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Exeter College

Hele Road, Exeter. EX4 4JS.
Tel: 0845 111 6000.

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Public Services
Level: Higher Education - Foundation Degree      Higher Education 
How long is the course/training? This is a two-year, full-time course.

What will I be doing on the course/training?

This course covers topics which are relevant to a wide variety of public service careers, including those in the emergency services, armed forces, probation, the prison service, the community and voluntary sector, as well as wider local authority roles. It will provide you with the skills and knowledge that will enable you to be of immediate value as public service employees. It will also be of interest if you are already employed in the public sector and want to engage in further professional development.

Year 1 Modules
  • The English legal system
  • Introduction to social policy
  • Personal and professional skills
  • Political economy - governance and policy
  • Organisational behaviour
  • Diversity: values and rights
  • Continuous professional development
Year 2 Modules
  • Understanding deviancy, crime and its effects
  • Health and well-being
  • Communication and customer care
  • Contemporary issues
  • Public sector performance management
  • Research project
This course is awarded by the University of Plymouth.
Course/Training Code: UCAS: L430 FdSc/PS

Where do I study/train?

Hele Building

What are the entry requirements?

You will need 160 UCAS tariff points (minimum) from AS, A2 or AVCE programmes, BTEC National Diploma/Certificate - grades MPP/MM, GNVQ Advanced, an appropriate NVQ at level 3, an Access qualification or other qualifications deemed equivalent to the above.

What can I do after this course/training?

The programme has been designed to offer students two possible progression pathways: 1) Access to degree programmes in related areas. 2) Employment in the public sector.

What Functional skills will I do?

None specified

What residential/work experience is there?

There is a period of work placement during the first year. Students will be expected to complete a work-based project as part of their studies.

What faculty is the course/training in?

Health, Care and Public Services

How to Apply?

Most people apply through UCAS for all our full-time Higher Education courses. The application is completed electronically online through www.ucas.com/apply. For more information refer to the 'How to Apply' page.

How do I study the course/training and how will I be assessed?

You will be taught through formal lectures and class work, with some modules providing an opportunity for support from specialist speakers and visits to outside organisations. Assessment will be through a mixture of practical demonstrations, presentations, coursework, and work-based projects.

What facilities are there?

You will have access to a learning resource centre. There is a refectory in the Hele Building.

What will the course/training cost me?

The full-time fee in 2010-11 is £1,890 per year. For more information about fees please click here.

Additional costs:

Other costs would include the purchase of recommended textbooks.

Previous students' views:

Sam: "I am in the first year of a Foundation Degree in Public Services after doing a BTEC National Diploma. When I'm not at college I am in active service in the Territorial Army as a gunner. I have really enjoyed the Public Services course and it has helped me decide that I want to get into the police force when I'm older"
To find out more:
Telephone: 0845 111 6000
Email: health@exe-coll.ac.uk
College Prospectus