Health Care & Management Studies
Studying this BSc (Hons) Health Care and Management Studies degree offers you the opportunity to join the healthcare workforce as a competent professional, trained to improve and support the health of others. There are multiple options with direct pathways to graduate medicine and pre-reg masters programmes, in a variety of healthcare disciplines.
| Award Name | Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 |
|---|---|
| NFQ Classification | |
| Awarding Body | University of Essex |
| NFQ Level |
| Award Name | NFQ Classification | Awarding Body | NFQ Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree - Honours Bachelor at UK Level 6 | University of Essex |
Duration
3 years full-time or blended options.
Entry Requirements
With a Leaving Certificate
Leaving Certificate requirements – Minimum of grade C or O6 in ordinary level Biology* or Physical Education, English and Maths with a pass in 3 other subjects.
Sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2023
Students may apply and be granted a “Conditional Offer” prior to completing the Leaving Certificate.
Step 1 – Submit application
Step 2 – Review of application and confirmation of eligibility criteria and entry requirements
Step 3 – Conditional Offer issued on the basis of successful achievement of LC requirements
Step 4 – Confirm acceptance of a place and pay deposit as detailed
Places cannot be held open for applicants awaiting leaving certificate results, however, should a student accept a place and then choose not to progress with this course having received a CAO offer, a refund of 75% of fees paid will be made. Refunds must be requested in writing within 48 hours after the first-round offers have been made. This will only be accepted by emailing refunds@portobelloinstitute.com. Evidence of CAO offer acceptance must be provided along in order to apply for a refund.
Applicants who have previously completed the Leaving Certificate;
Minimum of grade C or O6 in ordinary level Biology* or Physical Education, English and Maths with a pass in 3 other subjects.
*Applicants who do not hold LC Biology or Physical Education, are required to undertake the QQI level 5 Anatomy & Physiology and use this award in place of LC Biology. This course is available through Portobello Institute, further information available here.
Without a Leaving Certificate
Students are accepted on to this programme without a leaving certificate however applicants must meet one of the following criteria;
QQI level 5 major award containing a biology subject
ITEC level 2 award containing anatomy & physiology
An undergraduate degree in another subject
QQI Level 5 Anatomy & Physiology – available through Portobello Institute
Mature entry at 21 years. Mature students are reviewed on a case by case basis and entry is via interview. Those without a grounding in science and a previous academic qualification in science or biology, must complete QQI Level 5 Anatomy & Physiology or equivalent. This course is available through Portobello Institute, further information available here.
Equivalent qualifications with biology/anatomy & physiology module
Advanced Entry to Year 2
If you hold either of these qualifications, you are eligible for advanced entry to year 2 of this degree.
QQI level 6 major award in Health Service Skills or
QQI level 6 major award in Healthcare Support
Equivalent award to the above.
Please contact us directly to discuss your options.
Careers / Further progression
Employment opportunities for graduates are diverse.
Upon completion of the course, you can obtain employment in in health support roles across a wide range of settings, work in administrative and managerial roles in healthcare settings, community-based advocacy organizations and health promotion initiatives, work in policy development in government departments.
This course also meets entry requirements for admission to a wide range of post-graduate courses in allied health disciplines and medicine among many others.
Further information
Full-time Option: Start Date 2nd October 2023
Blended Option: Start Date 7th October 2023
Course Price
Per academic year.
€5,195.00
Exam Body Reg. Fee
Per academic year.
€335.00
Entry to this course is by direct application to the college.
The health sector is the third largest employer in Ireland and the demand for qualified staff is strong. The shortage of staff is particularly evident in the health therapy professions. At the same time the number of training places leading to qualifications in allied health professions is very limited. This BSc (Hons) Health Care and Management Studies has been developed to meet the entry requirements for all major post-graduate healthcare qualifications, enabling students to achieve a desired qualification and career in their chosen profession in Ireland.
Healthcare managerial skills are also in high demand and employment growth for managers was above the national average and those employed in the administrative roles had the greatest overall increase (28%) over 5 years (Solas, 2021).
This full-time health care practice and management degree programme encompasses the skills and knowledge that are necessary to work as part of a multi-disciplinary healthcare team, to advance to a management role and/or to advance your studies to a postgraduate healthcare qualification.
A gateway to specialised healthcare
This BSc (Hons) Health Care & Management programme prepares graduates to enter the healthcare workforce and obtain employment in roles supporting the health of others. The shortage of qualified nurses and doctors has augmented the position of healthcare assistants and as a result there is significant demand for this type of roles in the sector.
Advanced entry to upskill
Additionally, if you are already employed in the health sector in a support role, you can use this degree to upskill to progress and advance your career. There are advanced entry options available for holders of QQI level 6 major award in Health Service Skills or Healthcare Support.
A number of modules fostering managing and leadership skills, will enable you to fill administrative and managerial positions in the healthcare sector.
Providing a Direct Pathway to Postgraduate Health Studies
This programme also acts as a gateway degree if you wish to pursue applied and technical roles in general health services. It provides the requisite undergraduate requirements to support you to pursue a specialised healthcare related professions at graduate level, including the following.
Nursing,
Medicine,
Physiotherapy,
Occupational Therapy,
Speech and Language Therapy,
Nutrition and Dietetics.
Portobello Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AECC University College. We are currently working through the validation processes towards delivering the MSc Physiotherapy (Pre-reg) programme in Dublin, with a start date of autumn ’24. An MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-Reg) and MSc Speech and Language (Pre-Reg) will be available to study in Dublin from autumn ’25.
