Health and Social Care FdSc

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Explore the key challenges in the health, social care, and wellbeing sectors, both for individuals and communities. You’ll gain the skills and knowledge that top employers are seeking, giving your career and earning potential a significant boost.

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Overview

This highly practical two-year foundation degree in Health and Social Care will allow you to develop your career. You'll gain a detailed understanding of health and social care policy and practice, which you can use straight away in any workplace that involves caring for individuals and communities.

Why us?

Our Social Work courses are in the UK top 20 for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2025).
Have the opportunity to ‘top-up’ this course to a full BSc (Hons) degree with an extra year of study

We are one of the world’s best young universities according to the THE Young University Rankings 2024.
We're 2nd in the UK for International Student Diversity (QS World University Rankings: Europe 2025).

Course structure

This is a highly practical Health and Social Care course, which combines academic study and work-based learning. The elements of the foundation course which are taught in the college include lectures, discussions, case studies, and workshops.

Your progress will be assessed with evaluations of work experience, reports, presentations, and time-constrained tests. Throughout the course, you'll have one-to-one support from academic staff.

Course Modules

FIRST YEAR:

Work-Based Learning in Health and Social Care Settings 1 (20 credits)

Explore the central concerns of health and social care in a practical setting. Examine the complexities surrounding the understanding of knowledge, theories, issues, and skills required when working within health and social care practice. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills through work-based learning to increase your employability when you graduate.

Applied Qualitative Research Methods (20 credits)

Gain an understanding of the theory and practice of qualitative research methodologies and methods in social science. Discover the history of social science research and the philosophical and methodological debates which have underpinned the emergence of contemporary social science. Carry out your own research, investigating an aspect of contemporary social life, learning how to think about, organise, manage, and report on social scientific research.

Understanding Health and Social Care (20 credits)

Explore the central concerns of health and social care knowledge, topics, issues, and service users from the origins of the Welfare State through to contemporary society. Examine the complexities of what we mean by health and how inequalities in health are endemic.

Exploring Psycho-Social Theory (20 credits)

Consider the roles that biology, psychology and sociology may play in inherent individual behaviour, in order to understand the complexities of individual and collective behaviour in contemporary society. Interpret and apply these theoretical perspectives to specific issues within different areas of social sciences.

Developing Independent Learning and Professionalism in the Social Sciences (20 credits)

Develop your study skills and personal qualities required in an academic and professional context. Explore the social contexts in relation to the practical and emotional effects of transitioning into Higher Education and the impact of this on your learning. Reflect upon this, learning strategies and mechanisms of support to facilitate the transition.

Dimensions of Health and Social Care (20 credits)

Explore what we understand health to mean and the multifactorial perspectives which contribute towards this understanding. Examine biomedical and social understandings of health and illness and the impact of social class, gender, ethnicity, and place, as well as the impact of the media and how health and illness is represented therein.

SECOND YEAR:

Contemporary Challenges in Health and Social Care (20 credits)

Examine the contemporary challenges in health and social care and consider the implications these issues have for policy and practice. Learn about how and why these challenges have emerged and the complexities of dealing with them. Analyse the ways in which the challenges covered have been informed and developed as a result of global and local social changes, culture, politics, ideology, and economics converging as current social problems. Investigate a range of empirical sources and use theoretical models to explore some of the possible wider sociological causes of the issues covered.

Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences (20 credits)

Learn about the theory and practice of quantitative research methodologies and methods in social science. Apply the principles underpinning quantitative research to the analysis and interpretation of statistical data. Carry out your own research, investigating an aspect of contemporary social life, learning how to think about, organise, manage, and report quantitative research.

Work-Based Learning in Health and Social Care Settings 2 (20 credits)

Build on the knowledge gained throughout the course to develop your own practice, reflection, and ability to apply theory to practice. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills through work-based learning to increase your employability when you graduate.

Health Improvement and Healthy Lifestyles (20 credits)

Study the concepts, theories and models underpinning contemporary health promotion and lifestyle behaviour change. Examine biopsychosocial theoretical approaches, values, and beliefs in relation to the application of models of health promotion and behaviour change.

Working Together to Safeguard Vulnerable Children, Young People and Adults (20 credits)

Study what lessons can be learned by partner agencies about the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, through the analysis of real serious case reviews.

Early Life Course Approaches to the Health and Social Care of Children, Young People and Families (20 credits)

Develop knowledge of life course approaches towards health, incorporating biopsychosocial theoretical perspectives. Gain knowledge and a critical understanding of each early life stage from before birth through to young adulthood, including contemporary challenges which are compared to different historical periods and different geographical places.

Entry requirements

We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.

6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component (IELTS)

We accept a range of English language tests and qualifications for students from all over the world. View the full list here.

Accreditation of prior learning (APL)

APL is the term used when you get credit towards your course for something you learned in the past. It means you might not need to study all of the course including a module or number of modules.

This can come from:

Previous learning
Work experience

If you think you could get APL, contact our Admissions team.

Fees and finance

2024/25 fees

The annual fee for this course is:

£8,750 for UK Home/EU (settled/pre-settled status only)

2025/26 fees

The annual, full-time fee for this course is:

£9,535 if you are from the UK*/Europe

For more information on fees and funding, visit our Scholarships pages.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

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Contact

Contact Student Recruitment for further information about studying at the University of Sunderland in London:

020 7531 7333

recruitment-london@sunderland.ac.uk

Read the full programme specification for information about our Health and Social Care courses.

Page last updated: 10 March 2025

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.