UNdergraduate and pre-registration Guide 2013/14 School of Health and Wellbeing
University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton West Midlands, WV1 1LY
Tel: 0800 953 3222 Email: enquiries@wlv.ac.uk Website: www.wlv.ac.uk
1 WELCOME
CONTENTS 2
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A School that makes a difference
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Midwifery
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Nursing
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Psychology
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Public Health and Health Studies
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Social Care
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Social Work
We are at the cutting edge of technologysupported, work-based and interdisciplinary healthcare education and research. Our excellent links with practice give students a wide range of experience and learning that prepares them for work in the real world.
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Therapeutic Practitioner
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Foundation Degrees
Professor Linda Lang School of Health and Wellbeing
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Welcome
to the School of Health and Wellbeing I am delighted you are interested in finding out more about courses in the School of Health and Wellbeing. I hope the information you find here, and on our website, helps you make the right choice. We aim to provide a one-stop shop for education and research that facilitates transformation in health and social care delivery, making a positive difference to people’s lives.
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Health and Wellbeing (Learning, Education and Progression) Visit Us
3 A SCHOOL THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE
A School that makes a difference If you want to change people’s lives for the better, we can help you make a difference. The School of Health and Wellbeing’s vibrant learning community is committed to enhancing the quality of health and social care delivery for people locally, nationally and internationally. Our relevant and innovative courses will give you the skills to turn your aspirations into positive action. We currently offer courses across four main sites: Wolverhampton City Campus, Walsall Campus, Burton-uponTrent and Telford Campus. Our courses offered include: Midwifery, Nursing, Psychology, Social Care, Social Work, and a range of health related courses. Our advanced facilities include impressive lecture theatres, classrooms, social learning areas and Skills Centres. Within our Skills Centres you can access some of the latest technology like the SimFamily, our portable and advanced patient simulators, which are used to assist you in the development of clinical practice skills. Our Psychology students can use our social psychology suite which has a one-way observation mirror, a suite of small experimental labs, and dedicated teaching laboratory.
Our School has its own award-winning multimedia unit. Its role is to support staff in creating innovative learning materials and inter-professional learning opportunities. We strive to enhance the quality of our courses and have once again achieved excellent results in the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority Review of our Nursing and Midwifery programmes, audited in January 2013. Clinical placements form a vital part of our professional courses, and students have the opportunity to explore work-related experiences in other courses. Our students benefit from our strong partnerships with local and regional NHS Trusts, local authorities, independent health and social care providers, the voluntary sector, professional bodies and the prison service. We also enjoy strong links with schools and colleges through which we have established Progression Agreements that map potential career pathways. Our School is committed to supporting you through your studies and there are excellent University and School services available to assist you through your student life.
A SCHOOL THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE 4
5 MIDWIFERY
MIDWIFERY 6
Midwifery The role of a midwife is much more than delivering babies. Although the birth itself is at the heart of the process, midwives also provide support to women, babies, partners and families from conception right through to the first phase of postnatal care. A midwife is therefore the main contact for the expectant mother. Courses Our midwifery courses will enable you to develop the knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective midwifery care and register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to practise as a midwife in a variety of healthcare settings. You will be able to perfect your clinical skills in our wellequipped Clinical Skills Centres and the quality of our teaching has been very positively rated by our midwifery students. The courses integrate theory and practice, and you will experience clinical practice under the supervision of an experienced midwife from as early as six weeks into the course. We have established support systems to help you with your studies in the University and on clinical placement. During your first year, you will also be paired with a peer mentor who works in the NHS Trust to which you are assigned. The BSc (Hons) Midwifery is one of only a few courses in the United Kingdom that is accredited with the UNICEF Breast Feeding Initiative (BFI). The course also includes newborn life
support training accredited by the Resuscitation Council, and meets the Newborn and Infant Physical Examination standards (NIPE). BSc (Hons) Midwifery leading to Registered Midwife BSc (Hons) Midwifery leading to Registered Midwife (Shortened)
Careers and employability Many midwives are employed by the NHS, working in hospitals or in the community. There are a range of opportunities available to you to further your education and practice. Opportunities may also exist to travel and work abroad.
“I love clinical practice and most enjoy the occasions where I feel like I have really been able to make a difference – I can’t imagine any other career giving me such a high degree of job satisfaction.
