Access to HE L3 Diploma (Social Sciences)

Most university admissions tutors will accept the Access to HE Diploma as an entry qualification for Higher Education, but there may be some degrees for which this certificate alone may not be acceptable. The suitability of the course for your ultimate career aim will be discussed at interview.

Progression from this pathway can be on to degree programmes such as Social Care, Criminology & Sociology, Psychology & Counselling, Social Work, Policing Law & Investigation and more.

Please note that whilst your subject tutors and Personal Tutor will make every effort to support your application for a university place, progression onto a specific higher education course cannot be guaranteed. It can be a highly competitive process, and your tutors, together with the college Careers Advisers, will try to give you realistic advice as to your chances of progression. Alternative routes into the career of your choice can be discussed.

One of past students,
David Davies, provided the following case study;
I have just completed my studies at Manchester Metropolitan University and will soon graduate from my course ‘Primary Education with Mathematics with QTS’, having completed the Access Course for Social Science at Stockport College 3 years previously. I am predicted a first-class degree based on my results so far.

I found the Social Sciences Access Diploma prepared me for writing academic assignments to a high standard with excellent support on how to cite and reference. The course also taught me criticality and how to convey this in a concise and academic manner. The tutors really helped me to talk openly about what I understood and what I didn’t…what my opinion was and to hear the opinions and ideas of others both in the classroom and discussed as part of the curriculum content… In truth, however, the biggest benefit I have taken from the Access Diploma is that it has taught me more about myself than I previously could articulate or even knew. It allowed me to appreciate my place in society and what my ethos was, to understand politics and sociological paradigms…all of which were the topic of many assignments and lectures at university. So having had a head start on the Access course was great!

I would recommend an Access course to anyone and would happily tell them that the Access course will put you ahead of your peers once you start university as you will already have significantly more experience of how to plan your time, and how to write a balanced assignment.