Higher education can be the key to unlocking your dream employment position. Whether you want to save lives, defend people in court, or inspire the next generation as a professor, a degree is often essential. But the road for adult learners has often been limited – until Access to Higher Education Diplomas were created.
Available in a range of subjects, these courses provide a route into higher education for adults who don’t have the traditional qualifications required for university, wish to fully prepare themselves for degree-level study, or decide to dip their toes back into educational waters.
Whatever your reason for bringing academia back into your life, this guide will help you understand Access to HE Diplomas, who they’re for, how they work, and much more.
What is an Access to Higher Education Diploma?
An Access to Higher Education Diploma is a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification that provides a path to university for those who didn’t study A-Levels after leaving secondary school.
Not only does it help you learn about your chosen subject, but it also prepares you for the rigorous academic demands of university-level study.
They’re beneficial for adults returning to education, due to their short-term nature (one year, potentially less) and their flexibility. We also offer our Access to HE Health Sciences course online, meaning you can complete the qualification from home, allowing you to juggle everything life has to offer while learning.
Who Is an Access to HE Diploma For?
Access to Higher Education Diplomas may be the best solution for you if:
- You’ve been out of education for a while
- You want to get onto your degree as quickly as possible
- You must continue earning while studying
- You have to juggle childcare or other commitments while learning
- You want to return to education as an adult
- You want to study at university, but don’t have the traditional qualifications needed to head straight there
- You wish to change career
- You want to study at degree level and/or beyond
At Kirklees College, you can even study Pre-Access courses at Level 1 and Level 2, further improving your chances of success in your next academic steps.
How Does an Access to HE Diploma Work?
As briefly touched upon, Access to HE Diplomas develop both subject knowledge and the skills necessary for university. So, they’ve been carefully created to offer a blend of the two, ensuring you’re up to speed with higher-level learning and more likely to succeed.
No matter the subject, Access to HE Diplomas are separated into modules. These modules are appointed a certain number of credits, making up to 60 in total. You’ll need to successfully achieve all 60 credits to gain your Diploma.
Within these 60 credits, 45 will be granted from your subject-specific, graded modules, while 15 will be taken from skills-based units (i.e., the sections that prepare your further study).
The credits you achieve will equate to UCAS Tariff points, allowing you to see whether you’ve met the entry requirements for your chosen degree programme.
What Access to HE Courses Can You Study?
You can find Access to HE Diploma courses in a variety of subjects, depending on your ideal career path. Each subject will lead you to studying at university to pursue a related career.
Our offerings include (but aren’t limited to):
- Business — If your dream career involves becoming a business development manager, marketing associate, chief executive officer, functional manager, financial project manager, sales director, events manager, R&D manager, public relations professional, or similar, our business Access to HE Diploma fits the bill.
- Law and Business — Studying law and business can set you up for a career as a public service associate, legal associate, inspector of standards and regulations, lawyer, solicitor, national government administrator, barrister, judge, legal secretary, chartered company secretaries, and more.
- Policing — This subject stands you in good stead to become a police officer, security guard, non-commissioned officer, fire service officer, prison service officer, armed forces officer, community support officer, civil enforcement officer, and similar.
- Computing — This encompasses professions such as IT managers, programmers and software developers, IT directors, IT business analysts, systems designers, data architects, data analysts, support technicians, cyber security professionals, quality assurance technicians, installers and servicers, and web design professionals.
- Health Science Professions — Available in person or entirely online, this option opens doors for many degrees required to work within the NHS and other healthcare providers. Like our in-person offerings, this entirely remote course is designed for a year of study, helping you progress to university as quickly as possible.
- Humanities and Social Sciences — You’ll be able to study at university to pursue a career as a social worker, youth worker, psychotherapist, counsellor, family support worker, social researcher, human resources officer, and more.
- Science — This pathway provides opportunities for higher-level study to become a biochemist, laboratory technician, biological scientist, natural science professional, science/engineering technician, physical scientist, chemical scientist, and more.
Can You Go to University with an Access to HE Diploma?
Since Access to HE Diplomas prepare you for university study and are equivalent to A-Levels, you can go to university after achieving one. However, it’s important to note that while these Diplomas are nationally recognised, not all universities accept them.
The general flow of progressing from an Access to HE Diploma to university is as follows:
- Complete your Diploma, ensuring you receive all 60 credits.
- Calculate your UCAS Tariff points based on your grade. Distinctions earn the highest number of points per credit, followed by Merit, and then Pass.
- Submit your university application through UCAS, selecting up to five courses. The typical deadline for courses beginning in September is 25 January, but some subjects have earlier deadlines.
- Respond to university offers. You’ll receive either an unconditional offer (you have a secured place, regardless of final results), a conditional offer (your place is dependent on the grades you receive), or a rejection. Most Access to HE students will receive a conditional offer.
- Upon receiving your final Access to HE results, your conditional offer will convert to an unconditional offer, and you’ll receive the joining information from the university.
If you already have a specific university and degree programme in mind, it’s best to check the specific entry requirements before pursuing an Access to HE Diploma.
What Are the Benefits of an Access to HE Diploma?
As you may’ve already deducted, the benefits of an Access to HE Diploma are plentiful. Some of the most pertinent are as follows:
- It provides an alternative route to university.
- It builds academic confidence, ensuring you develop university-ready study skills.
- It expands your knowledge on the chosen subject.
- It helps you return to education after time away from the classroom.
- It affords you a career change.
Is an Access to HE Diploma Right for Me?
Deciding whether an Access to HE Diploma is right for you can be tricky, so allow us to make it easier with our step-by-step guide:
- Consider your career — If you need a degree to achieve that career but don’t have traditional qualifications, this Diploma is perfect.
- Think about the subject — What subject best correlates with your dream career? Choose a Diploma in this field.
- Check university entry requirements — Some universities accept Access to HE Diplomas; some don’t. Make sure you want to attend one that does.
- Be realistic about study commitments — If you have (or can make) the time to study, heading back into academia through an Access to HE Diploma could be right for you. If not, a more self-led study method may be beneficial.
Study an Access to HE Diploma at Kirklees College
Here at Kirklees College, we offer a wealth of Access to HE Diplomas designed to support adult learners returning to education in their pursuit of university-level study. Explore Access to Higher Education courses now and find the right pathway towards your degree.