Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) with foundation year

Study level: Undergraduate
HNC/HND courses
Two students looking at a human internal organ model

Public health is considered the science and art of promoting and protecting health and wellbeing, preventing ill-health and prolonging life through the organised efforts of society.

Course option

Year of entry

Location

CU Coventry (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time
Part-time

Duration

4 years full-time
5 years sandwich

UCAS codes

LL5K

Start date

September 2025
November 2025
January 2026
March 2026
May 2026
June 2026


Course overview

Foundation year

The foundation year aims to provide you with a solid grounding for building a career in health and social care-related disciplines.

Degree

The Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) course aims to provide you with the underpinning theoretical knowledge, professional expertise and work-based learning relevant to a range of roles working in health and social care.

Throughout the course, you will address health inequalities, as well as analyse government initiatives. You can expect to explore how social factors and institutions are constructed and represented, and their implications on everyday life. You’ll explore the skills, behaviours and techniques of effective management and the role of leadership in relation to business themes. Additionally, you can expect to develop your skills in decision-making and information management.

Social Work degree option

If students wish to consider our Social Work BA (Hons) degree at Coventry University, all successful students on this course are guaranteed an interview, subject to completing an internal application form before the UCAS equal consideration January deadline. Progression on to the Social Work BA (Hons) degree is subject to successfully passing your interview, subsequently accepting your offer, and passing your foundation year.


What you'll study

The Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) degree aims to teach the skills and knowledge relevant for progression into statutory, voluntary or private sectors. Opportunities can be found in areas that address the wider determinants of health, such as education, housing and transport, by developing public approaches to promote health.

Throughout the course, you will address health inequalities, including tackling the damaging effects of smoking, alcohol, drugs and poor nutrition, as well as analysing government initiatives.

The first year is designed to explore the core fundamentals of modern public health. Throughout the year, the programme aims to develop skills in decision-making and information management, providing you with a solid foundation for further exploration in years two and three. Students who successfully complete year one are eligible for an HNC in Public Health and Community Studies.

Modules

In your second year, you will refine key analytical skills as you examine the ways in which social factors and institutions are constructed and represented and their implications on everyday life. Students who successfully complete year two are eligible for an HND in Public Health and Community Studies.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur before your final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, while developing transferable skills for the future.

Modules

This exciting year aims to enhance your existing knowledge, giving you a broad overview of research methods and processes that are used to study health or social factors in communities. This year examines the skills, behaviours and techniques of effective management and the role of leadership in relation to business themes. Upon successful completion of this final year, you should be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to become a successful leader, with the ability to identify the core processes and mechanisms that underpin innovation.

Modules

The foundation year aims to provide the skills and knowledge relevant for progression onto a degree in health, social work or social care in the statutory, voluntary or private sectors.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.


How you'll learn

Your initial foundation year focuses on applied learning geared to high-intensity teaching and study throughout the course. The delivery of course content is a blend of lectures, tutorials and online mediums.


Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You'll be digging deeper into topics, review what you've learnt and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you'll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

During your foundation year, the learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.

Course breakdown:

  • coursework
  • phased tests.

The foundation year is assessed using a range of assessments including presentations, essays, reports and group work (subject to curriculum review).

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

This course is available as a full-time three-year or optional four-year sandwich course, the latter incorporating a work placement or study year in a related field. This course can be offered on a part-time basis. Whilst we would like to give you all the information about our part-time offering here, it is tailored for each course each year depending on the number of part-time applicants. Therefore, the part-time teaching arrangements vary. Request further information about the part-time study.

Our teaching methods are varied, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of all our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops and group work. We also operate an open-door policy, with additional availability via email and our current online learning platform, Aula.

Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end-of-year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of our learning model.


Teaching contact hours

As a full-time undergraduate student, you will study modules totalling 120 credits each academic year. A typical 20 credit module requires a total of 200 hours study. This is made up of teaching contact hours, guided and independent study.

Teaching hours

Teaching hours vary each semester, year of study and due to module selection. During your first year you can expect 15-18 teaching hours each week. You will also have the option to attend optional sessions including time with a progress coach or to meet with staff for advice and feedback. As you progress through your studies, teaching hours may reduce.

