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STUDY
BA (Hons) Applied Care Practice (Mental Health Support) (Progression Route)
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| Institution code: | S82 |
|---|---|
| UCAS code: | L505 |
| Start date: | September 2025 |
| Duration: | One year full-time |
| Location: | East Coast College (Great Yarmouth) |
| Typical Offer: | FdA/FdSc or equivalent Level 5 qualification in an appropriate subject. |
| Institution code: | S82 |
|---|---|
| UCAS code: | L505 |
| Start date: | September 2025 |
| Duration: | One year full-time |
|---|---|
| Location: | East Coast College (Great Yarmouth) |
| Typical Offer: | FdA/FdSc or equivalent Level 5 qualification in an appropriate subject. |
Overview
The BA (Hons) Applied Care Practice (Mental Health Support) Progression Route is relevant to practitioners working with people of any age, and those who manage provision in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The applied nature of this degree combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of social care in contemporary society. The programme has been developed to allow those in the Mental Health sector to further develop existing skills while broadening their expertise. It also aims to deepen their knowledge, enhance practical skills, and strengthen their professional values.
A key strength of the programme is our dedication to providing you with relevant practical and professional experience, equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm necessary for effective practice in education, health, and social care. The programme encourages you to reflect on the skills needed to build and maintain positive relationships with clients and families, understand the diverse ways people live, expand your knowledge of practice to actively support individuals, and collaborate effectively with families, carers, the wider community, and other professionals both within and outside the setting.
We have established strong partnerships with our employers, who actively encourage their staff to pursue the Foundation degree and fully support progression to this top-up programme. You will be supported in specialist areas by sector professionals, all of whom have recent practitioner experiences and relevant qualifications. Tuition fees include high levels of academic support, assessment for additional needs support if appropriate, access to thousands of journals and books online, virtual learning opportunities, very accessible tutors, good quality learning spaces and experienced teachers.
The course is offered at the University of Suffolk in Great Yarmouth, where students will be part of a large and expanding community of Higher Education learners, with access to dedicated facilities. This Progression Route is a one-year course for those who hold a relevant Foundation or equivalent qualification to gain a BA (Hons) degree. It is a full-time course, typically requiring one to two days of on-campus attendance, supported by self-directed study. This flexible structure allows you to balance your studies with work and other commitments, as you are expected to be in paid or voluntary work in a relevant setting for at least 10 hours per week.
Course Modules
The course comprises practical and theoretical learning that is transferable to different settings, clients and areas of practice and addresses the common principles of Care.
Each assessment (theoretical and practical) of the course is embedded in practice and designed to encourage and enable you to demonstrate synthesis of key theories and concepts and how these may be understood and applied to the early years sector and specifically to their particular area of practice. The content is current and delivered by experienced, subject specific lecturers.
During this programme you will develop their understanding of practice and service provision in more specialised areas and will carry out in-depth examinations of theories and research with emphasis upon critical evaluation of both theory and professional practice. You will start by examining current issues, policies and debates in social policy and the care sector, including diversity, race, class, gender, sexuality, age and disability and an analysis of the approach to providing welfare services throughout the lifespan. Next the focus will be on a critical understanding of approaches that try to chart the life-course via stages or phases. Cultural and gender factors will be explored and links made with how services are shaped.
The sharing of practice experiences will be invaluable during the development of the portfolio and research project modules, where it is expected the students will focus on their individual working environments and pathways.
Full downloadable information regarding all University of Suffolk courses, including Key Facts, Course Aims, Course Structure and Assessment, is available in the Definitive Course Record.
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This module explores the policy ideas that feature prominently in the care, education and general support of people from infancy to the end of life. You will be able to demonstrate relevance to your sector and the particular professional role you are in, using sociological perspectives. This module will provide an opportunity to integrate theory and practice; particular attention is drawn to the role of research evidence in policy processes.
The concept of transitions explores transition theories and good transition practice from different sectors. This includes social and institutional transitions as well as developmental transitions. The lifespan perspective is compared to traditional developmental perspectives including consideration of the value of focusing on domains of achievement related to age and stage of development.
The module requires you to evidence your knowledge and skills through reflection of your individual development as a practitioner over the course of your studies. Through critical reflection, this module promotes awareness of the workplace as a learning environment and aims to increase your capability and individual effectiveness as a learner and a leader.
This module builds on prior studies, drawing on the theoretical knowledge gained in research methodology, principles, values, and processes, along with skills in critically evaluating published research. It provides you with an opportunity to carry out an in-depth investigation on a topic of your choice within your sector, and seeks to equip you with the skills of project planning, design, analysis and critical evaluation.
Entry Requirements
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Career Opportunities
Upon successful completion of this course, you may work in Mental Health Support worker and senior support roles in areas such as:
- Education
- Residential care
- Community care
- Substance abuse and rehabilitation
- Custodial environments
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