Health and social care courses

To work in health and social care, you will typically need GCSEs in English and Maths, as well as good verbal communication skills. You’ll also need to be empathetic, patient, and have the ability to work well with others.

Depending on the career path you want to take, you may need to go to university. If the career you aspire to requires you to achieve a degree, our Access to HE Diploma in Health is a great starting point and alternative to A Levels. If your chosen career doesn’t require you to have a degree, a course may be the best way for you to gain the knowledge you need to take your next step. Other alternative routes you can take include apprenticeships, applying directly, or volunteering.

There are a huge variety of careers available in the health and social care industry, each requiring different levels of qualifications. These careers include:

• Care worker
• Healthcare assistant
• Community support
• Support worker
• Social worker
• Occupational therapist
• Nurse
• Midwife
• Paramedic
• Administration
  

We highly recommend thoroughly researching potential career paths and how to achieve them before enrolling on a course.

Unlike studying at a regular college or institution, Open Study College has no term dates or timetables. This means you can start studying your health and social care course with us at any time.

You will receive contact details for your tutor when you enrol, and you are free to contact them for any study-related questions at any time. We also have a learner services team dedicated to helping our learners with all administrative matters.

No time at all. If you choose to study an online course, you’ll get your log in details within 24 hours. If you choose a study pack, with standard delivery your course pack will be with you within ten working days, or with express delivery just three to five working days.

The short answer is yes! Most of our courses require you to be at least 14 years old to enrol, however, we would always recommend that you check the course entry requirements as this can vary. Ultimately, our courses are designed for adults with busy lives, so you can juggle your life commitments while working towards a brighter future.

Our study packs contain all of your study materials in printed format which are posted out to you with an OSC pen, study guide, and notebook. If you’d prefer to study online, you’ll receive access to our e-learning portal and your study materials will be housed electronically, which you can access on a computer, laptop, or tablet.

Unlimited support from our expert tutors, a FREE XO Student Discounts membership, and a free CV review are just a handful of the many benefits we offer here at Open Study College. We also genuinely care about you and your future which is why we offer a range of recruitment support too, including free ‘how to become’ guides, an employability skills download, and job hunting help. We want to help you achieve your goals in whichever way we can!

If you enrol on an NCFE CACHE/CACHE qualification, you will receive access to the CACHE Alumni membership for two years. CACHE Alumni is a professional membership network for those who work in the CACHE industries, providing valuable resources and advice for professionals studying towards an NCFE CACHE qualification.