About your healthcare management top up degree
This leadership in health and social care course enables you to top-up your existing Foundation Degree qualification (or equivalent) to a full BSc degree in Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care. You'll develop the skills to manage and lead effectively in complex, dynamic and multidisciplinary organisations. You can choose to study the top-up in one year as a full-time course, or two years part-time. You'll study online giving you the flexibility to advance your career around your other commitments.
Course highlights
- Receive professional accreditation with an industry-recognised CMI qualification
- Work-based approach allows you to deliver impact in the workplace as you learn
- Choose to study over 1 or 2 years depending on your other commitments
How you'll study
This course is studied 100% online
Application deadline
Our next deadline is30th April 2024
Fees: £5,300
Payment plans available
Professional accreditation
UK Quality Assured
Course overview
Our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) will develop you personally and professionally, and provide the tools you need to achieve your career potential. You’ll build your ability to work as an effective team leader in settings involving people from different disciplines and agencies.
You’ll advance your understanding of the latest policy developments in health and social care and develop your research awareness and analytical skills. You’ll learn to use higher level strategies for solving practical problems, and understand how to implement, influence and adapt to change in your workplace. You’ll also explore the needs of service users so that their views – and those of their carers – are fully represented.
Our work-based learning approach means your study will be directly relevant to your job even though you’ll be investigating wider leadership and management themes.
You’ll study with, and learn from, other current and aspiring managers and leaders from a range of health and social care organisations, allowing you to benefit from their experiences and best practice. You’ll also build ongoing relationships that will support you in your future career.
Students on this course work in the NHS, the voluntary and private sectors and the military, leading to vibrant and interesting discussions.
Modules
Due to the structure of this course, there will be instances where you will study two modules simultaneously during a trimester. You will be supported by your tutors to help manage your workload and assessment deadlines.
Please contact one of our advisers to discuss the pacing of this course and the options available to match your circumstances.
Leadership Practice in Health and Social Care
This module will empower you to develop the necessary leadership skills required to become a facilitator and motivator of change in the workplace. The focus is upon contemporary theories of leadership such as transformational leadership, distributive and leaderful practice and the notions which underpin leadership such as personal dispositions, values and skills.
Evaluating Research for Evidence-Based Practice
You’ll reinforce your existing knowledge of the research process and further develop your skills of critical analysis, particularly in relation to published research literature. You’ll also have the opportunity to appraise the ethical dimensions of research studies.
Strategic Management in Health and Social Care
This module covers the main study areas in strategic management in health and social care and presents the practical issues and problems of strategic management in real organizations. You’ll look at how key concepts of strategic management are applied in real world situations in health and social care field and apply your own critical faculties to evaluate the usefulness of these concepts to your organization.
Undergraduate Major Project
The individual Final Project module allows you to engage in a substantial piece of work, focussed on a topic relevant to your specific discipline. The project topic will be assessed for suitability to ensure sufficient academic challenge and satisfactory supervision by an academic member of staff. You will be assigned an academic supervisor who will support you on a one to one basis during your study of this module.
Modules are subject to change and availability.
Assessment
Throughout the course, we'll use a range of assessment methods to help you and your tutors measure your progress on each module. These include reflective practice, essays and a major project, as well as the sharing of ideas and critical thoughts in an online setting.
Meet your tutors
Yvette Winnard
Yvette qualified as a therapeutic radiographer in 1983 and worked for 21 years in the NHS. She joined Anglia Ruskin University in 2004 and delivered the online distance learning radiotherapy course until 2010. Since 2010 Yvette has been course leader of the FdSc Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care.
How you'll study
Our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) is studied 100% online.
You’ll study through Canvas, our world-class online Learning Management System (LMS), which can be accessed from your phone, pc or tablet at home or on the move. Canvas provides instant access to study materials, forums, and support from tutors and classmates, as well as enabling easy submission of your assignments.
You can choose to study our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) over 1 or 2 years. Please note that if you choose the 1-year option this is the equivalent of full-time study and may be a challenge if you’re employed full-time or have other life commitments. Our advisers will be happy to talk through your options in more detail.
On successful completion of your studies you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony on campus. If attending the ceremony in person is not possible then we’ll arrange to have your certificate sent to you.
Supported distance learning
We understand that distance learning is different to traditional campus study and if you’re new to online study you may have concerns or apprehensions about studying your healthcare management top up degree online, and that’s natural.
To help put your mind at ease we have a dedicated Distance Learning Support Team to help and support you throughout your time at ARU, starting with your first online induction and staying with you right through to graduation. In addition, you’ll also be supported by specialist leadership in health and social care tutors, well experienced in supporting distance learning students.
Once you start your healthcare management top up degree, we encourage the creation of online communities and many of our learners find these connections with others invaluable, helping them to stay motivated, share concerns or make new friendships.
Contact us to talk through any questions or concerns or visit our support page for more information about the support services available.
Gold-standard education
We're proud to have received a Gold award for the quality of our education in a UK-wide review of university teaching standards.
Why we're rated Gold
Our course content and delivery is rated as outstanding with the review citing ‘innovative and highly effective course design and content that inspires students to actively engage and commit to their learning’.
We’re also rated outstanding in the areas of:
- student engagement in learning
- learning environment and academic support
- learning resources
- student engagement in improvement
- approaches to supporting student success
- intended educational gains
- approaches to supporting educational gains.
What is the Teaching Excellence Framework?