Guided and independent study

Throughout your studies, you will be expected to spend time in guided and independent study to make up the required study hours per module. You'll be digging deeper into topics, review what you've learnt and complete assignments. This can be completed around your personal commitments. As you progress through your studies, you'll spend more time in independent study.

Online learning

As an innovative university, we use different teaching methods including online tools and emerging technologies. So, some of your teaching hours and assessments may be delivered online.


Assessment

The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.

Assessment methods vary and may include practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments.

Breakdown of final grade assessment (subject to change):

  • Coursework
  • Assessments

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.


International experience opportunities

Students may have the option to engage with Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects, including online seminars, lectures, and network with students and course leaders in universities across the world2. COIL projects may also be with charities.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements are therefore not guaranteed2.


Entry requirements

Typical entry requirements:

40 UCAS tariff points. All foundation courses require GCSE maths and English at grade 4 / C or Functional Skills Level 2, or other equivalent Level 2 awards and at least one A2 level or a BTEC equivalent qualification.

If you don’t fulfil the entry criteria your application may be considered on an individual basis, taking into account any work experience, other qualifications and/or any training you have completed.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.


Fees and funding

Foundation year

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,535 Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Degree

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,535 per year Request fee information
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement2 or study abroad year, you will need to pay a tuition fee3 to cover your academic support throughout your placement year. Students commencing their professional placement in the academic year 2027/28 will pay £1,500 if they are paying UK fees, or £1,800 if they are paying international fees.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our undergraduate finance page and see the university’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, if Parliament permits an increase in tuition fees, the university may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation.

If you choose to study this course with a professional placement, the University will charge the tuition fees stated above for those on a placement during Academic Year 2027/28. The University will review professional placement tuition fees each year. For UK (home) students, the University may increase fees for each subsequent year of study, but such that it will be no more than 5% above inflation.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

Applies to degree only

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Foundation year funding

In order to receive funding for degree with foundation year courses, you will need to complete a four-year degree programme which includes the integrated foundation year, otherwise you may be responsible for your foundation year fees. For further information, please refer to the 'Tuition Fee Loan' details in the 'Funding your undergraduate course' section of our 'Fees and finance' page.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**This course with foundation year is not currently available to international students. If you do not meet the entry requirements to directly join year 1 of the degree, please take a look at our International Pathways Programme for additional options.


Facilities

The modern CU Coventry Mile Lane campus has been designed to promote collaboration, creativity, and innovation. Facilities include:

  • indoor and outdoor social spaces, including a café
  • a ground floor library that includes loan laptops and a silent study area
  • open-access IT suites
  • student support and careers advice teams.

CU Coventry students also have access to facilities located on the Coventry University campus. These include the Lanchester Library and The Hub.

Facilities are subject to availability. Access to some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and/or may have reduced availability or restrictions where the university is following public authority guidance, decisions or orders.


Careers and opportunities

With a growing demand for skilled health professionals, graduates of the Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) degree have an expansive list of career paths to explore. On successful completion, you will be able to:

  • demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the theoretical, analytical and practical aspects of legislation, strategies and policies within a changing environment, to meet stakeholder interests
  • critically appraise theories related to the development of a health promotion strategy, considering social determinants that could influence the effectiveness
  • develop appropriate research and analysis techniques, alongside the ability to undertake reliable market research activities
  • operate, lead and collaborate in a team to solve problems of a practical (experimental) nature and to provide appropriate solutions
  • apply appropriate presentation and evaluation tools to establish the significance of research data produced.

While the majority of graduates go directly into a public health profession, others have chosen to study further in the field, with several students undertaking a master’s degree in subjects such as Public Health and Nutrition, International Business Management and Social Policy.

Where our graduates work

There are a variety of career paths from this degree programme. Graduates have gone on to work successfully in following careers:

  • Briefing Advisor (higher executive officer) with the parliamentary and public accountability team within UKHSA
  • Digital Care Coordinator for Primary Care network
  • Independence Advisor
  • Programme Leader, FE
  • Addiction Support Worker
  • Community Support Officer for local authority
  • Health Intervention Officer for HM Prison Services
  • Mental Health Link Worker
  • Social Prescribing Worker

How to apply

This course with foundation year is not available to international students.


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