What Will the Level 2 Health Science Professions Course Actually Involve?

If you are thinking about returning to education with the long-term aim of working in healthcare, it can be difficult to know where to begin. University may feel several steps away, particularly if you have been out of education for some time or do not yet have the qualifications needed to progress directly to Level 3 study.

The SEG Awards Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills for Further Study in Health Science Professions is designed specifically as a stepping stone. SEG describes the qualification as a nationally recognised Level 2 programme for learners who need to build the knowledge, confidence and academic skills required before progressing to Level 3. It is particularly intended for people returning to education or those whose previous education may have been interrupted. L2 Health Professionals

At Curborough Academy for Social Sciences, the course will be delivered online, one day each week over approximately 35 weeks. This means learners can study from home while still having a regular weekly class, tutor support and opportunities to work with other learners.

What will you study?

The course is deliberately broader than simply learning facts about the human body. Healthcare professionals need scientific knowledge, but they also need to communicate effectively, understand behaviour, recognise inequality and be able to study and use evidence confidently.

The CASS programme begins by developing the academic skills learners will need for further study. The first part of the course includes academic writing, including planning structured work, using an appropriate academic style and developing referencing skills. Learners will also develop presentation skills, including planning and delivering presentations and reflecting on their own performance.

We then move into health and social science. Planned topics include Human Health and Disease, exploring causes and symptoms of disease, lifestyle influences, prevention and treatment and the role of healthcare professionals. Learners will also study Introduction to Psychology, looking at psychological approaches and considering how psychology can help us understand human behaviour in health-related settings.

Another important part of the programme is Barriers to Health. This looks at social, economic and cultural barriers to healthcare and asks why access to health services is not always equal. Learners consider health inequalities and the role professionals can play in helping to overcome some of those barriers.

The programme also includes learning about human life processes and body systems, alongside health promotion in care settings. In the health-promotion element, learners consider how health can be promoted effectively and will have the opportunity to design a health campaign of their own.

Towards the end of the programme, there is a strong emphasis on interpersonal skills. Communication, active listening, empathy, rapport and managing conflict are all highly relevant to health professions, and learners will have opportunities to practise these skills rather than simply reading about them.

Assessment is varied. The qualification can include written work, reports, presentations, research activities and other portfolio-based tasks rather than relying on one final examination. SEG states that this range of assessment methods is intended partly to prepare learners for the kinds of study they may encounter when they progress to an Access to HE programme. L2 Health Professionals

What can you progress to afterwards?

For many learners, the next step will be Level 3 study.

The qualification was specifically designed as a progression route towards an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Health Science Professions. SEG also identifies progression to other Level 3 health-related vocational qualifications as a possible route. L2 Health Professionals

An Access to HE Diploma is a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification designed to prepare adults for university study. QAA, which regulates Access to HE Diplomas, explains that these courses are particularly suitable for people who have been out of education or who do not have the traditional qualifications required for direct university entry. Access to Higher Education

Where an appropriate Level 3 programme is available through CASS, learners will be able to discuss continuing their studies with us. If CASS does not offer the particular progression route a learner needs, we will help them identify suitable provision with another provider rather than simply leaving them to find the next step alone.

This matters because there is no single route into healthcare. The appropriate next qualification depends on the career a learner ultimately wants to pursue, and QAA specifically advises students to check that the Access to HE Diploma they choose meets the entry requirements of their intended university course. Access to Higher Education

Where might that pathway eventually lead?

SEG identifies a range of possible longer-term destinations following Level 3 and higher education. These include nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and radiography, as well as roles such as healthcare assistant, clinical support worker, dental hygienist and laboratory-related work. L2 Health Professionals

The important distinction is that this Level 2 qualification is not itself a professional qualification for becoming a nurse, paramedic, physiotherapist or similar registered professional. SEG explicitly describes it as the beginning of the journey rather than a qualification primarily designed to lead directly to employment. L2 Health Professionals

For someone who has the ambition to work in health but is not yet ready to begin Level 3 study, that is exactly its purpose: to provide a realistic first step, build confidence and academic skills, and create a supported pathway towards the next stage.

At CASS, our aim is not simply to help learners complete a qualification. It is to help them understand where that qualification can take them next — whether that next step is with us or with another provider.

Back To List