Health and Social Care
Health and social care is a field concerned with the policies, systems, and practices through which societies support people's health and wellbeing across the life course. It brings together the study of health services, social policy, human development, and the professional practices of care, examining how institutions, organisations, and communities support people through illness, disability, ageing, mental health challenges, and social disadvantage. It is a degree that is both analytically demanding, drawing on social science, policy analysis, and research methods, and practically oriented, concerned with how care is actually delivered and how it can be improved.
At Northumbria University in Newcastle, this four-year Extended Degree programme gives you additional time compared with a standard three-year route to develop your knowledge and skills in health and social care. The extended format is designed to support students who benefit from a more gradual progression into degree-level work, building academic confidence and subject knowledge over four years rather than three. Northumbria has strong connections to the health and social care sector in the North East, including NHS trusts and local authority social care departments, which enriches the practical dimension of the degree.
You will study the policy frameworks and organisational structures of health and social care in the UK, the social determinants of health and wellbeing, the experience of service users and carers, professional ethics and values, research methods, and the management and leadership of care services. The degree develops analytical and communication skills alongside practical understanding of the care sector.
Graduates of health and social care degrees move into management and leadership roles within health and social care organisations, including NHS management, local authority care commissioning, voluntary sector management, and social enterprise. Some graduates also continue to professional training in social work, nursing, occupational therapy, or allied health professions. The degree also provides a foundation for postgraduate study in public health, social policy, or health management.