02 Mar 2021
Key Facts
Qualification Summary
The Diploma will provide learners with the underpinning skills to support academic study and provide a level 3 qualification linked to their proposed HE study. A broad range of scientific and pharmaceutical skills will be acquired, whilst the underpinning mathematical skills will ensure that the learner is fully prepared for progression onto relevant degrees.
The Diploma covers a range of specialist pharmaceutical units as well as having a strong emphasis on both biology and chemistry and learners will have the opportunity to study all three subjects to give a balanced view of skills to enable progression to pharmacy or science based degree programmes.
The mandatory group ensures that learners have a fundamental understanding of biology, anatomy and physiology and basic chemistry principles and then learners can select from a range of optional units. All learners must complete a minimum of 30 credits overall in science subjects which will ensure a strong science base to the Diploma.
Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills, including a mandatory mathematics unit covering topics related to science.
Why choose this qualification?
The Diploma will provide learners with the underpinning skills to support academic study and provide a level 3 qualification linked to their proposed HE study. A broad range of scientific and pharmaceutical skills will be acquired, whilst the underpinning mathematical skills will ensure that the learner is fully prepared for progression onto relevant degrees.
The Diploma covers a range of specialist pharmaceutical units as well as having a strong emphasis on both biology and chemistry and learners will have the opportunity to study all three subjects to give a balanced view of skills to enable progression to pharmacy or science based degree programmes.
The mandatory group ensures that learners have a fundamental understanding of biology, anatomy and physiology and basic chemistry principles and then learners can select from a range of optional units. All learners must complete a minimum of 30 credits overall in science subjects which will ensure a strong science base to the diploma.
Learners must choose from a selection of mandatory and optional ungraded units to support underpinning skills, including a mandatory mathematics unit covering topics related to science.
Rules of Combination
Students must complete 18 Credits from the Mandatory Graded Units group, 6 credits from the Optional Graded Units: Research group, 12 Credits from the Optional Graded Units: Chemistry & Biology group, 6 Credits from the Optional Graded Units: Pharmacy group and 3 credits from the Optional Graded: Mathematics group.
Units
Learners must complete 6 credits from this group.
Research: Extended Writing Project for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Research: Practical Investigation Project for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Learners must complete 18 credits from this group.
Actions of Medicines on the Human Body
Fundamental Chemistry
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Introduction to Organic Chemistry
Learners must complete 12 credits from this group.
An Introduction to Health and Disease
Cells and Tissues
Experimental Techniques in Chemistry
Fundamental Concepts and Scientific Method in Biology
Further Organic Chemistry
Human Body Systems - Circulation and Gaseous Exchange
The Endocrine System
Understanding Genetics
Learners must complete 3 credits from this group.
Mathematics: Algebra, Exponentials and Logarithms
Quantitative Methods - Statistics
Learners must complete 6 credits from this group.
Communication within Pharmacy Services
Community Pharmacy Practice
Fundamentals of Pharmaceutics
Pharmacy Law, Ethics and Practice
Understanding Medicine Manufacture
Learners must also complete 15 Credits from the Ungraded group.
Learners must complete 9 credits from this group.
Academic Writing Skills
Mathematics for Science
Preparation for Higher Education
Learners must complete 6 credits from this group.
Communication - Speaking and Listening
Optimising Examination Performance
Practical Science Skills
Promoting Wellbeing and Building Resilience
Study Skills
Work Placement
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 their 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 and pharmaceutical skills will be acquired, whilst the underpinning mathematical skills will ensure that the learner is fully prepared for progression onto relevant degrees.
Learners must take a minimum of 30 credits across both biology and chemistry topics which allows them to thoroughly explore the subjects and allow for flexibility to progress onto the chosen degree. Mathematics is an important element of any science degree so having to complete a mathematics unit as part of the ungraded units will support progression too.
What this diploma covers
The units include a balance of science units as well as pharmacy based 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 communication (as pharmacists must learn to listen and communicate effectively with members of the public as well as colleagues).
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.Progression routes
Progression routes are into a range of pharmacy and pharmaceutical science degrees including:
• MPharm Pharmacy
• Pharmaceutical Science BSc (H)
Or science based degrees:
• Biological Sciences BSc (Hons)
• Healthcare Science (Life Sciences) BSc (Hons)
• Biology BSc (Hons)
• Bioscience BSc (Hons)
• Chemistry BSc (Hons)
• Natural Sciences BSc (Hons)
• BSc Biomedicine
• BSc Biomedical Science
Alternatively, learners may progress onto higher or degree apprenticeships, for example:
• Healthcare science associate (Level 4)
• Healthcare science practitioner (degree)
• Laboratory scientist (degree)
• Mammography Assistant Practitioner (Level 4)
• Paramedic (degree)
• Registered Nurse (degree)
• Healthcare assistant practitioner (Level 5)
Provider approval criteria
Access to a laboratory is vital to undertake this diploma.
Funding information
Learning Aims Search
The Hub provides a Learning Aims Search which you can use to check the funding status of any qualification or unit.
View this qualification on the ESFA’s Hub website
From 1st July 2021, the Hub will be replaced by a new Find a learning aim (FALA) service. This service is currently in BETA so if you experience any issues with finding funding details, please double check on the Hub above, or contact your account manager.
View this qualification on the ESFA’s Find a learning aim website
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: