Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care

The qualification is designed to help develop you as a reflective practitioner and independent learner with a sound understanding of underpinning theory and concepts. By the end of the qualification, you will be able to evaluate your and others’ roles in the context of policy developments, develop strategic solutions and recognise and value diversity and difference. You will also understand how ethical, legal, social economic and political factors influence the provision and development of services.

All the modules within the qualification emphasized working across professional boundaries with a focus on the client, user or patient. This means that it is closely attuned to priorities in the health and social care sectors and so will be of interest to anyone who works in health, social care or social work in the statutory, voluntary or private sectors.

Knowledge and understanding

On completion of this diploma, you will:

• Know the development of health and social care in the UK from the twentieth century to the present day
• Understand the contemporary ethical, cultural, political, legal and social context in which health and social care takes place
• Critically understand the key theories, concepts and principles that underpin practice in health and social care, including the significance of service-user perspectives
• Recognise the diversity of values found within health and social care.

Cognitive skills

On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:

• Critically review a range of situations in health and social care and assess the appropriateness of different interventions
• Make appropriate use of a range of sources of information and use them to sustain an argument or develop new insights
• Recognise the social processes associated with the promotion of health and well-being and the creation of inequalities
• Critically reflect on the experiences of health, wellbeing and social care from your own and others’ perspectives.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:

• Apply underpinning principles, concepts and theories in health and social care to inform and critique practice situation
• Identify different approaches to service provision in health and social care and critically evaluate strategies for improving practice and service provision.

Key skills

On completion of this diploma, you will be able to:

• Communicate with others in a clear and articulate manner, using appropriate styles for different audiences
• Identify, interpret and manipulate information from a wide range of sources, including numerical and statistical information
• Manage your own learning by identifying learning needs, setting objectives, responding to feedback and monitoring progress through critical reflection.

This diploma of higher education has two stages, each comprising 120 credits.

• At each stage, you will study one 60-credit compulsory module focusing on current issues across the health and social care sector.
• For the remaining 60 credits of each stage, you will choose between option modules exploring particular issues or client groups in more depth, for example, mental health, older adults, children and young people, or health and wellbeing.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

You'll start Stage 1 with:

• Introducing health and social care (K102)

You'll also choose one from:

• Introduction to childhood studies and child psychology (E104)
• Wellbeing across the life course (K119)
• Foundations for social care and social work practice (K123)

Stage 2 (120 credits)

You'll start Stage 2 with:

• Critical ideas in well-being and public health (K212)

You'll also choose 60 credits from:

• Death, dying and bereavement (K220)
• Making a difference: working with children and young people (KE206)
• Critical perspectives on mental health in society (K243)

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

• Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

• You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
• They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
• Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

• The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
• Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

• Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
• You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
• Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or an alternative location.
• If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description, and you will be required to take your exam in person at one of our exam centres.

Skills for career development

The Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care emphasises crossing professional boundaries and the service user’s perspective and is closely attuned to care sector priorities. You’ll acquire a strong set of highly valued transferable skills, including skills in written communication; finding and using research and other sources of information; problem-solving; and time management. You’ll learn to work independently and as part of a team and gain a good understanding of the role of IT in care.

Career relevance

This diploma applies to a wide range of health and social care careers in the statutory, voluntary or private sectors.

Other careers

The wide range of transferable skills you’ll develop during your studies will be applicable to many roles outside of health and social care.

• Care home advocate
• Grants officer
• Health educator
• Community support workers
• Personal assistant
• Substance abuse outreach worker
• Volunteer co-ordinator
• Youth worker

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

• A week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
• Course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
• Module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
• Details of each assignment and their due dates
• A tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
• Online versions of some printed module materials and resources.