For further information visit our website: www.wlv.ac.uk/shaw
7 NURSING
NURSING 8
Nursing Nursing provides exciting, challenging opportunities to work with people, providing care across a range of diverse health and social care settings. It is a demanding vocation which requires hard work, commitment, the ability to problem solve, and to work independently and as part of a team. Courses Our nursing courses enable you to develop the knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective nursing care. Your time will be equally divided between study at the University and clinical practice which is supported by experienced practitioners, enabling you to develop and grow in confidence and ability. We are very proud that our courses have been judged by the Nursing and Midwifery Council as providing outstanding placement learning opportunities, and following recent validation the BNurs (Hons) was awarded 10 commendations. You’ll experience interdisciplinary learning, joining students from other nursing pathways and midwifery, psychology, social work and social care students; ideal preparation for your future role among other healthcare professionals. We cover four fields of nursing in the School of Health and Wellbeing and our specialist awards reflect these areas.
BNurs (Hons) Adult Nursing Adult nursing is diverse and primarily concerned with promoting health and nursing sick or injured adults back to health or helping them to adjust to their condition in both hospital and community settings. You will gain experience in a variety of hospital, community and excellent nursing/residential homes where you work alongside a range of healthcare and other professionals.
BNurs (Hons) Children’s Nursing Studying the field of children and young people’s nursing will enable you to develop the knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective nursing care and interventions to children, young people and their families. You will be educated to a high clinical, professional and academic standard and, if successful, you will be able to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to practise as a nurse in a range of settings with children and young people.
I have found the Adult Nursing course very enjoyable both in University and in my placements with lots of support from both, be it with academic or personal life and have found that the more you put in to the course the more you get out of it.
BNurs (Hons) Learning Disability Nursing You will be taught the increasingly complex practice skills required by today’s healthcare professional. We develop your skills in therapeutic communication and your understanding of the uniqueness of individuals. The course aims to provide a professional award that will provide you with the necessary knowledge, skills and values to enable people with learning disabilities to achieve their full potential.
BNurs (Hons) Mental Health Nursing
Hear what others who chose Learning Disabilities Nursing have to say: www.wlv.ac.uk/shaw/learningdis
Mental health nurses work in a variety of diverse settings caring for children, adolescents, adults of working age and older people who are experiencing problems in the way that they think, feel or behave. They are involved in helping people to recover from their illness or to come to terms with it in order to maximise their life potential, working alongside many other professionals to plan and deliver person-centred care.
Careers and employability Upon successful completion of the course you can register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which will enable you to practise as a nurse in a variety of healthcare settings. Becoming a Registered Nurse will open up the prospect of many jobs in clinical practice, hospital or community settings, research,
teaching or managerial roles. Registered Nurses continue to study after they have qualified, often in a specialist area, as they develop their career path. With experience, Registered Nurses can take additional qualifications enabling them to work in the community or district nursing, health visiting or school nursing.
9 PSYCHOLOGY
PSYCHOLOGY 10
Psychology Psychology at Wolverhampton is an applied discipline with real-world applications. Our team of research-active staff is currently applying psychological knowledge to a diverse set of issues, such as understanding the way the internet impacts upon people’s everyday lives, helping veterans recover from the trauma of war, and designing better services and support for people with intellectual and other disabilities. Courses Our psychology courses will teach you how to analyse, predict, and help change human behaviour across a broad range of settings. Three undergraduate courses deliver a broad coverage of current psychological theories, research and practices. All psychology undergraduate students share a number of core disciplinary modules, and gain a thorough grounding in data analysis. Our undergraduate awards are accredited through the British Psychological Society (BPS), conferring eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership*. This is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist. Two specialist undergraduate psychology awards, BSc (Hons) Psychology (Criminal Behaviour) and BSc (Hons) Psychology (Counselling Psychology), allow you to learn more about these areas of special interest, through tailored teaching, workgroups, and assessment tasks.
BSc (Hons) Psychology Our BSc (Hons) Psychology provides comprehensive coverage of all the most important areas in psychology. You will study psychological sub-disciplines such as social, cognitive, health, clinical, developmental, and psychodynamic psychology, to name but a few. As your studies progress, you will have a number of specialist modules to choose from. We run a slightly different range of specialist modules each year, depending on staff expertise.
BSc (Hons) Psychology (Criminal Behaviour) Can we really profile a criminal mind in order to catch a killer? Why do people become criminals? Why are some people more likely to be victims? Do children make reliable witnesses? Students on our criminal behaviour course learn the answers to these questions, amongst many more.
