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Podiatry (Degree Apprenticeship) BSc(Hons)

2023-24 (also available for 2024-25, 2025-26)

How to apply
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Start date

18 September 2023

Duration

3 years full-time
4½ years part-time

Entry requirements

A Level - BBB

BTEC - DDM

See full entry requirements

Places available (subject to change)

40

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About the course

Reasons to study

  1. Participate in interprofessional learning alongside other healthcare professionals, preparing you to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
  2. Discover how to perform minor surgical procedures using local anaesthetics, as well as obtaining a prescription-only medicines annotation.
  3. As well as attending seminars and lectures, you’ll be taught by industry experts in our on-campus podiatry clinic; using specialist gait analysis equipment, and developing skills in our orthotics laboratory, you’ll gain hands-on experience to give you a unique insight into the world of foot health.

 

This apprenticeship course has been designed to provide the opportunity to study Podiatry BSc(Hons) whilst being employed within a Podiatry team. During the apprenticeship you’ll have the opportunity to build the knowledge and skills you need whilst learning in specialist clinical facilities. We aim to provide you with the skills to improve the mobility and quality of life of your patients.

  • You’ll have the opportunity to gain vital experience using our fully equipped on-site Podiatry Clinic, surgical theatre suite, biomechanics gait analysis equipment and orthotics laboratory.
  • Clinical placements will be undertaken each year, where you can put what you’ve learnt to the test in the real world.
  • The course helps to prepare you for working as part of a multidisciplinary team, as you’ll take part in interprofessional learning alongside physiotherapists, occupational therapists and pharmacy students.
  • You’ll have the opportunity to hear the experiences and viewpoints from service users and carers, who are part of the Public Partnership Group.
  • You’ll have the opportunity to qualify with a certificate in local anaesthesia and prescription only medicines (POMs) annotation.

In line with the apprenticeship model, whilst undertaking the course you’ll remain employed by your host organisation and during term time you’ll spend 40% of the time in your current workplace and the remaining 60% at the University undertaking theoretical and practical skills development. The course is designed to be progressively demanding and once qualified you’ll will be eligible to apply for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

If you’re thinking of studying an apprenticeship course or are an employer looking for an apprenticeship for your employees, you’ll also find useful information on our Degree Apprenticeship webpages.

Course detail

Core modules:

Clinical Podiatry 1

This module aims to provide you with clinical experience of the fundamental techniques used in podiatric care and an understanding of the principles on which therapeutic interventions are based. Through supervised clinical sessions in the University's Podiatry Clinic and a four week NHS placement you'll focus on the practical application of psychomotor skills including scalpel work, nail care, health promotion and manufacture of clinical padding, strapping and insoles fabricated in the orthotic laboratory.

Lower Limb Structure and Function

This module introduces you to the anatomy of the lower limb and helps you to develop an understanding about different anatomical structures and their function in walking, including bones, joints, muscles and tendons. You’ll have the opportunity to develop your knowledge and recognition of anatomical structures, as well as your understanding of gait.

Medicine 1

You'll have the opportunity to develop your knowledge and understanding of homeostasis and the major organ systems of the human body. You'll also have the chance to gain the ability to demonstrate knowledge of core pathologies relevant to podiatric practice, which will enable you to put the module theory into clinical practice. Teaching will be delivered through interactive lectures, spot tests and online tutorial support.

Podiatric Theory 1

Through a combination of lectures and seminars you'll be introduced to a range of podiatric conditions which are commonly encountered in clinical practice. Completion of this module in addition to Clinical Practice 1 and Medicine 1 currently fulfils the College of Podiatry requirements for qualification as a podiatry assistant.

Professional Development and Research 1

This module involves a multidisciplinary learning approach, where you'll work with occupational therapy, physiotherapy and podiatry students. You'll have the opportunity to explore lifelong learning and continuing professional development that underpins the essential skills needed in order to understand registration requirements for your specific professional and regulatory body.

Entry requirements

BBBat A Level .

Merit at T Level

DDM in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

  • NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma.
  • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits, 30 at Distinction and 15 Level 3 credits at Merit.
  • NVQ Level 3 Diploma or higher with clinical experience.

In addition you must be employed in healthcare and supported to undertake the course by your employer. You must have GCSE English Language or Literature and Maths at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme or Level 2 Functional Skills in Maths and English or a minimum of 12 credits for English and 12 credits for Maths at Level 2 within an Access to Higher Education Diploma or equivalent.

  • You'll normally have completed some level 3 study within the last 6 years.
  • You need to demonstrate an understanding of the profession.
  • Applicants with significant experience working as a Podiatry Assistant, Foot Care Assistant or Foot Health Practitioner and who have completed an appropriately recognised course will be considered for interview.
  • Offers will be subject to an interview and references. Please note all the information provided in support of your application may be checked and must be verifiable as a true record.
  • You also need satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and occupational health clearances prior to registration. We arrange these as part of the application process. You'll be required to sign a self-declaration at the start of each year. All police contact during the course must be reported to the course leader as a matter of urgency and may lead to suspension or termination.
  • If you have alternative qualifications you may wish to contact us for advice before applying.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered. For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

Please note places are limited and attainment of the minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an interview or offer. You must include details of any previous study.

Ofsted Outstanding courses

The University’s apprenticeship provision was awarded an outstanding rating by Ofsted in a recent inspection.

Huddersfield is only the second university to be awarded Ofsted’s outstanding rating for its apprenticeship provision in the last four years.

It is also the only university in the Yorkshire and Humber region and the north-west of England to have both an outstanding Ofsted rating for apprenticeships and to be a TEF Gold-rated university.

The University was awarded outstanding in all five categories:

  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Personal development
  • Leadership and management
  • Apprenticeships

The apprenticeship provision was praised by Ofsted for the positive experiences of the apprentices, the research-informed knowledge of teaching staff, and for the strong relationships between the University’s leaders and employers.

Placements

Placements are a compulsory element of the course and take place in a range of different NHS settings. You'll undertake 435 hours on placement throughout the duration of the course. The placements will provide you with:

  • Orientation to the NHS and introduction to podiatry in the NHS.
  • Supervised work providing treatment of patients requiring footcare assistant level care.
  • A wider range of clinical practice experience to include an overview of the roles of other healthcare practitioners.
  • Supervised management of patients requiring complex interventions in a range of treatment locations, including those patients deemed to be at risk or those whose environment create additional risk.

Please note that you may be required to travel for/during your placements.

Your career

As a registered practitioner, you can apply to work within the NHS in hospitals and community health trusts, private practice and education. After further training you could specialise in musculoskeletal care, orthotics, diabetes and high risk patients, as well as podiatric surgery.

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

A wide range of resources are also offered within the School of Human and Health Sciences, which provides you with support in a variety of areas. These include:

Student Hub: a one stop shop for students, studying within the School. Their services include offering advice on extenuating circumstances, extension requests, course progression, suspension and welfare support, organising appointments with academic staff and signposting to other support networks.

Academic Skills Development Team: support students to develop their academic skills and build their confidence in order to improve their grades. The team provide support with academic skills including essay writing, being critical, reflective writing, numeracy, research skills, presentations and group work skills; as well as personal development for example time management.

Learning Technology Support Unit: helps students with any problems they experience with the University’s Brightspace Learning System, including logging on or difficulties experienced when accessing and using modules, and with the PebblePad platform, which is used by students when they go out on placements.

Support services will also be available from your employer.

Important information

When you enrol as an apprentice learner of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. These include regulations regarding the assessment of your course, academic integrity, your conduct (including attendance) and our disciplinary procedure. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as an apprentice. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons:

Changes to a course you have applied for but not yet started

If we propose to make a major change to an apprenticeship course that you have applied for, then we will tell you and your employer as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment.

Although we always try and run all the courses we offer, we may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or delay your course start date if we consider this reasonably necessary, for example if there are not enough applicants to ensure you have a good learning experience. Where this is the case we will notify you and your employer as soon as reasonably possible. In such instances, we will work with you and your employer to agree a deferred start date, or cancel your application and, if appropriate, provide information regarding other local apprenticeship providers.

Changes to your course after you enrol as an apprentice

We will only make major changes to the core curriculum of a course or to our services if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that materially changes the services available to you, or the outcomes, or a significant part, of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days, classes, type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum.

For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators; to meet the requirements of an updated version of the apprenticeship standard relevant to your course; to meet the latest requirements of a commissioning or accrediting body; to improve the quality of educational provision; in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback; and/or to reflect academic or professional changes within subject areas. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed and we will notify you and your employer as soon as possible about what your options are, which may include being provided with individual teaching to complete the award for which you were registered or claiming an interim award and exiting the University.

If a major change affects your course, we will notify you and your employer as soon as possible and will carry out suitable consultation with affected apprentices. If you and your employer reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment we will work with both of you to try to find an appropriate solution. Where one cannot be found we will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring your remaining apprenticeship learning to another training provider if you and your employer wish to do so.

Termination of employment

As your employer is funding your apprenticeship course, you must remain in relevant employment for the duration of the course until you have completed your end point assessment. Under the apprenticeship rules, if you are made redundant and you have completed 75% of the practical period or have less than 6 months left, then you may complete the course. Otherwise, unless you find alternative relevant employment within 12 weeks of the date you are made redundant, then you will be withdrawn from the course.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University. The ESFA is the principal regulator for your apprenticeship course.

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