Access to Higher Education – Health & Social Care
Qualification Gained: ASCENTIS Access to HE Diploma (Health and Social Care)
Study LevelLevel 3 Course TypeAccess to Higher Education Duration1 Year Start DateSeptember 2025 Study ModeFull-time LocationDavid Hockney BuildingOverview
Interested in a career where you can make a real difference in people’s
lives? The Access to Higher Education Diploma in Health and Social Care is your
stepping stone to university and a wide range of rewarding roles in the health and
social care sector.
This one-year course is designed for adults aged 19 and over who are
looking to progress into higher education and pursue careers in areas such as
mental health, social work, community support, or healthcare services. It’s an ideal
option if you’re considering nursing or social care, but prefer a pathway that
places less emphasis on science and more on people, society, and real-world
challenges.
You’ll explore topics that reflect the broader context of today’s care
landscape – including the impact of knife crime, social inequality, and mental
health on individuals and communities. The course includes an enhanced focus on
psychology to support your understanding of behaviour and wellbeing across
different settings.
Key Info
Throughout this course, you’ll build the academic, digital, and
professional skills needed to succeed at university and in a career within the
health and social care sector. As well as gaining knowledge in areas such as
sociology, psychology, and healthcare systems, you will also develop key
transferable skills that are essential for higher education and the workplace. You will learn how to:
- Conduct independent research and analyse information critically
- Use Harvard referencing accurately in essays and assignments
- Apply critical thinking and evaluative skills to real-world health and social care issues
- Use word processing software effectively, including advanced features like footnotes and formatting for academic work
- Manage your time and workload, developing resilience and the ability to balance study with everyday responsibilities
- Navigate digital learning platforms and make full use of online resources, including the college’s virtual learning environment and digital library
- Solve problems and propose practical solutions, preparing you for challenges in both academic and professional settings
- Crime
- Developing Skills for Studying
- Effective Communication in Health and Social Care
- Families, Households and Personal Relations
- Health and Social Care Provision
- ICT – Presentation Software
- Interpersonal Communication
- Introduction to Sociology: Culture and Identity
- Introduction to Psychology
- Memory
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Planning and Carrying Out Research in Sociology
- Principles of Safeguarding in Health and Social Care
- Preparing to Progress
- Sociological Theories and Their Application to Contemporary Society
- Treating Disorders
Entry to this course requires GCSE English Language and Maths at a grade 4 or C or equivalent.
You are at least 19 years old on 1st September.
It is your responsibility to check that your Mathematics and English Language qualifications are accepted for the Higher Education Institution course you wish to eventually apply for. When applying to join an Access to HE course, please state on the application form that you require the Social Care pathway.
Induction for this course will begin at the start of September.
You will have both formative and summative assessments for each unit. Formative assessments will be continuous and check your learning and understanding. These will include quizzes, online practice assessments and self-marked, reflective work. Summative assessments will be assessed through a range of assessment methods for example, reports; essays; presentations.
Successful completion of this course can lead to progression to further study, Higher Education or employment in the Health and Social Care sector.
FE Tuition: £3,384.00 per academic year
Other Costs: You may be eligible for free or reduced course fees. If eligible, you could take out an Advanced Learner Loan to cover the cost of your fees for this course. This loan will be written off if you go on to successfully complete a HE course, for example, a degree.
This is representative of the most common fees scenario, but actual fees can vary depending on a number of factors. Please contact us if you need more guidance.
If you have any questions or require any additional information, please contact [email protected]
Disclaimer: Our prospectus, college documents and website are simply here to offer a guide. We accept no liability for any inaccurate statements and are not responsible for any negative outcomes if you rely on an inaccurate statement. We reserve the right to withdraw any programmes or service at any time.
