- Location
- Anniesland Campus
- SCQF Level
- 7
- Start Date
- 25 Aug 2025
- Qualification Type
- HNC
- Course Type
- Full-Time
- Duration
- 1 Year (August to June)
Applications on hold due to volume already received
HNC Healthcare Practice puts you at the heart of the care sector, teaching you the essential skills and theory you need for employment in the NHS, private healthcare or social services. During the course you’ll do a clinical placement within the NHS Acute sector at Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board. You can also use it to pursue a career at Senior Healthcare Support Worker Level or to progress to first or second year of nursing degrees at some Scottish universities.
This course is also available to study part-time on a Tuesday and Thursday evening over a two year period.
What will I learn?
HNC Healthcare Practice includes the following subject areas:
- Safe working practice for care
- Therapeutic relationships; understanding behaviour
- Sociology and health in Scotland
- Professional standards for care practice
- The human body in health and illness
- Clinical skills for care practitioners
- Understanding personal and professional development
- Exploring mental health
- Graded unit
Assessment is continuous, with a mix of practical and theoretical assessments. You must also undertake a clinical placement.
Entry requirements (minimum)
- Level 6 NC/NQ in a health or care-related area; OR
- Three B grades from the SWAP Access to Nursing course; OR
- One relevant Higher, or equivalent, preferably including English or a Social Science subject; OR
- A Foundation Apprenticeship in care along with one relevant Higher, preferably English
- It would be preferable but not essential to have National 5 Maths / Application of Maths, or equivalent
- If English is not your first language you must have ESOL Higher at A grade, or equivalent
- Recent IELTS 6.5 (across all areas)
- Applications are also invited from individuals with no formal qualifications but who have relevant life /work experience, ideally from within the care sector. These applicants will be considered on an individual basis.
Additional Information
Please note that the interview process is scored so the personal statement in support of your application, your reference and performance at group interview will be combined to generate an overall score and only the highest scoring candidates will be successful.
Successful applicants must complete a PVG Disclosure and undergo an Occupational Health check and undergo Hep B vaccinations. Please note that you may be asked to pay for the Occupational Health check, vaccination and the placement uniform.
Other course requirements
In order to undertake the clinical placement, you must meet the standards of character, conduct and professionalism required by Glasgow Clyde College and the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde.
Due to the high number of applications for this course and the specialist nature of the programme, not all those who meet the basic entry criteria will be called for interview.
Entry requirement equivalency table
- If you do not meet the entry criteria for your chosen course, you may be offered an alternative course in the same subject area.
Employer and industry links
You will undertake a clinical placement amounting to 288 hours provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board.
There will be input from a range of health and allied health professionals during the course, such as The Royal College of Nursing, Alzheimer’s Scotland, Allied Health Professions and the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice.
Jobs and further study
- Following successful completion of the HNC programme you may be able to progress to Year 1 of most undergraduate nursing degree programmes and to other allied health related courses or certain paramedic degree programmes at a range of universities (depending on qualifications and experience).
- Selected students will have the opportunity to progress directly into year 2 of certain nursing and allied health degree programmes. This includes undergraduate degrees offered by for example: Glasgow Caledonian University, University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and the University of Stirling. This includes the Health and Social Care Degree offered by UWS.
- This is a qualification that is recognised by the NHS so on completion you will be qualified to work at Senior Health Care Support Worker level.
Take a look at the course progression map for health care courses.
Making an application
For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.
Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team and you will either be:
- Invited to attend an information session and interview. Please note: You should provide proof of qualifications and one satisfactory reference prior to being selected for interview.
The information session will be followed by a group interview which will include an activity/discussion and individual questions.
- Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
- We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
If you are invited to interview, you will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a Reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date. This will normally be sent out in June / July.