s my first year here. I chose this university because it gave me the opportunity to have choice. I study two days per week - it’s very flexible. It makes it easy to study.
The campus is very new and comfortable. One of the best I saw. I like because I can work – I have a child and I can study and I can work and be with my family. This is very good for me. Because I have lived in this country only second year and English is a new language for me, when I study here I can teach my child at home new words.
My favourite part of studying here is because its close and the class sizes are small. I can have more interaction with the teacher and ask questions. I enjoy learning here - the teachers are friendly and they explain everything well.
It’s my first year here. I chose this university because it gave me the opportunity to have choice. I study two days per week - it’s very flexible. It makes it easy to study.
The campus is very new and comfortable. One of the best I saw. I like because I can work – I have a child and I can study and I can work and be with my family. This is very good for me. Because I have lived in this country only second year and English is a new language for me, when I study here I can teach my child at home new words.
My favourite part of studying here is because its close and the class sizes are small. I can have more interaction with the teacher and ask questions. I enjoy learning here - the teachers are friendly and they explain everything well.
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