80% of our students are already in paid work – and career development is a major motivation for study
“The OU was the only place I could get a degree while holding down a job”
It would be hard to think of a more high profile, fast-changing sector than health and social care. Organisational and policy changes alongside financial challenges are putting greater demands on staff in terms of knowledge, skills and qualifications. Priorities such as more patient-centred care, greater choice and control for service users, and awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles have increased the demand for well-trained and multi-skilled people in a wide range of rewarding roles. OU courses and qualifications in health and social care can help you get into a caring career – or help you develop your career.
Jasmina Banicek
The OU way of learning looked flexible and feasible and so it proved – and it was affordable! I began with Understanding Health and Social Care (the updated course is An introduction to health and social care) and now, a few years later, I have a BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care.
Alan MacDonald
I decided to study with the OU because I wanted a second career. I'd been in the Army since I was 16, but in my mid 30s I decided I would leave when I was 40 and knew that if I wanted to do something else, I'd need qualifications.
Will employers value OU study?
53% of health and social care students at the OU are sponsored by their employer – either to gain a professional qualification or for continuing professional development. Sponsors include local authorities, children’s and adult service providers, NHS organisations, Youth Offending Teams, independent care-providers, major charities and voluntary organisations. OU qualifications are highly rated by employers – they know OU students have the initiative, drive and self-discipline to succeed – the qualities employers are looking for in their staff.
Our curriculum is particularly relevant to these priorities, drawing on the latest research and the experience of practising professionals to help you to get ahead in your career. There is a strong emphasis on working across professional boundaries – with clients, service users and patients placed firmly at the centre. You can study recommended pathways that lead to specific awards and qualifications, or put together your own programme to support your own professional development needs.