About the course
Develop the skills and confidence to deliver real-world, research-informed health and social care, on a degree course that opens up a wide range of career roles across the public, voluntary and independent sectors.

This course gives you a broad understanding of contemporary health and social care issues and their relevance to wider social, policy, legal and organisational environment, both within the UK and internationally.

Areas of study incorporate sociology, public health, law and health inequalities. In your second and third years, follow your interests with optional units in mental health, disability, safeguarding, addictions, human rights and care of older people. In your final year, undertake a choice of an independent academic research project or an action-focused project based within an organisation, with the support of our experienced academic team.

There is a strong vocational focus, ensuring you develop transferable, employability-enhancing skills. Take this course over four years and include a fee-free one-year placement in industry* where you gain practical experience, build your CV and meet potential future employers.

*Only available to UK/EU students

Why choose this course?
Understand and confidently apply evidence-based theory to practice, delivering excellent health and social care outcomes to all those who access these services
Study with an academic team who have wide experience in the field and are actively involved in health and social care research
Benefit from the opportunities offered by the University of Bedfordshire’s partnerships with local councils and NHS Trusts to recruit and train health and social care workers
If you take the course with a placement year (see below), benefit from our wide range of relevant placement opportunities including roles in research assistance, social media and community advocacy as well as internships
If you need to step up into higher education, start with a Foundation Year (see below) which guarantees entry to the undergraduate course

Course Leader - Dr Faith Ossy Ikioda

Why Study in the School of Applied Social Sciences?

• Courses developed in partnership with practice agencies
• Our research involving robots, shows that they can improve mental health and loneliness in the elderly
• Part of the SASS change makers initiative

Units

• Career Planning For Social Scientists (ASS102-1) Compulsory
• Introducing Academic Skills (ASS103-1) Compulsory
• Introduction To Health And Social Care (ASS072-1) Compulsory
• Introduction To Research And Social Enquiry (ASS100-1) Compulsory
• Introduction To Sociology Of Health (ASS098-1) Compulsory
• Law, Society And Controversy (ASS071-1) Compulsory
• Global Public Health (ASS007-2) Compulsory
• Interprofessional Working In Health And Social Care (ASS114-2) Compulsory
• Research 1: Collecting Data (ASS110-2) Compulsory
• Research 2: Exploring Data (ASS113-2) Compulsory
• The Social Sciences At Work (ASS099-2) Compulsory
• Addictions And Society (ASS106-2) Optional
• Comparative Welfare State Politics (ASS068-2) Optional
• Disability In Society (ASS062-2) Optional
• Mental Health And Society (ASS091-2) Optional
• Refugees, Displacement And The Politics Of Migration (ASS096-2) Optional
• Sociology Of Health And Illness (ASS045-2) Optional
• Health Services Planning And Management (ASS134-3) Compulsory
• Sass Change Maker Project Dissertation (ASS139-3) Compulsory
• Sass Change Maker Research Dissertation (ASS142-3) Compulsory
• Care Of Older People: Health And Social Care In An Ageing Society (ASS058-3) Optional
• Childhoods In Global Context (ASS023-3) Optional
• Health Issues In Gender, Age And Ethnicity (ASS136-3) Optional
• Human Rights And Global Governance (ASS147-3) Optional
• Safeguarding Children, Young People And Adults (ASS146-3) Optional
• Work And Welfare In The 21st Century (ASS145-3) Optional

How will this course improve my career prospects?

The degree prepares you for a range of roles in the wider health and social care sectors, including the not-for-profit (voluntary), private sector and public sectors. Typical graduate destinations for Health and Social Care students include direct work with service users in areas such as:

• Children and families
• Drug and alcohol misuse
• Mental health
• Services for older and disabled people and young people

Work in other areas of the human services includes:

• Health promotion/public health
• Welfare
• Community development
• Environmental health
• Health policy and administration
• Healthcare management
• Social enterprise development

You may also consider further study at Master’s level (Level 7) - for example, the University of Bedfordshire's MSc Integrated Healthcare Practice and Strategic Leadership; MSc Social Work; MSc Public Health; and MSc Nursing (Mental Health or Adult).

*international students are eligible of receiving the VS'S scholarship of 1000GBP