BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year Bachelor's degree at Keele University
BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year at Keele University. The Foundation Year provides additional preparation before you progress to the main course.
About this course
Gain the knowledge, professionalism and expertise, and practical experience to make a real difference on Keele University From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care with Foundation Year is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Keele University. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Health and social care graduates from this provider, 95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 80% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £34,500. (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)
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 90% (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.
- Developing independent learning skills for Health and Social CareCompulsory
Module details
This module will help you to transition to university scholarship and provide you with the academic skills required for success on your health and social care programme. It introduces you to employability and professional skills required for a health and social care degree, through arrange of action focused activities. You will learn vital academic and professional skills, that will allow you to thrive in the 1st year of your undergraduate studies and throughout your degree and future career.
- Introduction to Health and Social Care in ContextCompulsory
Module details
Health and social care is a complex environment and this first module will introduce you to concepts of health and social care from local, national and global perspectives. You will investigate current health and social care structures, the impact of health and social care and healthcare inequalities. You will explore political influences and the social determinants of health suggesting how health and social care outcomes can be improved.
- Introduction to Law, Policy and Safeguarding in Health and Social CareCompulsory
Module details
Protection of the public is an essential requirement of health and social care. Your ability to protect and professional advocate for people in health and social care settings is paramount. This module is key in developing your understanding of relevant laws, policies and responsibilities with regard to your own role in safeguarding those in your care. It will help you to develop confidence, as you learn to effectively communicate with professionals across the health and social care sector.
- Life Course Development in PracticeCompulsory
Module details
This module will introduce you to biological, psychological and sociological understandings of human development and behaviour, in a national and global context. You will explore early neurological development and the impact of adverse childhood experiences. This module introduces you to the theories and methods of promoting personal, social and emotional wellbeing. During the module you will complete the Oliver McGowan mandatory training. The module provides you with an opportunity to develop d
- Distress and Mental HealthCompulsory
Module details
Unfortunately, we all experience distress at times, and our mental health can suffer. What insights can psychology offer? This module will introduce different ways we can think about mental health as well as how we might use psychological approaches to improve mental health and wellbeing, and what challenges mental health research and practice are facing in order to move the field forward.
- Lifestyle and Risk Factor ModificationCompulsory
Module details
This module focuses on the primary theme of modifying/changing behaviour through application of models and principles of behaviour change and the scientific principles based on theory. You will be taught to recognise the signs of non-adherence and how to select the most appropriate behaviour change model/principles to suit particular population groups (inactive, obese, elderly).
- Enabling Health and WellbeingCompulsory
Module details
Increasingly, health and social care practitioners have roles in preventing ill health and promoting concepts of wellness. This module supports you to identify health and social care needs and develop an understanding of the role of health and social care professionals in supporting individuals, families and communities to improve their health and wellbeing. It will also support your development of skills to communicate public health messages that are person centred, anti-discriminatory, cultura
- Working with Others in Health and Social CareCompulsory
Module details
This module has a placement centred focus and is directed towards enhancing relevant skills for health and social care, either via an internship or as part of an existing role in health and social care. You will enhance skills that you have previously developed, consistent with the care certificate in health and social care through simulated scenario's and during your internship/existing role. Keele's careers and employability team will assist you in securing a placement opportunity.
- Quality Improvement in Health and Social CareCompulsory
Module details
Understanding factors that influence health and social care outcome from a national and global perspective are essential to the delivery of high-quality health and social care. This module will help you to understand quality improvement frameworks, the influence of literature, policy and data that will enhance health and social care outcomes. You will explore the role of stakeholders and in particular the role of service users in influencing health and social care outcomes.
- Family Community and Personal LifeOptional
Module details
How do we express love, friendship, and community in increasingly diverse social and cultural contexts? Have changes to work and gender roles altered the way we think about the division of labour? This module explores these questions and more against theories and debates about the transformations to personal life. Considering a broad range of examples from love in a digital age to the role of community in health and wellbeing, you will develop skills in analysing what 'family' means today and co
- Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care OrganisationsCompulsory
Module details
Working in health and social care is complex, due to the multi-agency nature of the sector. This module will help you develop your concept of yourself as a leader and critically reflect on the leadership skills required for health and social care. It will encourage you to think about the challenges leaders face both nationally and globally and the theories that support you to manage change in a diverse, ethical and sustainable way.
