This vocational course, equivalent to three A-levels, leads to a recognised qualification for entering health and social care professions or further training such as university courses. Combining academic study and application of theories, it includes a mandatory work placement.
In Year 1 you will achieve the Foundation Diploma which is equivalent to 1.5 A-levels and this will be topped up to the full extended Diploma in the second year.
Modules include:
You will be assessed through coursework with internally set assignments. Students are expected to integrate the experience they gain on placement into their assignments.
There are two exams in Year 1 and a further two in Year 2.
You need practical, smart clothing and shoes for your placement. You must also cover your travel costs to your placement.
You will need to apply and pay for your DBS check.
Taking a Level 3 course in Health and Social Care has left Derby College Student of the Year Lauren Hudson well prepared for a degree in nursing.
High-achieving Lauren, who has just left college with a distinction star, was thinking of studying for A-levels at sixth form but opted instead for the more hands-on course at the Roundhouse.
As part of her course the Matlock teenager also gained valuable practical experience with Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust through the college's Employer Academy initiative.
One of her placements included working as a health care assistant at the Specialist Assessment & Rehabilitation Centre (SpARC) on London Road, where Lauren helped to assess older people who have had a fall.
Lauren really enjoyed her time at Derby College. She said she found the lecturers to be supportive, but at the same they gave students the freedom to learn independently.
She added: "I'm looking forward to going university and I'd definitely recommend the Level 3 in Health and Social Care to anyone thinking of taking a nursing degree."
I'm pleased I took the Health and Social Care course as I think it is more suited to what I'm going to be doing on my nursing degree course at the University of Birmingham. Thanks to Derby College I feel well prepared for starting my degree this September.
For example, my college course included units which are directly related to nursing, such as public health and how to go about finding statistics.
These units are covered in my degree, obviously in much more depth than at college, but the knowledge I already have of them from my level 3 course will be useful.