Business and Professional Services!Health and Counselling!Health and Social Care!Leadership & Management
University
Course Type:
HE Foundation Degree
Entry Requirements:
Applicants should normally have a minimum of 48 UCAS tariff points, usually gained through qualifications in health, social care or a related subject.
Relevant qualifications may include: • GCE A Levels or equivalent; • BTEC National Diploma or Certificate; • Access to Higher Education Diploma; • International Baccalaureate; or • equivalent Scottish, Irish or international qualifications.
GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C/4 or above, or equivalent qualifications, are normally required.
Applicants with relevant professional or employment experience may also be considered. Decisions will take account of the nature and extent of your experience and your ability to demonstrate the aptitude and commitment required for higher-level study.
Applicants whose first language is not English will normally be required to demonstrate English language competence equivalent to IELTS 5.5 or above.
Course Fee:
£9525.00
Start date:
Sep 2026
Course Overview
The FdA Strategic Leadership in Health and Social Care is designed for people who want to develop the knowledge and professional capabilities needed to contribute to leadership, management and service improvement within health and social care.
The programme explores how services are organised, led, funded and improved. You will examine contemporary issues including health inequalities, governance, safeguarding, workforce management, organisational resilience, research, digital transformation and the ethical use of data.
Learning is applied to realistic organisational challenges, helping you develop the critical thinking, communication and decision-making skills required within contemporary health and social care settings.
Course Overview
You will develop your understanding of:
• leadership, management and service organisation in health and social care; • health inequalities and the social, cultural, environmental and structural factors affecting health outcomes; • law, ethics, governance, safeguarding and organisational accountability; • funding, budgeting and resource management; • workforce strategy, organisational behaviour and service improvement; • critical incident planning, communication and organisational resilience; • research methods, evidence-based practice and service evaluation; • digital leadership, information governance, data and healthcare informatics; • inclusive and culturally responsive leadership; and • academic, professional and reflective practice.
All modules are compulsory and worth 20 credits.
Level 4 modules: • Health and Social Care Management • Introduction to Health and Social Care Finance and Resource Management • Illness, Co-morbidities and Health Inequalities • Developing Academic, Professional and Critical Practice • Foundations of Research and Evidence in Health and Social Care • Critical Incident Planning, Communication and Resilience in Health and Social Care
Level 5 modules: • Geographies of Health, Inequality and Healthcare Access • Strategic Financial Management in Health and Social Care • Applied Research Project and Scholarly Communication • Health and Social Care Law, Governance, Safeguarding and Social Justice • Strategic People Management, Psychology and Service Improvement in Health and Social Care • Digital Leadership, Data and Informatics in Health and Social Care
Additional Information
Students who complete 120 credits at Level 4 but do not complete the full foundation degree may be eligible for a Certificate of Higher Education in Strategic Leadership in Health and Social Care as an alternative exit award.
The programme is an academic higher education qualification. Completion does not automatically provide professional registration or a licence to practise in a regulated health or social care profession. Employers, professional bodies and further education providers may apply additional entry or professional requirements.
Learn more about this course in the LJMU course catalogue: link to be confirmed in September 2026.
This programme is validated by Liverpool John Moores University. Upon completion of the programme, one certificate will be issued by LJMU. Upon completion of the programme, a graduation ceremony will be arranged by East Lancashire UC.
The fees for our courses are: • Full time – £9,525 per year • Part Time – £4,763 per year The course fees are payable to East Lancashire Learning Group.
How is the course delivered?
The course is studied full-time over two years and is delivered face-to-face at Accrington Campus.
Teaching and learning activities include: • lectures and seminars; • tutorials and workshops; • case-based learning; • organisational and service-based scenarios; • digital learning activities; • group discussion and presentations; • research and service-evaluation activities; and • directed and independent study.
Work-related learning is embedded throughout the programme through case studies, strategy tasks, business planning, research and assessments based on contemporary health and social care issues. Students who are already employed may apply their learning to their professional setting where appropriate.
How my learning will be assessed?
Assessment takes place throughout the programme and is designed around realistic academic, organisational and professional activities.
Assessment methods may include:
• written reports; • case studies and case presentations; • tutor-observed seminar discussions; • supervised scenario-based tasks; • reflective and professional portfolios; • briefing papers; • business cases; • posters and presentations; • strategy and service-improvement documents; and • research and service-evaluation projects.
At Level 5, you will complete an applied research or service-evaluation project examining an issue relevant to health and social care leadership or service improvement.
You will receive guidance and formative feedback to help you prepare for your assessed work.
Course Facilities
Students have access to:
• teaching rooms suitable for lectures, seminars and group activities; • library and higher education study facilities; • computers and digital learning resources; • books, journals and online research materials; • the Virtual Learning Environment for course resources, assessment information and feedback; and • academic, careers, wellbeing and student support services.
Potential Careers
The programme can support progression within leadership, supervisory, management and service-improvement roles in health and social care.
Depending on your previous experience and the requirements of individual employers, relevant areas may include: • team leadership and supervision; • service coordination and management; • quality and service improvement; • project and programme support; • workforce development; • governance, safeguarding and compliance; • finance and resource management; • health inequalities and community services; and • digital transformation, data and healthcare informatics.
Graduates may also apply for relevant Level 6 study or other professional development opportunities, subject to meeting the applicable entry requirements and the availability of suitable programmes.
Completion of the course does not guarantee entry to a particular job or further course. Employers and education providers may require relevant professional experience, additional qualifications or sector-specific checks.
