29 Nov 2021
Key Facts
Qualification Summary
The Diploma allows learners to undertake study related to humanities and social science topics. Learners will have the opportunity to develop skills which will enable progression to a range of degree level programmes including a focus on English language and literature, history, politics and philosophy which underpin most humanities degrees. Many learners join humanities and social science degrees after following A level study, so the Diploma will place the Access to HE learners on a level with those who have followed A level studies.
Learners will complete mandatory units which cover an introduction to history skills, English language and literature and an introduction to psychology, criminology and sociology to cover the social sciences background knowledge but then they will be able to research an area of interest to them in more depth. They will study a range of optional units covering aspects of English language and literature, key events in history and have the opportunity to investigate specific aspects of sociology, psychology, crime and law.
Ungraded units include units which will support access to higher education whilst supporting study and personal skills.
Why choose this qualification?
The diploma allows learners to undertake study related to humanities and social science topics. Learners will have the opportunity to develop skills which will enable progression to a range of degree level programmes including a focus on English language and literature, history, politics and philosophy which underpin most humanities degrees. Many learners join humanities and social science degrees after following A level study, so the diploma will place the Access to HE learners on a level with those who have followed A level studies.
Learners will complete mandatory units which cover an introduction to history skills, English language and literature and an introduction to psychology, criminology and sociology to cover the social sciences background knowledge but then they will be able to research an area of interest to them in more depth. They will study a range of optional units covering aspects of English language and literature, key events in history and have the opportunity to investigate specific aspects of sociology, psychology, crime and law.
Ungraded units include units which will support access to higher education whilst supporting study and personal skills.
Rules of Combination
Learners must complete 12 credits must be taken from the mandatory group. A maximum of 6 credits must be taken from the Research optional group and 3 credits from both the Humanities and Social Sciences optional groups. The remaining 21 credits can be taken from either of the two optional groups.
Units
Learners must complete 12 credits must be taken from the mandatory group.
History Skills
Introduction to English Language and Literature
Introduction to Psychology
Introduction to Sociology
A maximum of 6 credits must be taken from the Research optional group.
Humanities - Research Skills
Humanities Research Project - Methodology
Research Skills for Social Science
Social Research Methods
3 credits must be taken from the Humanities group with the remaining 21 credits taken from either of the optional graded academic groups.
English Literature - Prose Criticism
Introduction to Literature: Responding to Poetry
Introduction to Philosophy
Introduction to Religious Thought
Introduction to a Pre-20th Century Drama
Introduction to the History of English
Political Philosophy
Political Processes
Social Change & Reform in 19th Century Britain
Study of a Specified Historical Event
Techniques in Creative Writing
The Study of Non Fiction Texts
Women's History 1832-1918
World War One - The Trenches and The Home Front 1914/1918
3 credits must be taken from the Social Sciences group, with the remaining 21 credits from either of the optional graded academic groups.
Aspects of Social Psychology
Atypical Development and Abnormal Behaviour
Child Development
Cognitive Psychology
Culture and Identity
Education Studies: Socio-Economic Factors in Educational Achievement
Globalisation
Human Rights for the Twenty-First Century
Introduction to Criminology
Introduction to Social Policy
Introduction to the Sociology of Crime and Deviance
Media and Society
Poverty and Social Exclusion
Social Inequality
Sociology of Health
Sociology of the Family
The Psychology of Criminal Investigation
Learners must complete 15 credits of ungraded units with 9 credits from the Mandatory ungraded group and 6 credits from the optional ungraded group.
Learners must complete 9 credits from the Mandatory ungraded group.
Academic Writing Skills
Preparation for Higher Education
References and Reliability of Sources
Learners must complete 6 credits from the optional ungraded group.
Academic Reading Skills
Application of Number - Interpreting and Presenting Information
Being a Reflective Learner
Introduction to the Grammar of English
Promoting Wellbeing and Building Resilience
Understand Published Research for Social Scientists
Intended learner groups
a) Adults who, because of social, educational or individual circumstances may have achieved few, if any, prior qualifications and wish to progress to HE
b) Adults who have gone straight into industry (perhaps following apprenticeship routes) who wish to progress to HE.
