The GCE AS and A2 course in Applied Health and Social Care offers students the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding that may advantage them when entering into employment or higher education within the health and social care sectors in areas such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, childcare and early years education.

The course will enable students to:-

• develop and sustain an interest in health, early years care and education, and social care

• acquire experience of practical and theoretical contexts and knowledge of these areas

• participate in practical activities (workplace visits) in order to apply their knowledge of the topics covered

• develop skills such as those of research, evaluation, and problem-solving which will enable them to make effective contributions to the care sector

• develop their ICT skills

• prepare for a future career within the health and social care sectors

Course Content

A2 consists of one compulsory unit on ‘Providing Services’ (assessed externally) and two other optional modules to be decided by the school from a number of options such as Monitoring Body Systems (assessed internally), Health Promotion (assessed internally), Supporting the Family (assessed internally), Understanding Human Behaviour (assessed externally)  and Nutrition and Dietetics (assessed externally).

Assessment

The course will be assessed by a combination of methods such as externally marked examination papers and internally assessed and moderated pieces of work to include, reports, personal portfolios and logbooks. Much of the internally assessed work will be in relation to placements in the community in establishments such as day nurseries, elderly care homes, day care centres, hospital wards and special schools.

Teaching

This course is taught in collaboration with the expertise of staff from the Belfast Metropolitan College [BMC].

If you would like to know more about the Applied Health and Social Care course please ask to speak to Miss R Moody in the Home Economics department.