Health and social care practitioners can make a profound difference to the lives of individuals, communities, and wider society and work in a variety of settings including healthcare, education, and public health.
The BSc (Hons) Public Health and Human Behaviour degree at Lincoln takes an integrated approach, combining policy and practice. It aims to develop the knowledge, skills, and values required to take on many of the new and emerging responsibilities within a range of care sectors.
Across the first year, teaching is broadly focused on understanding people and the communities in which they live. You are able to analyse the role of health and social care services, policies, practice, and systems alongside building academic skills. The second year builds on this theme by exploring how we work with people and their communities. In this year, you can consider ideas such as equality, diversity, human rights, and professional power. The final year focuses on developing within the healthcare sector and aims to enhance your skills for working with people and communities, including leadership.
Health and social care practitioners can make a profound difference to the lives of individuals, communities, and wider society and work in a variety of settings including healthcare, education, and public health.
The BSc (Hons) Public Health and Human Behaviour degree at Lincoln takes an integrated approach, combining policy and practice. It aims to develop the knowledge, skills, and values required to take on many of the new and emerging responsibilities within a range of care sectors.
Across the first year, teaching is broadly focused on understanding people and the communities in which they live. You are able to analyse the role of health and social care services, policies, practice, and systems alongside building academic skills. The second year builds on this theme by exploring how we work with people and their communities. In this year, you can consider ideas such as equality, diversity, human rights, and professional power. The final year focuses on developing within the healthcare sector and aims to enhance your skills for working with people and communities, including leadership.
Subject area is ranked 2nd overall in the UK*
Opportunities to study abroad
Strong focus on building employability skills
Access to staff with a wide range of experience in health and social care pra
Opportunities to engage with local organisations to develop knowledge
Core focus on public health and health and social care integration
*Complete University Guide 2025 (out of 32 ranking institutions)
We take a workshop approach to our sessions where students engage in a mixture of traditional lectures and more hands-on learning through activities, discussions, and group tasks.
Students are taught by researchers and academics with both practical experience and professional links in the sector. The School of Health and Care Sciences maintains close links with health trusts, local authorities, and numerous voluntary and private organisations to ensure that teaching is informed by the latest developments in practice and policy.
We take a workshop approach to our sessions where students engage in a mixture of traditional lectures and more hands-on learning through activities, discussions, and group tasks.
Students are taught by researchers and academics with both practical experience and professional links in the sector. The School of Health and Care Sciences maintains close links with health trusts, local authorities, and numerous voluntary and private organisations to ensure that teaching is informed by the latest developments in practice and policy.
The module will develop students understanding of the health and wellbeing and the impact of ill-health and lifestyle on the human body. This will include an introduction to diet and nutrition as well as an overview of therapy options.
The module will increase students understand of life course development from birth to adulthood. There will be emphasis on the impact of public health policy and strategy.
This module will develop students academic writing and communication skills. It will introduce theory and models of communication as well as the concepts of personal and professional values and ethics.
This module introduces the students to a range of sociological theories that relate to health and social care. It aims to help the students to understand the concepts of neighbourhood and community in relation to the individual and their health.
This module examines alternative approaches to delivery of health and social care . Students can explore different approaches such as social prescribing and complementary therapies (e.g. herbal medicine) alongside the roles of Allied Health Professionals (e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, and Physiotherapy), Social Workers, Nurses and Midwives, Pharmacy, and Medical professionals. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on the advancement of technology and how this is influencing people’s health and wellbeing as well as the organisations supporting them. This module takes a holistic approach to exploring our health and wellbeing.
Being able to address issues in society, from daily challenges to complex social problems, requires an understanding of how and why people behave the way they do in relation to both themselves and others. Building on from understanding human development (year 1), this module aims to introduce students to the concepts of behavioural science, helping them to understand why people behave as they do and how it is possible to influence and change behaviour. This will focus on how to change problematic behaviours which are impacting on a person’s health and wellbeing. The module will also focus on exploring mental health and wellbeing and the links to physical health.
This module builds on the year 1 module of understanding communities and facilitates critical understanding of unequal experiences and outcomes in health and social care across a range of intersecting social differences (e.g. gender, ethnicity, sexuality, income/ class/ location, and disability). This will be explored through the Wider Determinants of Health lens developing knowledge from year 1. Students can analyse inequalities and forms of discrimination, as well as the range of factors that can affect health, for example education, health, mental health, criminal justice, immigration, and children’s services. Equality and rights-based approaches form a framework for analysing the practice implications of recent policies and legal reforms, including the Equality Act (2010), European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and various United Nations conventions.
This module aims to build on the skills from year 1 and help students to formulate research questions, identify appropriate research methodologies, and be able to communicate a research plan as a proposal and/or protocol. Students can develop their skills in statistical analysis and learn skills in analysing qualitative data sets. Academic skills can be enhanced through critical writing skills and moving work from description to analysis.
