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Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care

This diploma develops your critical understanding of health and social care policy, theory and practice, which is essential in today's fast-changing care sector. Health and social care professionals at all levels need to be proactive and flexible to succeed. Through your studies you’ll develop the skills you need for effective practice in a diverse, multidisciplinary environment. You’ll also gain an understanding of how ethical, legal, social, economic and political factors influence the provision and development of services.

Key features of the course

  • Applies new ideas to real life issues and situations that affect us all
  • Helps you to develop as an independent and reflective learner
  • Explores the context and processes of change
  • Discover new ways of working across agency and professional boundaries

A nationally recognised qualification in its own right, the diploma of higher education is also equivalent to the first two thirds of the BA (Honours) Health and Social Care (R26).

Course Summary

Diploma

Diploma

  • Widely recognised qualification.
  • Equivalent to the first two thirds of an honours degree.
  • Enhance your professional and technical skills or extend your knowledge and understanding of a subject.
  • Study for interest or career development.
  • Top up to a full honours degree in just two years.

This type of course may be of particular interest if you’re living or working in Scotland.

Course code
W69
Credits

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
240
How long it takes
Part time – 4 years
Full time – 2 years
Time limit – 8 years
Study method
Distance learning
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Course details Entry requirements Fees and funding Careers

Course details

This diploma of higher education has two stages, each comprising 120 credits.

  • At each stage you will study one 60-credit compulsory module focusing on current issues across the health and social care sector.
  • For the remaining 60 credits of each stage, you will choose between option modules exploring particular issues or client groups in more depth, for example, mental health, older adults, children and young people or health and wellbeing.

Prepare for OU study with an Access module

We offer two starting points depending on how confident you are or how long it’s been since you last studied. Choose to dive straight in at Stage 1, or if you’d prefer some extra preparation, you can get started with an optional Access module. See Entry requirements for more details.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

At Stage 1, everyone begins with a broad introduction to the experience of giving and receiving care in a variety of clinical and care settings; within the family and community; and in residential settings. You will also have the opportunity to develop your study skills to enable you to achieve your study goals. For your second module at Stage 1, you can choose between several options, depending on your particular interests.
ModulesCredits
You'll start Stage 1 with:
Introducing health and social care (K102)60
You'll also choose one from:
Foundations for social work practice (K113)60
Foundations for social work practice (KZW113)60
Introduction to childhood studies and child psychology (E102)60
Perspectives in health and social care (K118)60

Stage 2 (120 credits)

At Stage 2, you will explore some critical issues in health and social care in more depth. You will further develop skills to help you in your study and in employment, if that is one of your study goals. To complete Stage 2, you can choose between modules focusing on more specific areas of health and social care practice, depending on your interests, aspirations and experience.
ModulesCredits
You'll start Stage 2 with:
Critical issues in health and wellbeing (K219)60
You'll also choose 60 credits from:
Death, dying and bereavement (K220)60
Making a difference: working with children and young people (KE206)60
Mental health and community (K240)60

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 23 September 2020.

Accessibility

We make all our qualifications as accessible as possible and have a comprehensive range of services to support all our students. The Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care uses a variety of study materials and has the following elements:
  • studying a mixture of printed and online material – online learning resources may include websites, audio/video media clips, and interactive activities such as online quizzes
  • working in a group with other students
  • using and producing diagrams and screenshots
  • finding external/third party material online
  • continuous and end-of-module assessment in the form of essays, short answer questions, and in some cases an examination
  • using feedback: continuous assessment involves receiving detailed feedback on your work from your tutor and using this feedback to improve your performance.

For more detailed information, see the Accessibility Statements on individual module descriptions. If you feel you may need additional support, visit Disability support to find more about what we offer. 

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

This qualification develops your learning in four main areas:
  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills

The level and depth of your learning gradually increases as you work through the qualification. You’ll be supported throughout by the OU’s unique style of teaching and assessment – which includes a personal tutor to guide and comment on your work; top quality course texts; elearning resources like podcasts, interactive media and online materials; tutorial groups and community forums.

Read the detailed learning outcomes here

Credit transfer

If you’ve already completed some study at another university, you may be able to count it towards your Open University qualification – reducing the number of modules you need to study.

You should apply for credit transfer before you register, at least 4 weeks before the registration closing date. Just tell us what you studied, where and when, and we’ll compare this against the learning outcomes for your chosen course.

For more details and an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

On completion

On completion of this undergraduate course, we'll award you the Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care.

Recognition in your country

If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Read recognition in my country.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 

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Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.

At The Open University we believe education should be open to all, so we provide a high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

How much time do I need?

  • Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
  • This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week.
In this section:
How much will it cost?
Ways to pay for your qualification and other support

How much will it cost in England?

We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to achieving your potential. That’s why we work hard to keep the cost of study as low as possible and have a wide range of flexible ways to pay to help spread, or even reduce, the cost.

  • Fees are paid on a module-by-module basis – you won't have to pay for the whole of your qualification up front.
  • A qualification comprises a series of modules, each with an individual fee. Added together, they give you the total cost.
  • If, like most OU students, you study part time at a rate of 60 credits a year, you'll take six years to complete an honours degree.
  • Our current fee for 60 credits is £3,096*.
  • Our current fee for 120 credits – which is equivalent to a year's full-time study – is £6,192*.
  • At current prices, the total cost of your qualification would be £12,384*.

*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2021. Fees normally increase annually in line with inflation and the University's strategic approach to fees.


Skills for career development

The Diploma of Higher Education in Health and Social Care emphasises crossing professional boundaries and the service user’s perspective, and is closely attuned to care sector priorities. You’ll acquire a strong set of highly valued transferable skills, including skills in written communication; finding and using research and other sources of information; problem-solving; and time management. You’ll learn to work independently and as part of a team, and gain a good understanding of the role of IT in care.

Career relevance

This diploma is applicable to a wide range of health and social care careers in the statutory, voluntary or private sectors.

Other careers

The wide range of transferable skills you’ll develop during your studies will be applicable to many roles outside health and social care.

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice – including online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime, if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point (note that some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience):

  • Care home advocate
  • Grants officer
  • Health educator
  • Community support workers
  • Personal assistant
  • Substance abuse outreach worker
  • Volunteer co-ordinator
  • Youth worker

Register

It is not possible to register for this qualification at the moment. We expect to open for registrations on 18 March.

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