
FDA Health and Social Care
- Study Mode: Full Time
- Location: High Wycombe
- Duration: Two Years
- Start Date: September 2023
Are you planning to start or further your career as a health and social care professional? Do you have a strong desire to help people? If yes, then this course could be for you.
Our foundation course is an excellent gateway into a variety of roles within the health and social care sector, where you’ll feel fulfilled every day knowing you’re making a difference to someone’s life, providing the support they need to lead an independent and full life.
The modules are so interesting and provide a really good basis if you are interested in Health and Social care but are not quite sure of the exact field yet. This course will provide many possibilities and the course leader is happy to talk you through your different career options, which is really helpful.Georgina Capel


Open Days
We understand that when it comes to deciding where you’d like to study, there are a lot of things to consider. Come along to our Open Day and discover why BNU could be the place for you. You can find out more about your course, meet the course team, and get all your questions answered.

Application guide
For everything you need to know about applying, check out our Application Guide. You can find useful information for each stage of your application journey – from before you even apply to what to do if you receive an offer, and everything in between.
Why study this subject?
Structured around employment in the health and social care sector, this course has been designed with relevant employers to meet the demanding needs of the industry.
You’ll develop specialist knowledge and skills in care work as well as analysis and evaluation meaning you can make a positive impact in whatever career you choose to pursue.
By studying our FDA Health and Social Care, you’ll open doors to opportunities to work with young offenders, those with mental health needs, learning disabilities and the vulnerable, elderly and disabled.
The breadth of subjects you’ll study on this course will give you an introduction and insight into the ethics of caring for vulnerable people in our society. This knowledge will aim to deepen your development and understanding of working in the health and social care sector and subsequently increase employment opportunities for you in the future.
Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?
You’ll gain first-hand experience through work-based learning in either paid employment or voluntary roles.
Here at BNU we recognise that many students applying for this course may not have entered the programme through the traditional academic requirements. We offer support from our Learning Development Unit on a one-to-one basis, tailored to your individual learning needs.
The team will work with you on all aspects of your academic work and help ensure you get the most from your learning. You’ll also be given access to a range of online resources to further support you.
What facilities can I use?
At our High Wycombe Campus, we have purpose-built facilities, including well-equipped simulation clinics and rehabilitation teaching rooms, where you will be taught throughout your course. Our library is packed with all the information you need for your assessments, and there’s plenty of room to knuckle down for some quiet study.
We will also sign you up to our Virtual Learning Environment, which means you will have access to lots of online resources wherever you are!
As this is a foundation degree course, we have gone through all the basics of academic writing, how to structure as essay etc which I have found invaluable! This course provided me with many possibilities and I feel I'm now prepared to follow the next path into Social Work.Georgina Capel
What will I study?
This course will help you gain a broad and comprehensive understanding of how the society in which we live affects individual and community health. You'll learn about factors that influence health while exploring local, national and global approaches to improving population health.
We will explore how public health has been shaped through history as well as develop understanding of contemporary issues which affect health and wellbeing across the lifespan. Evidenced-based practice, epidemiology, and the determining factors in healthcare will form core themes throughout the course, which will be explored in detail.
The course has been uniquely designed to promote your entrepreneurial thinking in order to demonstrate innovation and change within the field of public health.
On completion of this course you'll have:
- gained a conceptual and theoretical understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts of public health from a national and global perspective
- critically evaluated health education and health promotion initiatives that support positive change across different platforms
- demonstrated your understanding of contemporary public health research
- developed creative, innovate and entrepreneurial thinking and contributed towards supporting a positive social impact within society
You will have been able to identify areas you are interested in and prepared properly to enter a professional field you are passionate about, with the support of tutors, lecturers and skill training.
How will I be taught and assessed?
There are a variety of assessment methods employed on the course, assessments can be done online as part of the VLE system. some of the ways you will be assessed include:
- essay
- project
- presentations
- report/case study
- dissertation
Formative assessments will be carried out throughout the course to test your understanding of the module content.
What are the course entry requirements?
A typical offer will require a UCAS tariff score of: 40 - 64
There will also be a telephone interview process. Every application is considered on an individual basis.
For further details of our international English entry requirements, please visit our international pages.
Modules
This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.
Year 1 Modules
Effective Communication in Health and Social Care
Epidemiology, Health and Social Science: An Introduction
Health and Social Care Policy
Understanding Culture and Communities
Year 2 Modules
Developing Personal and Professional Practice
Life-long Career in Health and Social Care
Contemporary Issues and Management of Health and Social Services
Principles of Research Methodologies in Health and Social Care
What are the tuition fees
Home
Home, Academic Year 2023 - 2024
£9,250 per year
International
Overseas/International, Academic Year 2023 - 2024
£15,000 per year
What are my career prospects?
Our FDA course is a foundation degree programme that will allow you to top up to a full BSc honours degree after completion. We designed this course to offer you both a path into a BSc degree but also use the knowledge you gained to seek employment after university in a health or social care related role.
Due to our close partnership with Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire NHS trusts, we have tailored your course to the requirements of professional organisations in the UK and globally to provide you a truly unique and engaging experience. Many of our graduates do go on to do top up degrees and stay with us at BNU but others have gotten jobs in the local area.
Some of the careers and career paths you could consider after this course are:
- social work
- healthcare assistant
- youth work
- community work
- charity sector
- careers in the NHS
Course leader
