New Year, New Qualification? Higher education courses for adults at RNN Group
January comes along and we all set resolutions to do more: Be more active, drink more water, save more money, see more places, spend more time with family and friends.
But how about setting the resolution to learn more in 2026?
A new year is the perfect time to look at your career goals, enhance your skills and invest in the future you deserve.
Whether you’re aiming to move up in your career, get back into work, or retrain and learn something new, there’s a higher education course waiting for you at RNN Group.
Our higher education courses are all career-focused, designed to help you get job-ready and work towards skills most in-demand by employers.
With flexible options from short, individual units for CPD to part-time courses and full degree qualifications, there are plenty of interesting, hands-on courses that fit around your existing commitments such as work and families.
And with expert tutors, great facilities and real support every step of the way, there’s never been a better time to learn.
So, here’s how you can make 2026 the year you finally take the plunge into higher education as an adult.
HN Flex
Think you haven’t got the time or energy to do a HE course? Think again. HN Flex is our most flexible option on the higher education pathway where you can build stackable skills in a bite-sized approach to learning.
With HN Flex, you choose certain units from our range of higher national qualifications (such as HNCs and HNDs) that best align with what you specifically need to upskill or enhance your career. That might be leadership and management skills or more modern skills in IT and construction.
By concentrating on one unit at a time, it’s a great way to ease yourself back into learning if you’re returning to education after a long break or you don’t have time to commit to a full-time course.
Plus, because you’re studying per unit rather than the full course, the cost is also bitesize compared to the full HE course fees.
We currently offer HN Flex courses in the following subject areas: business, computing, construction, engineering and health.
Find out more about HN Flex courses here.
HNCs, HNDs and Foundation Degrees
Do you prefer practical learning to academic study? These higher education qualifications are a great way to build real-world skills that are directly relevant to your chosen career in a quicker, more cost-effective way than a traditional undergraduate degree.
They’re level 4 and 5 qualifications, so equivalent to the first or second year of a degree, but are mainly comprised of projects, presentations and practical tasks rather than exams.
They’re a great option for adults who know what industry they want to work in and need a higher education qualification to climb the career ladder.
You can do a HNC or HND on a part-time basis which means you don’t have to give up your current job to complete them.
If you complete the HND or foundation degree, you can usually continue on in education afterwards with top-up courses to achieve a full level 6 degree. So they’re also a good stepping stone for anyone who might want to keep expanding their qualifications in the future.
We currently offer HNCs and HNDs in the following areas: animal management, community coaching, computing, early childhood education, engineering, and esports.
Our foundation degrees include: assistant practitioner in health and social care, games development, graphic design, and learning support.
Learners on these courses have access to some fantastic facilities such as an animal management suite with a range of animals to care for, mock health wards with AI simulated mannequins, an esports suite with F1 simulators, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, and EYFS-style nursery settings.
Find out more about our HNC, HND and foundation degree courses here.
Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs)
You might have heard of HTQs but what actually are they? HTQs are similar to HNCs and HNDs but they are specialist technical courses which have been given a quality mark to indicate they meet employer-set industry standards for job-focused skills.
They’re a good option if you want to retrain in a technical job such as a cyber security specialist or an assistant practitioner within healthcare.
Like HNCs, HNDs and foundation degrees, they combine practical, real-world experience through workshops, simulations or optional work placements. They take either one or two years to complete on a full-time basis, so again they’re a quick and effective way to level up your skills and knowledge.
At RNN Group, we currently offer HTQs as part of the South Yorkshire Institute of Technology (SYIoT). Along with other education providers in the South Yorkshire region, we have worked in partnerships with employers to develop a series of HTQs that best meet our regional employability needs.
Our HTQs include: Data analyst, cyber security technologist, modern methods of construction, assistant practitioner in health and social care.
Find out more about HTQs here.
Higher Level and Degree Apprenticeships
Did you know you can do an apprenticeship as an adult? That’s right. They’re not just for school leavers. Each year, more and more adults are choosing to do a higher level apprenticeship to gain their HE qualifications while still working.
The beauty of an apprenticeship is that you have to be employed by a company who will then fund your course fees – you basically get paid to learn. As an employee, you’re also entitled to all the usual workplace benefits such as annual leave and sick pay.
As a higher level or degree apprentice, you’ll study towards something like a HNC, HND or bachelor’s degree which is usually completed on a day release basis. This means you’ll work on site four days a week and come into university one day a week for lessons, after which you’ll be expected to complete some learning at home in your own time.
Apprenticeships are a great option for people who prefer to learn by doing. You’ll study the theory and the ‘why’ behind your job during lessons and then get chance to put this into practice directly on the shop floor. They’re graded on apprenticeship standards which assess your competency and knowledge during work.
We currently offer higher level apprenticeship standards in engineering, teaching assistants, adult care, and operations/departmental manager. However, we can work with your employer to discuss options over and above this.
Find out more about higher level and degree apprenticeships here.