- The Role of Digital Technologies within Public HealthCompulsory
Module details
Digital technologies play and increasing role in health and social care and digital applications can assist people in managing their own health and wellbeing. This module will help you appraise digital technologies nationally and globally and influence of health informatics on communication in health and social care settings, communities and populations.
- Influencing Policy and Practice in Health and Social CareCompulsory
Module details
This module focuses on supporting you to develop an independent work/experienced based project that contributes to your current or future health and social care working environment. It offers scope and flexibility for you to a topic area of interest in health and social care practice and to make evidence informed suggestions to improve health and social care under the guidance of your academic supervisor.
- Social and Spatial JusticeOptional
Module details
This module draws primarily from qualitative research from disciplines such as Geographies of Health and Wellbeing, Sociology of Health and Illness and other health related disciplines, to encourage you to explore, critically consider and build new research avenues for improving human health in environmentally and socially sustainable ways. By taking this module, you will have the opportunity to explore your own interests, with guidance from the module leader. Assessment will be geared towards d
- Home and Belonging in a Precarious WorldOptional
Module details
What does home mean to you? What does it mean to belong or not belong somewhere? This module explores our relationship to the notion of home. We consider how emotions shape our connections to place and space, influencing feelings of belonging and exclusion amidst the backdrop of border control, debt, the housing crisis, and displacement. You will critically investigate the dynamics of migration within the context of international conflict and climate crisis, analysing how movement across borders
- Beyond HumanOptional
Module details
Beyond Human explores social behaviour, structures, and interactions among non-human entities, such as animals, artificial intelligence, and other forms of non-human life, seeking to understand the social dynamics present in non-human societies and their interactions with human societies. From examining the ethics of Artificial Intelligence to exploring the implications of environmental degradation on crime patterns, you will critically explore the complexities of human and non-human interconnec
- Imagining Social Order and DevianceOptional
- Social DesignOptional
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 equips you with the knowledge, professionalism and practical experience to make a real difference in health and social care. You'll typically begin with foundations in clinical skills, communication and anatomy, moving into acute and long-term care management, pharmacology and evidence-based practice. Throughout, you'll complete supervised placements in varied settings, roughly half your study time, to develop competence in person-centred care. In your final year, you'll focus on complex care, leadership and quality improvement, consolidating the skills needed for NMC registration. The course offers specialisations such as adult nursing, children's nursing, mental health, community and primary care, and leadership, allowing you to shape your pathway toward registration in your chosen field.
Who it's for
This course suits students who want to work in healthcare or social care professions. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent qualifications; the typical UCAS tariff band among recent entrants was 96–111 points. The Foundation Year is designed to support students who may need additional academic preparation before beginning the main degree programme.
Careers & job market
Across Nursing & Health courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating. Of those working, 87% are in highly skilled roles or continuing their studies. National graduate earnings data shows starting salaries of £27,000–£30,500 at 15 months; after three years, £23,800–£33,600; and after five years, £27,200–£38,400. First-year retention stands at 85% across the student cohort.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time Bachelor's degree (BSc Hons) taught at Keele University, a university founded in 1949 and located in the UK. The course is delivered in English. Keele University is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; its degrees are nationally recognised. The university holds a Gold award for teaching quality from the Office for Students' TEF 2023. Successful completion leads to NMC registration, the professional standard for nursing practice in the UK.
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.
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
Placement year. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
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 | 90% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
| an Access course | 5% |
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 L550). 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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at Keele University →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.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £34,500 | £33,000 – £35,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £30,500 | £25,000 – £33,500 | 20 |
| 5 years after | £35,500 | £31,000 – £42,500 | 25 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
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. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Nursing & Health courses at the same study level.
Compared with 1,506 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Welfare ProfessionalsSOC 2020 246 · 65% of published destinations · ASHE median £39,047
- Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
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: 20; response rate: 75%. 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
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
Where graduates go
95% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £34,500. 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 9.3 out of 10: NSS 94.6% · in work or study 95% · continued 90%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Keele 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 Keele University
88 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 Keele University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Keele University; 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 Keele University’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 Keele University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Keele University
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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