Health and Social Science

BSc (Hons) Health and Social Science

  • Study Mode: Part Time
  • Location: High Wycombe
  • Duration: Six Years
  • Start Date: September 2025

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On this course you will, develop in-depth understanding of the socio-cultural context of health and Illness, learn about the policy making process and how to influence the health and wellbeing agenda, locally, nationally and globally. You will acquire leadership skills and be empowered to explore, environmental, social, economic and political events, and evaluate their impact upon health and healthcare both nationally and internationally. You’ll also have the opportunity to volunteer for work experience in a relevant organisation of your choice, typically the NHS or health, social care and political organisations. 

This is a Part-Time version of our Full-Time course, BSc (Hons) Health and Social Science.

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Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

In addition to the boost in employability you'll gain from the skills studied on the course, there are other benefits to studying at BNU, such as our easily commutable location, our great reputation with local employers and the quality of our teaching team.

Large numbers of students have families and other responsibilities while they study, that’s why we aim to make our course as accommodating as possible to fit around your lifestyle. We also offer this course on a part time basis, which gives you the flexibility to study and work around other responsibilities when you need to. 

With the big deal all our societies, student union organised trips and extracurricular activities are completely free to you as a student.

What will I study?

This is a part time version of our full time course health and social science. Health and well-being are central to this course and we look in depth at problems and issues facing societies and organisations in this area. Our course has a strong focus on developing health policy solutions in order to prepare you for a career dealing with these issues.

There is a focus on employability throughout our course and you will have the opportunity to volunteer for an organisation relevant to you so you can apply your knowledge in the field. 

We will study how our society impacts on our lives, including how harmful trends are dealt with. We examine the impact and the cause of poor wellbeing both in terms of national policy influences and our healthcare practises. With an emphasis on how we can make a difference to influence culture, policy and practice, we will study modules such as Wellbeing in Society, Policy & society, Media, Communications and more. 

In your second year we move on to employability skills and professional development, contemporary research methods and ethical issues in research. We also help you to attain key transferable academic skills which are needed to pursue a career in the NHS, wellbeing and health, social and voluntary sectors.

How will I be taught and assessed?

There are a wide range of assessments which are designed wherever possible to mirror real world problems and issues you may encounter while working in the professional world. The assessments are designed to be positive to your learning, providing feedback and ways to improve. There are a variety of practical, coursework based and exam-based assessment methods throughout the programme.

Assessments vary according to modules and are designed to test your understanding of the modules. Some of the ways you will be assessed include:

  • reports
  • exams
  • presentations
  • coursework

What facilities can I use?

Our library is packed with all the information you need for your assessments and there’s plenty of room to settle down for some quiet study. Laptop loans are available if you need a computer and can’t make it into campus one day. We are primarily situated in High Wycombe surrounded by countryside, busy towns and streets and a great connection to London.

While studying with us you will use our BNU online service, which provides access to many of the software applications you use for learning and studying. This service can be used from your own device or from a University owned PC or laptop, from any location.

BSc (Hons) Health and Social Science Programme Specification

What are the course entry requirements?

A minimum of 2 A-levels (or equivalent) is required. Every application is considered on an individual basis.

Modules

This provides a guide of the modules that make up your course. You can find more information about how your course is structured on our Academic Advice section.

What are the tuition fees

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  • Home, Academic Year 2025 - 2026: £5,370 per year *

Following the Government’s announcement of 4 November 2024, we will be increasing our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for UK students to £9,535 per year from the start of the 2025/26 academic year. Our part-time fees for UK undergraduate students will increase to £7,145 per annum. Please visit , on the Government’s website, for more information about the changes. 

Tuition fees for Home undergraduate students (including with foundation year) may increase in subsequent years for both new and continuing students in line with an inflationary amount determined by the Government.   

Tuition fees for both new and continuing international students may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year.   

Tuition fees for postgraduate courses and CPD may be subject to an inflationary increase based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the 12-month period to 31 January each year. This increase will apply to both new and continuing students.   

We understand, and really appreciate, the significant financial commitment our students make when they choose to study at BNU. We take our responsibilities to our students very seriously, and are ambitious for each to reach their full potential and succeed in their chosen career. Our fees help us to continue providing our students with a high-quality education, and to invest in the services and facilities which create an excellent student experience at BNU. 

The following factors will be considered by the University when we set the annual fees: measures of inflation such as the retail price indices; projected increases in University costs; and any changes in the level of funding for teaching received from the Government.

Additional course costs and financial support

Most courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees.
You could benefit from financial support through a bursary or scholarship during your time as a student. For more details visit our financial support, bursaries and scholarships section.

Questions about fees?

If you have any questions about the fees above, contact our Enquiries team by calling 0330 123 2023 or emailing advice@bnu.ac.uk.

What are my career prospects? 

Throughout your time with us we’ll support you on the route to your chosen career. We’ll help you to develop crucial skills, encouraging you to become enterprising, employable and good leaders. We also help you find employment after graduation. Have a look at our Careers and Employability pages to find out more.

Our BSc (Hons) Health and Social Science course will help prepare you for a range of career possibilities in the leisure, health and social care sectors. You can work in a variety of public and private organisations in roles such as:

  • health assessment officer
  • exercise coordinator
  • lifestyle coach
  • social policy positions
  • working with people in recovery

Graduates can also choose to study for a postgraduate course.

 

Course leader

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Dr George Clerk
  • Lecturer
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Dr David Black
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Dr Anne Chappell
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Elaine Welsh
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