Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care BSc (Hons) Top-up (Armed Forces)

Undergraduate degree accredited by the CMI

Enhance your management and leadership skills and boost your career potential with our online Chartered Management Institute‑accredited top‑up course. Experience Gold-standard teaching, learning and student support.

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Key facts about your online degree

How you'll study

This course is studied 100% online

Application deadline

Our next deadline is 27th May 2026

Course length

Study over 1 or 2 years

Fees: £5,900

Payment plans available

Start dates

Start in January or September

Professional accreditation

The Chartered Management Institute

Course overview

This top‑up degree enables you to build on your existing Foundation Degree or relevant Armed Forces training to achieve a full BSc in management and leadership in health and social care.

ARU recognises military training and offers advanced entry routes for Royal Air Force Medics, Royal Navy Medical Assistants and Army Medical Services Soldiers, with the potential for Accredited Prior Learning depending on rank, experience and qualifications.

Studying 100% online provides flexibility to progress your career while managing personal commitments. Throughout the course you’ll explore leadership in complex health and social care settings, engage with current policy developments, and develop analytical, research and problem‑solving skills.

Work‑based learning ensures your study directly relates to your role, while learning alongside peers from the Armed Forces, NHS, voluntary and private sectors enriches your professional insight. Successful completion provides eligibility for entry onto the MSc Healthcare Management.

Why choose this course?

Study 100% online for maximum flexibility wherever you’re deployed
Professional accreditation with an industry‑recognised CMI qualification
Work‑based learning that delivers impact in your current role
Recognition of Armed Forces training with potential advanced entry
Build meaningful professional networks across health and social care
Access Gold-standard teaching, learning and student support

What you’ll gain

Advanced leadership and management skills for multidisciplinary settings
Understanding of current policy developments in health and social care
Research awareness and strong analytical abilities
Higher‑level problem‑solving strategies
Skills to implement, influence and adapt to organisational change
Insight into service user needs and the perspectives of carers

Next application deadline: 27th May 2026

Apply now

Course modules and assessments

If you are eligible for an advanced entry route you may not need to complete all of the modules below. If you’re a Royal Navy or Royal Marine Medical Assistant you may also need to complete an additional two modules (Research and Critical Thinking and Work Based Project) from our Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care (Armed Forces) foundation degree. The module descriptions for these modules can be found under the assessment section below. Please contact us for more information.

Modules

Leadership Practice in Health and Social Care

Evaluating Research for Evidence-Based Practice

Strategic Management in Health and Social Care

This module covers the main study areas in strategic management in health and social care and presents the practical issues and problems of strategic management in real organizations. You’ll look at how key concepts of strategic management are applied in real world situations in health and social care field and apply your own critical faculties to evaluate the usefulness of these concepts to your organization.

Undergraduate Major Project

The individual Final Project module allows you to engage in a substantial piece of work, focussed on a topic relevant to your specific discipline. The project topic will be assessed for suitability to ensure sufficient academic challenge and satisfactory supervision by an academic member of staff. You will be assigned an academic supervisor who will support you on a one to one basis during your study of this module.

Additional modules for Royal Navy and Royal Marine Medical Assistants

Research and Critical Thinking

The module will develop your understanding of the research process, including the major approaches to research, ethical considerations and research design. You’ll improve your awareness of the use of published research to underpin professional practice within the context of evidenced-based practice. It is important for health and social care professionals to understand the evidence-base for their area of practice and gaining an understanding of the research process will help you develop a more quizzical and critical approach in your workplace.

Work-Based Project

This module provides the opportunity to broaden or deepen your understanding of a given relevant work-based topic through undertaking a project using self-directed learning. You’ll submit a project proposal, including a rationale, showing you have made informed decisions about your intended topic. You’ll then implement your proposed change to working practice and evaluate the effectiveness of this change.

How you’ll be assessed

Throughout the course, we'll use a range of assessment methods to help you and your tutors measure your progress on each module. These include reflective practice, essays and a major project, as well as the sharing of ideas and critical thoughts in an online setting.

Accreditation

CMI Accredited

Our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

CMI accreditation means you may opt to, at no extra cost, receive a second professional qualification upon successful completion of your programme.

By adding this CMI qualification to your University qualification, you’re really on the road to success. Other benefits include:

Professional recognition and Chartered Management status
Free access to CMI online management and leadership resources during your ARU course and for a period of time after you complete your ARU course
Access to the CMI career development centre with resources to help with writing CVs, interview simulations and career management tools
CMI membership and opportunities for networking with other CMI members
Access to CMI events

How you'll study

100% Online study

Dedicated support

Study online and graduate on campus

Our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) (Armed Forces) is studied 100% online.

You’ll study through Canvas, our world-class online Learning Management System (LMS), which can be accessed from your phone, pc or tablet at home or on the move. Canvas provides instant access to study materials, forums, and support from tutors and classmates, as well as enabling easy submission of your assignments.

On successful completion of your studies you’ll be invited to attend a graduation ceremony on campus. If attending the ceremony in person is not possible then we’ll arrange to have your certificate sent to you.

Entry requirements

What you’ll need to start this course

Successful completion of a FdSc Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care (Armed Forces) or equivalent.

