BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with foundation year

• 48 UCAS points. We accept a full range of qualifications that carry UCAS points, including A-levels, BTECs and T-levels. Please see our guide to the UCAS Tariff for examples of how to achieve these points. For most courses, we are also able to consider non-tariffable qualifications.
• Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3.
• You should also have five GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics. If you didn't study GCSEs, please contact us for details of other acceptable qualifications.
• If you have non-traditional entry qualifications and relevant experience, or a suitable portfolio of work that we consider a reasonable substitute for the qualifications we typically accept for this course, then we will be happy to consider your application.
• Every application will be considered on its individual merits.
• You’ll be required to attend an interview and/or provide a portfolio of work.
• If English isn’t your first language, you’ll also need IELTS 5.0 with no less than 4.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details. Where we think you’ll benefit from English language tuition, we’ll support you to improve your English language skills as part of your foundation year. This will help you to succeed at degree level.
• Some work placements (taken during Level HE5 of the course) involve regular unsupervised access to children and/or vulnerable adults, also known as regulated activity. If you'll be undertaking a placement that involves regulated activity you'll have to get an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) beforehand. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service. You don't need to apply for DBS Enhanced Disclosure before starting the course.
• Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.
• Please visit www.rcl.ac.uk to find out more about our London Academic Centre and Regent College London.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

Our BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with foundation year looks at health in its broad context and investigates contemporary health issues. There's a growing demand for health and social care workers who are not restricted by boundaries and can work flexibly to accommodate the increasingly complex health and social care needs of individuals, families and communities.

This degree will also enable you to develop a range of key transferable employability skills, including written and verbal communication skills, IT skills, the ability to work independently and in a team, research and data analysis skills, the ability to provide support and guidance, and work in complex and demanding situations.

What can I do with this qualification?

As a graduate of this degree, you'll be well-prepared for working in a wide range of statutory, voluntary and independent settings, including local authority or multi-agency teams, health promotion projects, refugee and asylum services, hospitals, sheltered accommodation, hospices and day centres, and residential care units.

In addition, as a graduate with a health and social care background, you'll be in a good position to be considered for careers in health education and promotion, welfare, health research, community mental health and commissioning and care management services. You'll be able to pursue roles in service management and coordination or advocacy, education and training. You might also seek work as a technician and support worker helping children and families, older and disabled people, drug and alcohol abusers, and people with mental health problems.

Further study is a popular option for health and social care graduates. For some career areas, such as social work, nursing, research and teaching, additional study is required to achieve professional recognition.

Alternative career options

Graduates can use this qualification as a stepping stone into a range of other careers. Some of these roles may require relevant experience and/or postgraduate study. Some possibilities include the following:

• Probation work
• Substance misuse
• Victim support
• Youth work
• Social housing
• Learning support
• Counselling
• Mental health
• Occupational therapy
• Community education
• Teaching and training
• Journalism
• Dietitian

Home/EU Fees

No fee information is currently available, please contact Student Data Management on 01204 903059 or SDMenquiries@bolton.ac.uk for more information

International Fees

International applications are not possible for this course

As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.

We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2025-26 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

We use a wide variety of learning, teaching and assessment methods. These aim to help you develop the skills, knowledge and competencies you need to achieve the learning outcomes of this course and, more importantly, the values and attitudes essential to good health and social care practice that will support you to succeed in your future career.

Lectures introduce the core course content, while seminars and group-based activities allow you to explore subjects in greater detail and consider the policies and practices involved. In tutorials, you can ask questions to ensure you understand the topics covered in lectures and seminars. We use case studies, practical scenarios, and role-play to help you learn to apply academic theory to real-life problems, allowing you to gain insights into health and social care practice in the working environment. You'll also have the chance to gain practical skills in our clinical skills laboratory with simulated patients. We'll encourage you to use online learning resources to enhance your studies.

In addition, we offer masterclasses with practitioners from the health and social care sector, sessions with guest speakers who use health and social care services and applied work experience. These seek to enhance employability and bridge the gap between theory and professional practice.

Our assessment methods aim to replicate activities that are required in the workplace. For example, we'll expect you to write reports, give presentations, create leaflets, develop your portfolio of practice, analyse care plans, review relevant literature, analyse complex cases and discuss how to manage change. You'll also be required to write essays and reflective accounts, take practical and written tests and get involved in group discussions. Some assessments will contribute to your final module mark and allow you to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes. In contrast, others are designed to help you identify areas that need extra attention on your part or where you need additional support from your tutors.

This programme adopts a blended learning and teaching style, including online delivery and engagement where appropriate.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Reading Modern Society
• The Individual and Society
• Research Methods in Social Science
• The World of Work
• Reading Contemporary Society
• Self-reflection and Academic Skill Development
• Legal and Ethical Issues
• Introduction to Social Policy
• Principles of Care
• Anatomy & Physiology for Health and Social Care
• Introduction to Research and Evidence-Based Practice
• Enhancing Communication and Academic Skills
• Group Dynamics and Working in Teams
• Work-based Experience
• Health Promotion - Challenges and Opportunities
• Social Inclusion, Empowerment and Health
• Employability Skills
• Person Centred Health and Social Care
• Research Proposal/Methods
• Compassionate Health and Social Care
• Dissertation/Research Project
• Safeguarding Children
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults
• Care of the Older Person
• Contemporary Mental Health
• Working With Children and Families

Assessment methods

Level	Assessment method
Level 0	Coursework 100%
Level 1	Coursework 95% Practical exams 5%
Level 2	Coursework 100%
Level 3	Coursework 100%

Learning Activities

Level	Activity
Level 0	Guided independent study 64% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 36%
Level 1	Guided independent study 70% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 30%
Level 2	Guided independent study 70% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 30%
Level 3	Guided independent study 78% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 22%

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.