Access to Higher Education Diplomas enable mature students to apply for a degree programme in only one year. So if you have a career path in mind which requires a degree and you thought you could never do it - think again.
Our Access to Higher Education Diplomas also cater for students who have been away from studying for some time. The course will equip you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to achieve your goals, as well as providing support and encouragement throughout the year.
To succeed, you'll need to be aged 19 or over, motivated, enthusiastic, able to manage your time effectively and be ready to study. You will be part of a group of adult students who are excited about learning and are willing to work hard with other members of the group and participate.
Many people worry that they're too old to do an Access to HE course, or will feel out of place - in fact, there's no upper-age limit and there will be many other mature students on this course - just like you. All you need is to be committed to study and focused on your career choice.
This course is a Level 3 programme which enables you to progress on to a Foundation Degree or full Honours Degree at Petroc, awarded by Plymouth University, or to a BEd, BA or BSc programme at any UK university. The Access to HE Diploma in Teaching is aimed at those who are interested in teaching in the education sector (Primary or Secondary) or related fields.
Science route - You will choose THREE subjects to study throughout the year from the following: Biology*, Chemistry*, Mathematics*, Psychology.
*If you wish to study Biology or Chemistry you need to have GCSE Science grade C/4 minimum. If you wish to study Mathematics, you will need a GCSE Maths grade B/6 minimum.
In each of these level 3 subjects, you will take take several modules over the year providing you with a total of 60 credits at Level 3; you can expect to study:
- Biology: Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Physiology, Human Disease, Inheritance.
- Chemistry: Bonding & Reactions, Energetics, Kinetics & Redox, Organic Chemistry
- Mathematics: Mathematics, Introduction to Calculus, Statistics, Trigonometry.
- Psychology: Atypical Psychology, Early Social Development, Stress & Wellbeing, Theories of Crime.
All our Diplomas also include:
- Study Skills where you will gain essential skills for university study such as academic writing, Harvard referencing, and effectively locating and using a range of sources.
- Tutorial sessions. In Tutorials we will provide guidance and support for your UCAS application for university, as well as supporting you throughout your year of study.
You will need to organise your own relevant teaching experience in a school to take place during the January to February half term (this is a mandatory aspect of the Teaching Diplomas): you will also need to obtain a Disclosure & Barring Services (DBS) check in order to carry out your placement.
To pursue a teaching degree, universities require GCSE grades at C or above in English and Maths as part of the entry requirements. GCSE English and Maths are separate qualifications from the Access Diploma so, if required, we offer additional lessons for these subjects. If you don't already have a C grade or above in Maths or English at GCSE, these are currently free for students over 19. Please contact our Guidance Centre for further details. Please note that due to the amount of work involved, we strongly recommend that you only take one GCSE at the same time as the Access Diploma.