FdSc - Full Time (2 years)
Do you want to enhance your career in health and social care? Our Certificate in Higher Education/Foundation degree is ideal for those already working a minimum of 30 hours per week within a health and social work setting. You can develop your knowledge and skills to enable you to progress to Assistant Practitioner level or equivalent.
A variety of pathways can be studied including: mammography, diagnostic radiography, learning disability, surgical care, maternity, mental health and many more.
What's covered in the course?
The Cert HE/FdSc Health and Social Care are full-time programmes delivered at the City South campus, and have been carefully-designed to provide the skills you and your current or future employer need.
Expert teaching staff in our School of Nursing and Midwifery and School of Health Sciences, provide the guidance needed to make sure you secure the necessary academic requirements and clinically orientated competencies that will advance your career.
The course equips successful candidates for a range of roles in health or social care settings, local authorities, the voluntary sector and private care settings.
In securing this Foundation Degree you will complete an e- portfolio that offers clear evidence of your development. You explore the scope of professional practice in the areas of compassionate care delivery ,risk management, responsibility and accountability, infection control, confidentiality, consent, and many more.
The course offers an introduction to anatomy and physiology, and examines social, psychological and cultural influences relevant to your area of work. It covers professional issues relating to the boundaries of practice, patient and client assessment. It also provides a thorough understanding of standard operating procedures and relevant national service frameworks.
You can also choose a negotiated module, if appropriate, that will enable you to undertake more study in an area relevant to your role, practice and service user group.
Why Choose Us?
- Students are satisfied with this course! We scored 93 per cent for overall satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2017.
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We are a very supportive environment here at BCU, especially for anyone returning to education after a gap or progressing to a university setting for the first time.
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We offer personal tutors based in the University, ensuring support is on hand to offer advice and encouragement.
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We provide a wide range of support to introduce you to University level study, including the Maths, English and wider study skills to help you to be successful on the Foundation Degree.
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This full-time work based learning programme is aimed at people who are currently working in a health and social care setting.
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The course’s home is BCU’s innovative School of Nursing and Midwifery ‑ based in the £30 million award-winning Seacole Building, featuring mock hospital wards, mock operating theatre, a home environment room and laboratory for you to practice in.
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We are a perfect destination for potential applicants with experience of working in the following areas: adult care, children, diagnostic radiography, maternity, mammography, mental health, learning disability and surgical care support.
Open Days
Our next Open Day for this course will take place on Saturday 30 June 2018. Book your place to see our facilities and speak to our staff and students.
Book your place
This course is not open to International students
Where our students go
Our students have gone on to further study and training in areas such as:
- Nursing
- Radiography
National Student Survey 2017
Entry Requirements
This full-time work based learning programme is aimed at people who are currently working in a health or social care setting
| You must have: |
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| GCSE at Grade 4 (previously a Grade C) or above in English Language and Mathematics. (Equivalent qualifications such as Key Skills Level 2, Adult Numeracy Level 2, Adult Literacy Level 2, Functional Skills English and Maths Level 2 or CSE Grade 1 will be accepted). |
| Irish Leaving Certificate - Mathematics and English Ordinary Level passes at Grade B3 or above. |
| Scottish qualifications – Mathematics and English passes at Intermediate Standard 2 or above. |
| In addition to the above you must have one of the following: |
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| GCE A/A2 level Minimum of one A/A2 Level pass at Grade D or above. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded. |
| GCE AS/A1 level Minimum of two AS/A1 Level passes at Grade D or above. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded. |
| GCE/AVCE Double Award GCE/AVCE Double Award minimum pass at Grade DD. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded. |
| BTEC National Award Minimum pass Grade M required. |
| BTEC National Certificate Minimum pass Grade PP required. |
| BTEC National Diploma Minimum pass Grade PPP required. |
| International Baccalaureate Diploma Minimum pass Grade 24 required. |
| Cache Award, Certificate or Diploma Full award. |
| Access to HE Diploma in Health and Social Care Full award (60 credits) must include 12 Level 2 Mathematics credits + 12 Level 2 English Language credits if not already achieved at GCSE or equivalent. |
| NVQ Level 2 Full award plus a written paper – details of the content will be provided by the admissions tutor post application. |
| NVQ Level 3 Full award, plus GCSE Mathematics and English Language at Grade C or above or equivalent. |
| 14 –19 Progression Diploma in Society, Health and Development Full award. |
| 14-19 Advanced Diploma in Society, Health and Development Full award. |
Other qualifications:
Applicants’ qualifications that are not listed will be considered on an individual basis.
Portfolio route
A Portfolio route has been devised for those applicants who are already working in a Health or Social Care setting and who do not meet the formal entry requirements. To follow this route students are still expected to possess GCSE Mathematics and English Language or equivalent.
