Undergraduate · Health & Social Care

BSc (Hons)Health & Social Carewith Foundation Year

Explore how people, services and communities shape health and social care. Build the knowledge, practical understanding and transferable skills to support your next step.

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Foundation and direct degree entry routes, with personal guidance from GLP.

Health and social care students learning supportive communication with an older adult role-play participant in a simulated home care training room — People. Practice. Possibilities.Understand the world of care.
Build skills with purpose.

Duration: 4 yearsOr 3 years with direct degree entry
Mode of study: Full-timeConfirm your campus timetable
Foundation entry: 48 UCAS points104 points for direct degree entry
Intakes: September, January, MaySubject to confirmation

Direct entry route: Three-year degree, subject to admissions assessment
Campus: Confirm location and availability with GLP

A foundation for your ambitions

Understand people.
Explore better care.

Health and social care services support the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals and communities. This programme explores the principles and practices of the sector, together with the social, political, ethical and global contexts that influence care.

Examine how services are managed and regulated to meet community needs. Investigate biological, psychological and sociological influences on health, and consider how personal circumstances, culture, lifestyle and environment affect care decisions.

Explore professional responsibilities, safeguarding, risk assessment and safe working practices. Real-life case studies help connect academic knowledge with practical questions while developing communication, teamwork, time management and problem-solving.

The four-year route starts with a Foundation Year in communication, data, professional development and research skills. Applicants who meet the direct-entry requirements may be considered for the three-year degree route. Confirm the route and award title with admissions.

Critical thinkingCommunicationTeamworkResearch & dataReflective practiceLifelong learning

Find your starting point

Choose your entry route.

Foundation Year route

48UCAS tariff points

Indicative entry guidance for the four-year degree with a Foundation Year. Confirm accepted qualifications, equivalents and any additional requirements with admissions.

Direct degree entry

104UCAS tariff points

Indicative entry guidance for the three-year degree. Any subjects are acceptable at Level 3, subject to the provider’s assessment of your qualifications.

GCSE requirements

The standard entry outline lists five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, or equivalent, including English and Mathematics. Ask admissions how this applies to your entry route.

English language requirements

The programme outline lists IELTS 6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5, or an accepted equivalent, for applicants who need to demonstrate English language proficiency. Confirm the evidence required for your circumstances.

Admissions confirms the final entry conditions, supporting documents and any interview requirements. Meeting an indicative points threshold does not guarantee an offer.

Your learning journey

From foundations to independent enquiry.

Begin with academic and professional preparation, then study human development, safe practice, safeguarding, health inequalities and leadership. The final-year major project offers an opportunity to explore a health and social care topic in depth.

Foundation yearPrepare for degree-level learning

Communication Skills
Data Skills
Professional Development Skills
Research Skills

Year oneExplore people, professional roles and safe working

Academic and Professional Skills
Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology
The Role of Health and Social Care Professionals
Working Safely in Health and Social Care Environments

Year twoUnderstand development, safeguarding and wellbeing

Lifespan Development
Safeguarding Practices
Promoting Health and Wellbeing
Significant Life Events and Resilience

Year threeInvestigate systems, leadership and social justice

Inequalities and Social Justice
Leadership and Change Management in Health and Social Care
Major Project (Health and Social Care Context)
Comparative Healthcare Systems

This is an indicative module outline. Confirm module titles, credit values, compulsory or optional status and availability for your intake. Direct-entry students begin at degree level, subject to admissions approval.

Connect theory with practice

Learn, reflect and apply.

A range of teaching and assessment approaches supports different ways of learning and helps you demonstrate the knowledge and skills developed on each module.

How you’ll study

Lectures introduce core course content.
Seminars and discussion groups explore ideas in more depth.
Tutorials provide space for questions and learning support.
Case studies, practical scenarios and workshops connect theory with care settings.
Guided independent study includes research, reading and assignment preparation.

Guest lectures and industry presentations may enrich your learning. Confirm which activities are available for your intake.

How you’ll be assessed

Time-constrained examinations and in-class tests.
Essays, reports and coursework assignments.
Presentations and portfolios.
A major project in a health and social care context.
Developmental tasks with feedback to support your progress.

Formal assessments contribute to your module marks; developmental assessments provide feedback without counting towards the final mark. Each module’s assessment plan confirms the methods and weighting.

Looking beyond graduation

Explore your direction in care.

Develop written and verbal communication, IT, research, data analysis and collaborative skills for a range of statutory, voluntary and independent settings. Potential areas include local authority teams, health promotion projects, refugee and asylum support, hospitals, hospices, day centres and residential services.

Care home management
Community development
Healthcare management
Assistant practitioner pathways
Psychological wellbeing practitioner pathways
Primary care mental health support
Health promotion
Education welfare
Medical sales

These are possible career directions to investigate. Practitioner, management and specialist roles can require additional qualifications, supervised training, experience or professional registration. This degree alone does not guarantee eligibility for a regulated role or employment.

Continue your learning

You may consider further study in areas such as nursing, public health, social work or teaching. Each programme has its own entry and professional requirements; progression is subject to a separate application.

Plan your next step

Understand the cost of study.

Tuition fees

To be confirmed

Contact GLP for the current fee schedule for your entry year, including the foundation year and subsequent degree years.

Ask about fees & funding

Funding your studies

Eligible students may be able to apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and support with living costs. Eligibility depends on your course and provider, previous study, age, nationality and residency status. Fee status and funding entitlement are assessed individually.

For most courses starting on or after 1 January 2027, applications use Lifelong Learning Entitlement funding. Check the official guidance for your start date and circumstances before making financial plans.

Before you apply

Confirm your entry route, eligibility, intake availability, modules and current fees with the provider. This page brings together course information and GLP guidance.

Student finance eligibility — GOV.UK Funding for courses starting from January 2027 — GOV.UK

Your questions, answered

A little more clarity.

How long does the course take?

The Foundation Year route takes four years full-time. A three-year direct degree route is also listed for applicants who meet its entry requirements.

Which entry route is right for me?

The outline lists 48 UCAS points for foundation entry and 104 for direct degree entry. Admissions checks your qualifications and confirms the most appropriate route and any additional requirements.

When can I start?

The supplied intakes are September, January and May, subject to confirmation. Ask GLP about the location, timetable and intake available to you.

What will I study?

Explore human anatomy and physiology, professional roles, safe working, development, safeguarding and wellbeing. Later study covers inequalities, leadership, healthcare systems and a major project.

How will I learn and be assessed?

Teaching includes lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops and independent study. Formal assessment can include examinations, essays, reports, presentations, portfolios and project work, with developmental feedback throughout.

Will this qualify me for every health and care role?

Career requirements differ. Nursing, social work and other professional or specialist pathways may require further approved training, experience and registration. Discuss your intended role before applying.

Ask another course question

Your next chapter starts here

Build your future
in health and social care.

Explore your next step with personal guidance from Global Learning Pathway.