BSc (Hons) Psychology (Counselling Psychology) Counselling Psychologists work in both private practice and in the NHS to apply psychological knowledge in helping people deal with their psychological problems. A great emphasis is placed on working with the client’s experiences and empowering the client to grow and develop as a person.
Careers and employability Many of our psychology graduates go on to apply their skills in the business world. Employers are keen to recruit psychology graduates, perhaps because of their impressive mix of interpersonal skills and understanding of data analysis and theory testing. A number of our graduates go on to train as Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychologists, to work in the NHS as trainee cognitive behavioural therapists, or to work in other helping professions such as social work. Some graduates go on to study at postgraduate level, for example on our MSc in Occupational Psychology, or our Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, on their way to becoming practicing psychologists.
* provided the minimum standard of a Lower Second Class Honours is achieved
“I was amazed at how approachable all the staff were and how people would go out of their way to offer help and support.”
11 PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH STUDIES
PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH STUDIES 12
Public Health and Health Studies The study of either public health or health studies offers you a fantastic and exciting opportunity to develop your knowledge, skills and experience in order to enter a range of careers relating to health. Good health is essential to living a productive, happy and fulfilling life, and many take it for granted, until they lose it or it becomes impaired in some way. The study of health will give you a greater understanding of a wide range of issues within a holistic model of health and wellbeing. These include an examination of social perspectives on health as well as more traditional biological approaches.
Courses
these skills will enable you to make a positive impact on improving and promoting people’s health within a wide variety of roles and jobs. You will gain an extensive understanding of the impact of poor health on local, national and international economies. The course will help you become highly digitally literate, allowing you to access and interpret relevant data and information. This course can also be studied as a joint award with Social Care – please see the section on Social Care.
BSc (Hons) Health Studies (top-up) We also offer the Health Studies course as a top-up degree, suitable for those who already have extensive experience in health or hold a professional qualification (such as an Undergraduate Diploma).
Careers and employability
BSc (Hons) Public Health Public Health is the priority of current government policy with an emphasis on widening the range of careers and roles for a well-equipped workforce. The course closely follows the Faculty of Public Health’s curriculum, and builds a sound foundation for multi-disciplinary public health practice, with a strong focus on the skills and knowledge required to engage with the public health agenda. You will be supported throughout by academic staff with experience in many fields, and concentrate on areas of specific interest within the syllabus, making your learning relevant for a career at a variety of levels in the rapidly expanding public health workforce.
BSc (Hons) Health Studies This course provides a wide variety of insights into what constitutes health and wellbeing, allowing you to consider and evaluate health-related research and policy. The application of
Graduates have gained employment in the NHS, local authority, public health and health promotion initiatives. Opportunities exist within medical sales, the private sector and the voluntary sector. Others have progressed onto accredited nurse training, teacher training or health research.
I have gained loads in terms of confidence from the course; it was the sense of achievement and feedback that I received that made me believe in myself again. Angela, BSc (Hons) graduate
Read Angela’s full story, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/shaw/angela
13 SOCIAL CARE
SOCIAL CARE 14
Social Care If you are interested in the welfare of other people, a career in social care is a positive way to channel your interest. Social care provides a range of opportunities to work with children, young people, adults, the elderly and those with physical or psychological problems. Your aim will be to help and support others to ensure they can live their lives independently and securely. You can make a positive difference to someone’s life.
BA (Hons) Social Care and Deaf Studies
Courses
BA (Hons) Social Care with Sociology
We offer a choice of integrated social care courses to equip you with the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of a range of people.
BA (Hons) Social Care and Social Policy This course gives you an opportunity to engage with, and learn about social care work and the wider social policy that underpins it. This is achieved through the study and critical analysis of key social issues in contemporary society, the impact these social issues have on people’s lives and the social policy responses to deal with these issues.
BA (Hons) Social Care and Criminology and Criminal Justice On this course you will have the chance to study the impact social issues and inequalities have on people’s lives, care management and practice. You will gain valuable insight into legal and sociological issues, including the operation of the criminal courts through punishment, sentencing and policing of society, and social inequalities and law. You will explore the reality behind newspaper headlines on crime, examining real and practical topics within contemporary society. You will also have the opportunity to take modules that involve volunteer work in the local community.
