FdSc Foundation degree in Health and Social Care Foundation degree at Burton and South Derbyshire College
FdSc Foundation degree in Health and Social Care at BSDC is taught in English and is available part-time. As a nationally recognised degree awarded by a recognised UK degree-awarding body, the qualification is valued across the health and social care sector.
About this course
Health and Social Care (Foundation Degree) | Level 5 | P14375 | Burton and South Derbyshire College Skip to content Home Courses Careers Apprenticeships Apprenticeships Apprenticeship vacancies Apprenticeship FAQs Hire an apprentice Apprenticeship Recruitment Days Student Support Student Support Careers advice Financ From the provider’s course page.
FdSc Foundation degree in Health and Social Care is a Foundation degree (FdSc) at BSDC, based in Burton-on-Trent Campus. It is studied part-time; duration varies by route.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Nursing & Health, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Level 4 (Year 1), Semester 1 3 modules
- Using Communication Skills in Health and Social CareCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Introduction to Academic Study and Employability Skills in Health and Social CareCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Human Growth and Development through a bio-psycho-social lensCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
Level 4 (Year 1), Semester 2 3 modules
- The Context of Health and Social CareCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Professional IssuesCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Introduction to Safeguarding Children and AdultsCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
Level 5 (Year 2), Semester 1 3 modules
- The Employable GradeCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Research SkillsCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Mental Health and Wellbeing PerspectivesCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
Level 5 (Year 2), Semester 2 3 modules
- Understanding Health and Social Care Organisations (and work experience)Core20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Introduction to Public Health and Health PromotionCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
- Basic Counselling SkillsCore20 credits
Module details
Assessment: 100% coursework
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
A typical Health and Social Care foundation degree builds from clinical and theoretical foundations through to applied specialist practice. Year 1 covers core nursing principles, communication and person-centred care, alongside anatomy and physiology for understanding illness and body systems. You'll usually undertake supervised placements alongside theory, these run throughout the course (around 50% of study time, following NMC standards). Year 2 typically moves to acute and long-term care management, medicines and pharmacology, with placements in community, mental health or specialist settings. By Year 3, you'll progress to complex care, leadership and quality improvement, evidence-based practice, and final placement consolidating your competence for professional registration. Specialisations such as adult nursing, mental health, children's nursing, community and primary care, and leadership are generally available depending on your pathway.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking to develop professional knowledge and practical skills in health and social care. It is designed for part-time learners who wish to combine study with work or other commitments. The foundation degree pathway provides a stepping stone into health and social care professions, whether you are starting your career or progressing within the sector.
Careers & job market
Across Nursing & Health courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of working graduates, 87% are in highly skilled work or further study. National earnings data shows that starting salaries for health and social care graduates typically range from £27,000 to £30,500 at 15 months after graduation, rising to £27,200–£38,400 after five years. These figures reflect national Graduate Outcomes and LEO data and are not guaranteed individual salaries.
University & format
This FdSc is taught at Burton and South Derbyshire College, a higher education college in Burton-on-Trent. The course is studied part-time and taught in English. As a foundation degree (Level 5), it is recognised by a UK degree-awarding body, making qualifications nationally recognised. The course leads to NMC registration eligibility upon completion.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Part-time application dates vary by provider. UCAS dates
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Apply directly to the provider
Part-time application dates vary by provider. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at BSDC →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- NHS Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Nursing & Health graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Newly Qualified PractitionerPreceptorship / first post · 0–2 yrs
- 2Registered PractitionerAutonomous practice · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / SpecialistSpecialist or team lead · 5–10 yrs
- 4Advanced / Consultant PractitionerAdvanced practice or management · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Nursing & Health nationally
National figures for Nursing & Health graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How Nursing & Health graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine documentation and triage support
- Scheduling and records admin
- First-pass risk flags from data
- Standard reference look-ups
More human than ever
- Hands-on, compassionate care
- Clinical judgement and accountability
- Communicating with patients and families
- Ethics and safeguarding decisions
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Nursing & Health graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- NHS trusts
- Private healthcare
- Care providers
- Community & mental-health services
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Nursing & Health graduates.
Nursing Home ManagerJarrodean Healthcare RecruitmentSenior Charge Nurse Uist Community Nursing teamNHS National Services ScotlandCare Assistant - Nursing Home | Flexible Hours, Weekly PayMpa RecruitmentCare Assistant (Nursing) - Nightshift - RatheaneMacklin Care Homes LimitedSenior Support Worker: Meaningful Care & Flexible ShiftsPotens GroupDental NurseBupa Dental CareWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Subjects allied to medicine across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Burton-on-Trent Campus
972 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Nursing & Health right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to BSDC from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by BSDC; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check BSDC’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with BSDC and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at BSDC
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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