Designed specifically for adults returning to education, these courses open doors for people seeking a career change or looking to gain an higher-level qualification in their current career.
Whether you’re just thinking about it or ready to apply, read on to find out more about doing an Access to HE course at RNN Group.
What is an Access to HE course?
An Access to Higher Education (HE) diploma is a nationally recognised level 3 qualification. It acts as a stepping stone to university-level study for adults who don’t currently meet the entry requirements due to lack of qualifications.
They’re equivalent to A Levels, NVQs or BTEC national diplomas and take one year to complete if done full-time.
Access to HE courses are widely recognised by universities and are part of the UCAS tariff. This means that, on completion, you’ll have the correct UCAS points needed to apply for a higher education course.
Who are Access to HE courses suitable for?
Access to HE courses are for adults over 19 who want to do a higher education course but don’t already have a level 3 qualification needed to apply for HE.
A lot of Access to HE applicants have been out of education for many years and most never went to college or sixth form after school.
They’re suitable for adults of all ages and backgrounds and there’s no upper age limit.
Access courses are really accessible (the clue is in the name!) and the only entry requirements are GCSEs in English and Maths at level C/4 or above. However, we can support with this if necessary.
You also don’t need to have any previous experience in your chosen industry, so it’s a great option for adults looking to retrain in a new career.
Emma Scully did an Access to HE course in Art and Design at our Rotherham campus to retrain after an injury ended her successful equestrian career. She had wanted to go to university to do a textiles degree but didn’t meet the entry requirements.
Emma says:
Emma Scully
“Horse racing was all I had ever known, so when I couldn’t ride anymore I didn’t know what to do. But while I was recovering I found my old sewing machine and started making patchwork quilts, cushions and curtains and selling them on Facebook.
“When I realised I wanted to pursue textiles more seriously I looked into university courses but I didn’t have enough UCAS points. That’s when I found out about the Access course, which helps you build your skill set and prepare for university and get the necessary UCAS points.
“The tutors were brilliant. I didn’t have an art background but they gave me a chance and were really supportive from the start. I learned so much. It’s not just about making pretty things, it’s about pushing yourself.”
The main reason why people choose to do an Access course is because, like Emma, they want to go to university but don’t have the right qualifications to get there.
An Access to HE course prepares you for this next level of study. You’ll acquire the knowledge, academic skills, and confidence needed to be able to competently complete a higher education course.
Each year, around 20,000 students achieve their Access to HE diplomas and progress to a university-level course. This could be a foundation degree, HNC or HND, a HTQ, or a bachelor’s degree.
However, many employers are looking for candidates who are educated to a higher level. In the next decade, eighty percent of all new jobs will require a HE qualification.
Progressing to a higher education course will significantly increase your employability and earning potential throughout your career.
What Access to HE courses can I study at RNN Group?
Here at RNN Group, we offer access to HE courses in five key industries:
Art and Design
If you’re creative and have dreams of being an artist, illustrator, graphic designer or fashion designer, this Access to HE course is the perfect blank canvas for you to start with. The one-year course, held at our Rotherham campus, will paint a picture of what skills you’ll need to progress to higher education.
After completion, you could stay with us to study the bachelor’s degree in fine and applied art or the foundation degree in graphic design, both of which are offered at University Centre Rotherham.
If you’re technically minded and want to get into the forward-thinking computing and digital industry, this Access to HE course will reboot the process. The one-year course, held at our Rotherham campus, is ideal for people who want to train as a web designer, software engineer, data analyst, or network technician.
After completion, you could stay with us to do the bachelor’s degree in computing and systems development, the foundation degree in games design, or a digital HTQ.
Is it your line of duty to join the police, prison or probation service? Are you considering a career move into criminal or forensic psychology? Arm yourself with the right skills and qualifications with this one-year Access to HE course at our Dearne Valley campus.
After completion, you could stay with us to do the HNC level 4 course in public services which is also run from our Dearne campus.
Does your calling lies in caring for other people? Have you decided to finally pursue that ambition of becoming a midwife, nurse, paramedic or physio? Whether you’re looking to take your first steps towards an NHS career or want to retrain in a caring profession, the Access to HE diploma will help get you there.