Within our course, you will consider a variety of issues and perspectives surrounding deaf people and their relationship with society. You will study and critically analyse key issues for social care in contemporary society, the impact these social issues have on people’s lives and the social care responses to deal with these issues. Deeper insight will be gained into the experience of those members of the deaf world who participate in the social care sector whether as professionals, paid carers or service users.
Our course will give you an opportunity to engage with, and learn about social care and sociology in order to analyse and understand the complexities of the social world in which we live. This is achieved through the study and critical analysis of key issues in the provision of social care and the concepts, theories and methods essential to what we call a ‘sociological imagination’ – that special way of identifying, describing and evaluating the nature of social life.
BA (Hons) Social Care and Health Studies This is a course designed to give you advanced insight into social care, health and wellbeing. You will study and critically analyse current issues in contemporary society and the impact these issues have on people’s lives. You will develop your understanding of the impact of social deprivation and poor health on national and international economies.
Careers and employability Social Care graduates continue to be attracted to a wide range of careers, mostly in the public and not-for-profit sector. Careers in care management, social research, policy writing and community work are all accessible for graduates. Postgraduate courses in social work or a wide variety of social policy areas are also available. Social Care and Criminology and Criminal Justice graduates are employed in a number of criminal justice agencies, including the Police Service and the National Probation Service; others
are employed in related fields such as trading standards and Customs and Excise. With a Social Care and Deaf Studies degree, you can also undertake further training to become a teacher or a counsellor for deaf people. Other career destinations have included communication support, key skills co-ordinator and NVQ assessor.
15 SOCIAL WORK
SOCIAL WORK 16
Social Work Social workers are professionally qualified staff who assess the needs of service users and provide care and support to those in need. They work with individuals, families and organisations to provide a suitable package of care. You will need to have a high level of commitment, be quick thinking and demonstrate sound judgment to succeed in this role as well as take on a lot of responsibility for the decisions you make. Our Social Work degree will enable you to hone your natural abilities and perfect the professional skills required to become a confident, capable social worker. Your education, training, and practical experience will help you to interpret the problems individuals face and support them in finding solutions.
Careers and employability Successful completion of the award will entitle you to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and become a qualified and registered social worker. As a registered professional, the choice of work available to you is enormous. The qualification that you will gain is generic, which means that you will be able to choose your preferred area of social work practice. Social Work graduates are also able to practise in the European Community where the English social work qualification is accepted.
Courses BA (Hons) Social Work Our BA (Hons) Social Work course is designed for individuals who want to work with people, particularly those who experience levels of social disadvantage and/or discrimination. Typically you will want to make a difference to people’s lives at a personal and structural level; to counter discrimination and oppression. The course will, therefore, equip you with appropriate knowledge and skills, as well as encouraging and enabling you to explore the values necessary for social work practice. The BA (Hons) Social Work course is regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and benefits from partnerships between the University of Wolverhampton and local social services employers. Service users and carers are involved in the teaching, assessment and management of the course.
I look at situations in a different way and the course has made me want to become a social worker more than ever. Charlotte Chambers, BA (Hons) Social Work
For further information visit our website: www.wlv.ac.uk/shaw
17 THERAPEUTIC PRACTITIONER
THERAPEUTIC PRACTITIONER 18
Therapeutic Practitioner There are exciting challenges facing Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners. Increasingly, CAM appears in the mainstream delivery of health within the UK. This, coupled with the ever increasing public demand for choice in healthcare, necessitates the provision of highly qualified complementary therapists. Courses
of Reflexologists (IFR). In addition to gaining the necessary expertise in complementary therapy, you will also develop digital literacy and business development skills to enable you to operate as an independent complementary therapist.
Careers and employability Students have gone on to a variety of jobs and professional positions including employment in the NHS as a complementary therapist, self-employment, management roles, therapists providing wellbeing services within social housing projects, research and teaching.
We offer two awards which develop skilled graduate professionals. Our courses are unique and coherent awards, offering dual accredited practitioner status:
BA (Hons) Therapeutic Practitioner PGDip Therapeutic Practitioner Both courses place strong emphasis on developing high standards in professional therapeutic approaches to healthcare. You will enhance your practice skills where they already exist, and develop new skills where they do not. You will gain a specialist knowledge base and skills to enable you to practise effectively, in a safe and accountable manner, and in a variety of health and social care settings. To achieve this, the courses will enable you to meet the requirements leading to registration as an aromatherapist with the International Federation of Professional Aromatherapists (IFPA); and reflexologist with the International Federation
University was a fantastic opportunity and an eye opener. It made me think about the future and realise that I wanted to go into business.
