Undergraduate Course

Course details

Study options

Full-time: 3 years

UK fee

£9,250 per year (2025/26)

International fee

£TBC per year (2025/26)

UCAS points

96 (September 2025 entry)

UCAS code

L590

Start date

September

Location

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

If you do not achieve the typical entry points required, you may want to consider studying this course with foundation year.

View with foundation year optionView with foundation year option

Top 5for satisfaction with teaching in Social WorkGuardian University Guide 2024
Top15for graduate prospectsHealth Studies subject area - Complete University Guide 2025
Top25for student satisfactionSocial Work subject area - Complete University Guide 2025
100%of Students agreed that teaching staff are good at explaining thingsBA (Hons) Health and Social Care - National Student Survey 2024
95%Overall Academic SupportBA (Hons) Health and Social Care - National Student Survey 2024
93%Overall Learning ResourcesBA (Hons) Health and Social Care - National Student Survey 2024

Take your first steps towards a fulfilling future in health and social care. This degree will give you the skills, confidence and experience to make a positive difference to people’s lives and wellbeing.

We’re proud to welcome applications from candidates with practice experience in youth work, health, social care and education. This is as part of our commitment to enable those from non-traditional backgrounds to be able to study as part of our commitment to widening participation.

 

Why you should study BA (Hons) Health and Social Care at the University of Derby

Health and social care is all about supporting people – working flexibly, creatively and confidently to address the needs of individuals, families and communities. This highly practical course equips you for a career in a sector which offers immense personal satisfaction.

Meeting the challenge of change

Versatile, adaptable and skilled health and social care professionals are in demand like never before. At a time when people are living longer with increasingly complex needs and a growing number of services are provided in the community and at home, roles and practices within the sector are changing rapidly.

Our BA (Hons) Health and Social Care is designed in partnership with key service providers, commissioning organisations, service users and other stakeholders to reflect the latest developments within the profession.

The focus is on how we can enable and support vulnerable people to live independent, active and healthy lives, and how we can respond effectively to the needs of their families and carers.

You’ll cover the profession from a holistic standpoint, exploring policies and trends, social and psychological approaches, and critical issues in adult and children’s care.

Making a difference

This degree prepares you to make a positive impact on the way services are delivered in a variety of statutory, voluntary and independent organisations, working in areas ranging from family support and community mental health to residential care, social housing and refugee support.

Because such services are increasingly managed by multi-professional teams, we offer opportunities at each stage of your course for you to learn with, and from, students from other disciplines. This is really important in preparing you to work in more flexible ways after graduation. By learning to work together, you can help achieve the best outcomes for service users.

If you are already employed within the sector, the part-time route to the BA (Hons) qualification is an excellent option because you can fit your studies around your current role and achieve the qualifications you need for promotion to more senior positions.

Gain vital skills on placement

Not only will you gain a thorough understanding of policy and practice, you’ll also have exciting opportunities to apply that knowledge to real work situations.

Thanks to our enviable links across the sector, you will undertake two work placements as an essential part of your course. These will give you crucial experience in a range of settings – from statutory agencies to community projects. Some of our students share their experiences of their placements below.

'The placement allowed me to feel more confident going into a new work place and doing something new.' - Phil.

'The placement experience taught me how to adapt and develop learning  with adolescents who have a range of learning disabilities and needs. This has helped me build my confidence and assertiveness.'  - Hannah.

'I identified and overcame personal bias and discrimination that previous to the placement experience I didn't know I held.' - Sherice.

'The placement gave me the experience of working and being part of a community, making small changes and being able to be resilient around my own development.'  - Kate.

You’ll receive full support from our placements team and the senior lecturer for practice to ensure you make the most of this experience. A dedicated work-based mentor will also provide you with on-site guidance during your placement. Placement hours are subject to change.

A rich learning experience

There is the chance to take part in a vibrant programme of agency visits, high-profile international conferences, guest lectures and workshops where local stakeholders share best practice. These will provide a unique context to your learning, broaden your networks and put you at the heart of health and social care developments in our region.

Our students have even organised their own public debates and have taken part in Dragons’ Den-style events to pitch ideas for new social enterprises to industry experts.

Tailor your studies to your professional interests

We offer ample opportunities for you to investigate issues which particularly interest you or which reflect your career aspirations.

The Independent Study module in stage three of the course has seen students undertake research into wide-ranging subjects such as teenage pregnancies, privacy in nursing homes, whistleblowing situations, sex and relationship education, integration for refugees, barriers to employment for ex-offenders, public perceptions of anorexia nervosa, male victims of domestic violence, the links between homelessness and mental illness, and services to ensure older people have a voice.

