Access to Higher Education Diploma (Counselling)

Key Facts

Level:
Level 3
Subject Sector:
1.3 Health and Social Care
Credits:
60
Qualification No:
QAAQ004756
Price:
View price list
Age Range:
19+
QAA aim code:
40014824

Qualification Summary

The diploma allows learners to undertake study related to counselling. Learners will have the opportunity to develop skills which will enable progression to a range of degree level programmes including a focus on counselling and psychology topics. Many learners join these types of degrees after following A level study, so the diploma will place the Access to Higher Education learners on a level with those who have followed A level studies.
Learners will complete mandatory units which support an introduction to counselling and psychology, 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 the types of situations when counselling may be used, for example, following trauma or when there has been a bereavement or loss and have the opportunity to investigate specific aspects of psychology.
Ungraded units include units which will support access to higher education whilst supporting study and personal skills.

Why choose this qualification?

This Access to HE Diploma has been fully reviewed and revalidated for the 2024-25 academic year. Updated resources are also available to Gateway Qualifications recognised centres.

The Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma is an academic qualification that is designed to prepare learners for study at degree level. The diploma is designed to give the learner the relevant academic subject knowledge and underpinning study skills required to progress onto a relevant degree programme.

As an Access Validating Agency (AVA), all of our Access to Higher Education (HE) Diplomas are compliant with Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) regulations.

Units

Graded Academic Subject Content Units

Learners must complete 45 credits from the Mandatory Units: Graded Academic Subject Content, Optional Units: Research Graded Academic Subject Content and Optional Units: Graded Academic Subject Content groups.

Mandatory Units: Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must complete 18 credits from the mandatory graded units.

Applying Counselling Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU034900
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Counselling Ethics and Values

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034920
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Counselling Theory and Approaches

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU034922
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Introduction to Counselling

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034992
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Optional Units: Research Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must achieve 6 credits from this group.

Research Skills for Counselling

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU035042
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Social Research Methods for Counselling

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU035104
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Optional Units: Graded Academic Subject Content

Learners must achieve 21 credits from this group.

Applied Psychology

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU034898
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Atypical Development and Abnormal Behaviour

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034906
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Effective and Reflective Practice

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034948
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Mental Health and Counselling

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU035008
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Personal and Professional Relationships

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU035018
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Safeguarding Children, Young People and/or Vulnerable Adults

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034650
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Support Individuals Through Bereavement and Loss

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU035100
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Understand the Impact of Trauma

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU035124
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Understanding the Importance of Physical, Cognitive and Language Development of Young Children

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
6
Unit No:
QU034688
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Valuing Diversity: The Formation of Roles and Attitudes

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU035138
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Ungraded Units

Learners must achieve 15 credits from the Mandatory Units: Ungraded and Optional Units: Ungraded groups.

Mandatory Units: Ungraded

Learners must achieve 3 credits from this group.

Preparation for Higher Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034710
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Optional Units: Ungraded

Learners must achieve 12 credits from this group.

Academic Writing Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034692
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Application of Number - Interpreting and Presenting Information

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034694
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Communication - Speaking and Listening

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034696
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Computer Data Protection

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034700
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Developing Professional Attributes

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034702
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Inclusivity and Disability

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034704
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Mathematics - Calculations

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034706
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Optimising Examination Performance

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034708
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Presentation Skills

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034712
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Presenting Information Using ICT

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034714
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Problem Solving in the Workplace

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034716
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Professional Interpersonal Behaviours

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034718
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Promoting Wellbeing and Building Resilience

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034720
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References and Reliability of Sources

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034722
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Spreadsheets

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034726
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Statistics

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034728
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Study Skills for Higher Education

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034730
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Sustainability Project

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034732
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The Fundamentals of Environmental Sustainability

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034734
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Writing Reports

Level:
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours:
Not available
Credits:
3
Unit No:
QU034736
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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 Higher Education
b) Adults who have gone straight into industry (perhaps following apprenticeship routes) who wish to progress to Higher Education.

How this diploma meets learners' needs

The diploma allows learners to undertake study related to counselling. Learners will have the opportunity to develop skills which will enable progression to a range of degree level programmes including a focus on counselling and psychology topics. Many learners join these types of degrees after following A level study, so the diploma will place the Access to Higher Education learners on a level with those who have followed A level studies.
Learners will complete mandatory units which support an introduction to counselling and psychology, 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 the types of situations when counselling may be used, for example, following trauma or when there has been a bereavement or loss and have the opportunity to investigate specific aspects of psychology.
Ungraded units include units which will support access to higher education whilst supporting study and personal skills.

What this diploma covers

Learners will complete a planned, balanced and coherent programme of study, through which they have been able to acquire subject knowledge and develop academic skills which are relevant to the intended progression route(s). The units include a balance of units which allow the learners to study a broad range of topics 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.

Delivery methods

Delivery methods for the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Counselling) can include:
Face to face
Blended learning
Assessment Methods could include:
Essays, projects, presentations, self-evaluation, academic posters, SWOT analysis, case studies, reports, role plays, reflective accounts, information booklet.

Progression routes

Following successful completion of the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Counselling) learners may progress to the following:

BSc (Hons) Counselling
BA (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy
Foundation Degree in Counselling
Psychology BSC (Hons)
BA (Hons) Social Psychology
BA (Hons) Social Sciences (Psychology)
BA (Hons) Psychosocial Studies
BA (Hons) Sociology with Psychosocial Studies
BA (Hons) Psychology with Counselling

Provider approval criteria

Facilities for students to receive support and guidance on personal and academic support in relation to the subject area.

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

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.

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