Access to HE Online

Science (Medicine and Healthcare Professions)

AIMS OF THE COURSE

THE ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION (HE) DIPLOMA IS A QUALIFICATION, EQUIVALENT TO A LEVEL, WHICH ALLOWS LEARNERS TO GO ON AND STUDY AT UNIVERSITY WHEN THEY DID NOT HAVE THE RELEVANT QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED TO DO SO. ACCESS TO HE COURSES ARE AVAILABLE IN A WIDE RANGE OF DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND ARE WIDELY RECOGNISED BY UK UNIVERSITIES.

Contact Us

Email: ELearning@escg.ac.uk
Tel: 030 300 38368

BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS

After successfully completing this Access to Higher Education Diploma, you will have a good understanding of Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Advanced Mathematics, and the study skills needed to study a range of health and medical science related undergraduate degrees. Once you have chosen and completed your degree programme, you will be ready to begin your chosen career. Many graduates go on to work in the NHS or private practice. Careers areas open to graduates include (but are not limited to):

  • Pharmacy
  • Radiography
  • Paramedic Science
  • Biomedical Science
  • Dentistry
  • Veterinary Practice
  • Dental Nursing

The above list is an example of careers and entry requirements can differ between universities.

KEY COURSE DETAILS

  • Course code: 61054
  • Course Fee: £3384
  • Course length: 10 months
  • Recommended study per week: 15 hours*
  • Total number of units within the course: 21

* You should allow a total of around 15 study hours per week to complete the whole qualification, over 10 months. If you study more hours each week, you may finish the course more quickly.

SUPPORT PROVIDED

A qualified Assessor will mark your work and provide written feedback via the VLE. Your appointed Assessor will confirm contact hours once you start your learning and will be able to offer support via email correspondence. During Induction you will be provided with a Study Plan including the expected assessment schedule for your course.

PASS CRITERIA

  • Each unit includes specific Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria.
  • To achieve a Pass in any assessment you must meet all criteria.
  • The list of detailed Assessment Criteria for each Unit is made available to you on the VLE.

COURSE CONTENT

The course consists of 20 Units of Study.

UNIT 1 PREPARING FOR SUCCESS – INDUCTION UNIT

  • This introductory unit will provide you with useful information, advice and guidance to enable you to get the most from your studies and help you to decide which options within HE are best suited to you. Once you have completed all of the elements of this introductory section you will be able to progress onto the units of study for your Access to HE Diploma

UNIT 2 ACADEMIC WRITING SKILLS

  • Be able to write with relevance in responding to an academic task.
  • Know how to interpret and discuss ideas and issues in responding to a set, academic writing task
  • Be able to summarise for academic purposes, selecting key points, information or central ideas.

UNIT 3 PREPARING A WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

  • Understand how to use key information sources.
  • Understand why sources are acknowledged and referenced.
  • Understand a range of reading strategies.
  • Understand note-making methods.
  • Understand how to plan draft and produce a written assignment.

UNIT 4 CELL BIOLOGY

  • Understand the structure and organisation of cells
  • Understand cellular metabolism
  • Understand how cells grow and divide

UNIT 5 ATOMIC STRUCTURE

  • Understand protons, neutrons and electrons in terms of their relative charges and masses
  • Understand the distribution of protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom given its Atomic number and Mass number, including some isotopes
  • Understand the number and relative energies of the s, p and d orbitals for the principal quantum numbers and know the shapes of s, p and d orbitals
  • Understand how ionisation energies of elements relate to reactivity
  • Understand the position of elements within the Periodic Table from ionisation energy data

UNIT 6 CELL DIVISION AND HEREDITY

  • Demonstrate a knowledge of cell division
  • Demonstrate an understanding of heredity and genetic variation

UNIT 7 ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

  • Understand the principles and types of electromagnetic waves
  • Understand the properties and applications of visible and ultraviolet light
  • Understand the properties of microwaves and infrared
  • Understand the biohazards of ultraviolet and infrared radiation
  • Understand the hazards and uses of X-rays in medical application

