Certificate of Higher Education in Health Sciences

Accessibility

We make all our qualifications as accessible as possible and have a comprehensive range of services to support all our students. The Certificate of Higher Education in Health Sciences uses a variety of study materials and has the following elements:

• studying a mixture of printed and online material – online learning resources may include websites, audio/video media clips, and interactive activities such as online quizzes
• online tutorials
• undertaking practical work or using an online laboratory
• using mathematical and scientific expressions, notations and associated techniques
• using and/or producing diagrams and/or screenshots
• working with specialist reading material such as scientific journals.
• continuous and end-of-module assessment in the form of essays, short answer questions, and in some cases an examination
• using feedback: continuous assessment involves receiving detailed feedback on your work from your tutor and using this feedback to improve your performance

All qualifications require you to complete learning and assessment activities within a required timescale and according to pre-determined deadlines. You will therefore need to manage your time effectively during your studies and the University will help you to develop this skill. Information on assessment will be available to you at the start of each module.

For more detailed information, see the Accessibility Statements on individual module descriptions. If you feel you may need additional support, visit Disability support to find more about what we offer. Contact us as soon as possible to discuss your individual requirements, so we can put arrangements in place before you start.

There are no formal entry requirements to study this qualification; however, to study successfully you’ll need,

• The ability to read and write to a good standard of English
• Some basic maths skills
• Some familiarity with using a computer and the internet.

You can use our online diagnostic tool to help you decide if you’re ready, or if you could do with some extra preparation. There are also some study resources to help you prepare for SDK100.

Health Sciences or Biomedical Sciences?

Health Sciences and Biomedical Sciences are related but distinct fields that vary in focus and scope.

• Health Sciences has a broader scope that considers the science behind the health, healthcare and wellbeing of mind and body.
• Biomedical Sciences focuses on the underlying physiology of human health and disease and how diseases are diagnosed and treated.

Find out more about our biomedical sciences qualifications:

• BSc (Honours) Biomedical Sciences (R87)
• Diploma of Higher Education in Biomedical Sciences (W21)

How much time do I need?

• Most of our students study part time, completing 60 credits a year.
• This will usually mean studying for 16–18 hours a week.

Find out if you have enough time to study with our time planner

Preparing for study with an Access module

Students who start their study with an Access module are more likely to be successful when they advance to Stage 1 of their qualification. They’re specially designed to give you a gentle introduction to OU study, boost confidence in your study skills, and help you gain a broad overview of your chosen subject area.

You’ll also benefit from:

• feedback from your tutor through regular one-to-one phone tutorials
• support from a dedicated team throughout your study
• detailed written feedback on your work.

The Access module we’d recommend studying in preparation for this qualification is our:

Skills for career development

This certificate is for people working in, or wishing to enter, the health-related sector, and who wish to pick up a broad base of subject knowledge and skills. Many of the skills you acquire by studying health sciences modules will be highly valued in the modern workplace, which is increasingly concerned with effective knowledge management, critical thinking and the effective communication and presentation of ideas and arguments. The ability to select and analyse relevant data and to present conclusions concisely and logically is essential in most lines of work, as is the ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing.

Career relevance

While this course is not attached to a specific professional endorsement, it provides a broad base of subject knowledge and skills appropriate to occupations such as biomedical research, diagnostic services, health promotion, health and safety, health therapy, and health services administration and management.

Other careers

People with science qualifications are well placed to enter both scientific and non-scientific jobs. The logical, reasoned approach needed for science study is relevant to a wide range of financial, business and public sector employment.

In addition to improving your career prospects, studying with the OU is an enriching experience that broadens your horizons, develops your knowledge, builds your confidence and enhances your life skills. 

Exploring your options

Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you’ll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice – including online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.

In the meantime if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we’ve put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point (note that some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience):