Access to Higher Education: Health & Social Care
If you want to get back into education and have always aspired to a professional career working in the health or social care sector, this course is for you. This course could be the first step directly into work or towards a wide range of university courses.
WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?
The Access to HE Diploma in Health & Social Care is a one-year course run over three days a week for adults who want to pursue a career in the Health & Social Care sector. You gain a qualification that is a recognised entry route into university and develop your study skills and confidence along the way. As an effective Health and Social Care professional you need be empathetic and understand the theoretical and practical issues involved in your chosen field. So, working with experienced tutors you will cover Psychology, Sociology and Biology topics with tutorial and study skills support in a friendly and highly supportive atmosphere.
Apply for this course
Start date: 15/09/2025
TOP COURSE HIGHLIGHTS
recognised entry qualification
gain confidence
supported learning
preparation for university
small group sizes
PREPARATION FOR UNIVERSITY
“When I tried doing A-Levels I just learned facts. The Access course is so much more than that. It prepared me for university – writing reports, doing presentations, debating, critical analysis, referencing. I feel so confident in myself and my abilities and totally prepared for my university course.”
Access to HE Diploma (Health & Social Care) student 2020 – 21.
FANTASTIC SUPPORT
“All of the staff truly care about all of the students and go out of their way to help us, not just with learning, but also personal issues and student welfare.”
Access to HE Diploma (Health & Social Care) student 2020 – 21.
LEARNING IS FUN AND ACHIEVABLE
“Fantastic, relaxed environment where heavy learning is made fun and achievable.”
Access to HE Diploma (Health & Social Care) student 2020 – 21.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
The taught content includes:
Sociology – You will complete graded units covering the sociology of the family, health and illness, and crime and deviance.
Psychology – Following an ungraded unit on social psychology, you go onto complete a graded unit dealing with cognitive psychology, specifically the psychology of memory.
Biology – This part of the course starts with an ungraded unit on cell structure and function, followed by graded units on biological systems, a practically based unit on diet and digestion, and a final unit covering genetic technology, reproduction and inheritance. (For students intending to pursue a career in social care, rather than health, the final graded unit for biology may be replaced with a unit on interpersonal skills with the agreement of the course lead).
Social Research Project – This independent research project pulls together all of the skills you have learned in the rest of the course into a 3,000-word social research project on a topic of your choice (with lecturer approval).
Study Skills – In a mixture of taught sessions and one-to-one support you will develop skills in IT, word processing, referencing, presentations and writing essays and reports.
WHERE WILL IT TAKE ME?
Careers: Supporting roles within the NHS or social care service.
Progression: University courses in Nursing, Midwifery, Sociology, Counselling, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition, Psychology, and Youth & Community.
ASSESSMENT ARRANGEMENTS
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
INFORMATION & SUPPORT
Additional INFORMATION
Meet the staff, tour the campus and find out about life as a student at one of the best colleges in the country.
What you could earn
Potential Salary
£29,114
Entry Level Salary
£9,236
Average Salary
£22,123
Annual openings in Cornwall
8
Potential Salary
£70,754
Entry Level Salary
£27,798
Average Salary
£47,700
Annual openings in Cornwall
16
Potential Salary
£51,259
Entry Level Salary
£21,243
Average Salary
£38,074
Annual openings in Cornwall
27
Potential Salary
£37,924
Entry Level Salary
£9,803
Average Salary
£26,392
Annual openings in Cornwall
32
Potential Salary
£78,176
Entry Level Salary
£19,542
Average Salary
£33,767
Annual openings in Cornwall
12
Potential Salary
£36,294
Entry Level Salary
£8,678
Average Salary
£23,941
Annual openings in Cornwall
143
Potential Salary
£39,182
Entry Level Salary
£12,878
Average Salary
£25,063
Annual openings in Cornwall
40
Potential Salary
£34,166
Entry Level Salary
£6,628
Average Salary
£20,724
Annual openings in Cornwall
