Integrated Mental Health and Social Care, FdSc

AT A GLANCE

This Foundation Degree has been designed with employer input to enhance the practice of multidisciplinary health and social care practitioners in the field of mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing are increasingly recognised as being of vital importance to overall health, so this Foundation Degree has been designed in partnership with key organisations, including the NHS, to provide those who aspire to be assistant practitioners with the skills and knowledge required to help those in need of professional
support.

Building upon the proven track record of the Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care at UCW, this course is also mapped to Higher Apprenticeship standards, and is one of the first in the region to specifically address the shortage of mental health skills in healthcare and social care.

As well as the training in topics related to mental health, the classroom elements of the course also include training in physiology, anatomy, disease and complex conditions, and studies in transferable academic areas such as sociology and communication for those who aspire to further study.

As a Higher Apprenticeship, this course involves assessment by work-based mentors, so you must be employed in a health or social care setting and also have access to such a mentor before applying. UCW employs a specialist facilitator to guide students and employers on workplace practices. Please read the workplace suitability guidance to find out more.

This Foundation Degree is taught by our expert and experienced lecturers in the University Centre in our Knightstone Campus. You’ll be also among the first students to take advantage of the brand new teaching and learning facilities and extended opening hours at our multimillion pound redevelopment of the Winter Gardens, which is also in the centre of Weston.

Foundation Degrees are Level 5 qualifications equivalent to the first two years of a full Honours Degree. They are designed with employer input and combine academic study with work-based learning. UCW’s commitment to great graduate outcomes is also underpinned by our students having access to a Careers Coaching service for the whole time they are enrolled with us.

Please click on the next tab to find out more about what you’ll learn on this programme and how it is taught and assessed. The dropdowns below deal with our partnership with UWE Bristol and what is and isn’t included in the tuition fees.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with UCW’s HEART team. It would also be great to meet you and show you around at our next Open Day.

Our partnership with UWE Bristol

Course costs

2020 entry full-time tuition fees: £8,250 per year.
2021 entry full-time tuition fees: £8,500 per year.

This covers all of the teaching and assessment elements that are required for students to complete the course.

It also includes:

The use of UCW equipment and facilities.
Attendance at guest lectures and conferences at UCW.
Annual £10 printing and photocopying allowance for full-time students.
The use of UCW computer equipment at any of our campuses and access to Microsoft Office 365 while you are enrolled with UCW.
The loans of books from our libraries.
Access to all of the UCW student support and careers services.

It does not include:

Extra printing and photocopying above the £10 limit.
Optional daytrips and residential visits at an approximate cost of £75 (UK) and £100 (overseas) per day/night.
The cost of books that you may wish to purchase.
Transport between our campuses, and to/from your partner university or workplace. We encourage students to take advantage of termly bus passes to reduce transport costs.
Accommodation and other living expenses.

UCW publishes its Tuition Fees Policy on the Wider Information Set page of this website.

You may also be eligible for additional financial support, depending on your circumstances.

All of the modules on this course are compulsory and worth either 15 or 30 credits. Successful completion of all of the modules in the first year is worth 120 credits at Level 4 and equivalent to a Certificate of Higher Education. Successful completion of the second year is also worth 120 credits and will lead to the award of the Level 5 Foundation Degree.

Year 1:

Communication for healthcare practice (30 credits) – enhance professional practice by improving the effectiveness of communication with patients and healthcare partners.
Introduction to psychology and sociology and integrated practice (30 credits) – apply theories from psychology and sociology to improve understanding of health and wellbeing.
Physiology, health and disease (30 credits) – understand the key concepts in anatomy and physiology and how they can promote homeostasis.
Skills for healthcare practice 1 (30 credits) – learn important healthcare practices in areas such as assessment, observation and reporting.

Year 2:

Integrated approaches to complex needs (15 credits) – discuss the management of long-term and complex health needs and appropriate support strategies.
Introduction to research methodologies and methods (15 credits) – learn the advanced planning and analytical techniques needed to undertake higher education research.
Mental health and wellbeing (30 credits) –consider the main factors that contribute to emotional wellbeing and the treatments available to those suffering from mental health conditions.
Skills for healthcare practice 2 (30 credits) – continue to enhance your practice while also promoting inclusivity and informed decision-making in accordance with relevant ethical principles and legislation.
Supporting people in crisis (30 credits) – explore assessment strategies and interventions to support people experiencing a crisis.

Teaching and assessment

This course is taught via a combination of lectures, seminars, skills practice, presentations, case studies, group workshops and work-based practice. UCW’s Higher Education Library Plus (HE.LP) team also deliver a series of sessions on degree-level research and academic writing to all first-year students. When not in scheduled lecturers and seminars, students are expected to continue learning through independent self-study. This involves reading relevant literature, working on individual and group projects, and undertaking research in preparation for coursework and exams.

This course has an average of 7.5 hours of scheduled teaching per week.

At UCW, we also understand that some students benefit from more contact time with lecturers than is the norm at a traditional university, so we do all we can to make sure academic staff are available for their students when they are needed.

Assessment is via a combination of written exams, practical exams and coursework. The assessment breakdown is 6% written exams, 15% practical exams and 79% coursework.

Please click on the Course Handbook button to find out more.

Graduates of this course are eligible to progress to related Honours Top-up courses, and are also eligible to apply to join the second year of associated full Honours degrees, such as the BSc (Hons) in Nursing (Mental Health) at UWE Bristol.
This Foundation Degree has been designed for those aspiring to be Assistant Practitioners (Skills for Health Career Framework Level 4) who already have related roles in health and social care settings and want to further their careers.

A related Level 3 qualification such as A Levels, a BTEC Extended Diploma or an Access to Higher Education Diploma, or equivalent. Applicants will also need Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths at grade C (level 4 under the new GCSE grading system), and are also required to attend an interview.

It is a requirement of admission to this programme that applicants have suitable employment in a health and social care setting where they can be supported and assessed by a work-based mentor. Please read the workplace suitability guidance to find out more.

Course length
Full-time: 2 years (1 day a week)
Start date
7th September 2020
Course codes
Institution: W47
Course: L451
Campus: –
Tuition fees
Full-time: £8,250 per year

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Course Handbook

Programme Specification

Work placement suitability guidance

UCW Terms and Conditions

“I’ve consolidated my work-based knowledge and gained the confidence to address issues in my role, highlight areas of practice that could be improved and suggest new ideas…”

Delivered in partnership…

This course is delivered in partnership with the University of the West of England (UWE).

So students get the best of both worlds – the enhanced support and increased contact with lecturers that sets us apart, and full access to all the resources and facilities at UCW and a nearby university.