This is one of our most popular Access to HE courses. After completing the one-year-course, which is offered at all of our four campuses, you could remain with us to do a foundation degree in assistant practitioner in health and social care.
See yourself as a future science leader? Whether you’re interested in studying biomedical science, marine biology, or forensic science, prepare yourself for an innovative science degree with this Access to HE course.
After completion of this one-year course, which is offered at both the Rotherham campus and University Centre Rotherham, you’ll be able to apply for a science degree at university level.
I haven’t studied since I left school – will I find the Access to HE course hard?
Access to HE course have the same academic demands as an equivalent Level 3 qualification.
However, because they are a fast-track option, usually completed within a year, the speed at which Access courses are delivered can feel daunting, especially if it’s been years since you stepped foot in the classroom.
Our friendly and experienced Access to HE tutors are there to ease you back into learning.
Mature learner, Naomi Hall, completed the Access to HE in Health Science Professions at RNN Group to enable her to progress to a nursing degree. Before joining us, she had limited experience with technology but was grateful for the support offered by our teaching and library teams.
Naomi says:
Naomi Hall – Access to Health Science Professions
“I had not used a computer or laptop before in my life. The fantastic librarians took time to understand my background and helped me in adjusting and adopting to different teaching methods and played a major role in helping me with IT skills.
“Self-evaluation, reflection and time-management were also important in helping me appreciate small but incremental achievements. These skills I have continued to utilise in my undergraduate studies and finished with a Distinction in Master of Medical Science in nursing studies at the University of Sheffield.”
Access to HE courses are flexible, but how you complete it will depend on your individual circumstances.
You can complete the diploma through full-time study in one year. Most Access to HE courses are compiled into a maximum of two days teaching time, plus additional private study time.
There may also be options to study part-time over two or more years, allowing you to fit your studies around any work or family commitments
Do you have to pay to do an Access to HE course?
Access to HE courses are subject to tuition fees of around £3,000 for the year-long course. You can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to help fund this.
If you do go on to complete a HE qualification, the outstanding balance of your Advanced Learner Loan will be written off.
Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also qualify for financial help with things like travel costs, equipment, childcare costs, UCAS application fees and any other associated study costs.
Why should I choose RNN Group?
Being able to study on your doorstep is a major factor for adults considering higher education.
Over three-quarters (77%) of people who do an Access to HE course stay in the local area for their HE course. We offer a seamless transition to HE thanks to our dedicated higher education centre, University Centre Rotherham. Here, we offer a range of HE courses including bachelor and masters degrees, HTQs, and degree apprenticeships.
You’ll also be taught by staff who have excellent industry experience, such as Eve Bellis who teaches on the Access to HE diploma in health science professions.
Eve is a registered nurse who previously worked at Barnsley A&E before deciding to get into teaching. She knows what it’s like to be an adult learner, having started her own nursing qualifications at 21, and is dedicated to inspiring and preparing adult learners for successful careers in health and social care.
Eve says:
“Training for a caring career lends itself to adult learners as they have the life experience that prepares them for the job more than anything else. Adult learners have the motivation to be in college learning the skills they need. You usually find that adult learners make for a more competent and caring health professional.
“I’m really glad that we have these new facilities as it helps us simulate real-life emergency scenarios in a safe and controlled way, giving our learners the confidence to go out onto a ward or other clinical setting and administer high-quality patient care.”
As well as first-rate teaching, you’ll also have access to fantastic personal support from our dedicated careers and student support teams. There will be sessions giving advice and guidance on the UCAS application process and developing a personal statement.
While studying the Access to HE diploma in health science professions, Amana Seyth sought help from our adults career coaches to make that next step to university.
Her teachers supported and encouraged her to apply to five universities of her choice. However, she was unsure if she would be able to do well in the university interview, so her tutor recommended she’d benefit from a discussion with one of the Adult Careers Coaches, Andy Feast.
Andy shared some very useful tips for interviews which Amana used effectively in her interviews. And the outcome was beyond her own expectations – she received offers from all five universities.
