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Level 3
Access Diploma in Humanities & Social Sciences [Progress to Teaching, Social Work, & Social Science degrees]
COURSE OVERVIEW
This is an intensive yet rewarding course which is intended to provide a qualification equivalent to A-level (level 3), recognised by universities as sufficient for entry to healthcare-related degree courses such as midwifery, nursing, paramedic science and physiotherapy.
The course has outstanding success rates.
Teachers are positive and passionate to provide the best possible experience and support.
There are three subject areas, namely Psychology, English literature and Sociology.
Four reasons why you should apply for this course:
- The teaching team are highly experienced and specialise in supporting mature students by 100% on-site classroom teaching.
- You will study all subjects with the same class of students, made up entirely of others pursuing a place in Higher Education, like you.
- We have the perfect timetable, of two days on campus per week, optimized for the needs of mature students.
- The vast majority of our students will progress to study their degree course of choice at university.
You will also be developing a wide range of academic study skills on the course, from essay writing to using ICT, leading you towards the Independent Academic Study unit, where you will have the chance to experience what producing a dissertation will be like, once you move onto university.
FURTHER INFORMATION
You must be over 19 on the 1st September and must have a minimum GCSE grade C (Grade 4 or above) in English Language and Maths. You will also be invited to an interview with a course teacher, to discuss your individual needs and progression routes.
Universities prefer Access applicants to have gained a reasonable amount of relevant work experience and/or life experience, when they apply for a degree level course. This means, for example, volunteering in a primary school if primary teaching is your planned progression route. If you are planning to apply for a degree in social work, for example, you will need to have gained some amount of experience working in a care setting (e.g. a care home, hospital, youth club etc.).
It is also important to ensure you will realistically be able to manage the course workload alongside any other commitments in your life. Being a mature student is extremely challenging but also highly rewarding if taken up at the right time and with the right plans and support in place. You will need approximately 30 hours per week (term time) to manage the course workload.
The Access Diploma in Humanities and Social Sciences is intended to provide progression for those who have been out of education for some time on to a variety of degree level courses. Full support will be given in completing your UCAS application.
The Humanities and Social Sciences pathway can lead to degrees in social work, teaching, and a wide range of subject degrees.
You will be fully supported with your university applications by your student tutor and the college’s Progression Plus team. This will include an introductory and personal statement focused workshop, drop-ins available with the Progression Plus team, personalised feedback on your personal statement, and a unique academic reference provided by your student tutor.
There will be no end-of-course exams. Instead, assessment takes place as your learning progresses. We use a number of different assessment methods to keep things varied, interesting and achievable. We have a support system to help you succeed in your assignments. For example, we offer regular subject tutorials designed to help you understand what is asked of you in your assessed work, so that you can achieve to the best of your ability and progress to university.
The course is credit based and each unit has a number of credits attached to it; 45 of the 60 credits will be attached to graded units on a Pass, Merit, Distinction basis.
The exact course fee has not yet been determined, however it is going to be in the region of £3,400. Most students do not pay this fee, but instead apply for the Advanced Learner Loan to support their study on Access (Healthcare Professions). This Advanced Learner Loan is not means-tested, so anyone over 19 years of age and having lived in the UK for 3 or more years directly before applying is eligible. You may find the links below useful for further information on this topic. Money Advice Service: https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/loans-for-adults-in-further-education-and-training UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/advanced-learner-loans
If you have any queries before applying, it is recommended that you email madeleine.bailey@chichester.ac.uk for an informal chat.