Health, Education and Social Care Foundation Year
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
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Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
The course is designed to provide you with an introduction to health, education and social care knowledge and skills, including IT and academic research. You will be taught by a range of experienced academics and be supported at every step of your course to ensure an enjoyable experience that will enhance your learning and future employment prospects.
Academic knowledge and intellectual curiosity are promoted throughout the foundation year, assisting you to achieve your true potential. The progression towards critical thinking begins in this course and will be further developed as you progress onto undergraduate study. The enquiry-based learning approach will empower you to become an active and independent learner with the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of audiences through a manner of platforms.
Our teaching team bring both knowledge and experience in practice and academia. The emphasis and support of a research rich learning environment will equip you with the confidence and skills needed for future study.
98% of our Nursing graduates are in highly skilled employment or further study 15 months after graduation (Guardian University Guide, 2025).
Education at Northumbria is ranked Top 20 in the UK by the Complete University Guide for 2025.
What are the courses I can take after completing this foundation year?
51爆料 has a well-established suite of Health, Education and Social Care related degree programmes. Upon completion of the Foundation Year, you will be able to apply to progress on to the following courses after a successful interview (for professional programmes) and satisfactory occupational health and DBS clearances:
UCAS Code
B760
Level of Study
Undergraduate
Mode of Study
1 year Full Time followed by a further 3 years full-time study
Department
Nursing, Midwifery & Health, Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing
Location
Coach Lane Campus, 51爆料
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2025 or September 2026
Fees
Fee Information
Modules
Module Information
Northumbria's Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health offers students the opportunity to develop caring careers that can transform the lives of patients, families and communities.
Simulated learning using virtual reality recognised as example of best practice in nursing education.
51爆料 has been nationally recognised for the exceptional support it provides for nursing students after winning a coveted Times Higher Education award.
Read MoreNorthumbria to develop its Centre for Health & Social Equity.
Read the news story.Nursing Student wins national award from the Student Nursing Times.
The Health, Education and Social Care Foundation Year is taught over two semesters and will be completed in one academic year. The course will provide you with a strong grounding in fundamental debates, theory and practice, alongside research skills that are relevant to health, education, and social care. It will enhance your theoretical knowledge of the wider determinants of health, education and social care and provide you with transferable skills relevant to further undergraduate study in these subject areas.
The modules within the course will develop your understanding of collaboration and professionalism, fostering team working, adaptability and academic study skills which are fundamental to future study and employment.
If you are an international student, you will have access to Academic Language Skills (ALS) sessions to help you develop your academic language, writing and study skills. These sessions will run throughout the course.
Furthermore, you will be continually assessed throughout the foundation year which will provide a gradual development of your ability and self-confidence. Assessment methods will be both formative and summative, to measure not only your learning, but to help shape it and develop your intellectual ability. Overall, assessments are designed to motivate you, stimulate your interest and challenge you to develop your academic and creative skills.
We ensure that our students learn from the best. Our staff are inspirational academics, with a genuine passion for their subject. Our courses are at the forefront of current knowledge and practice and are shaped by world-leading and internationally excellent research.
The foundation year is delivered at an exceptional level from a range of academics across the two departments of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, and Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing. Our academics are active researchers, engaging at a local, national and international level in their chosen fields and routinely impart this knowledge into their teaching, as well as scientific conferences and publications.
Guest speakers may also be part of the course to give a broader perspective and contemporary context to the module content.
We will also provide you with a Personal Tutor (PT) who will support you to reflect on and monitor your own learning journey.
Technology Enhanced Learning is embedded throughout the course. The most important lecture content is usually recorded so that you can listen again for clarity or revision purposes, or to support comprehension of English language.
You will have access to the libraries both at Coach Lane and City Campus, which host a collection of 500,000 print books, over 843,000 ebooks, and an extensive print and ejournal collection of over 110,000 titles so that our students and staff can access learning resources at the point of need.
The Clinical Skills Centre, located at the heart of Coach Lane Campus, is the focal point for our Health students educational journey.
Explore Coach Lane Campus
First person tour through the clinical skills facilities at Coach Lane Campus
Just a few miles from the city centre lies Coach Lane Campus; a modern, multi-million pound complex. Here you鈥檒l find lecture theatres, teaching rooms and study spaces to support students in every aspect of learning.
At the heart of each Northumbria campus, our libraries provide a range of study space and technology to suit every learning style.
Over the course of your studies, you will begin to explore research methodologies and how to evaluate the quality of research. You will then re-visit these topics in each module as you explore the evidence base for subjects and assessments.
The research interests of academic staff inform our teaching and helps ensure that what you learn is fully relevant and up to date. Your learning journey will be underpinned by developing your skills and understanding of the importance of evidence-based and learning the application of research.
Throughout the Health, Education and Social Care Foundation Year, we emphasise the development of your professionalism, resilience, communication and decision-making skills which will have value in every workplace. We will give you feedback and specifically assess your ability to craft and present a persuasive argument to others, which gives you confidence and competence.
51爆料’s Careers and Employment Service will also support you with CV advice, interview preparation and portfolio development.鈥�
Throughout the Foundation Year, you will develop attributes including reflection and insight. The course prepares you to think and act independently. Independent learning will prepare you for future learning and your career.鈥�
As the nature of health, education and social care continues to evolve, your transferable skills will help you thrive. The Health, Education and Social Care Foundation Year is designed to support your progression and application to undergraduate degree programmes. Your Personal Tutor will be happy to guide you in the process of applying. A degree qualification is widely seen as an essential first step to more advanced clinical, research, educational and management roles within your future career pathway.
A great social scene can be found at the heart of our campuses, featuring award-winning bars and a huge range of clubs and societies to join you'll be sure to meet people who share your enthusiasms.
From first year through to final year and beyond graduation, we are here to help.
We have a fantastic service for students' to use to gain advice and tips on furthering careers and enhancing their employability.
Careers and Employment Services
Visit an Open Day to get an insight into what it's like to study Experience Health, Education and Social Care. Speak to staff and students from the course and get a tour of the facilities.
80 UCAS Tariff points
From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.
Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator:
51爆料 is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details
Subject Requirements:
There are no specific subject requirements for this course.
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.
Additional Requirements:
There are no additional requirements for this course.
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 with 7.0 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section:
80 UCAS Tariff points
From a combination of acceptable Level 3 qualifications which may include: A-level, T Level, BTEC Diplomas/Extended Diplomas, Scottish and Irish Highers, Access to HE Diplomas, or the International Baccalaureate.
Find out how many points your qualifications are worth by using the UCAS Tariff calculator:
51爆料 is committed to supporting all individuals to achieve their ambitions. We have a range of schemes and alternative offers to make sure as many individuals as possible are given an opportunity to study at our University regardless of personal circumstances or background. To find out more, review our Northumbria Entry Requirement Essential Information page for further details
Subject Requirements:
There are no specific subject requirements for this course.
GCSE Requirements:
Applicants will need Maths and English Language at minimum grade 4/C, or an equivalent.
Additional Requirements:
There are no additional requirements for this course.
International Qualifications:
We welcome applicants with a range of qualifications which may not match those shown above.
If you have qualifications from outside the UK, find out what you need by visiting
English Language Requirements:
International applicants should have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 with 7.0 in each component (or an approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades in our English Language section:
UK Fee in Year 1: £9,535
* This is the tuition fee for your first year of study. You should expect to pay tuition fees for every year of study. The University may increase fees in the second and subsequent years of your course at our discretion in line with any inflationary or other uplift, as decided by the UK Government, up to the maximum amount for fees permitted by UK law or regulation for that academic year. To give students an indication of the likely scale of any future increase, the UK government has recently suggested that increases may be linked to RPIX ( Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments)
International Fee in Year 1:
ADDITIONAL COSTS
There are no Additional Costs
UK Fee in Year 1*: TBC
* Government has yet to announce 26/27 tuition fee levels. 鈥疉s a guide, 25/26 fees were £9,535 per year.
International Fee in Year 1:
TBC
ADDITIONAL COSTS
TBC
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University鈥檚 Privacy Notice please click here
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
HS3005 -
Becoming a Professional (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will explore concepts of becoming a professional working in health, social care, and education (HSCE). You will also engage with and understand the nature of, and challenges to, professional practice. You will also consider aspects of communication between professional groups focussing on such things as the use of 鈥減rofessional language鈥� and professional/service user interactions. The aim of this module is to explore the potential and current issues in developing our own professional practice in health, social care, and education. This will include you considering examples of the historical development of current professions to understand their influence on collective and individual identities including issues of professional identity and professional socialisation. By engaging in exercises which encourage reflection on individual experiences and consider these in terms of concepts from the module and from our changing worlds. You will explore influencing factors such as political debates and agendas which influence the realities of professional working. We will explore how professions are perceived, expected, and enacted within society and how these are contrasted against our own interpretations of a professional identity and role. The impact and influence of ethical considerations on becoming a professional and professional practice will be explored.
More informationHS3006 -
Preparation for Undergraduate Study (Core,20 Credits)
This module is designed to develop critical thinking along with writing and analytical skills for University study. You will build the foundation of these skills to enable you to prepare for the challenges of studying in a University learning environment. It will equip you to learn how to manage your workload including how to read selectively, learn techniques for reading academic texts, understanding how to reference and make useful notes from sources.
