Health and Social Care BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
HNC/HND courses
Health & Social Care students using a dummy

This Health and Social Care course explores the core concepts of healthcare through theoretical and practical learning.

Course option

Year of entry

Location

CU Scarborough (Scarborough)

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time
Sandwich

Duration

4 years sandwich
3 year - Degree
2 year - HND
1 year - HNC
Flexible part-time

UCAS codes

L512 / L511 / L513

Start date

September 2025

The information on this page is for 2024-25 entry and should be used as guidance for 2025-26 entry. Please keep checking back on this course page to see our latest updates.


Course overview

This course aims to help you become a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and skilled individual ready to support the delivery of health and social care within the NHS, local authority services, private health provision or third sector services. It provides the opportunity for the development of the knowledge and skills required of healthcare support workers, community health care workers, those with roles in health and social care, and offers a Continuing Professional Development opportunity.

Why you should study this course

The course will:

  • analyse the interaction between sociology, social policy and health
  • prepare you to work in this dynamic and demanding sector by exploring health on an individual and societal level
  • explore how society is organised and how we care for the vulnerable, the challenges facing modern society and the importance of caring for our environment.

Collaborations with other organisations

CU Scarborough collaborates with a range of local service providers to enhance the student experience.

How can we help?

How can we help?

Chat with an advisor now or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Health and Social Care at CU Scarborough taught me how to be more empathetic and understanding, whilst debating different current policies and laws that both help and hinder the services everyone in the world accesses. However, health and social care goes beyond services, laws and policies, it encompasses wider influencing health factors, diving into topics such as epidemiology, giving students access to a broader view on national and global health. The course allowed me to develop my views and be confident in my abilities to make a difference in society.

Holly Webster, Health and Social Care BA (Hons) graduate, 2023
Two students stood at a balcony talking

What you'll study

The first stage (HNC) of the degree element of the course gives you a theoretical grounding in the fundamentals of health and social care. There is an early focus on safe and effective practice and safeguarding. The course also provides you with an introduction to the sociological perspectives of health, the importance of environmental issues and community approaches to healthcare. You will learn about health and social care delivery and the importance of collaborative working. This stage aims to develop your understanding of the wider determinants of health and allows you to explore historical approaches as well as understand the challenges of modern society.

Modules

The second stage (HND) of the course allows you to develop an in-depth understanding of life stage development, exploring the physical and psychological development of individuals from pre-conception to end of life. Consideration will be given to the factors that impact upon this and how we identify and support the vulnerable and marginalised in society. Critical discussion will be introduced to discuss the challenges facing health and social care systems supporting these groups. You will also be introduced to the topic of mental health and social policy ensuring that you are prepared for health and care-associated issues across a wide spectrum of age ranges. At this stage you will also be introduced to research methods which will be used in the research project at the final stage of the course.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur before your final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time, you will receive guidance from your employer or partner institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Modules

In the final stage (degree), you will engage critically with healthcare-associated issues as you explore agendas influencing current policy, theory and practice both in the UK and abroad. You will examine the challenges of communicable and non-communicable disease and how they spread. You will also study the skills needed for leadership and management within health and social care. Finally, a research project will be undertaken to explore an area of interest and these may be shared at a research conference where local healthcare partners may be invited to attend.

Modules

We regularly review our course content to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated. 


How you'll learn

This course is available as a full-time three-year or optional four-year sandwich course, with the latter incorporating a work placement or study year in a related field2. This course is also offered part-time at CU Scarborough.

We take an active and varied approach to teaching and learning. Teaching sessions will be active and applied and utilise a variety of teaching styles. You may also have the opportunity to collaborate with local service providers to understand the local health and social care sector. We also operate an open-door policy, with additional availability via email and our current online learning platform, Aula.

Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end-of-year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of our learning model.


Teaching contact hours

Full-time students

You can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials and independent learning.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake up to 30 hours of self-directed study, depending on the demands of individual modules.

Part-time students

You can expect up to 10 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, classes and independent learning. You will also have access to learning materials on our virtual learning environment (VLE) which you will complete as part of your self-directed study.

You should contact CU Scarborough directly for more details on how the part-time degree is delivered. 