The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national scheme run by the Office for Students that focuses on the areas students care most about: teaching, learning, and achieving positive outcomes from their studies.
It has three outcomes: Bronze, Silver and Gold.
This rating was awarded in September 2023, and lasts for four years.
Be part of the University of the Year
We're proud to be the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year 2023.
The prestigious THE awards honour ’exceptional performance during the 2021-22 academic year, and reflect ARU’s success in delivering high-impact projects during this period, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The award recognises the difference we make in the region and our communities – while also acknowledging the broader impact of our world-leading research, and the contributions our students and graduates make to society.
Accreditation
CMI Accredited
Our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
CMI accreditation means you may opt to, at no extra cost, receive a second professional qualification upon successful completion of your programme. By adding this CMI qualification to your University qualification, you’re really on the road to success. Other benefits include:
- Professional recognition and Chartered Management status
- Free access to CMI online management and leadership resources during your ARU course and for a period of time after you complete your ARU course
- Access to the CMI career development centre with resources to help with writing CVs, interview simulations and career management tools
- CMI membership and opportunities for networking with other CMI members
- Access to CMI events
Careers
What could a Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) do for my career?
In a competitive workplace environment, standing out from the crowd is key to attaining the roles you want and achieving maximum success.
Our top-up course will give you the skills you need to become the most effective manager you can be, lead teams, and drive change for the better. You’ll learn how management theory can be applied to real-life scenarios, whilst also developing the tools to take your own initiative when devising solutions.
This valuable skillset will set you apart as an exceptional leader and help you build a career in caring sectors that has a genuine impact, and with our work-based approach that allows you to learn while you earn, you can put your learnings into practice from day one.
Our Management & Leadership in Health & Social Care BSc is not simply a fast-track to your next role – it’s a chance to grow as an individual and inspire real change.
What job roles can I consider with a healthcare management top up degree?
A Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) will enhance your understanding of the roles and responsibilities of a manager within a health and social care organisation. You may already be in or aspiring to one of these roles, either in the near or more distant future:
- Practice Manager
- NHS Operational Manager
- NHS General Manager
- Care Manager for the following types of provision:
- Elderly care home / nursing home
- Children’s home
- Hospice
- Supported housing
If you are looking for more information about these job profiles and potential salary earnings see Roles in management | Health Careers or Prospects.ac.uk. It’s important to note that salaries can vary widely depending on the job role, employer, industry sector and location.
What skills will I get from a Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) to help my career?
You'll learn many transferable skills from this CMI accredited qualification; here are just some of them:
- You'll understand how to use emotional Intelligence to make you a better leader
- Draw on your knowledge to manage teams and project effectively
- Enhance your research and analytical skills
- Improve your decision-making and problem-solving skills
What can I study after a Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons)?
Depending on your long-term goals and desired career, you may consider a postgraduate degree in a related subject such as Healthcare Management MSc or Medical and Healthcare Education MSc. A Master’s degree is the most common type of postgraduate qualification and usually focuses on a specific area of a wider subject which may support your future career development. Having a bachelor’s degree under your belt is a key entry requirement in opening doors to postgraduate study.
Careers Advice Service
Once you become an ARU student you will be able to access our Employability service to help you whatever stage of your career, whether that’s landing your dream job or the next progression step.
We offer:
- careers advice, including one-to-one online and telephone appointments with our experienced advisers
- help with your CV, job searches, applications and interview preparation
- an online portal packed with useful careers resources
- our Employability Programme, which helps you hone the skills employers say they want in graduates.
Entry requirements
Successful completion of a FdSc Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care or equivalent.
OR
120 Level 4 Credits & 120 Level 5 Credits from a Relevant Subject such as a DipHE in Nursing
- You must be a health and social care professional with at least one year full time or equivalent part time experience.
- 5 GCSE's at grade C or above including English and Maths
If English is not your first language, you will be expected to demonstrate a certificated level of proficiency of at least IELTS 6.0 or equivalent.
As a distance learner, you'll also need a suitable computer with internet connection, together with sufficient IT competence to make effective use of our online learning management system (LMS) with high-speed internet and email.
Fees & funding
Fees
The full tuition fee for this course is £5,300.
The tuition fees you pay each year will be between £2,650 and £5,300 depending on how long you take to complete the course. You can choose to study our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (Top-up) BSc (Hons) in either 1 year (full-time) or 2 years (part-time).
Approved prior learning may reduce the tuition fees. This will be confirmed once your application has been submitted.
Funding
Government-backed part time student loans are available to cover the cost of studying this course. These are subject to eligibility and terms and conditions.
We offer payment by instalments, so you can spread the cost of studying with us.
For military students: You can use your ELCs towards this course. ARU is a recognised ELCAS provider (number 1007). Please contact your Learning Centre for details of ELC, eligibility and how to apply.
For more information on how you fund your studies please see our funding page.
What our students say
The skills and knowledge I have gained during my study have benefited my career with internal promotion, the ability to provide effective leadership to my teams and the confidence to look at further progression within my field.
I was able to fit the course around my work and it gave me the skills and confidence to go for a leadership job, and I haven’t looked back.
Studying in later life has been very rewarding. I enjoy the challenge and being introduced to new skills, it has also opened up new employment opportunities.
The course is especially good for returning health and social care workers. It has given me the skills and knowledge I can apply directly to my role across complex areas of health and social care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Next application deadline:
30th April 2024