UNIT 8 PERIODIC TABLE

  • Understand the Periodic Table
  • Understand periodicity in the elements of period 3
  • Understand ionisation energy
  • Understand oxidation and reduction
  • Understand reactions of the Group 2 metals
  • Understand the Group 7 elements

UNIT 9 CELL METABOLISM

  • Understand the glycolytic pathway and fermentation of sugar to yield alcohol
  • Understand the tricarboxylic acid cycle
  • Understand the dark reactions in photosynthesis
  • Understand the biochemical basis of generating adenosine triphosphate in subcellular organelles

UNIT 10 TRIGONOMETRY

  • Be able to use trigonometrical functions
  • Be able to use trigonometry to solve equations and problems
  • Be able to use trigonometric functions and identifies in the context of proofs
  • Be able to produce trigonometif graphs

UNIT 11 ATOMIC STRUCTURE AND BONDING

  • Understand the structure of the atom
  • Understand electronic structures
  • Understand the formation of ionic bonds
  • Understand the formation of covalent bonds

UNIT 12 HUMAN IMMUNITY

  • Understand non-specific defences against disease
  • Understand specific immunity
  • Understand the biology of vaccinations

UNIT 13 MEDICAL PHYSICS

  • Understand atomic structure
  • Understand the nature of alpha, beta and gamma radiation, and X-rays
  • Understand the main uses of ionising radiation in monitoring and treatment
  • Understand how ratio isotopes and used in healthcare
  • Understand the health applications of a selected part of electromagnetic spectrum
  • Understand how ultrasound is used in healthcare

UNIT 14 HYDROCARBONS

  • Understand the importance of organic compounds
  • Understand the structure and characteristic reactions of alkanes
  • Understand the structure and characteristic reactions of alkenes

UNIT 15 THE HUMAN ENDOCRINE AND NERVOUS SYSTEMS

  • Understand the anatomy, organisation and function of the nervous system
  • Understand how the endocrine system co-ordinates body functions
  • Understand the role of the nervous and endocrine systems homeostasis

UNIT 16 PHYSICS

  • Understand the connection between force and motion and be able to use Newton’s Law of Motion
  • Understand conservation of energy and momentum
  • Understand the concepts and vocabulary of wave motion
  • Understand the straight-line model of behaviour of light
  • Understand the behaviour and properties of magnets and magnetic fields, electric charge and electric current

UNIT 17 STUDY SKILLS PORTFOLIO BUILDING

  • This unit requires you to build a portfolio of evidence which covers a range of different study skills. The different elements of the portfolio will be a combination of work that you have already completed as part of your programme, as well as reflective and evaluative commentary.

UNIT 18 CHEMICAL CHANGE

  • Be able to measure the concentrations of solutions
  • Understand energy changes during chemical reactions
  • Understand factors influencing rates of chemical reactions
  • Understand the concept of chemical equilibrium

UNIT 19 HUMAN MUSCULAR AND SKELATAL SYSTEMS

  • Know the anatomy, organisation and function of the muscular system
  • Understand the anatomy, organisation and function of the skeletal system
  • Be aware of how the muscular system and skeletal system interact in locomotion

UNIT 20 OPTICS AND SOUND

  • Understand the Laws of Reflection
  • Understand the Laws of Refraction
  • Understand the action of convex and concave lenses
  • Understand the simple optics of the eye
  • Understand the nature of transverse and longitudinal wave motions
  • Understand how the ear detects sound waves

ASSESSMENT METHOD

The study materials and all assessment for this course is through an online platform (VLE). You won’t need to purchase any books unless you wish to supplement these study materials.

The Access to Higher Education Diploma is a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification, regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).

In order to complete this diploma, you must achieve a total of 60 credits. 45 graded credits (taken from the subject specific areas of Biological Science, Chemistry, and 15 credits which are ungraded from the Biological Science (Cell Biology), Skills for Learning and IAG assessments.

The Access to HE Diploma in Science (Medicine and Healthcare Professions) is made up modules that fall under specific subject areas. The subjects are:

  • Biological Science
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Advanced mathematics
  • Skills for Learning

You will study the online course materials and self-direct your study.

You will be required to submit assessments by a set deadline. To pass the module you must meet all the assessment criteria. After your first submission your assessor will provide feedback. At this point you will either have met all the pass criteria and your module will be graded or will be asked to resubmit your assessment taking on board the assessor’s feedback and you’ll be permitted to make further submission of your work. Once your module has been achieved you can then proceed to the next module of the course. You will continue in this way through until you have completed all modules of the course.

Once all of the assessments are complete and have gone through internal moderation and external moderation the College will then present your grades to the Awarding Body. Our verification dates usually fall in July and November.

The awarding organisation is AIM Qualifications and Assessment Group, who are a national Awarding Organisation, regulated by Ofqual, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and Qualifications Wales, to develop and award nationally recognised qualifications.

Learners should ideally already have a GCSE in English and maths (grade A* - C or Level 4 – 8’ or an equivalent) or be working towards. We also ask that learners have the ambition to study a related degree at a higher education institute or university.

Access to Higher Education Diplomas are extensively accepted as an alternative to 'A Levels' for University entrance. The Access to Higher Education Diplomas have a reputation of successfully helping students to gain admission to University.

Learners should, however, be aware that each university apply their own admissions criteria, and we highly recommend that you research universities prior to applying to this course, to ensure your chosen university accepts this Diploma and the credits and graded units available for each subject area.

Whilst we have confidence that the Access to Higher Education Diplomas are compliant and sufficient to form part of a University application, East Sussex College will not be able to accept any liability for the inability of any Access to Higher Education learner to secure an offer from a Higher Education establishment due to the individual set requirement of each university or higher education institution.

STUDY TIME

Study time includes:

  • working through the interactive content
  • completing the assignments for each unit
  • reading assessor feedback and reviewing course material or other resources as directed
  • resubmitting your assignment where requested

DELIVERY STYLE

This online course differs to a classroom course, as you will not be taught. Instead, you will study independently following the online learning materials and completing assignments. Your dedicated unit assessor can be contacted through the message system on the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). If you need any guidance, help, or wish to book in a phone or Teams video support call you can message your assessor or contact the admin team. We allow 10 months to work through the course, so it’s flexible in that you can study when you want eg the course platform is available 24/7 however you will have deadlines to meet to complete each unit assignment.

HOW DO I KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT COURSE FOR ME?

East Sussex College offer a 14-day Cooling-Off Period for this course which enables you to assess whether both the course and the online mode of study is suitable for you. It also allows the College to assess your suitability, in particular whether you can produce work to meet the standards set by the awarding body.

You will be set a deadline within the cooling-off period to complete the first assignment.

Enrolment onto the qualification will take place once you have passed the first assignment. If you do not meet the pass criteria for the first assignment after 3 submissions, you won't be enrolled onto the course.

If you take out an Advanced Learner Loan to cover your fees, then this will be activated 14 days from the course start date.

If you wish to withdraw, you may cancel your enrolment by notifying the Administration Team in writing (by e-mail) prior to day 14 and you will owe nothing. After 14 days, you will owe the full course fee plus an administration charge, in line with the ESCG Tuition Fee Policy.

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS

  • PC, Laptop, Tablet (smart phones are not recommended as aren’t fully compatible with the VLE)
  • Reliable internet access

PAYING FOR YOUR COURSE

• If you are 23 or under and have no prior Level 3 qualification or higher, then you may be entitled to a tuition fee waiver*
*subject to eligibility and availability check

• If you are over 19 years-old and have a full Level 3 qualification you have two options: an Advanced Learner Loan or self-funding.

ADVANCED LEARNER LOANS

  • This Government loan will be paid directly to the college and is linked to your attendance.
  • You will start to repay your loan when you start to earn over £25,000 per annum (correct at time of posting).
  • If a learner takes out a loan for an Access to HE Diploma, completes it and progresses to, and completes a Student Finance England fundable HE course designated under the Education (Student Support) Regulations 2011 at level 4, 5 or 6, the outstanding balance of the loan for the Access to HE diploma will be written off.

For more information about Advanced Learner Loans visit:
Advanced Leaner Loan Guide to Terms and Conditions for courses starting on or after 1st August 2023

Download Enrolment Form Pre-Course Questionnaire Unit Breakdown Payment Options