The Portfolio should include:
- Two written testimonies (one of which must be from the employer) supporting the application.
- A reflective piece that draws on current practice, no more than 1500 words.
- All pieces of work should be endorsed by the line manager.
- The portfolio is to be submitted within 4 weeks post application, following discussion with the Admissions Tutor.
Stand-alone modules:
Students who wish to enrol for any module on a stand-alone basis will not be required to meet the full entry criteria. Where students wish to enrol for modules above the equivalent of 40 credits, the entry criteria above will still apply.
In addition:
Applicants are strongly advised to attend an applicant day or attend a meeting with the
Admissions Tutor. Applicants must be employed in a Heath or Social Care support worker role (or equivalent) for a minimum of 30 hours per week and have support from their Line Manager in order to apply for this course.
Declaration of satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service clearance is required.
Attendance
One of the requirements of the programme is that you must be employed in an appropriate post within the Health Care and Social care sector. You are therefore subject to your employer’s policies and procedures regarding attendance at work. A further requirement is that you attend all university-led sessions that are timetabled.
Hours of attendance
Your hours of attendance will be as per your contract with your employer. You are entitled to one day protected study time per week. This day may be spent in group tutorials, individual tutorials or personal study time. Work-based learning is supported through a portfolio, workbooks, CD ROM video lectures and on-line conferences.
Support on how to use all these technologies will be provided within the first few weeks of your course. Throughout the programme you will be expected to maintain a portfolio that will not only contain work and assessments throughout the course, but will form an assessment in its own right. The portfolio will enable you to develop lifelong learning and reflective skills.
UK or EU students
| Pathway | Award | Start | Mode | Duration | Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Social Care | FdSc | Sep 2018 | FT | 2 years | £6,000 Per year | |
| Mammography | CertHE | Sep 2018 | FT | 1 year | £6,000 per year |
International Students
Sorry, this course is not available to international students.
If you're unable to use the online form for any reason, you can complete our PDF application form and equal opportunities PDF form instead. The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.
Application notes
Please indicate on your personal statement which pathway you would like to apply for. See course structure for details on pathways.
All prospective students will be invited to a Foundation degree applicant's day.
Personal statement
Your personal statement is a highly important part of your application. It gives you a crucial opportunity to say why you’re applying and why the institution should accept you.
Here are the key areas you’ll need to address:
Course choice
Why does this course appeal? What areas are of particular interest?
Career plans
If you have a specific career in mind, say how your chosen course will help you pursue this goal.
Work experience
Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.
School or college experience
Highlight skills gained at school/college, eg summer schools or mentoring activities.
Non-accredited skills or achievement
eg Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise scheme.
You should also mention your future plans – if you’re planning to take a year out, don't forget to give your reasons. Talk about any subjects you’re studying that don’t have a formal assessment and any sponsorships or placements you’ve applied for. And don't be scared to add in details about your social, sports or leisure interests.
Get more information on writing personal statements.
Additional costs
We offer a wide range of professionally accredited and vocational courses that require the purchase of, among other things, uniforms, equipment, subscriptions, professional body memberships and DBS checks, and may require you to pay to attend conferences or participate in placements.
The link below provides our estimate of the possible costs associated with key activities on specific courses. Please bear in mind that these are only estimates of costs based on past student experience and feedback. The actual costs to you could vary considerably (either greater or lower than these estimates) depending on your choices as you progress through the course. We set out where we can, based on experience, where these indicative costs are for activities that are optional or compulsory.
All our students are provided with 100 free pages of printing each year to a maximum total value of £15.
Find additional costs for your course
Accommodation and living costs
The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.
Worried about personal statements?
If you've got no idea where to start or just want to check you're on the right track, we’ve got expert advice and real examples from our students to help you nail your personal statement. You can even download our ultimate personal statement guide for free.
Financial Support
We offer further information on possible undergraduate financial support. This includes the type of loans, grants and scholarships available both from the government and from Birmingham City University.
Course structure
The two year FdSc Health and Social Care programme will incorporate a variety of learning methods in order to support your individual learning style. The primary focus will be on work-based learning, with the addition of face to face taught sessions, group work; Moodle based activities and paper resources and tutorials.
A variety of approaches to teaching and learning will be utilised to reflect your academic level, session content and outcomes, taking into account your individual leaning needs. The learning methods employed will allow the specific subject matter in the route to be explored in depth through the creation of an environment of critical enquiry for both you the student and staff.
The FdSc Health and Social Care team will support you to develop the skills required that will enable you to critically analyse your own learning journey, and reflect on your personal and professional development. The application of knowledge linked to the development of your clinical skills is an important element of the programme, this is supported during your work based learning by clinical learning facilitators from your area of practice and your personal tutors. You will select a pathway that is relevant to your current job role.
Additional support
If you are dyslexic, have a specific learning difference or a disability, we have a Disability Tutor who can help and support you.