This module is optional for undergraduate students within the College of Social Sciences. Study Abroad enables students to spend a period of international study at one of the University’s approved partner institutions. To be eligible, students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard, have a good record of attendance and have successfully completed the partner institution's application process to be eligible for this opportunity. Student participation in the module is subject to availability, places will be awarded on a competitive basis, with criteria provided to applicants in advance.
This module aims to develop cultural awareness to meet the needs of diverse groups within health and social care.
The aim of this module is for students to gain an understanding of health promotion. This includes developing skills in promoting health and wellbeing, following evidence-based recommendations. Health promotion initiatives will be explored to uncover the policies, strategies, and techniques used to help promote healthy living in different groups in society. Students can consider how they can use skills to support people to live healthier lifestyles, considering the importance of empowerment, and choice. The module builds on the skills from year two in behaviour change to explore how to prevent ill health rather than simply responding to it.
This module aims to develop knowledge of leadership and management theory, applying this information through evaluating approaches to leadership and management in both organisations and in self.
The aim of this module is to enable the students to undertake an independently produced piece of investigative academic work on a chosen area of health and social care.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
The module will develop students understanding of the health and wellbeing and the impact of ill-health and lifestyle on the human body. This will include an introduction to diet and nutrition as well as an overview of therapy options.
The module will increase students understand of life course development from birth to adulthood. There will be emphasis on the impact of public health policy and strategy.
This module will develop students academic writing and communication skills. It will introduce theory and models of communication as well as the concepts of personal and professional values and ethics.
This module introduces the students to a range of sociological theories that relate to health and social care. It aims to help the students to understand the concepts of neighbourhood and community in relation to the individual and their health.
This module examines alternative approaches to delivery of health and social care . Students can explore different approaches such as social prescribing and complementary therapies (e.g. herbal medicine) alongside the roles of Allied Health Professionals (e.g. Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, and Physiotherapy), Social Workers, Nurses and Midwives, Pharmacy, and Medical professionals. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on the advancement of technology and how this is influencing people’s health and wellbeing as well as the organisations supporting them. This module takes a holistic approach to exploring our health and wellbeing.
Being able to address issues in society, from daily challenges to complex social problems, requires an understanding of how and why people behave the way they do in relation to both themselves and others. Building on from understanding human development (year 1), this module aims to introduce students to the concepts of behavioural science, helping them to understand why people behave as they do and how it is possible to influence and change behaviour. This will focus on how to change problematic behaviours which are impacting on a person’s health and wellbeing. The module will also focus on exploring mental health and wellbeing and the links to physical health.
This module builds on the year 1 module of understanding communities and facilitates critical understanding of unequal experiences and outcomes in health and social care across a range of intersecting social differences (e.g. gender, ethnicity, sexuality, income/ class/ location, and disability). This will be explored through the Wider Determinants of Health lens developing knowledge from year 1. Students can analyse inequalities and forms of discrimination, as well as the range of factors that can affect health, for example education, health, mental health, criminal justice, immigration, and children’s services. Equality and rights-based approaches form a framework for analysing the practice implications of recent policies and legal reforms, including the Equality Act (2010), European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and various United Nations conventions.
This module aims to build on the skills from year 1 and help students to formulate research questions, identify appropriate research methodologies, and be able to communicate a research plan as a proposal and/or protocol. Students can develop their skills in statistical analysis and learn skills in analysing qualitative data sets. Academic skills can be enhanced through critical writing skills and moving work from description to analysis.
This module is optional for undergraduate students within the College of Social Sciences. Study Abroad enables students to spend a period of international study at one of the University’s approved partner institutions. To be eligible, students must have completed their second year of study to a satisfactory standard, have a good record of attendance and have successfully completed the partner institution's application process to be eligible for this opportunity. Student participation in the module is subject to availability, places will be awarded on a competitive basis, with criteria provided to applicants in advance.
This module aims to develop cultural awareness to meet the needs of diverse groups within health and social care.
The aim of this module is for students to gain an understanding of health promotion. This includes developing skills in promoting health and wellbeing, following evidence-based recommendations. Health promotion initiatives will be explored to uncover the policies, strategies, and techniques used to help promote healthy living in different groups in society. Students can consider how they can use skills to support people to live healthier lifestyles, considering the importance of empowerment, and choice. The module builds on the skills from year two in behaviour change to explore how to prevent ill health rather than simply responding to it.
This module aims to develop knowledge of leadership and management theory, applying this information through evaluating approaches to leadership and management in both organisations and in self.
The aim of this module is to enable the students to undertake an independently produced piece of investigative academic work on a chosen area of health and social care.
† Some courses may offer optional modules. The availability of optional modules may vary from year to year and will be subject to minimum student numbers being achieved. This means that the availability of specific optional modules cannot be guaranteed. Optional module selection may also be affected by staff availability.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and what you want to study. In addition to the information provided on this course page, our What You Need to Know page offers explanations on key topics including programme validation/revalidation, additional costs, and contact hours.