Designed to support you to think critically and consider academic theory and how it informs practice, you will examine theory and practice- based health, education and social care. Alongside this, you will work on the basic principles of writing academic work and explore academic language and how to understand it; explore the different styles and how to edit and proof-read your own work. A key academic focus on this module will be to understand the importance of research and evidence-based practice. You will develop an understanding of quantitative research and qualitative research. Quantitative method will allow you to test a hypothesis by systematically collecting and understanding data. Qualitative methods will allow you to explore ideas and experiences in depth.
Throughout the module, you will engage in a wide variety of learning activities to give you the opportunity to gain critical understanding of health, education and social care structures and processes. In addition, you will examine your own personal reflection of your learning and development using self-assessment tools.
HS3007 -
Valuing Self and Others (Core,20 Credits)
This module is designed to meet the needs of healthcare, education and social care students with differing experiences across a diverse range of speciality and subject-specific areas. It will equip you with the knowledge, understanding and insight into why it is important to value yourself, as an individual, and to value others. Throughout the module, you will engage in a wide variety of learning activities and critically examine aspects of valuing self and others related to personal development, communication and empathy, unconscious bias, health literacy and working in a health, social care and education setting as part of a team. Utilising a SMART model (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound), you will demonstrate an understanding of the pathway to becoming a professional and develop and design a pathway that illustrates your long-term goals.
More informationHS3008 -
Human Development in the World (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will explore human development in the world, and how this relates to health, education and social care service provision in contemporary society. This module explores development from infancy and toddlerhood, through childhood, adolescence, adulthood and finally death and dying. The module focuses on 3 core concepts in relation to human development 鈥� physical, cognitive and psychosocial. Arising from these core concepts is a further exploration of beliefs and behaviours and the impact on engagement with health, education and social care. You will use this understanding of development across the lifespan to inform your understanding of your chosen onward area of practice.
More informationHS3009 -
Collaborative working in Health, Education and Social Care (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will explore concepts of interprofessional working in health, social care, and education. This module explores the various roles of professionals, semi-professionals, and non-professionals, including roles and responsibilities and working across multiple services and roles. You will explore the key influences that affect the provision and delivery of these services in UK contemporary society. This module also explores the role of multi-agency/disciplinary working, using real life situations to highlight the strengths and limitations of partnership working. You will be supported to explore the holistic needs of a service user and concepts such as personalisation, empowerment, effective communication, equality and diversity, legislation in the context of practice. You will reflect upon your own personal experiences and personal values when considering the role and impact of professionals within society.
More informationHS3010 -
Collaborative Project (Core,20 Credits)
The structure of this module has been developed to support your transition to learning in a Higher Education institute. The focus of the group project (showcase presentation) will allow you to continue to cultivate your knowledge, skills and understanding of the essential academic components required for studying at 51爆料. The design is student centred and has been developed to incorporate project work linked to the national agenda for health, education and social care. Under the guidance of the module team, you will negotiate a topic relevant to your planned onward undergraduate study field and be supported to identify specific learning opportunities. In order to promote your learning about the chosen subject area, you will review and evaluate your field of study.
Due to the student led nature of the module, sessions have been designed to provide learners with a platform to employ an independent approach to study. Students鈥� will be guided/directed to research, appraise and evaluate a chosen health, social care or education related topic, where they will be given the opportunity be analyse and present findings based on best evidence.
The module themes support and consolidate other Foundation Year modules, developing you towards a sound understanding of professionalism in relation to your onward choice of programme field.
The negotiated group project module will provide you with the opportunity to attend seminars, workshops and face to face sessions where you will be supported to explore and develop your independent learning. It is helpful to note that this module design moves away from the traditional taught lessons.
The group showcase presentation will be the culmination of the Foundation Year programme and will serve not only as an opportunity to demonstrate professional collaborative working through summative assessment, but also a celebratory event to acknowledge the learners journey in preparation for undergraduate study.
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
HS3005 -
Becoming a Professional (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will explore concepts of becoming a professional working in health, social care, and education (HSCE). You will also engage with and understand the nature of, and challenges to, professional practice. You will also consider aspects of communication between professional groups focussing on such things as the use of 鈥減rofessional language鈥� and professional/service user interactions. The aim of this module is to explore the potential and current issues in developing our own professional practice in health, social care, and education. This will include you considering examples of the historical development of current professions to understand their influence on collective and individual identities including issues of professional identity and professional socialisation. By engaging in exercises which encourage reflection on individual experiences and consider these in terms of concepts from the module and from our changing worlds. You will explore influencing factors such as political debates and agendas which influence the realities of professional working. We will explore how professions are perceived, expected, and enacted within society and how these are contrasted against our own interpretations of a professional identity and role. The impact and influence of ethical considerations on becoming a professional and professional practice will be explored.
More informationHS3006 -
Preparation for Undergraduate Study (Core,20 Credits)
This module is designed to develop critical thinking along with writing and analytical skills for University study. You will build the foundation of these skills to enable you to prepare for the challenges of studying in a University learning environment. It will equip you to learn how to manage your workload including how to read selectively, learn techniques for reading academic texts, understanding how to reference and make useful notes from sources.
Designed to support you to think critically and consider academic theory and how it informs practice, you will examine theory and practice- based health, education and social care. Alongside this, you will work on the basic principles of writing academic work and explore academic language and how to understand it; explore the different styles and how to edit and proof-read your own work. A key academic focus on this module will be to understand the importance of research and evidence-based practice. You will develop an understanding of quantitative research and qualitative research. Quantitative method will allow you to test a hypothesis by systematically collecting and understanding data. Qualitative methods will allow you to explore ideas and experiences in depth.
Throughout the module, you will engage in a wide variety of learning activities to give you the opportunity to gain critical understanding of health, education and social care structures and processes. In addition, you will examine your own personal reflection of your learning and development using self-assessment tools.
HS3007 -
Valuing Self and Others (Core,20 Credits)
This module is designed to meet the needs of healthcare, education and social care students with differing experiences across a diverse range of speciality and subject-specific areas. It will equip you with the knowledge, understanding and insight into why it is important to value yourself, as an individual, and to value others. Throughout the module, you will engage in a wide variety of learning activities and critically examine aspects of valuing self and others related to personal development, communication and empathy, unconscious bias, health literacy and working in a health, social care and education setting as part of a team. Utilising a SMART model (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound), you will demonstrate an understanding of the pathway to becoming a professional and develop and design a pathway that illustrates your long-term goals.
More informationHS3008 -
Human Development in the World (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will explore human development in the world, and how this relates to health, education and social care service provision in contemporary society. This module explores development from infancy and toddlerhood, through childhood, adolescence, adulthood and finally death and dying. The module focuses on 3 core concepts in relation to human development 鈥� physical, cognitive and psychosocial. Arising from these core concepts is a further exploration of beliefs and behaviours and the impact on engagement with health, education and social care. You will use this understanding of development across the lifespan to inform your understanding of your chosen onward area of practice.
More informationHS3009 -
Collaborative working in Health, Education and Social Care (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will explore concepts of interprofessional working in health, social care, and education. This module explores the various roles of professionals, semi-professionals, and non-professionals, including roles and responsibilities and working across multiple services and roles. You will explore the key influences that affect the provision and delivery of these services in UK contemporary society. This module also explores the role of multi-agency/disciplinary working, using real life situations to highlight the strengths and limitations of partnership working. You will be supported to explore the holistic needs of a service user and concepts such as personalisation, empowerment, effective communication, equality and diversity, legislation in the context of practice. You will reflect upon your own personal experiences and personal values when considering the role and impact of professionals within society.
More informationHS3010 -
Collaborative Project (Core,20 Credits)
The structure of this module has been developed to support your transition to learning in a Higher Education institute. The focus of the group project (showcase presentation) will allow you to continue to cultivate your knowledge, skills and understanding of the essential academic components required for studying at 51爆料. The design is student centred and has been developed to incorporate project work linked to the national agenda for health, education and social care. Under the guidance of the module team, you will negotiate a topic relevant to your planned onward undergraduate study field and be supported to identify specific learning opportunities. In order to promote your learning about the chosen subject area, you will review and evaluate your field of study.
Due to the student led nature of the module, sessions have been designed to provide learners with a platform to employ an independent approach to study. Students鈥� will be guided/directed to research, appraise and evaluate a chosen health, social care or education related topic, where they will be given the opportunity be analyse and present findings based on best evidence.
The module themes support and consolidate other Foundation Year modules, developing you towards a sound understanding of professionalism in relation to your onward choice of programme field.
The negotiated group project module will provide you with the opportunity to attend seminars, workshops and face to face sessions where you will be supported to explore and develop your independent learning. It is helpful to note that this module design moves away from the traditional taught lessons.
The group showcase presentation will be the culmination of the Foundation Year programme and will serve not only as an opportunity to demonstrate professional collaborative working through summative assessment, but also a celebratory event to acknowledge the learners journey in preparation for undergraduate study.
To start your application, simply select the month you would like to start your course.
Home or EU applicants please apply through UCAS
International applicants please apply using the links below
SEPTEMBER
2025
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our .
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
51爆料 is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.
We are proud to work in partnership with to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.
You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need.
We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:
If you鈥檇 like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University鈥檚 Privacy Notice please click here
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