At the University of Worcester, our diverse and engaging Foundation Degree program allows you to immerse yourself in health and social care. This course provides you with the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to excel in a rewarding career in health.
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Overview
We support our students by developing the relevant skillset required for the role, with a focus on person-centred care, communication, and teamwork throughout the course – all crucial for becoming an effective Assistant Practitioner.
Our Foundation Degree for the Assistant Practitioner is a full-time, two-year course developed to support students’ career development and promotion to an Assistant Practitioner. Students will be proficient to work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, clinics, care services and charitable organisations in the community. The University of Worcester has well-established links to a variety of organisations, the Integrated Care Board and NHS England, helping us identify successful opportunities which meet the students’ and community’s needs. This Foundation Degree supports our students’ exploration of this hybrid role, whilst supplying them with the experiences required to thrive in a healthcare career.
The Foundation Degree Assistant Practitioner is ideal for those already working within a health and social care setting or those seeking to begin their career in Health and Social Care.
For those working a minimum of 30 hours per week, the apprenticeship route may be an option and would enable you to continue working full time.
Students can choose to study this course either at our Worcester or our Dudley campus.
Employers or applicants interested in the apprenticeship route please contact Lisa Mauro-Bracken.
Virtual Taster Event
Course content
Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and by feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course. If there are insufficient numbers of students interested in an optional module, this might not be offered, but we will advise you as soon as possible and help you choose an alternative.
For Apprentices: Allied Health Pathway options will be available based on the pathway you will be completing.
Careers
The Course will enhance student employability in a variety of ways. Sound work-based practice and values will be established and strengthened during the the two year FdSc/Apprenticeship. This includes the ability to meet deadlines, to prepare well, and to communicate effectively within a professional context. Fundamental to this is the consistent analysis, within the course’s design and delivery, of the workplace and classroom. Thus, students enhance their employability by using and developing a range of different skills in different contexts, and by bringing learning from one context to the other.
Student employability remains a high priority which reflects both university aspirations and the vocationally focused nature of the course. The University’s dedicated Career and Employability Services ensures that students can receive support and guidance relevant to their own particular situation and employment ambitions.
Graduate destinations
Graduates are expected to seek employment working in statutory, voluntary and commercial organisations. Examples of the types of paid employment in health and social care contexts include:
- Care services
- Advice and guidance services
- Police and probation
- Advocacy and rights-based services
- Preventative health, care and welfare services
- Housing support services
- Health care provision
Course highlights
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and assessment contents
Students will be taught the knowledge content of the programme through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures and seminars. Interactive workshops take a variety of formats and are intended to enable the application of learning through discussion and small group activities. Seminars enable the discussion and development of understanding of topics covered in lectures and are focused on developing subject specific skills and applied individual and group work.
Seminars, case studies, scenarios and problem-based learning will facilitate development of inquiry into real world situations, developing your skills, knowledge and practice. Online resources will provide you with the opportunity to deepen your understanding of the material presented in class and practical workshops. In addition, meetings with personal academic tutors are available and encouraged, in order to support you throughout the course.
Entry requirements
UCAS tariff points required: 32
From a minimum of 1 A level and a maximum of 3 A Levels
OR
Equivalent Level 3 qualifications e.g. BTEC National Diploma or Access to Higher Education Diploma.
Plus
GCSE grade C/4 or level 2 equivalent in Maths and English (Language or Literature). Please see below for acceptable alternatives.
It is desirable that applicants have evidence of study undertaken within the last 5 years. Students are required to demonstrate health and character sufficient to ensure safe and effective practice. This includes a satisfactory enhanced DBS and occupational health assessment.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please call our Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk.
Fees
Fees contents
UK and EU students
The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £9,535 per year for new and continuing students.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
International students
The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.
For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.
How to apply
How to apply contents
Applying through UCAS
UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for full-time undergraduate courses in the UK.
Read our how to apply pages for more information on the application process, or if you’d like to apply for part-time study.
Contact
If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.
Admissions Office
admissions@worc.ac.uk01905 855111More to explore
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