Bachelor and Master degrees
These are the more traditional options that most people will relate to higher education and university study.
They’re often a more academic-led approach rather than practical learning, with a stronger focus on theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, research and analytical skills.
Degrees are a great option for people who like academic learning, want a broad education, or are aiming for roles requiring a level 6 qualification or above.
Undergraduate degrees (bachelors) take three years to complete on a full-time basis. Then a postgraduate course, such a master’s degree, takes one or two years depending on whether you do it full-time or not.
We currently offer undergraduate degrees in business management, computing, AI and cloud technology, media, moving image and photography, and theatre, acting and performance.
Our master’s degree programme is the MA in education and professional development, aimed at people who are already working in education who want to develop the skills needed to progress into senior leadership roles.
Find out more about our degree courses here.
Professional Qualifications and Diplomas
Do you work in (or want to work in) accounting or education and are looking to gain new skills in a flexible, affordable way?
Our professional qualifications and diplomas are a good opportunity for employees to upskill with the support of their employers. They help you gain recognisable qualifications that will enable you to move up in your career, either into a teaching post or as a chartered accountant.
If you’re seeking chartered ACCA status, we offer the ACCA diploma in accounting and business at level 4 which is delivered on a part-time basis over a year. This is the highest level of the ACCA’s Foundations in Accountancy (FIA) qualifications. You’ll sit three chartered exams in financial accounting, management accounting, and finance and business technology.
If you want to become a teacher and already have an undergraduate degree, you can do the PGCE with us on a full- or part-time basis. As part of the course, you’ll need to do 250 hours of paid or voluntary work experience within an education setting as a teacher or trainer.
If you want to get into teaching but don’t already have a degree, then we also offer the Certificate in Education (CertEd) on both a full and part-time basis. Again, you’ll need to do 250 hours of paid or voluntary work experience within an education setting.
Find out more about our professional courses here.
Advanced Beauty Qualifications
Are you a beautician that’s looking to offer more specialised and advanced treatments? Did you know you could do your training with us?
Our hair and beauty departments in Rotherham and Worksop offer a range of level 4 qualifications aimed at adults who are already trained at level 3 but want to enhance their treatment options.
These include: Dermaplaning, laser and light therapy, skin peels and needling, microblading. Courses start from £250 and most are delivered part-time so you can fit studies in around your existing clients and work commitments.
So whether you’re self-employed or work in a salon or skin clinic, they’re a great way to boost your career and earning potential.
Find out more about our advanced beauty courses here.
Why choose RNN Group?
When you decide to go back into education as an adult, you want to choose an education provider that works for you – right?
Somewhere close to home so you don’t have to pack up and move your life. Somewhere that feels friendly and not overwhelming. Somewhere that offers the support you need, if you need it. And somewhere where you won’t feel so ancient amongst thousands of college leavers.
That place sounds just like us.
We’re an inclusive organisation here at RNN Group with a growing number of adult learners applying each year.
That’s because we’re committed to ensuring learning of all ages grow in confidence, learn new skills and gain the qualifications needed to achieve their career goals.
Not only are our courses really engaging and useful, but our campuses feel like home. We prioritise smaller class sizes with more one-to-one teaching time, so you won’t feel like a small fish in a big pond. They’re easy to get to by bus, car or train and have some great on-site facilities and learning resources.
As we’ve already mentioned, many courses are offered part-time, but even our full-time courses are consolidated into one or two days teaching time so you don’t always have to sacrifice your employment to study.
All our courses are accredited by other Yorkshire universities such as Sheffield Hallam, Huddersfield and Hull, but our course fees are much lower than other universities; a full-time course is up to £7,600 per year compared to the average £9,250.
For part-time courses, fees are around £4,750 a year. Courses such as the ACCA or PGCE are even less than this.
Affording your course fees doesn’t need to be a worry. Adults can still access student loan funding if it’s your first higher education qualification. And you’ll only start repaying your loan once you’re earning over a certain amount. It just comes out of your wages like tax or national insurance does once you hit that threshold.
There are also grants available for childcare costs if you study full-time, as well as an allowance for students with disabilities to pay for things like laptops and materials needed for your course.
If you’d like some careers advice, we have a dedicated adults’ career service with experienced coaches. They can help you update your CV or personal statement, apply for jobs, or help you decide on your career direction.
Then once you’ve finished your studies, there’s a graduation ceremony that takes place each November at the New York Stadium where your proud family and friends can see you don a cap and gown.
Come to our open event
We could go on for days about all the benefits to studying with us. But the best way for you to make your mind up is to pay us a visit and see for yourself just what we have to offer.
This February, we’re holding an open event at our dedicated higher education campus, University Centre Rotherham, where we invite you to have a tour of the campus, meet our tutors, and get a feel for university life.
It will be taking place on Wednesday 11th February between 4.30pm and 6.30pm, so why not book your free place and come see whether we have the right course for you.