Health and Social Care
Health and social care is a discipline concerned with the wellbeing of individuals and communities across the lifespan, and with the systems, services, and professional practices that support it. It draws on sociology, psychology, law, and public health to examine how health inequalities arise, how social factors including poverty, discrimination, housing, and family circumstances shape wellbeing, and how services can be designed and led to meet the needs of diverse populations. At degree level, health and social care education develops both the analytical understanding of these dynamics and the professional values and practical skills needed to work effectively in the sector.
At Birmingham Newman University this four-year full-time programme includes a foundation year for students who benefit from additional preparation before the main degree. The foundation year provides a supported entry route that ensures you are well equipped for the academic rigour and professional demands of the programme that follows. Across the degree you will explore safeguarding systems, leadership approaches, and the wider social factors that influence wellbeing across diverse communities, studying within a learning environment that values collaboration, reflection, and ethical practice.
The programme equips you with the knowledge, values, and practical insight to lead with confidence in health and social care settings.
Graduates find careers across a wide range of health and social care roles. Social care management, healthcare administration, commissioning, community development, charity sector leadership, safeguarding coordination, and policy roles in local and central government are among the most common destinations. The combination of social science understanding and leadership preparation the degree provides is valued by organisations seeking professionals who can navigate complex systems and advocate effectively for the people they serve.
Many graduates also continue to postgraduate study or professional training in social work, nursing, public health, or healthcare management.