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake up to 30 hours of self-directed study, depending on the demands of individual modules. 

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.

Assessment methods vary and include, practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, tutorial tasks and assessments.

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

This course will support you in developing a valuable range of knowledge and skills required to work in health and social care. For anyone who wants to work with people to make a difference in their lives, this course is for you. By delivering one module at a time, we are able to really focus on topics, engage local service providers and make learning applied and active.

Rebecca Canning, Course Leader, CU Scarborough, 2023
Lecturer stood at a desk with four students

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Entry level What we're looking for
HNC 64 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
HND 80 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
Degree 104 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.

If you do not have the typical entry requirements, we offer a number of programmes to help you secure a place. Successful completion of one of the below programmes guarantees you a place on a degree course with us, subject to meeting specified criteria.

Your offer of a place is subject to receipt of satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance5.

Access to HE Course

Successful completion of our Health & Human Sciences or Social Sciences Access to HE course will guarantee you progression onto this degree programme

If you undertake an Access to HE course, you may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan. If you are eligible and awarded an Advanced Learner Loan, and successfully complete an eligible Higher Education course, the outstanding balance from your Access course could be written off. For full information and to check your eligibility visit www.gov.uk/student-finance/who-qualifies.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Are you eligible for the CU Support Scheme?

We believe every student should have the opportunity to dream big, reach their potential and succeed, regardless of their background.

CU Support Scheme

Entry level What we're looking for
HNC 64 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
HND 80 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
Degree 104 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.

If you do not have the typical entry requirements, we offer a number of programmes to help you secure a place. Successful completion of one of the below programmes guarantees you a place on a degree course with us, subject to meeting specified criteria.

Your offer of a place is subject to receipt of satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance5.

All HNC/Degree courses require at least two A2 Levels or a BTEC equivalent qualification. Your offer of a place is subject to receipt of satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance.

CU Scarborough welcomes international students from all around the globe. If you are an international student and are interested in applying for a Foundation Year, HNC, HND or Degree course you can do so by completing our online application form.

Once your application form has been processed you will receive the outcome of your application via your given email address.

Please be aware you will need the following information in order to make your application:

  • All academic transcripts
  • Copies of degree/diploma certificates or work reference if employed
  • One academic reference
  • Your personal statement
  • Copy of your current passport

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

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Fees and funding

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man 2025/26 fees TBC*
2024/25 fees-£7,950 per year
Request fee information
EU 2025/26 fees TBC
2024/25 fees - as UK per year with EU Support Bursary**
2025/26 fees TBC*
2024/25 fees -£16,800 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International 2025/26 fees TBC*
2024/25 fees -£16,800 per year
Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 of £1,250 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

For international students, we may increase fees each year, but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Our purpose-built campus building includes a library, IT suites, mock law court, engineering and science labs, cafe and lots of individual and group study spaces4. Next to us is Scarborough’s leisure village. The complex includes an Olympic legacy swimming pool, sports hall, fitness suite, all weather pitches and the new Scarborough Athletic football ground.


Careers and opportunities

On successful completion of the course, you will have the knowledge and skills to be able to succeed in the health and social care sector. You will develop communication skills and the ability to work as part of a team. Through teaching and assessment, you will have developed a range of digital skills that are required for work and be able to demonstrate a range of competencies.

You will be prepared for roles in a variety of health and social care settings, such as working with those experiencing mental health issues or domestic violence, tackling environmental health issues or in public health teams. You will also be prepared for postgraduate study in areas such as nursing, social work or postgraduate teacher training.

The invaluable support from my tutors has made my university journey a lot more manageable and enjoyable. Support given to students, tutors' willingness to listen to feedback and the diversity of degrees offered are just a few of the reasons why I would highly recommend CU Scarborough as a place of study.

Emily Johnson, Health and Social Care BA (Hons) graduate, 2022.
Four students sat around  a table talking

How to apply

Applications open for this course in May 2024. Full-time UK undergraduate students apply through UCAS. Otherwise, you will need to apply to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.


If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

International codes:
CUSCU072

International students should apply directly to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.

How to apply

For further support for international applicants applying for an undergraduate degree view our International pages or Coventry University Group's International hub.


If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.

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