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Level 3 Access to HE Diploma (Social Sciences)

Level 1 Diploma

Course Location

College

Stockport College

Location

Stockport College

Further Details

Age

University level

Department

Access to Higher Education

Course Start Date

Monday 14th September 2026

Course Duration

Full-time, 1 Year

Course Time

09:15:00 - 15:00:00

Course Fee

£ 3082.00
You may be eligible for support with your tuition fees - please visit the college website - funding and finance page for further information

Course Code

SFP-AH3D-1400

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Course Overview

The Access to HE Diploma course is designed for students who are interested in future careers in areas such as social work, law, social policy, psychology, primary school teaching, the charity and voluntary sector, and health & social care.

This is a QAA-compliant Access to HE course to prepare mature students for university level study in social science-related fields. There are 60 credits of study comprising 45 graded credits of graded units and 15 ungraded units.

The course runs for an academic year and over three days a week for 32 weeks. There are 13 hours of lessons each week (12 hours of lessons and 1 hour of tutorial). Students will also need to allow at least 12 hours per week for private study and assignment completion.

Approximate times: 9.20am – 3pm (exact times to be confirmed)

Course Requirements

GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade C/4 or better before enrolling on the Access Diploma. Please note that some degree courses will also require GCSE Science at grade C/4 or better. For this course, preference will be given to applicants offering GCSE Science or an acceptable equivalent.

Functional Skills Mathematics at Level 2 instead of GCSE Mathematics is considered on a case-by-case basis.

For this diploma, Functional Skills English at Level 2 is not acceptable instead of GCSE English due to the advanced level of reading and extended writing required.

Students who do not meet these entry requirements can apply for the level 2 pre-Access course (and GCSEs in English and/or Mathematics) to prepare for the Access to Higher Education Course.

What you will Learn

The content includes units in Psychology (15 credits), Sociology (15 credits) and Criminology (15 credits), all delivered at advanced level, building upon skills and knowledge gained from GCSE level studies in English.

The course includes 45 credits of graded units with titles such as Biopsychology of Stress”, “Social Stratification and Inequality”, “Stereotyping, Prejudice and Discrimination” and “Theories of Crime Causation”

There are also 15 credits of ungraded units focusing on development of transferable skills such as presentation skills and essay writing.
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Assessment

Assessments include essays, practical reports, case studies, open or closed-book examinations and verbal, visual or IT-based presentations. Modules may include an element of time-constrained assessment which will contribute towards the final module grade.

Upon successful completion of this course you will be awarded an Access to Higher Education Diploma from Open Awards.

Progression

Upon successful completion of the course, students can progress to various social science and humanities courses in higher education.

Examples: Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Primary Education, Education Studies, Criminology, Law, History, Philosophy.

Career Options

Social worker, lawyer, educational psychologist, human resources officer, mental health support worker, charity worker, primary school teacher, probation officer.

Mandatory Units

There are no mandatory units

Contact Details

For further information please contact T: 0161 886 7070 or E: info@trafford.ac.uk

Extra Costs Involved

Exam Validation Body

Hours Per Week

How Long To Complete

Programme Structure

Contact Details

Disclaimer

Although every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained within this document is accurate, there may be changes to this programme and provision. We will endeavour to keep prospective and current students updated where appropriate and when the information becomes available.

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