120 Level 4 & 120 Level 5 credits from a relevant subject such as a Dip HE Nursing.

Holders of the following rank or qualifications may also be granted access to the Top-up:

Army: SNCO or ALDP – Granted access to Top-up

RAF: TMT1/JMLC + TMT2/IMLC – Granted access to Top Up

RAF: TMT RAF + IMLC - Granted access to Top-up

Royal Navy and Royal Marine: Medical Assistants – Granted access to Top-up following completion of Research and Critical Thinking & Work-Based Project Modules

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Fees and Funding

Fees

The full tuition fee for this course is £5,900.

The tuition fees you pay each year will be between £2,950 and £5,900 depending on how long you take to complete the course. You can choose to study our Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (Top-up) BSc (Hons) in either 1 year (full-time) or 2 years (part-time). Please contact us if you'd like to discuss the duration of your study.

Accredited Prior Learning may reduce the tuition fees. This will be confirmed once your application has been submitted.

Funding

Government-backed part time student loans are available to cover the cost of studying this course. These are subject to eligibility and terms and conditions.

We offer payment by instalments, so you can spread the cost of studying with us.

You can use your ELCs towards this course. ARU is a recognised ELCAS provider (number 1007). Please contact your Learning Centre for details of ELC, eligibility and how to apply.

For more information on how you fund your studies please see our funding page.

What our students say

of our Alumni would recommend studying with ARU Distance Learning

found studying via distance learning either ‘very accessible’ or ‘quite accessible’

felt ‘much more confident’ or 'more confident’ at work

2026 Alumni survey with 268 respondents

Studying in later life has been very rewarding. The course recognised the skills that I’ve obtained during my military service to reduce the length of my study.

Guy, Armed Forces Alumni

Read Guy's story

I would advise any Military personnel to give distance learning a go. You'll be surprised what you can achieve when you have the right support and access to great resources.

Cat, Armed Forces Alumni

Read Cat's story

I have thoroughly enjoyed studying on the well-established degree pathways for RAF Medics and look forward to continuing my academic journey. Acquisition of the degree also increases your potential employability outside of the service.

Danny, Armed Forces Alumni

Read Danny's story

I spent the majority of my MBA deployed to Eastern Europe with NATO and the resources remained easy to use and my studies were unaffected. I have gained a widely recognised qualification, whilst developing myself both personally and professionally.

Sean, Armed Forces Alumni

Read Sean's story

Awards and recognition

Be part of the University of the Year

We're proud to be the Times Higher Education (THE) University of the Year 2023. The prestigious THE awards honour ’exceptional performance during the 2021-22 academic year, and reflect ARU’s success in delivering high-impact projects during this period, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The award recognises the difference we make in the region and our communities – while also acknowledging the broader impact of our world-leading research, and the contributions our students and graduates make to society.

Supported distance learning

We understand that distance learning is different to traditional campus study and if you’re new to online study you may have concerns or apprehensions about studying your business management degree online, and that’s natural.

To help put your mind at ease we have a dedicated Distance Learning Support Team to help and support you throughout your time at ARU, starting with your first online induction and staying with you right through to graduation. In addition, you’ll also be supported by specialist online business degree tutors, well experienced in supporting distance learning students.

Once you start your online business management course, we encourage the creation of online communities and many of our learners find these connections with others invaluable, helping them to stay motivated, share concerns or make new friendships.

Visit our support page to learn more about our support services.

Visit support

Careers

Everything you need to know about building your career in the armed forces

What could a Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) do for my career?

With this top-up degree, you’ll gain benefits to your current role within the armed forces, as well as future-proofing your skills and employability for a career outside of the armed forces when that time comes.

Whilst serving, our top-up course will give you the skills you need to become the most effective manager you can be in your environment. You will develop further the skill to lead teams, and drive change. You’ll learn how management theory can be applied to real-life scenarios, whilst also developing the tools to take your own initiative when devising solutions.

Moving forward towards civilian life, you’ll be able to compete in a competitive job market and feel confident that you can apply for and attain the roles you want. This valuable skillset will set you apart as an exceptional leader and help you build a career in caring sectors that has a genuine impact, and with our work-based approach that allows you to learn while you earn, you can put your learnings into practice from day one.

What skills will I get from a Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons) to help my career?

What can I study after a Management and Leadership in Health and Social Care (top-up) BSc (Hons)?

Depending on your long-term goals and desired career, you may consider a postgraduate degree in a related subject. There are options that can be accessed through ELCAS such as Healthcare Management MSc (Armed Forces) or MBA (Armed Forces).

A Master’s degree is the most common type of postgraduate qualification and usually focuses on a specific area of a wider subject which may support your future career development. Having a bachelor’s degree under your belt is a key entry requirement in opening doors to postgraduate study.

Careers Advice Service

Once you become an ARU student you will be able to access our Employability service to help you whatever stage of your career, whether that’s landing your dream job or the next progression step.

We offer:

careers advice, including one-to-one online and telephone appointments with our experienced advisers
help with your CV, job searches, applications, and interview preparation
an online portal packed with useful careers resources
our Employability Programme, which helps you hone the skills employers say they want in graduates.

Take the next step, apply today

Next application deadline: 27th May 2026

Your future, on your terms. Apply now before the application deadline.

Apply now