A variety of assessment strategies are used including formative assessment, essays, reports, poster presentations, reflective journals, group work, in-class tests, multiple choice questions, and examinations.
A variety of assessment strategies are used including formative assessment, essays, reports, poster presentations, reflective journals, group work, in-class tests, multiple choice questions, and examinations.
This degree helped me gain a strong social conscience and political awareness of the impact policy and legislation has on contemporary health and social care services across the UK.
Samuel Welham
BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care
After successful completion of the first year of study, the optional Study Abroad module offers you the chance to participate in an exchange to spend an academic year abroad with a partner organisation. You'll have the opportunity to explore teaching delivered in another country, which will happen between second and third years of study. This aims to enhance your employability skills and explore the range of health and social care services available in other countries. A Study Abroad Tuition Fee is payable to the University of Lincoln during this year for students joining in 2025/26 and beyond. No extra tuition fee is payable to the host university, but students are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and living costs. Travel grants and an overseas rate maintenance loan may be available for eligible students from Student Finance. The University’s Global Opportunities Team can provide further support and guidance.
Additionally, there may be opportunities to engage in shorter exchanges through our Global Opportunities Team which includes links to organisations where students can complete a variety of projects to further enhance their employability.
Studying Health and Social Care at Lincoln was life changing. The course content and quality of teaching was excellent. It provided me with a sound knowledge and skills base for studying at postgraduate level.
Alice
BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care graduate
You'll have the opportunity to engage with work-based learning opportunities throughout the programme and will receive support to identify suitable opportunities and plan your own professional development. Work-based learning is linked to modules in all three years of the course and students will build a work-based learning portfolio in order to evidence their experiences. The type of experience on offer could range from working with people with lived experience or service providers on specified projects, to undertaking work experience within an organisation, local community or group to investigate the application of inclusive service delivery. This can be undertaken in or outside of term time in Lincoln and the surrounding areas. You'd be responsible for travel, accommodation, and general living costs while engaged in work-based learning opportunities, however, there may be opportunities to apply for funding to cover some of the costs and the School of Health and Care Sciences will be able to offer support.
The Together Group at Lincoln is made up of real health and social care service users who volunteer their time and lived experiences to help inform the teaching and curriculum of the health sciences at the University of Lincoln.
96 UCAS Tariff points from a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent qualifications.
BTEC Extended Diploma: Merit, Merit, Merit.
T Level: Pass (A*-C)
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 45 Level 3 credits with a minimum of 96 UCAS Tariff points.
International Baccalaureate: 27 points overall.
GCSE's: Minimum of three at grade 4 or above or equivalent, which must include English and Maths. Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may also be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, EPQ etc.
We may also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
Additional requirements:
When you choose Health and Social in your UCAS application, you will be asked an additional question regarding criminal convictions. Here you must declare all spent and unspent criminal convictions including (but not limited to) cautions, reprimands, final warnings, bind over orders or similar and details of any minor offences, fixed penalty notices, penalty notices for disorder, ASBOs or VOOs.
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
EU and Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-sessional English and Academic Study Skills courses.
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
104 to 112 UCAS Tariff points.
This must be achieved from a minimum of 2 A Levels or equivalent Level 3 qualifications. For example:
A Level: BCC to BBC
BTEC Extended Diploma: Distinction Merit Merit
T Level: Merit Overall
Access to Higher Education Diploma: 104 to 112 UCAS points to be achieved from 45 Level 3 credits.
International Baccalaureate: 28 points overall.
GCSE's: Minimum of three at grade 4 or above, which must include English and Maths . Equivalent Level 2 qualifications may be considered.
The University accepts a wide range of qualifications as the basis for entry and do accept a combination of qualifications which may include A Levels, BTECs, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
We may also consider applicants with extensive and relevant work experience and will give special individual consideration to those who do not meet the standard entry qualifications.
Non UK Qualifications:
If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages
https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.
EU and Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.0 overall, with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page
If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-sessional English and Academic Study Skills courses.
If you would like further information about entry requirements, or would like to discuss whether the qualifications you are currently studying are acceptable, please contact the Admissions team on 01522 886097, or email admissions@lincoln.ac.uk
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
Going to university is a life-changing step and it's important to understand the costs involved and the funding options available before you start. A full breakdown of the fees associated with this programme can be found on our course fees pages.
For eligible undergraduate students going to university for the first time, scholarships and bursaries are available to help cover costs. To help support students from outside of the UK, we are also delighted to offer a number of international scholarships which range from £1,000 up to the value of 50 per cent of tuition fees. For full details and information about eligibility, visit our scholarships and bursaries pages.
The best way to find out what it is really like to live and learn at Lincoln is to visit us in person. We offer a range of opportunities across the year to help you to get a real feel for what it might be like to study here.
