Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must complete the required 120 credits by this date.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification, please contact the Centre for Qualifications and Ceremonies on +44 (0)1908 653003 or by email.
If you’re already employed in a healthcare setting, the Certificate of Higher Education in Healthcare Sciences will help you develop the essential knowledge, skills and competences that underpin healthcare practice. It takes an interdisciplinary approach to learning, and is attuned to the NHS modernisation agenda, the Knowledge and Skills Framework and the Health and Care Professions Council’s standards of proficiency. This certificate course combines work-based with distance learning, so you’ll need the support of your employer – who will share responsibility for your learning with the Open University. We provide study materials, tutorial support and assessment, while your employer manages the practice learning element of the course. The OU can also offer support in training staff identified as workplace mentors.
Responsibility for your learning is shared between your employer and the OU. The OU provides study materials and tutorial support and manages the assessment procedures, while your employer substantially manages the work-based learning on the programme. The OU is able to offer support in training staff identified as workplace mentors.
Planning your studies
Whether or not you’re new to study with the OU we recommend that you start with a module at Level 1.
For this certificate we recommend that you start with Health sciences in practice (S110) alongside Introducing health sciences: a case study approach (SDK125) although you can study SDK125 first if you wish. These modules are now discontinued.
Entry requirements – Although some modules in the certificate are available to all students, the full certificate is restricted to students who are employed within a healthcare setting and are being supported in their practice learning by their employer. For further information, employers and individuals can contact us.
In addition, before declaring this as your intended qualification or registering for any of its component modules, you should confirm with your sponsoring employer whether they have prescribed which combination of optional modules you should take.
Please note – if you are including discontinued modules towards this qualification they may cease to be countable five years after their final presentation.
You should also note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 40 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you. Before being awarded any intermediate qualifications, we advise you to check that you’ll have sufficient new credits to qualify for your certificate.
Career relevance and employability
The Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) in Healthcare Sciences was developed to meet the training needs of staff already employed in healthcare settings. It values and builds on your experience, and will benefit both you and your employer by enhancing your skills base. A qualification in its own right, it also prepares you for Level 2 study within the career structure for support workers (defined in the Knowledge and Skills Framework and skills escalator schemes). Paramedic practitioners will have the opportunity to progress to the Foundation Degree in Paramedic Sciences or the DipHE in Paramedic Sciences by studying a further 120 credits at Level 2.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
For this 120-credit certificate you require:
90 credits from the following compulsory modules:
Level 1 compulsory modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- The discontinued module S110 or SZL100*
|
60 |
|
- The discontinued module SDK125
|
30 |
|
*This APEL version of S110 is only available to students studying the Foundation Degree in Health Sciences (G12)/Diploma of Higher Education in Health Sciences (E49), the Foundation Degree in Paramedic Sciences (G11)/Diploma of Higher Education in Paramedic Sciences (E52) or the Foundation Degree in Operating Department Practice (G19)/Diploma of Higher Education in Operating Department Practice (E58)
And at least 30 credits from the following optional modules:
Level 1 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- An introduction to health and social care (K101)*
|
60 |
|
- An
|
60 |
|
- Maths for science (S151)
|
10 |
|
- Molecules, medicines and drugs: a chemical story (SK185)
|
10 |
|
- Understanding the autism spectrum (SK124)
|
15 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules S104*, S171, S187, SDK122, SK120, SK121, SK123, SK183, SK195, SMK184, SXR103, Y158, Y178
* Only 30 of the 60 credits gained from completing this module will count towards this qualification
** SK185 is compulsory only if you are planning to study towards the Foundation Degree or Diploma of Higher Education in Paramedic Sciences.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards an Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
On completion
On successful completion of the required modules you will be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education in Healthcare Sciences entitling you to use the letters Cert HE (Open) after your name.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification