Foundation health and social UCLAN

Original post by Ndndsjwuiw

Hello! I'm 19 and wanting to apply for nursing at UCLAN but I know I don't have the qualifications, all I have is:
5 GCSEs at grade 4 (including maths and English)
A "level 2 certificate in understanding working in the healthcare sector"
I'm also a carer so I have experience surrounding that and iv done a few courses with work, (medication, moving and handling, first aid ect...)
I'm wanting to apply for the foundation health and social but on the UCLAN website it says the foundation course is 3 years but when I talked to the admissions team they said it's a 1 years course? So I'm just confused about how long the foundation course is basically.

The confusion you're experiencing is that UCLan have both a foundation degree (two years), which can optionally have a foundation year added to it (one additional year, to make three years in total). Both of these routes result in you obtaining a foundation degree - FdA - not a full honours degree - BSc (Hons). For the full honours degree you need to add a one-year top-up to the end.

Specifically, UCLan offer:

1. FdA Health & Social Care - L514.This a foundation degree - so you don't end-up with a BSc (Hons), but end up with an FdA. This takes two years, and you can find more details here.
2. FdA Health & Social Care (Foundation Entry) - N337. The same as the above, but with an additional year added to the front (which lowers the entry requirements). This takes three years, and you can find more details here.
3. BSc (Hons) Health & Social Care (Top-up) - L512. This allows someone with a FdA Health & Social Care (achieved via 1 or 2 above) to gain a full honours degree - i.e. a BSc (Hons). This takes one year (in addition to the two or three it took to get the FdA) and you can find more details here.

Reply 2

OP

Original post by DataVenia

The confusion you're experiencing is that UCLan have both a foundation degree (two years), which can optionally have a foundation year added to it (one additional year, to make three years in total). Both of these routes result in you obtaining a foundation degree - FdA - not a full honours degree - BSc (Hons). For the full honours degree you need to add a one-year top-up to the end.
Specifically, UCLan offer:
1. FdA Health & Social Care - L514.This a foundation degree - so you don't end-up with a BSc (Hons), but end up with an FdA. This takes two years, and you can find more details here.
2. FdA Health & Social Care (Foundation Entry) - N337. The same as the above, but with an additional year added to the front (which lowers the entry requirements). This takes three years, and you can find more details here.
3. BSc (Hons) Health & Social Care (Top-up) - L512. This allows someone with a FdA Health & Social Care (achieved via 1 or 2 above) to gain a full honours degree - i.e. a BSc (Hons). This takes one year (in addition to the two or three it took to get the FdA) and you can find more details here.

Thank you very much, which route should I go to get on the nursing course the quickest?

Reply 3

Original post by Ndndsjwuiw

Thank you very much, which route should I go to get on the nursing course the quickest?

Well, to be fair, these aren't Nursing courses - they are Health & Social Care courses. What career were you hoping that one of these courses might lead to? Nursing?

Given that your qualifications seem to be significantly below their entry requirements (do you have any level 3 qualifications?) I'd have thought that gaining entry to any of the above might be a challenge. What did the admissions team say about your existing qualifications when you contacted them?

Reply 4

OP

Original post by DataVenia

Well, to be fair, these aren't Nursing courses - they are Health & Social Care courses. What career were you hoping that one of these courses might lead to? Nursing?
Given that your qualifications seem to be significantly below their entry requirements (do you have any level 3 qualifications?) I'd have thought that gaining entry to any of the above might be a challenge. What did the admissions team say about your existing qualifications when you contacted them?

No I don't have any level 3 qualifications, at work I'm able to level up to NVQ level 3 in adult social care but they have said it doesn't count. And yes my goal is to get into the nursing course. I was hoping just applying for the foundation health and social and hope for the best, as they said that will help towards the nursing course, but if it's 3 years of the foundation then another 3 years of the nursing course that's just too long I feel and alot of money so I don't know what to do tbh

Reply 5

Original post by Ndndsjwuiw

No I don't have any level 3 qualifications, at work I'm able to level up to NVQ level 3 in adult social care but they have said it doesn't count. And yes my goal is to get into the nursing course. I was hoping just applying for the foundation health and social and hope for the best, as they said that will help towards the nursing course, but if it's 3 years of the foundation then another 3 years of the nursing course that's just too long I feel and alot of money so I don't know what to do tbh

It's not my area of expertise, I'm afraid. However, without any Level 3 qualifications I'd have thought your best bet was to aim for a role as a Nursing Associate.

This page on the NHS web site describes the role and describes the entry requirements as follows:

"To begin your training as a nursing associate, you’ll need GCSEs grade 9 to 4 (A to C) in maths and English, or Functional Skills Level 2 in maths and English. Some employers will also ask for a level 3 qualification."

The last sentence implies that most employers don't ask for a level 3 qualification. The same page goes into say:

"Trainee nursing associate places are usually advertised on NHS Jobs but some places are available through direct application to universities. Applicants accepted onto university courses will need to fund their own training."

Does that sound potentially of interest?

Reply 6

OP

Original post by DataVenia

It's not my area of expertise, I'm afraid. However, without any Level 3 qualifications I'd have thought your best bet was to aim for a role as a Nursing Associate.
This page on the NHS web site describes the role and describes the entry requirements as follows:
"To begin your training as a nursing associate, you’ll need GCSEs grade 9 to 4 (A to C) in maths and English, or Functional Skills Level 2 in maths and English. Some employers will also ask for a level 3 qualification."
The last sentence implies that most employers don't ask for a level 3 qualification. The same page goes into say:
"Trainee nursing associate places are usually advertised on NHS Jobs but some places are available through direct application to universities. Applicants accepted onto university courses will need to fund their own training."
Does that sound potentially of interest?

Yes id love to do that but when I have looked there arent any around my area so

Reply 7

Original post by Ndndsjwuiw

Yes id love to do that but when I have looked there arent any around my area so

Oh.

Was that both those "advertised on NHS Jobs" and those "available through direct application to universities"?

Reply 8

OP

Original post by DataVenia

Oh.

Was that both those "advertised on NHS Jobs" and those "available through direct application to universities"?

Yes I put in the NHS website, put my postcode ect... And it shows UCLAN and then when I try applying with that it takes me to the apprenticeship vacancies that are available, and none of them are nurse related so 🥲

Reply 9