How this diploma meets learners' needs
The Diploma will provide them with underpinning skills to support academic study and provide a level 3 qualification linked to their proposed HE study. A broad range of knowledge will be acquired which support an understanding of English language and literature, history and psychology, sociology and criminology will ensure that the learner is fully prepared for progression onto the relevant degrees.
What this diploma covers
The units include a balance of English, history, criminology, psychology and sociology units which allow the learners to keep their options open until they have fully decided on their preferred route at degree level. The ungraded units have been chosen to support both progression into higher education and also to allow the learners to develop skills relevant to the subject area e.g. Academic Reading or Writing Skills.
Delivery methods
Face to face
Blended learning
Work placements would also be beneficial and visits to museums would widen opportunities.
If the optional unit Introduction to a Pre-20th Century Drama is chosen, learners wishing to progress onto a literature degree should study key writers such as Shakespeare.
Progression routes
BA (Hons) Humanities
BA (Hons) Arts and Humanities (Creative Writing)
BA (Hons) English Language and Literature
BA (Hons) English Literature
BA (Hons) English Literature and Creative Writing
BA (Hons) History
BA (Hons) History and Politics
BSc (H) Criminological Psychology
BSc (H) Psychology and Criminology
BSc (H) Police Studies with Criminological Psychology
Psychology BSC (Hons)
BA (Hons) Social Psychology
BA (Honours) Social Sciences
BA (Honours) Social Sciences (Sociology)
BA (Honours) Social Sciences (Psychology)
BSc (Hons) Sociology
BA (Honours) Criminology
BA (Honours) Social Sciences (Criminology)BA Liberal Arts
BA in Education
Progression & entry requirements
Learners will probably require a pass in maths and English at GCSE level or a Functional Skills qualification in English and Maths to progress onto a degree course.Provider approval criteria
No specific resources or special requirements specified.
Funding information
There are now two main sources for funding information, a straightforward ESFA Qualification Search and the more detailed Find a Learning Aim website.
The new Find a learning aim (FALA) service provides a search tool that you can use to check the funding status of any qualification, framework, unit, standard or T Level:
View this qualification on the ESFA’s Find a learning aim website
The Education and Skills Funding Agency search provides funding information on qualifications. It does not provide funding information for units, non-regulated activity and work placements, for this information please use Find a learning aim (FALA).
View this qualification on the ESFA Qualification Funding Search
How to find a learning aim
If you’re not sure how to use the new find a learning aim website, we’ve created a handy walkthrough to help you:
How to Use: Find a learning Aim
Additional funding information for Access to HE
- Access to HE is eligible for funding as part of the legal entitlement offer.
- Access to HE is eligible for funding via Advanced Learner Loans and appears on the Advanced Learner Loans catalogues published by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
- Access to HE Diplomas are designed for adult learners aged 19+ and the ESFA only funds young people on these programmes by exception, as stated in paragraph 149, page 39 of the Funding guidance for young people 2020 to 2021.
We have done our best to collate and summarise the key information, and wherever possible we alert our providers to changes in funding policy.
This funding information is provided in good faith and it is always advisable to check directly with the funding agencies before committing to delivery.
The following support materials will help you deliver this qualification.
Information for Access Centres
Assignment briefs
Centres approved to deliver our Access to HE Diplomas can download assignment briefs for a selection of units in this Diploma. Assignment briefs can be downloaded by logging to Prism and locating the relevant unit. More assignment briefs are being added not all units currently have assignment briefs available.
The assignment briefs can be easily adapted to suit your needs. We recommend checking the rules of combination for the Diploma and adapting the brief accordingly.
To provide a flavour of what’s available, you can download the below samples for free:
Assignment Brief – Preparation for Higher Education – QU007638
Assignment Brief – Safeguarding Children Young People and-or Vulnerable Adults – QU025409
Log in to Prism to download more assignment briefs