More on our disability tutor >>
We offer extra technical and learning support.
Course breakdown
Year 1
Teaching breakdown
| value | label | color |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Time in lectures, seminars and similar | MidnightBlue |
| 20 | Time in independent study | RoyalBlue |
| 50 | Time on placement | LightSkyBlue |
Assessment breakdown
| value | label | color |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Written exams | DarkOrange |
| 78 | Coursework | FireBrick |
| 19 | Practical exams | #fece5a |
Student stories
The course is aimed at people who are employed in a health or social care setting. Once accepted onto the course, you will benefit from high levels of support from a friendly and approachable team. You will also benefit from our flexible approach to learning and teaching and the in-built versatility of the course.
Study and work abroad
If you are interested in undertaking part of your studies abroad, the Erasmus scheme may be of interest to you. It allows higher education students to study for part of their degree in another European country.
It is open to undergraduates in their second year (or above) and offers a unique opportunity to enhance your CV and experience new cultures. If you study with us you will have access to an Erasmus co-ordinator, who can provide information about which institutions we have links with.
Further study
Some students use this course as the basis for a move either into other degrees or different forms of study. Successful completion can see you progress onto a BSc Honours programme, or programmes that lead to registration as a health care professional.
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Students who complete the course can progress into the second year of the BSc Nursing and BSC Radiography degrees.
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Completion of the online BSc Professional Practice top up degree
Employment opportunities
The course’s flexible, work-based nature means you’ll become competent as an assistant practitioner in one of a number of areas, such as:
- Childcare
- Adult Care
- Mental Health
- Maternity
- Diagnostic Radiography
- Mammography
- Radiotherapy
- Management in Health and Social Care
If you wish to undertake further study, you can apply to transfer your foundation degree into the second year of a professional practice degree at Birmingham City University such as BSc (Hons) Nursing or BSc (Hons) Radiography, With the completion of additional modules you may also be able to apply for the BSc (Hons) or Dip (HE) Operating Department Practice.
OpportUNIty
OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.
It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.
BCU Graduate+
Through our courses we give you the skills and experience needed to get a head start when applying for jobs. But we offer something extra too – Graduate+.
Our unique programme gives you the chance to develop valuable skills outside of the more formal classroom learning. We award points for Graduate+ activities (including firewalking!) and these can be put towards a final Graduate+ award.
More about Graduate+
Graduate jobs
Our students progress into roles as social workers and healthcare professionals, working in both the private and public sector.
Facilities
Birmingham City University is one of the largest providers of nursing, paramedic and healthcare education in the UK, with more than 7,000 students. That means if you choose to study here, you will have access to some of the most advanced training and education facilities available.
The course is based at our City South (Edgbaston) campus, where we offer a state of the art collection of advanced learning tools and practice/simulation facilities, such as our mock wards enabling you to get a feel of what working on the job is really like before you head out for your first placement.
Hospital Ward
Our mock wards enable you to get a feel of what a ward is really like before you head out for your first placement. They contain ‘Sim Men’, which are demonstration dummies that develop ailments, allowing you to treat them as you would a real patient and build your confidence in reacting to the changing needs of patients.
The Hospital Ward can be adapted from a low care to high dependency care environment with the necessary monitoring equipment.
Simulation Mannequins
We have several Simulation men (SIM men) and Simulation babies (SIM babies) which are leading edge, anatomically correct mannequins used for teaching specific techniques such as advanced adult and paediatric life support skills, acute and high dependency clinical skills, first aid and communication skills.
The SIM men and SIM baby mannequins are complete with software, which is used to replicate real symptoms, and are enhanced by the manipulation of for example blood pressure, pulse and heart rate for extra realism. SIM Man can also “talk” to the students which adds another dimension to their use in teaching clinical skills and in simulation exercises.
Other facilities
- We have been commended by the NMC for our Virtual Home Environment, where live simulations bring the practical realities of the profession directly to your studies.
- Virtual Case Creator software creates a range of virtual scenarios to let you experience the practicalities of patient operations, assessment and care.
- Purpose-built Radiography Skills Suite allows you to improve your skills through simulation in a safe and protected environment, and includes the VERT (Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training) suite – the UK’s first University-based system.
- SPACE (Skills Practice And Clinical Enhancement) learning facility lets you further practice the skills taught in class, at your own pace and convenience.
- The SPACE facility is fully stocked with the specialist items and equipment needed for procedures such as taking blood pressure, giving an injection, and caring for ill babies in an incubator.
- Moodle – the University’s virtual learning environment – complements your classroom learning, allowing you to build confidence and skills before you work with real clients and service users on your placement.
Janet Ebanks
Senior Lecturer, Programme Director FDSc
Janet is Programme Director for the FDSc - Foundation Degree Health and Social Care.