BA (Hons) Housing and Social Care

The focus of the BA (Hons) Housing and Social Care degree is to take an in-depth look at the development of the housing sector and the various developments of associated job roles. The degree will explore the housing developments impacting upon our communities, community development, engaging with communities, partnership working, and collective action in the housing sector. The degree introduces elements of the historical developments of affordable housing in the UK. Students will consider the political, social, cultural, economic and political landscapes and the context in which housing services are delivered and monitored. Students will examine the relationship between good housing and the health and well-being of communities.The staff team comprises of staff who have ‘hands-on’ experience in the housing and the social care sectors and who are involved in a variety of research areas. This will include lecturers who have vocational experience in the housing and social care sectors.We pride ourselves on providing a supportive culture and learning environment, with a large team of academic and student support staff to provide excellent pastoral care and a welcoming academic environment in which to undertake the degree.Starting degree level study can be a daunting prospect. On the BA (Hons) Housing and Social Care Degree, Year One students will develop knowledge and skills about the development of affordable housing in communities, social care values, equality and diversity, and community safety and neighbourhood services with an emphasis on anti-social behaviour and safeguarding. This module will also explore housing policy, law, and practice initiatives. This will be further developed in Year Two, when students will explore partnership working at an operational level. Students will explore the importance of working collaboratively to help customers find ways of securing homes, and to meet need. Students will demonstrate team working and address challenges to collaborative practice at an operational level, engender a culture of partnership working and customer involvement in housing. Year Three will cover partnership working at a strategic level with the emphasis on working in multiagency contexts, organisational structures, corporate strategies and business plans, risk management governance and accountability. Students will also look at sustainable housing including climate, place, and community, where students will explore emerging research, technology, and innovations in housing that promote socially and environmentally sustainable communities. This module will consider sustainable housing polices and practice initiatives from international, national and regional perspectives.A spiral curriculum approach will be adopted throughout the degree. This provides students with the opportunity to ‘step off’ the degree at the end of Year One and recommence their studies the following year. This will mean the degree will be completed in five years. The advantages of this pathway is that students may wish to return to work during the years they are not in university or may have caring responsibilities. If the correct procedures are followed, this will not affect their overall grade.