Access to Higher Education Diploma

(Health professions)

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Duration

1 year (2 days per week)

Entry

September

Department of Health and Nutrition
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24,000 Access to Higher Education students are accepted at over 140 universities every year*

*https://www.accesstohe.ac.uk/home

60.6% of UK Access to HE students studied subjects in health, public services and care

*DfE 2022

Are you looking to return to study or change careers but find you don’t yet meet the entry requirements for higher education courses? Our Access to Higher Education Diploma is a highly-recognised Level 3 qualification (equivalent to A-levels) that can help you take the next step into a career in nursing or a wide range of jobs in the health professions.

This one-year Access to HE Diploma combines building your learning skills – e.g. academic writing skills and study techniques – with a foundation of subjects related to social science and health. Completing the Diploma will open the door for you to enter higher education study in related fields, such as nursing and midwifery, paramedic practice, public health, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work or psychology. (Please note many of these career pathways also require GCSE English, Maths and – in some cases – Science at grade 4/C or above.)

This course is specifically designed for:

  •          Students with a current or previous role in the health professions (e.g. health technician, ambulance service team, healthcare assistant, rehabilitation or support worker, dental assistant)

  •          Students who have not benefited from previous educational experience due to their individual circumstances

  •          Students seeking a change of direction or a career boost and who can demonstrate their interest in entering a health profession

  •          Anyone who wants to return to study having been out of education for a long time

View example timetable

Why choose this college course?

  • RECOGNISED QUALIFICATION – This Access to Higher Education Diploma will give you a nationally-recognised qualification to help meet the entry requirements for university
  • BOOST YOUR SKILLS – Gain the necessary study skills and key knowledge for your chosen subject or career, as well as the independent learning skills needed for university study
  • GREAT LEARNING SUPPORT – Enjoy a positive and supportive learning experience that will develop your skills and confidence to progress onto higher education
  • MOVE UP TO UNIVERSITY  – Continue your learning journey to the next level at University College Birmingham. Our related degrees include Adult Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Physiotherapy, Paramedic Science, Psychology and Health and Social Care.
Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you have completed a higher education course. This means you do not have to repay it. (The higher education course must be eligible for student finance.)

Course breakdown

Topics you will study

  •          Human Cell Biology
  •          Homeostasis and the Endocrine System
  •          Academic Study Techniques
  •          Progressing to Higher Education
  •          The Urinary System
  •          Memory Processes
  •          Health Promotion
  •          Professional Behaviours in Nursing and Health Behaviours
  •          Respiration and Circulation
  •          The Human Muscular and Skeletal Systems
  •          Sociology of Health
  •          Understanding Stress
  •          Numeracy in a Health and Care Context
  •          The Nervous System
  •          Nutrition and Digestion 

Please note: Units/topics of study are subject to change

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Our Access to Higher Education Diploma course has been designed for students who have yet to have the opportunity to access higher education. Applicants must have at least three years of life experience outside of formal education gained since completing formal education. Experience does not need to be in a subject-related field. Our lecturers are looking for students who are enthusiastic and passionate about health professions and have a keen determination to succeed in the sector.

Academic requirements

  • GCSE English (Language or Literature) or GCSE Maths at grade 4 (grade C) or equivalent.

A grade 3 or equivalent minimum must be achieved in the subject where a grade 4 or equivalent has not been achieved. If you are unsure if your qualification is equivalent or if you wish to check if you meet the entry requirements for this course, please call 0121 214 2919 or email feadmissions@ucb.ac.uk

Supporting documents you will need

Applicants will also be required to submit a reference from a previous or current employment role. Please, where possible, submit this with your application by emailing your reference to feadmissions@ucb.ac.uk.

Additional Information

There may be the opportunity to study GCSE Maths or Functional Skills English alongside the course as part of your studies.

Guaranteed progression

Students who achieve 128-112 UCAS points from this qualification will be will be guaranteed an offer for Health and Social Care BSc (Hons) or Psychology BSc (Hons) or automatically guaranteed an interview for Adult Nursing BSc (Hons), Mental Health Nursing BSc (Hons), Physiotherapy BSc (Hons) or Paramedic Science BSc (Hons) at University College Birmingham.

Key information

Teaching and assessment

Learning will be assessed in a variety of methods to prepare you for study at university – these may include essays, report writing, online assessments and presentations.

To successfully complete the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Health Professions), You must achieve 60 credits at Level 3. There are 21 Credits from the Human Biology subject group, 24 from the Health Studies subject group, and 15 from the Study Skills subject group.  

Our teaching and assessment is underpinned by our Learning and Teaching Strategy 2025-2030.

Fees

The fee for this course is £3,022. Please click here for more information.

Please note: Student Finance England will 'write off' any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete a higher education course. This means you do not have to repay it. (The higher education course must be eligible for Student Finance).

Accreditations, endorsements and partnerships

University College Birmingham works with a wide range of organisations to ensure you receive the best possible training and qualifications recognised by industry.

Progression and career opportunities

This course is designed to enable your progression onto higher education. Depending on entry requirements, you could continue onto a degree at University College Birmingham. We offer everything from Adult Nursing and Mental Health Nursing to Physiotherapy, Paramedic Science, Health and Social Care and Psychology.

With further study, possible future career options open to you include:

Paramedic

Average Salary: £25,794

Adult nurse

Average Salary: £33,834

Social worker

Average Salary: £48,000

Learning disability nurse

Average Salary: £24,905

Midwife

Average Salary: £28,803

Mental health nurse

Average Salary: £33,951

Note: The example roles and salaries are intended as a guide only.

HIRED

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Emma’s Story

Emma knew she wanted to study for a degree in this field, she just needed a vehicle to get her there.

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Meet your tutors

Claudette Bailey

Lecturer

Meet Claudette
Supinder Singh Varaitch

Lecturer

Meet Supinder

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