What are the entry requirements?

The workload on the Access course is high and as some university courses require you to have GCSEs in English, Maths or Science at grade C or above, you need to have completed these prior to starting your Access course.
If you are planning to progress from Access to a course that requires practical work it is important that you have appropriate work experience before applying to university in the autumn term. It is your responsibility to find out what is required and organise this.

What does this programme involve?

Within this diploma pathway you will study four subjects, one of which is Study Skills, including an Independent Academic Study unit. You will also study Psychology and Sociology and choose one other subject from either Health Studies or Maths.

Note: subjects will run according to demand. We cannot guarantee to offer you your first choice of subject if demand is high; places in classes are allocated in a first come first served basis.

How is the programme taught and assessed?

Each Access subject involves about three hours per week class time, plus about three hours per subject each week for private study, assignments and preparation for examinations.

There will be lectures, class discussions, small group work and individual research and you will be expected to attend all sessions. Some subjects will involve practical work. Your weekly Study Skills session will help you understand how to learn more efficiently and how to produce your work professionally, so that you will be prepared for your course at university. All students are allocated a personal tutor to support them during the course and to advise on applications to higher education.

You will be assessed by a mixture of methods: coursework, projects, examinations, assessed practicals (in Science). Each subject tutor will explain to you in detail the dates of your assessment and what you can do in order to prepare.
If you achieve sufficient credits, throughout the course you will be awarded an Access to HE diploma from LASER. You need 60 in total to pass, 45 of which are graded.

Need any further advice?

The Equality Act