Key Facts

Level:
Level 3
Subject Sector:
1.1 Medicine and Dentistry
Credits:
60
Qualification No:
QAAQ001735
Age Range:
19+
QAA aim code:
40008460

New suite of Access to HE Diplomas for August 2024

Our brand new suite of Access to HE Diplomas is available for delivery from 1st August 2024.

New suite of Access to HE Diplomas for August 2024

Changes to Access to HE confirmed by QAA: Diploma Specification and Grading Scheme

Qualification Summary

The Diploma has a strong emphasis on both biology and chemistry and learners will have the opportunity to study both equally to give a balanced view of skills to enable progression to medicine based degree programmes.

The mandatory group ensures that learners have a good understanding of fundamental principles of biology and chemistry and then learners can select from a range of optional units.

All learners must complete a minimum of 15 credits overall in both biology and chemistry/physics which will ensure a strong science base to the Diploma. Learners will also have to complete a mandatory statistical maths unit.

Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills.


Why choose this qualification?

The Diploma has a strong emphasis on both biology and chemistry and learners will have the opportunity to study both equally to give a balanced view of skills to enable progression to medicine based degree programmes. The mandatory group ensures that learners have a good understanding of fundamental principles of biology and chemistry and then learners can select from a range of optional units. All learners must complete a minimum of 15 credits overall in both biology and chemistry/physics which will ensure a strong science base to the diploma. Learners will also have to complete a mandatory statistical maths unit.

Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills.

Rules of Combination

Learners must complete 45 credits from this group.


Units

Graded Research Units

Learners must achieve 6 credits from this group.

Research: Extended Writing Project for Medicine and Medical Sciences

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026073
Click here to view full unit details

Research: Practical Investigation Project for Medicine and Medical Sciences

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026070
Click here to view full unit details
Mandatory Units: Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must achieve 27 credits from this group.

Chemical Principles: Particles and Forces

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU025703
Click here to view full unit details

Fundamental Chemistry

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU006301
Click here to view full unit details

Fundamental Concepts and Scientific Method in Biology

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU006307
Click here to view full unit details

Human Anatomy and Physiology

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU006413
Click here to view full unit details

Quantitative Methods - Statistics

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU007442
Click here to view full unit details
Optional Graded Units: Biology

Learners must achieve 6 credits from this group.

An Introduction to Health and Disease

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018205
Click here to view full unit details

Cells and Tissues

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025366
Click here to view full unit details

Circulation, Immunity and Homeostasis

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006178
Click here to view full unit details

Human Body Systems - Circulation and Gaseous Exchange

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006415
Click here to view full unit details

The Endocrine System

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU017109
Click here to view full unit details

Understanding Genetics

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU018996
Click here to view full unit details
Optional Graded Units: Chemistry and Physics

Learners must achieve 6 credits from this group.

Experimental Techniques in Chemistry

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006297
Click here to view full unit details

Health Physics

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU006383
Click here to view full unit details

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU006603
Click here to view full unit details

Physical Science - Environmental Health and Medical Physics

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025706
Click here to view full unit details

Physics: Medical Applications for Radiography

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU026260
Click here to view full unit details
Ungraded Units

Learners must complete 15 credits from this group.

Mandatory Units: Ungraded

Learners must achieve 9 credits from this group.

Academic Writing Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025276
Click here to view full unit details

Mathematics for Science

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU013859
Click here to view full unit details

Preparation for Higher Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025532
Click here to view full unit details
Optional Ungraded Units

Learners must achieve 6 credits from this group.

Academic Reading Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU018346
Click here to view full unit details

Developing Professional Attributes

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025278
Click here to view full unit details

Optimising Examination Performance

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU025280
Click here to view full unit details

Practical Science Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU010772
Click here to view full unit details

Promoting Wellbeing and Building Resilience

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU028487
Click here to view full unit details

Sustainability Project

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU033854
Click here to view full unit details

The Fundamentals of Environmental Sustainability

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU033880
Click here to view full unit details

Work Placement

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU017821
Click here to view full unit details

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. Learners who have followed these routes may need to refresh/develop skills in specific areas as well as learning more about subjects in which they have an interest. If the learner has gone straight into employment, they may not have studied at Level 3 and so this Access Diploma will help them to build on existing scientific skills and provide a good grounding for further academic study.


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 scientific skills, particularly in biology and chemistry will be acquired, whilst the underpinning mathematical skills will ensure that the learner is fully prepared for progression onto relevant degrees.


What this diploma covers

The units include a balance of science 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. practical science skills and mathematics for science to develop underpinning maths skills.


Delivery methods

Face to face
Blended learning
Work placements would also be beneficial and access to laboratories will be required to produce the evidence for some of the more practical based units.


Successful completion criteria

Learners will probably require a pass in a science subject alongside maths and English at GCSE level to progress onto a degree course.

Entry requirements to any medicine and medical science degree programme are very high – most universities would not even consider applicants who do not have a predominantly distinction grade profile; at some universities it is a requirement to have all 45 credits graded at distinction.

This is a crucial point for any training provider wishing to offer this diploma.

Progression routes

Progression routes are into a range of medical and medical science degrees including:
• BSc Medical Sciences 
• BSc Applied Medical Sciences
• BSc Medical Biochemistry
• Biological Sciences BSc (Hons)
• Healthcare Science (Life Sciences) BSc (Hons)
• Healthcare Science (Cardiac Physiology) BSc Honours
• Biology BSc (Hons) 
• Bioscience BSc (Hons)
• Chemistry BSc (Hons)
• Natural Sciences BSc (Hons)
• Bachelor of Medical Sciences with Hons Medicine
• MBChB Medicine
• BSc Biomedicine
• BSc Biomedical Science
• Healthcare Science (Cardiac Physiology) BSc Honours


Provider approval criteria

Access to a laboratory is vital to undertake this diploma.


Progression route entry requirements

Learners will probably require a pass in a science subject alongside maths and English at GCSE level to progress onto a degree course. Entry requirements to any medicine and medical science degree programme are very high – most universities would not even consider anyone who does not have a predominantly distinction grade profile; at some universities it is a requirement to have all 45 credits graded at distinction. This is a crucial point for any training provider wishing to offer this diploma.


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.

Access to HE Quick Guides

Information for Access Centres

Access to HE Administration

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:

Log in to Prism to download more assignment briefs