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Undergraduate

Health and Social Care

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Photo: Corbis / disabled mother with son / Health and Social Care / Open University

Health and social care is a vast service sector undergoing rapid change, with new government initiatives giving it a higher profile than ever. Priorities on the healthcare agenda include being more responsive to patient needs, and preventing illness by promoting a healthy lifestyle. The focus in frontline health and social care is on giving service-users more independence, choice and control. These developments mean there’s greater demand for well-trained and multi-skilled people across a range of rewarding employment opportunities.

Providing help and care for those in need or who are vulnerable offers a unique sense of personal and career fulfilment. Through OU study you can become part of this essential and worthwhile sector, or you can build on your existing professional experience and progress your career in a particular area of health and social care.

Our wide-ranging qualifications, degrees and health and social care courses cover today’s topical and most important issues, and are expertly designed to inspire and challenge you.  Some offer a broad-based background exploring principles and approaches to caring across the health and social care sector, while others offer specific policies and practices or focus on a particular aspect of provision, such as caring for those with mental health problems, palliative care or examining the role of complementary and alternative medicine.  All draw on the latest research and the experience of practising professionals, to provide you with valuable insight and real-world skills and knowledge.

Where to start in Health and Social Care

Whether you want a qualification or not, we recommend you start your studies at Level 1. But choosing the right type of course at Level 1 is very important.

Start with our 30 or 60-credit Level 1 courses if you are fairly confident about studying:

This is a popular first step in many of our qualifications. You'll learn how to study at university level, get a thorough grounding in your chosen area of study and, in addition, you'll become a confident distance learner.

Start with an Openings course if you are a new or less confident learner (and living in the UK).

They offer a gentler introduction to OU study and are ideal preparation for any of the Level 1 courses above. With lots of support and no exams, they will build your confidence and study skills.

If you already know that you want a particular qualification – see the descriptions below for advice about where to start.

Don't forget that if you need help considering options you can talk to an adviser. And if you have some previous study experience you may qualify for credit transfer.

Degrees

  • Childhood and Youth Studies
    This degree is for those who work or intend to work with children and young people, or for those with more general interests in the interdisciplinary field of childhood and youth studies.
  • Health and Social Care
    This degree covers a broad range of topics relevant to employment in the health and social care sectors.
  • Health Studies
    In this degree, you’ll draw on science and social science to investigate a wide range of contemporary health issues.
  • Nursing Practice
    If you’re a practising registered nurse, you can gain this honours degree while cultivating a person-centred approach to your work with patients, their carers and families.
  • Social Work (England)
    Qualify as a social worker with this unique work-based degree, offered in partnership with employers – who must sponsor and register you on the programme. In Scotland, if you already have a degree, there is a graduate entry route available – (B50)
  • Social Work (Scotland)
    Qualify as a social worker with this unique work-based degree, offered in partnership with employers – who must sponsor and register you on the programme. In Scotland, if you already have a degree, there is a graduate entry route available – (B50)
  • Social Work (Scotland)
    Graduate Entry Route: If you already have a UK degree, you can enter this unique work-based qualifying programme in social work at stage two. You must be sponsored and registered by your employer.
  • Social Work (Wales)
    Qualify as a social worker with this unique work-based degree, offered in partnership with employers – who must sponsor and register you on the programme. In Scotland, if you already have a degree, there is a graduate entry route available – (B50)
  • Social Work Studies
    This degree is for registered social workers who wish to develop their skills and knowledge to meet the complex challenges of modern social work practice.
  • Youth Justice Studies (England and Wales)
    If you work with young people in the youth justice system, this qualification will increase your skills and knowledge and have a real impact on your practice.
  • Youth Work
    This youth work degree is suitable for experienced practitioners working directly with young people (13–19) in informal settings or with informal educational roles in a formal environment.
  • Open degree
    The BA/BSc Open Degree provides a flexible way to combine a range of courses from different subjects either to suit your particular career or personal interests, or to complete studies you have started elsewhere.

Foundation Degrees

  • Counselling
    The Open University’s Foundation Degree in Counselling will provide an understanding of the theory and skills required to practise as a professional counsellor.
  • Early Years
    If you’re an experienced practitioner working with children from birth to seven years old in an early years setting, this degree will further your knowledge and skills.
  • Health Sciences
    This work-based degree is ideal for support staff working in clinical laboratories. You must be supported by your employer for the work-based courses.
  • Paramedic Sciences
    Develop the knowledge, skills and competencies which underpin paramedic practice in emergency care settings. You must be supported by your employer for the work-based courses.
  • Sport and Fitness
    Build knowledge and skills needed by sport and fitness instructors/coaches in leadership and instructional settings. Involves some work-based learning and recognition of externally studied instruction/coaching qualifications.
  • Working with Young People
    This degree (JNC-validated for those starting the award prior to 2010) develops the skills/knowledge of those working with young people in informal education.
  • Youth Justice (England and Wales)
    This degree will suit if you work in the youth justice system (including the secure estate), volunteers working in this field, and those planning to join the youth justice workforce.

Certificates of Higher Education

Courses in Health and Social Care

See the list of all our individual courses in Health and Social Care.

Postgraduate options

If you already have a degree, you may want to see postgraduate courses and qualifications in Health and Social Care.

Spotlight on Health and Social Care

Build on your experience of caring

Thousands of people have taken our popular and well-supported route to a Certificate in Health and Social Care (D34) – gaining a qualification based on real cases and practical examples. The certificate could help you develop in your current role, or open the door to new opportunities.

Death and Dying (K260)

An exciting and revolutionary course in which students engage with real issues based on the experiences of dying people, bereaved people, those who work with them, and their carers, both lay and professional. This course will be of interest for anyone who works with dying people and their families or students who want to find out more about death, dying and bereavement, and what these mean in different contexts.

 

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