Outstanding learning facilities

You can take this course at our Derby Campus which offer outstanding learning environments including clinical skills suites built to professional standards, with replica wards, counselling rooms and treatment rooms fully equipped with the latest clinical resources.

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

Big spaces for big ideas

Kedleston Road offers it all: study in our largest library, relax at Basecamp, train in real-world healthcare settings, and stay active in our state-of-the-art Sports Centre.

Discover your campusDiscover your campus

What you will study

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

Kedleston Road, Derby Campus entrance

Undergraduate Open Days

The best way to find out if studying at Derby is right for you is to experience an Open Day. Get a feel for the city and campus, tour our first-class facilities and see where you could be living.

Book your Undergraduate Open DayBook your Undergraduate Open Day

How you will learn

You’ll learn through a variety of methods including lectures, small group discussions, workshop, seminars, presentations, tutorials and placements.

We regard placements as critical to your future career success, enhancing your learning, building your confidence and broadening your perspectives. They enable you to apply theory to practice and give you a flavour of the different working environments in which you could pursue your career.

Throughout the degree, you’ll have one-to-one support from a personal tutor who will provide advice and guidance on your personal and professional development.

How you are assessed

There are no exams. Assessments are wide-ranging, flexible and innovative so you can align them to your own areas of interest. They could take the form of written assignments, reports, posters, presentations, observation of practice and portfolios. All the projects on which you are assessed will be topical and reflect current working practices.

Who you will meet

Our high-calibre teaching team is made up of academically and professionally qualified health and social care experts with vast experience across the sector. Many are still involved in professional practice. They are friendly, enthusiastic and approachable, giving you guidance throughout your studies so that you achieve your ambitions.

Person offering support to a student Person offering support to a student with a laptop Student smiling with tutor Tutor smiling with student and laptop

Helping you reach your full potential

Our Personal Academic Tutoring programme supports your academic journey, helping you achieve your goals and unlock your potential.

Explore the programme

Entry requirements

2025 entry

These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.

Contextual offers may apply to students who meet certain criteria.

RequirementWhat we're looking for
UCAS points96
A LevelCCC
T LevelPass (C and above)
BTECMMM
GCSEGCSE English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification
Access to HEPass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 15, Merit: 24, Pass: 6

Additional entry requirements

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 (with at least 6.0 in each skills area)

Fees and funding

2025/26

 Full-timePart-time
UK

£9,250 per year

N/A

International

£TBC per year

N/A

Further information about our fees and support you may be entitled to.

Additional costs and optional extras

How to apply

Please look at our application deadlines before you apply.


UK students

If you are in Year 13 and applying for a full-time undergraduate course (including our joint honours courses), we recommend that you apply through UCAS.

Apply through UCAS

If you are applying to study part-time, or already have your qualifications, or wish to join at Year 2 or 3, you should apply directly to the University.

Apply directly to the University

Careers

Our emphasis is on nurturing versatile and flexible health and social care professionals who are not restricted by boundaries and who can work in multi-professional teams. This degree equips you for rewarding roles in areas such as:

Our graduates are now carving out successful careers in organisations across the independent, statutory and voluntary sectors. Some have chosen to move directly into working with vulnerable people within the NHS, adult and children’s social care services, while others have progressed into strategic management and leadership positions to develop improved services for individuals, families and communities.

The course will also give you a firm foundation of knowledge if you would like to specialise in areas such as social work, nursing, teaching and therapies in future.

Ongoing careers support

As part of the course, you will develop the professional and inter-personal skills which employers are seeking, such as problem solving, communication, presentation, collaboration and reflection. We also offer a suite of bespoke sessions across all stages on themes such as job seeking, applications and interview techniques.

Our Careers and Employment Service will provide you with help, guidance and support from day one of your course – and for up to three years after you’ve completed your studies.

Take your studies to the next level

The BA (Hons) Health and Social Care can pave the way to postgraduate study, including our:

Getting you career ready

Your degree is only part of your story.

We're here to help prepare you for life after university.

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96%
of UK graduates are in employment or further study.

Top 5
for employability.
Uni Compare Annual Student Review Rankings 2025.

87%
of UK graduates say their current activity is meaningful.

Contact us

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.

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Additional information about your studies

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.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

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.

Minimum numbers

Please note that this course is subject to minimum numbers in order to run.

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