Start date:September
Institutional code:O10
UCAS code:MH74
Duration:3 years full time
Course type:Full Time
Fees per year 2024/25 entry:£7,500
Fees per year 2025/26 entry:£8000 Full Time (Foundation Degree); £5760 Full Time (Foundation Year)
Additional costs per year:£50 for enhanced DBS
Delivery Method:Face-to-face via Lectures, Seminars and Tutorials
Health & Social Care (Mental Health Pathway) FdA with Foundation Year validated by University of Central Lancashire
Interested in a career in Health and Social Care, but lack the formal qualifications to apply for a degree? The Health and Social Care – Mental Health Foundation Year course is a great stepping stone that will support you to develop the academic writing, research and presentation skills needed for degree level study.
You’ll also gain important insights into health professional careers in a supportive and engaging learning environment. Once you have completed the foundation year, you will continue on our Health and Social Care FdA Mental Health Pathway.
Applied Anatomy and Physiology
You’ll study the anatomy and physiology of the body, learn how this may be affected by illness, disease or injury and how to apply these key principles.
Academic Writing and Studying in Health and Social Care
This module aims to introduce you to the principles of academic writing and studying to prepare you for your academic career.
Learning Development and Using Information Communication Technology to Present Information
This module aims to develop key reflective skills and critical thinking to enable students to internally reflect on their current practice and also interpret research and apply this to practice.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Health and Social Care
You will explore underpinning social concepts such as discrimination, stereotyping and social identity both within health and social care services and in wider society. Within the module you will discuss diversity approaches to equality both conceptually, by exploring legislation and cultural contexts, and within the workplace, by considering interventions. You will explore the patterns of segregation and disadvantage for groups of individuals whilst considering visible and non-visible dimensions of diversity including ethnicity, race, religion, gender, social class, age, disability and sexual orientation.
Measuring Health and Wellbeing
This module will introduce you to health interventions at all levels, including government policy and individual practice. You will understand the key sources of evidence and develop skills in the interpretation and analysis of these interventions.
Developing Professional Skills in Health and Social Care
This module aims to support students to apply their understanding of professional skills needed in the Health and Social Care sector. There is particular emphasis on collaborative communication and team-working skills and developing the professional competences and values which are essential for working in health and social care
Study Skills and Lifelong Learning
This module is designed to help you develop the academic skills required for studying at degree level, as well as the skills to enhance your learning for the rest of your life. The knowledge you gain during this module will apply to all modules on the course.
Mental Health Across the Lifespan
The module will focus on the key components of mental health and will aim to develop student’s knowledge of developmental, psychological and social issues that may influence an individual’s mental health. In particular, this module recognises the diversity of the mental health workforce and the culture of involving service users and carers in influencing and improving mental health services.
Introduction to Anatomy, Physiology and Psychology of Health
The aim of this module is to enable students to develop underpinning knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the body and how this may be affected by illness, disease and injury. In addition, the students will be able to identify health and disease processes on diagnostic tests as relevant to their area of practice. The module aims to link the theoretical knowledge from the classroom to the practical or social environment and will explore the concepts of health and well-being from a medical and bio-psychosocial approach.
Foundations for Practice
This module is designed to help you start identifying the skills you have and the skills you need to develop to work within Health and Care sector. During your placement, you will be working alongside service users, their families and carers, skilled practitioners and you will enjoy the privilege of being invited into individuals’ lives. You will have the opportunity to consider what you have learned in class and how this applies in the ‘real world’ and encouraged to think critically about yourself as a practitioner. You will also be introduced to ideas and theories of personal and professional development and will have the opportunity to apply these to practice.
Supporting Professional Practice
Building on what you learned in Year One, this module offers you the opportunity to gain more experience of working with service users, their families and carers, and the professional staff who work with them. The module will enable you to critically consider the skills you have, those you need for future professional practice and what you can learn from your experience on placement.
Management and Leadership within Health and Social Care
The aim of this module is to support students to develop managerial and leadership roles within the health or social care sector.
Evidence based Practice
The module will enable students to develop the skills to locate and appraise research and cultivate their knowledge of a topic from their professional discipline as a basis for future action.
Interventions in Mental Health Practice
The aim of this module is to equip students with a clear range of knowledge, values and skills, all of which have been clearly demonstrated to be effective in meeting the needs of service users who experience serious mental health problems. The module will also enable students to understand policy and legislation relating to mental disorder, and the role of the law for service users with mental disorder or mental incapacity in relation to care and treatment.
This course will involve you working with vulnerable groups of individuals, including children. In order to ensure that we offer places to suitable candidates, you will all be required to obtain a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance (DBS – formerly termed CRB).
Please note that should your Enhanced DBS check prove to be unsatisfactory for the purpose of the course you have applied to, your offer of a place for that course may be withdrawn. If you are aware that your DBS check will disclose a previous conviction, please contact the course leader for advice.
Guest speakers are invited into some modules and you will have the opportunity to participate in Employability Week with a focus on engaging with employers from a variety of roles with the Health and Care sector.
The FdA programme provides you with the option to continue your study to the BSc (Hons) Top-Up in Health & Social Care.
Career options include:
Admissions decisions will be based on the following standard criteria:
Mature students may present a more varied profile of achievement that is likely to include extensive work experience (paid and/or unpaid) and/or achievement of a range of professional qualifications in their work sector. Please contact our friendly team if you are unsure if you meet the criteria.