Take your career in health and social care further, faster – by combining your working role with studying towards a nationally recognised qualification.
- Join a course designed specifically for those working in clinical support and assistant practitioner roles
- Benefit from flexible work-based learning, attending University on a day release basis and applying what you learn in your workplace
- Learn from a highly experienced and enthusiastic teaching team who provide full support to help you achieve your ambitions
- Share insights and experiences with students from other disciplines so that you are well prepared to work in multi-professional teams
- Gain an up-to-date picture of latest developments and policies in health and social care
- Build an excellent platform for career progression and further study at higher education level
- Study a course that recieved 100% satisfaction in the 2017 National Student Survey
Please note that you will need the support of your employer to study this programme.
This course will help you achieve a higher level of knowledge, skills and attributes to enhance your performance in your current job and pave the way to more senior roles. It represents a partnership between you as a learner, your employer and the University.
The best of both worlds
You will benefit from all the advantages of work-based learning – gaining a relevant, nationally recognised qualification while continuing to work and earn as part of a healthcare team.
You will need the support of your employer before you can embark on your studies. You will attend the University on a day release basis to gain the theoretical knowledge which will underpin your day-to-day practice and equip you with new skills to take back into your workplace.
The FdSc has been designed in close collaboration with our partner employers – including hospitals, health care trusts, local authorities and social care providers – to help them build a skilled, sustainable workforce for the future and ensure the best outcomes for patients and service users.
A broad base of knowledge
We ensure your learning is relevant, up to date and meaningful, always linked to the delivery of compassionate care in practice. As well as developing skills specific to your own workplace setting, you will gain insights into latest thinking and policies shaping how the NHS, health and social care sectors are managed and organised in the UK today.
We also foster your development as a reflective practitioner, helping you to identify future career and educational opportunities and to assess your continuing professional development (CPD) needs.
Inter-professional learning in action
This course brings together students who are working in a wide variety of roles within health and social care. They have experience in areas ranging from general and community nursing, radiography, occupational therapy and operating theatre practice through to rehabilitation, social care, primary care, paediatrics, mental health and learning disabilities, plus many more.
Because health care is increasingly delivered by multi professional teams, one of the major advantages of this course is that you will be learning with, and from, students from other health and social care disciplines. Sharing ideas and insights will be a key part of your learning experience. This is also vital in preparing you to work in more flexible and collaborative ways after your studies.
A dynamic learning experience
We offer an outstanding learning environment. Alongside well-resourced teaching rooms, our facilities at the Derby campus include a clinical skills suite built to professional standards, with replica wards, counselling rooms and treatment rooms. An exciting new addition is a state-of-the-art Immersive Suite which enables you to practise your skills in a realistic setting.
Expertise to inspire you
You’ll be taught by enthusiastic and dedicated staff who are immersed in their areas of practice and committed to supporting you at every stage of your studies. Some continue to work in practice alongside their teaching role.
Our Health and Social Care Research Centre spearheads a range of projects aimed at building healthy, sustainable communities. This gives you access to up-to-date knowledge and latest thinking relevant to your career. Our team includes renowned professionals whose work features regularly in leading journals and books and who help shape national policies.
You’ll study modules such as:
Stage one
- Higher education study skills
- Understanding health and ill health
- The organisation of health and social care in the UK
- Health inequalities
- Long term conditions
- Human biology, anatomy and physiology
- Assessment skills
- Management of care
- Skills associated with practice
- Health promotion and public health
- Dementia care and Mental Health
The University-based taught elements of the course – including lectures, tutorials, workshops, exercises, group work and case studies – will equip you with the theoretical knowledge to improve your practice in the workplace. Aspects of the course are also taught online.
Our focus on inter-professional approaches offers you a broader understanding of health and social care. You will also gain analytical, problem solving and practical skills that add real value to your working role.
You will benefit from the guidance of a personal tutor while at the University. Within the workplace, your learning will be supported by a work-based facilitator.
How you’re assessed
For your University-based academic assessments, we use a variety of methods including written assignments, reflective accounts, case study presentations, examination, competency documents and the development of a portfolio. In the workplace, your clinical assessment will be undertaken by your facilitator.
Teaching hours
You will attend University for one day per week during academic term-times only. All taught sessions will be delivered between 09.30 and 15.30 hrs. You will be able to access individual tutorials with the programme team outside of these hours and team members are also available by appointment on days other than your dedicated University day.
Who you will meet
Our teaching team is made up of highly skilled practitioners from a range of health and social care backgrounds. Many not only teach but are also still involved in care, undertaking a wide range of evaluation, research and consultancy work at a local, regional and national level in their specialist fields. It means you will benefit from the latest developments and innovations in your practice area.
To join the course you will need an NVQ (QCF) level 3 qualification or equivalent
Our entry requirements for this course should be read together with the University's general entry requirements, which details subjects we accept, alternative qualifications and what we're looking for at Derby.
On successful completion of the FdSc, you will be ideally placed to take on greater responsibility and autonomy within your workplace. You could advance to more senior roles or use your skills to take your career in new directions.
Having tasted academic success, you may also want to progress to further study and attain additional qualifications. We offer a wide variety of opportunities for you to take your studies to the next level.
You could, for instance, ‘top up’ your FdSc to gain the BA (Hons) Health and Social Care. You could also consider accelerated entry on to the second year of our BSc (Hons) Nursing – with a focus on Adult Nursing or Mental Health Nursing. If you are currently working in radiography, there may be the potential to join the final year of our BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography with the help of a specialist bridging course.
If you need any more information from us, eg on courses, accommodation, applying, car parking, fees or funding, please contact us and we will do everything we can to help you.
Contact us Contact us Spring and September provisionally. The course requires a minimum number of 12 delegates in order to run.
Download programme specification
Teaching hours
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Please note: Our courses are refreshed and updated on a regular basis. If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.
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