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.
- Prepare for a career where you can plan and deliver health and social care services which are fit for the future
- Put the theory you learn into practice, with work placements in different settings – from care homes to community projects
- Join a course designed in partnership with experts from the sector, ensuring your studies are up to date and relevant
- Draw on our strong professional links and benefit from guest lectures, fact-finding visits and networking opportunities
- Be inspired by our friendly and supportive teaching staff who have a wealth of experience in health and social care
- Make the most of our exceptional learning facilities
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.
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.
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.
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:
- Local authority, NHS and multi-agency teams working with children, young people and adults
- Homelessness and social housing services
- Refugee and asylum-seeker support agencies
- Appropriate adult and advocacy work
- Health promotion services
- Community mental health teams
- Intensive family support teams
- Residential and nursing care management
- Commissioning and care management teams
- Care co-ordinator management.
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.
Take your studies to the next level
The BA (Hons) Health and Social Care can pave the way to postgraduate study, including our:
2025 entry
These are the typical qualification requirements for September 2025 entry.
may apply to students who meet certain criteria.
| Requirement | What we're looking for | | UCAS points | 96 |
| A Level | CCC |
| T Level | Pass (C and above) |
| BTEC | MMM |
| GCSE | GCSE English Grade 4/Grade C (or above) or equivalent qualification |
| Access to HE | Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 with a minimum of Distinction: 15, Merit: 24, Pass: 6 |
| English language requirements | IELTS: 6.5 (with at least 6.0 in each skills area) |
Additional entry requirements
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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