FdSc Health and Social Care Foundation degree at East Durham College
FdSc Health and Social Care at East Durham College. The FdSc is a nationally recognised degree, accredited as a UK degree-awarding qualification.
About this course
Understand the key issues that affect health, social care, and wellbeing. Earn an academic qualification that also delivers practical skills. Boost your earning potential. From the provider’s course page.
FdSc Health and Social Care is a Foundation degree (FdSc) at East Durham College, based in East Durham. It runs 2 years, studied full-time.
For Nursing & Health graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 15% in highly skilled roles. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Nursing & Health, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Sample size is not included in this snapshot. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 64% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 3 modules
- Dimensions of Health and Social CareCore20 credits
- Understanding Health and Social CareCore20 credits
- Developing Independent Learning and Professionalism in the Social SciencesCore20 credits
Year 2 3 modules
- Exploring Psycho-Social TheoryCore20 credits
- Applied Qualitative Research MethodsCore20 credits
- Work-Based Learning in Health and Social Care Settings 1Core20 credits
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
This course combines understanding of the key issues affecting health, social care and wellbeing with practical skills development. You'll usually start with foundations of nursing practice, anatomy and physiology, then progress to acute and long-term care, medicines management, and evidence-based practice. Throughout, you'll undertake supervised placements in various settings. A course like this normally moves from core clinical skills and person-centred care in Year 1, through assessment and management of conditions in Year 2, to complex care coordination and leadership in Year 2. You can specialise in areas such as adult nursing, mental health, children's nursing, community and primary care, or leadership, culminating in preparation for NMC registration.
Who it's for
This course is designed for students interested in pursuing careers in health and social care. Specialisations include such as Adult Nursing, Mental Health, Child Health, Midwifery, Public Health, Physiotherapy, Social Work and Paramedic Science, allowing you to focus on an area that matches your professional ambitions.
Careers & job market
Across Nursing and Health courses nationally, 90% of graduates were in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 87% were in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. National Graduate Outcomes data shows starting salaries (at 15 months) typically range from £27,000 to £30,500; after three years, £23,800 to £33,600; and after five years, £27,200 to £38,400. These figures reflect national trends rather than guarantees for individual graduates. Retention data shows 85% of students continue past their first year, either still enrolled or having completed their studies.
University & format
The FdSc Health and Social Care is studied full-time over 2 years at East Durham College, a higher education college located in East Durham. The course is delivered in English and leads to a nationally recognised Foundation degree, accredited as a recognised UK degree-awarding body qualification.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
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.
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 60% |
| an Access course | 25% |
| Other | 15% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students came in with a broad spread of qualifications and UCAS points. If you're worried about grades, this course has historically taken a wide range, and contextual offers may apply.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
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 BL95). 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
The cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at East Durham College →Check the finance route that applies to you
Support depends on ordinary residence, assessed fee status, course and provider nation. The provider nation is unresolved here, so no national cap or loan amount is being guessed.
Find your official student-finance route →Paying for it
- Tuition fee loan: applied for through the student-finance body for the UK nation you live in.
- Living-cost support: means-tested on household income, from your nation's student-finance body.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold set by your nation's student-finance system.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Each UK nation runs its own student-finance system; check gov.uk for the rates that apply to you.
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.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 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.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Published threshold met. Sample size is not included in this snapshot. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Caring personal servicesSOC 2020 613 · 35% of published destinations · ASHE median £23,668
- Sales occupationsSOC 2020 71 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £15,975
- Managers, directors and senior officialsSOC 2020 1 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £51,733
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 60; response rate: 55%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
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 CareIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Home tuition is regulated and the cap depends on the UK nation the provider sits in; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Eligible students can apply for a tuition fee loan and living-cost support from the student-finance body for the UK nation they live in. Repayment thresholds differ by nation.
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.2 out of 10: NSS 92.3% · in work or study 90% · continued 64%.
Who 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 East Durham
677 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 East Durham College from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by East Durham College; 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 East Durham College’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 East Durham College and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at East Durham College
Common questions
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What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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