Health & Social Care
(BTEC Applied General (LEVEl 3 AAQ- CAmbridge Advanced national) Ce/extended qualification
Please note: government expectation is that students should not take more than one certificate course as part of an A level programme.
WHY SHOULD I STUDY HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE?
Health and Social Care is a two-year modular A Level equivalent course, concerned with the study and explanation of the health and social care professions. The main aim of the course is to understand how professionals provide care for service users. The course will allow you to explore different approaches to support and care for members of society.
Health and Social Care is a subject that can be helpful to any student, whether you are interested in a career in the health and social care sector or not. It can usefully be studied in combination with subjects including Sociology, Psychology and Biology. The course requires strong written skills as over half of the course comprises of coursework.
The Year 1 Level 3 Certificate is equivalent to half an A Level and most students will be expected to continue on to the second year, during which they will complete the Level 3 Extended Certificate, which is the equivalent of a full A Level. In terms of UCAS points it is on a par with one A Level. Students can achieve either a Distinction *, Distinction, Merit or Pass and these are equivalent to A*, A, C and E at A Level.
Some Health and Social Care students will also take up a related Extended Project Qualification in health and social care related fields in the second year. The Health and Social Care department runs a range of support and revision sessions, as well as peer-mentoring. We also have visiting speakers from related occupations and visits to local universities, to assist students who are interested in pursuing a health or social care related career. There may also be an opportunity for students to undertake up to 5 days optional work experience in Colchester General Hospital in the summer term of year 1.
COURSE CONTENT AND ASSESSMENT
The Year 1 Certificate consists of three topics:
- Principles of health and social care - exam - 45% of year one marks
- Person-centred approach to care – coursework – 27% of year one marks
- Supporting people with mental health conditions - coursework – 27% of year one marks
The Year 2 Extended Certificate consists of a further three topics:
- Anatomy and physiology for health and social care - exam - 45% of year two marks
Plus two of the following four topics each comprising 27% of year two marks
- Supporting people with long term physiological conditions
- Investigating public health
- Supporting people in relation to sexual health, pregnancy and postnatal health
- Supporting healthy nutrition and lifestyles
The marks from all four units combine together to give one BTEC National Extended Certificate grade at the end of the two-year course.
MINIMUM ENTRY CRITERIA
Standard College entry requirements (see page 12 of the prospectus) and a minimum of:
| Grade required | Subject required |
|---|---|
|
Grade 4 |
GCSE English Language or English Literature
|
WHAT CAN I DO AFTER STUDYING HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE?
Health and Social Care offers relevant knowledge and skills to enhance employability in careers such as nursing, counselling, occupational therapy, mental health work, social work and physiotherapy.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The course is an exciting but demanding one. Students must be prepared to put in a large amount of hard work and commitment. Students will need to be organised and disciplined as there is a large amount of independent study required, particularly for the coursework units. Numerous deadlines will be set throughout the year and students will need to manage their time effectively.