19 FOUNDATION DEGREES
HEALTH AND WELLBEING 20
Foundation Degrees A Foundation degree is equivalent to the first two years of an Honours degree, but is a recognised qualification in itself. Foundation degrees combine the teaching of an undergraduate degree with practical, work-based learning, and show you how theory applies to the realities of business. That means what you study is always relevant to your day-to-day operations. Courses Foundation Degree (Arts) Health and Social Care The Foundation Degree (Arts) Health and Social Care aims to provide you with knowledge of, and insight into, health and social care issues related to individuals and communities, and health and social care services.
Foundation Degree (Science) Assistant Practitioner (Foot Health Assistant) For those currently working within a foot health assistant role, or newcomers to the profession, the Foot Health Assistant Foundation Degree will allow you to develop within this exciting role. This part-time course will provide you with the opportunity to develop personal and professional values required of Assistant Practitioners and a knowledge base that informs practice. This course is delivered by our collaborative partners at Birmingham Metropolitan College.
Careers and employability You may be employed in areas of health or social care or work in residential care, community care and health promotion in the community and schools.
Foundation Degree (Science) Assistant Practitioner The Foundation Degree Assistant Practitioner will enable you to develop within a new and exciting role in the field of health care. This part-time course will enable you to gain valuable work-based learning skills and understand how Assistant Practitioners integrate within health care teams to provide a collaborative approach to care. Applicants must currently be employed within a relevant role.
Foundation Degree (Science) Assistant Practitioner (Perioperative) This full-time course provides individuals currently working within a perioperative setting the opportunity to develop the personal and professional values required of Assistant Practitioners, and a knowledge base that informs practice.
Health and Wellbeing (Learning, Education and Progression – LEaP) What is LEaP?
Careers and employability
This course is ideal if your qualifications do not make you eligible for entry onto a degree course but you would like to pursue a career in the health or social care sector. Successful completion of the course will help you to access our higher education courses including Foundation degrees and Honours degrees.
Successful completion of this course can enable you to progress onto a health, nursing or social care degree course offered by our School of Health and Wellbeing*, assisting you in pursuing a career in health and social care.
What will I study? LEaP runs over 29 weeks of the academic year and enables you to develop an understanding of, and an insight into, a range of health and social care disciplines. You will study subjects relating to health and wellbeing, health awareness, social context of health, and health psychology. It allows you to identify your current skills, gain new ones, and learn how these may be used for future study.
I was reluctant to study a full degree, but having studied the Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care I am now confident that I can handle the demands of a full degree.
The LEaP course was ideal for someone like me who has been out of the education system for 20 years; the course was constantly challenging but I found tasks and assignments were realistic and achievable. Jamie, LEaP graduate
Read Jamie’s full story, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/shaw/jamie
* please contact us for details of eligible courses.
21 VISIT US
Open Days Our Open Days are a great opportunity for you to meet current students, talk to our academic staff and gain insight into where you will study. We hold a range of Open Days throughout the year – why not come along and see what the School of Health and Wellbeing can do for you? To find out more about Open Days, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/opendays
Contact: Wolverhampton City Campus Mary Seacole Building Nursery Street Wolverhampton WV1 1AD
Walsall Campus Boundary House Gorway Road Walsall WS1 3BD
Burton-Upon-Trent Site Queens Hospital Belvedere Road Burton-Upon-Trent DE13 0RB
Tel: 0800 953 3222 Email: shaw-enquiries@wlv.ac.uk Visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/shaw
Disclaimer This guide describes in outline the courses and research opportunities offered by the University of Wolverhampton. The University of Wolverhampton can accept no liability for the accuracy or otherwise of statements in this publication. It is a general guide and there may be changes following publication, which affect the contents. Courses and modules may be altered or withdrawn without notice. Before accepting any place offered on a course, prospective students should be aware that the provision of education services by the University of Wolverhampton is subject to written terms and conditions of contract set out in full on the University’s website at: www.wlv.ac.uk , or on your university e:Vision account. Among them are conditions limiting the University’s liability should industrial action or other circumstances prevent or interfere with the provision of services or cause the University to modify or rearrange any of the educational services offered. Acknowledgements Written and produced by Marketing and Communications, University of Wolverhampton.
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