Alternatively, with the points ever increasing for undergraduate entry to most health therapy courses, many Universities have opened graduate entry professional qualifications for students who have graduated with a level 8 BSc degree with the requisite modules completed at undergraduate level. This BSc (Hons) Health Care and Management Studies meets the requirements for post graduate studies as listed above in all major universities – if you are interested in pursuing a particular programme in a specific university, and are seeking to use this programme for entry, please check the specific requirements as they can vary. We provide individual support to each student who is hoping to pursue graduate healthcare qualifications in preparing their applications and for interview to ensure students chances of success are optimized. Many of our graduates have pursued this path and you can read about their journey in our student success section.
Develop Practical Skills and Techniques
The emphasis is put on the value of applied practice, analysis of case studies and real-life scenarios across the curriculum, followed by consolidation through reflection and application of skills in the placement context. Sessions with guest lecturers will contribute to preparing you to deal with complexities and challenges of the world of work.
Who will recognise my qualification?
Upon completing this honours degree, you will hold a BSc (Hons) Health Care & Management Studies awarded by University of Essex (UoE).
During your studies, you will be registered as a student of the University of Essex.
This BSc (Hons) Health Care & Management Studies is recognised by AECC University College. for the purposes of applying to progress to one of their pre-registration masters programmes in health therapy. We are currently working through the validation processes towards delivering these programmes in Dublin, with an expected start date of autumn ’24 and ’25.
This degree carries the credits and modules required by many universities for entry to postgraduate study in the area of medicine and healthcare. AS these can vary and change over time, please check the specific requirements if you have a programme and university in mind.
In year 1, you will be supported to develop academic, enquiry and study skills necessary for successful transition to higher education. You will take modules focusing on the fundamental knowledge about the human body and its systems, the major operational aspects of the healthcare sector, concept of quality-of-care provision, legal and ethical aspects of practice. You will develop competence and confidence to use essential medical terminology in communication with other health professionals and will learn to apply major psychological and sociological theories to understand underpinnings of policy and practice in health.
In year 2, you will further your knowledge about quality of care and provision in specific contexts of caring for older people, people with disabilities and mental health issues and will reflect on barriers and enablers for provision of effective services considering all stakeholders. You will learn about the value of working in diverse teams and will explore major leadership and management theories. You will have an opportunity to make links between theory and practice during the placement module.
In year 3, you will focus on more advanced and strategic aspects of practice which will provide you with knowledge, skills and competence to make informed decisions about practice, contribute to planning, implementation and evaluation of health programmes and policy initiatives, and act as agents of change in their organisations. You will undertake a piece of research to pursue your academic and professional interests and will complete a placement. You will have an option to take a health-science focused module if you wish to enrol on a post-graduate course in specific areas of healthcare, or choose a management-focused module if your professional interests lies in healthcare management.
Year 1
Fundamentals of Patient Care
Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
Psychology and Sociology for Healthcare
Advocacy, Legal and Ethical Aspects in Healthcare
Study Skills and Enquiry in Health Education
Year 2
Care of the Older Person
Disability in Healthcare
Leading and Managing Diverse Organisations
Mental Healthcare
Professional Practice and Development in Healthcare
Year 3
Medication Management
Health Programme Planning and Evaluation
Change Management and Innovation in Healthcare
Advanced Professional Practice and Development in Healthcare
Evidence-Based Practice and Research Methods for Healthcare
Nutritional Biochemistry
Research Project (40 Credits)
Practical Placement
Placement modules constitute an integral part of the programme.
Considering some may already be employed in healthcare settings, and some settings can be in remote locations, a flexible placement supervision model has been developed to accommodate all students.
Examples of settings where you can undertake placement:
public or private hospital
primary care setting
community care setting
GP practice
nursing home
hospice
You will take undertake work placement modules in Years 2,3. These will be formally assessed and carry 40 CATS (20 ECTS) credits.
The placement component will be assessed through completion of an e-Portfolio in years 2,3 of the Placement which will include a Learning Journal, and stage-specific tasks detailed in the module outlines.
The Difference between Blended Learning and Full Time Delivery Modes
There are two delivery mode options for this degree available in Portobello Institute giving you the freedom to choose how you will learn and making education accessible around work and life commitments.
Full-Time delivery offers you the opportunity to study with a more traditional schedule with lectures delivered on-site in Portobello during weekdays. Typically, those lectures are generally scheduled between Tuesday and Thursday. Monday’s lectures are delivered online.
Blended Learning is essentially the same, with a blend of online and on-site lectures taking place at the weekends. This makes it easier for you to study while working full-time. It also makes studying for a degree more accessible if you live outside of Dublin.
With both delivery modes, there will be lectures you need to attend on-site due to the nature of the content – practical skills etc. All online only lectures are recorded for you to catch up later. Where lectures are delivered onsite – these will simultaneously be delivered online and will also be recorded so you can customise your learning journey – attend on-site, online, or catch-up later.
Having the flexibility to choose whether you attend a lecture as it is taking place or to catch up later means you can seamlessly access and fit education into your life whilst still continuing with your everyday life.
SMART assessments – we use a range of assessments for each module designed to support a broad range of learning styles, giving you the opportunity to excel.
The primary aim of the varying assessment styles is to support you to demonstrate your knowledge of theory and practical as a result of a range of assessments.
The final year project provides the opportunity for an extended piece of formal scientific writing preparing you for your future career and the need to keep scientific based patient notes. We encourage you to reflect on your knowledge gain with a number of assignments designed to explore your learning journey.
All of these assessment methods are seeking to support you to combine theory with scenario-based learning and how to practically implement these methods into your everyday practice.
Tel: +(353) 1 892 0000
Email: info@portobelloinstitute.ie