HND Health and Social Care Foundation degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University
HND Health and Social Care at CMU is delivered at the Llandaff Campus and taught in English. It was established in 1996 and provides a pathway into professional practice across the health and social care sectors.
About this course
I'm Going to Uni' Podcast Students' Union Cardiff Met E-Store STUDENT SUPPORT Student Support Fees & Finance Student Services New Students Careers Service Advice for Applicants Entrepreneurship CARDIFF MET ON SOCIAL Cardiff Met on TikTok Cardiff Met on Instagram LIFE AT CARDIFF MET STUDENT SUPPORT CARDIFF MET ON SOCIAL From the provider’s course page.
HND Health and Social Care is a Foundation degree (HND) at CMU, based in Llandaff Campus. It runs 2 years, studied full-time.
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 6 modules
- Introduction to Global Health and Social Care
- Working with Adults
- Health and Social Care in a Political Landscape
- Working with Children
- Academic and Employability Skills
- Applied Sociology and Psychology of Health
Level 5 6 modules
- Psychological Vulnerability
- Critical Perspectives in Childhood and Youth Studies
- Health and Social Care Industry Research
- Leadership in Health and Social Care
- Comparative Global Health and Social Care
- Work-Based Learning
Level 6 5 modules
- Real-World Research and Employability
- Applied Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifespan
- Global Issues within Health and Social Care
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Independent Evidence-Based Project
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
You'll study the clinical and theoretical foundations of nursing and health care practice. A course like this typically begins with core nursing fundamentals, clinical skills, communication and person-centred care, alongside anatomy and physiology. You'll then progress to assessment and management of acute and chronic conditions, medicines management, and evidence-based practice. Throughout, you'll undertake supervised placements in various settings: hospital wards, community services, mental health units and specialist services. In your final stages, you'll focus on complex care and leadership, consolidating your competence for registration. You can specialise in areas such as adult nursing, mental health, children's nursing, community and primary care, and leadership, with the possibility of achieving NMC registration.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking a structured entry into health and social care professions. It's designed for students who want to develop clinical and practical skills whilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification. The HND is particularly relevant if you're interested in specialisations such as Adult Nursing, Mental Health, Child Health, Midwifery, Public Health, Physiotherapy, Social Work, or Paramedic Science. It offers a foundation for either direct employment or progression to further study.
Careers & job market
Across Nursing and Health courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating, and 87% of those working are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further qualifications. National earnings data shows starting salaries (15 months post-graduation) typically range from £27,000 to £30,500. After three years, this rises to £23,800–£33,600, and after five years, £27,200–£38,400. Check Cardiff Metropolitan's funding pages for information on bursaries and scholarships.
University & format
This HND Health and Social Care is a 2-year full-time foundation degree studied at Cardiff Metropolitan University, a University located on the Llandaff Campus in Cardiff. Teaching is in English. Cardiff Metropolitan is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; degrees awarded are nationally recognised.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
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 (code 015L). 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 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. 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
Set under Wales's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at CMU →If you normally live in Wales
2026/27 total maintenance support from Student Finance Wales. How much of it is grant and how much is loan depends on household income; the total does not. If you normally live elsewhere, use your home funding body.
Check your entitlement with Student Finance Wales →Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: paid directly to the university by Student Finance Wales.
- Maintenance support: a mix of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales, weighted to household income.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Wales runs its own system through Student Finance Wales; check studentfinancewales.co.uk for current rates.
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.
Cardiff Metropolitan University
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 Llandaff Campus
922 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 CMU from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by CMU; 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 CMU’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 CMU and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at CMU
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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