Access To HE Diploma Level 3: Humanities and Social Science (Blended Learning)

General information

This is a one-year course for adults who are returning to education, intending to continue on to university to study on humanities or social science degree programmes. It is an academic, level 3 course which is delivered through a combination of in-class teaching and distance learning. The course aims to prepare students for university in a flexible manner. Students are expected to attend college once every three weeks for study days and tutorials. They will also be expected to complete work from home. It is therefore essential that you are 100% committed to attending classes and dedicating time to study, and that you have an ability to study at Advanced (A) Level. Students will normally be expected to complete the course in one-year (unless there are exceptional circumstances).

Course content

To achieve the Access to Humanities and Social Science Diploma, students must achieve a minimum of 60 credits, 45 of which must be achieved at Level 3 (most units have a credit value of 3). The Diploma includes core maths, English and study skills but also units in sociology, psychology, politics and law.

Teaching and assessment

The course is assessed through a combination of written assignments, exams and project work. Students build a course work ‘portfolio’ which is submitted to the external moderators early in the summer. Students studying on this programme access resources and audio lectures through the college Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and have one-to-one and group contact with tutors every three weeks, as well as phone and email contact in the interim. Phone tutorials of 10 minutes are available on a weekly basis as well as booked tutorials of up to 30 minutes per half-term. Students should allow roughly 12 hours per week for self-study/homework. It is expected that students will complete tasks and email them to their tutors as an aid to meeting their learning goals.

Entry requirements

To apply for this course, you should be 19 years of age or older and have a genuine commitment to study. Geographically, due to the blend of distance and contact based learning, students can apply from further afield than conventional programmes. The only geographic barrier is the need to attend the college once every three weeks. Although no formal qualifications are required, you must be able to demonstrate basic IT skills, such as using email and word processing. You will also be required to produce a piece of level 3 standard ‘free writing.’ All students are interviewed. You should also be aware that for some degrees (e.g. Psychology) you will need to hold a mathematics GCSE (or equivalent). Students unsure of whether they will need mathematics for their chosen degree should contact their prospective university choices to clarify matters.

Additional course costs

Registration fee £100.

Progression

Most students completing an Access to HE Diploma go on to study at university. Access to Humanities and Social Science students usually opt for humanities programmes, such as politics or law, or may consider sociology, psychology, history, or social policy courses. This course has established progression routes to degree programmes at the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, and the University of Greenwich.

Dates and times

Study time is flexible for this programme; however, contact should be expected at three weekly intervals for study days (usually on a Saturday). In the interim phone tutorials for up to 30 minutes can be booked alongside shorter weekly general phone tutorials and general email contact.