Course overview

This degree is designed for those who are looking for a more specialised degree, and who work, or are interested in working, in the health service, social services, voluntary sector or similar fields.

The course is flexible and mostly delivered face to face. The core module Health, Welfare and Social Policy will be delivered fully online, with lectures and seminars. The course tutor will be available to meet online and face to face.

Entry requirements

Flexible entry requirements. Consideration is given for non-traditional qualifications, work and life experience. Applicants are normally interviewed by the course selector.

Core modules

While this degree offers flexibility, it is highly recommended that students complete 120 credits of Level 4 modules prior to Honours Level (5 and 6) study in order to prepare well for this.

On this degree, you will study the following core modules:

• Health, Welfare and Social Policy - This develops your understanding of the foundations of contemporary social welfare issues such as poverty, inequality and the welfare state.
• Class and Capitalism in a Neoliberal World - This explores the reasons for and social consequences of the economic and political transformations that have taken place in recent decades.
• History of Sociological Thought - This introduces learners to key themes - and four key thinkers - in the development of the subject of Sociology.
• Researching Society and Culture - This develops your academic research skills and understanding of society, including whether society shapes us, or if we have role in shaping it.

Optional modules

Please note these may be subject to change:

• Learning, Development and Special Educational Needs
• Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring
• Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Lifelong Learning
• Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring
• Counselling: Concepts and Skills
• Critical Issues in Social Work
• Food: Critical Perspectives
• Widening Participation in Higher Education
• Dissertation in Lifelong Learning

For information on the modules you can take with CLL, please visit: Undergraduate Modules.

Students are also able to choose from a selected range of modules from the Politics and International Studies Department and the Sociology Department.

Teaching, assessment and study support

The degree is designed to be fully supportive to those who are new to university study, whatever your age. There are a variety of assessments and these may include coursework assignments, formal examinations, presentations and research projects. You can study between one and three 30 credit modules per year. You can expect to commit to around 10 hours a week for each module you take, which includes contact time and independent study. Tutors are experts in their field and have extensive teaching experience, including working with adult learners. Throughout your degree programme you will be provided with considerable support and guidance.

How to apply

Applications for 2022/23 are closed

Fees and funding

The University will charge Home students £1,540 for each 30 credit module in 2022/23. Fees for subsequent years of the course have yet to be confirmed.

See Student fees and funding for more information and view potential additional fees.

The University of Warwick is not currently sponsoring students on part-time or distance learning courses with a Tier 4 visa and so if you require a visa to study a part-time or distance learning course in the UK which is longer than six months, you may wish to consult the 'right to study' page on our Student Immigration & Compliance website: https://warwick.ac.uk/study/international/immigration/othervisas/whatvisa before you make an application.

Location and times

Classes are on located on Main Campus, The University of Warwick. Times dependent on modules taken; please contact us for more details.

Further information

*The modules mentioned above may be subject to change.
Please read our terms and conditions for more detailed information and our Conditions of Offer document for more information on when you accept a place with the University.

Career prospects

Your course and university experience will give you skills that can be transferred to a wide variety of careers. Such skills include communication, persuasion, analytical and problem-solving skills, time management and working under pressure. All these are very desirable to employers. As many graduate jobs are open to students from all degree subjects, there is a wide range of career possibilities. For example, jobs in marketing, finance and HR. You could also work in a range of sectors such as arts, culture and recreation, energy and utilities, public services and transport.

Here are just some of the new careers our graduates have chosen to pursue:

• Health: Health service manager, sexual health adviser; health improvement co-ordinator, mental health worker
• Social research and policy: Social researcher, policy officer,
• Legal sector: Paralegal, solicitor, police officer, probation officer
• Social justice and community engagement: Family support worker, advice worker, housing manager, charity worker
• Education: Teacher, careers adviser, education administrator, learning mentor, diversity and inclusion
• Arts (media) and culture: Journalist, marketing executive, public relations officer, media manager

Some students choose to stay with us for further study, for courses such as MA Coaching, MSc Psychotherapy and Counselling and MA Career Development and Coaching Studies.

Will you definitely help get my idea launched/accepted?

The Innovation Support service does not guarantee every idea will be implemented – in fact, the majority will not make it through to final implementation.

Most ideas make complete sense when considered in isolation, but often cannot take account of the complexities and practicalities of the full environment. Many ideas cannot overcome the challenges of real-world practicalities.

The Innovation Support service cannot guarantee every idea is accepted or implemented – however it can guarantee that ideas that generate sufficient positive support are fully considered and tested against realities. It will also attempt to develop ideas to overcome any obstacles identified. It cannot guarantee implementation, but it can guarantee full consideration.