This is the designated top-up for the Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care and has designed to meet the national subject benchmarks for Health Studies and Social Policy and Administration.
As a graduate of Riverside College and awarding body Staffordshire University, you'll gain employability skills and professional attributes that will help you to help you get ahead in the job market.
This course has been designed to produce the professionals of the future, who can positively address the challenges that health and social care presents.
Meeting the health and social care needs of the population is one of the greatest challenges facing any society. It extends to almost every facet of social life, from the person who is unwell and seeking support for themselves, to political decisions about how to structure national systems of healthcare delivery.
On successful completion of study, we will issue the following award: BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care
Course content
The BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care (top-up) is continually assessed through methods which include essays, short answer exams, portfolio, presentations, researched report, viva voce and project work. Modules of study include:
- Extended Health and Social Care Study (45 credits at Level 6)
- Contemporary Issues in Health and Social Care (15 credits at Level 6)
- Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care (30 credits at Level 6)
- The Employable Graduate (30 credits at Level 6)
Modules
The tables provide an indicative list of the modules that make up the course for the current academic year. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Our teaching is informed by research, and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline. We aim to ensure that all modules run as scheduled. If for any reason a module cannot be run we will advise you as soon as possible and will provide guidance on selecting an appropriate alternative module where available.
Leadership And Management In Health And Social Care
This module provides you with the opportunity to apply the understanding of health and social care topics you have developed over the course to matters of leadership and management. It will cover key theories of leadership and management, including management and change and conflict, innovation, decision making, teamwork and project management. Over the course of the module, you will explore how these theories can be applied to practical issues within health and social care environments. Through a combination of lectures and group tasks you will be able to consider your own style of leadership and how this might be applied in your future working roles. Simulated activities and invited guest lectures on key leadership and management topics will enhance this module.
Module code: PPDE60721
Human Factors And Safe Practice In Health And Social Integrated Care
What does Human Factors really mean and why it is important for patient, service user and staff safety and wellbeing? Human Factors is concerned with the application of what we know about people (our abilities, characteristics and limitations) to the design and management of equipment we use, environments in which we function and the activities we have to perform. This module provides you with an introduction to Human Factors, the profession and the national and international response from the Health and Social Care sectors. We will also explore how Human Factors as a discipline can help address issues relating to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), such as situations that cause EDI issues and potential solutions on how to overcome these.
Module code: PPDE60720
Specialist Care Skills: Youth Crime And Criminal Justice
This module aims to develop the learners critical understanding of the discourses surrounding youth offending and the multi-agency responses to youth offenders and youth offending in contemporary society within a social constructionist and cross-cultural perspective. More specifically, the module provides both a practical and critical understanding of young people's involvement in crime and deviance and the various responses to youth crime, especially how young people are dealt with by the youth justice system.
Module code: PPDE60723
Specialist Care Skills: Housing, Homelessness And Supporting Multiple Disadvantage
This innovative module offers an opportunity to build specialist health and social care skills in your final year of study. Students studying this module will have the opportunity to learn about and critique the contested issues around multiple disadvantage, housing and homelessness ready to begin your career in Health and Social Care. The module is grounded in theory and has a strong practical focus, offering opportunities within the module to examine case studies, gain experience through simulated activities in our highly equipped immersive suite, meet housing professionals working in the field and learn from experts by experience in the area of housing and homelessness.
Module code: PPDE60719
Extended Health And Social Care Study Project
This module enables you to study a topic of your choice in some depth and provides learners with the opportunity to consider analysis of current practice and policy; literature search skills and strategies; principles and practice of critical appraisal of evidence; conceptual frameworks; writing a literature review; presentation of study findings and their relevance to practice.
Module code: PPDE60718
Specialist Care Skills: Substance Use And Society
Substance misuse/use of illegal and legal drugs is of growing concern across many areas of health and social care provision as it has severe impact on the individual, their families and consequently their communities. The business of illegal drugs is a global phenomenon which poses and threat to public health and political stability in several countries, crossing international boundaries. Substance addition can be costly to society especially in relation to local responses to crime, disease, domestic violence, abuse, job loss and homelessness. This module aims to provide learners with a theoretical and practical overview of the substances used in contemporary society. Learners will critically analyse the substance and drug classification system before investigating their effects on the individual and impact on public health. Social policy, linked to drug use, will be considered at a national and international level acknowledging substance use/misuse as a global issue. The treatment options available in the UK will also be considered within the module.
Module code: PPDE60722
Contemporary Issues In Health And Social Care
The aim of the module is to engage you in critical discussion and analysis of contemporary health and social care issues and policies. You will develop an in-depth knowledge in relation to your area of interest through independent enquiry. You will gain a detailed understanding of theoretical, historical and comparative perspectives in health and social care; develop skills in evaluating the impact of health and social care policies on communities, professionals and/or organisations, locally, nationally and internationally; and the ability to critically reflect on policy and practice based on research evidence and use policy change theories to propose and initiate change.
Module code: PPDE60717
Location
You will study at Riverside College but receive a qualification from University of Staffordshire.
Riverside College prides itself as a centre of vocational excellence. They have a simple ambition: We want you to reach your full potential during your valuable time with us.
Riverside College website
Entry requirements
You must have obtained a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care (FdSc) or similar.
International entry requirements
For equivalent entry requirements in your home country, please see the information on our country pages.
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Get country-specific details on entry requirements, fees, scholarships and support services. Choose your country to see how University of Staffordshire can support you from application to arrival.
Careers
With over 350 different career opportunities within different health and social care settings the Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care (FdSc) provides the underpinning skills and knowledge required for a wide variety of work in these settings, including public or private sector, working for charities in the UK or abroad, working in research centres, public health, health promotion, NHS support services, social services, housing associations, private care homes, offender services, drug and alcohol services, local authority and education support.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching
We know that our students learn in different ways. To help everyone get the most out of their studies, we teach through a combination of lectures, workshops, and practical sessions. In addition, you will have timetabled meetings with your personal tutor (or equivalent) at least twice a year to help support you in your studies. You will be taught in high-quality learning spaces throughout your course, and of course will have access to virtual learning environments to enhance your learning opportunities. Many of our courses are accredited or recognised by professional, statutory or regulatory bodies.
Assessment
Your course will provide you with opportunities to test your understanding of your subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module will give you a variety of opportunities to receive informal feedback from your tutor. These may include classroom discussions, discussions in the virtual learning environment, presentations, milestone assessments, and practice assessments. Informal feedback is developmental and any grades you may receive for these do not count towards your module mark. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. This includes a range of coursework assessments, such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations, final year, independent project and written examinations. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.
Feedback
You will normally receive feedback on formal coursework assessments within 20 working days following the date of submission. Examination feedback may take a variety of formats, including one-to-one discussions with your tutor. However, as a minimum, generic feedback will be made available to all students who take written examinations.
Fees
UK and Channel Island students: This tuition fee is agreed subject to UK government policy and parliamentary regulation. If the UK government passes appropriate legislation, the fee for subsequent years of study may increase in each academic year. But this increase will not exceed the rate of inflation as measured by RPIX**. Any change in fees will apply to both new and continuing students. The University will notify students of any change as early as possible. Further information about fee changes would be posted on the University’s website once this becomes available.
**RPIX is a measure of inflation equivalent to all the items in the Retail Price Index (RPI) excluding mortgage interest payments.
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Rules and regulations
If you are offered a place at University of Staffordshire, your offer will be subject to our rules, regulations and enrolment conditions, which may vary from time to time.
Students of University of Staffordshire enter into a contract with us and are bound by these rules and regulations, which are subject to change. For more information, please see: University Policies and Regulations.