Access to HE Diploma (Social Science)

Blended course – You will have the opportunity to come into college for ‘drop-in’ support sessions with your specialist tutor who can provide guidance and support with your assignments and access remote support during the working week.

Your study materials, resources, textbooks and assignments are provided and supported using the Moodle platform, with ongoing support from the experienced and subject specialist Access to HE curriculum team.

COURSE UNITS:

Unit 1: Researching and Understanding Opportunities in Higher Education

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

· Understand the range of opportunities available in Higher Education.

· Understand the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a particular Higher Education

opportunity.

· Be able to action plan for the development of career related abilities and skills.

· Understand the importance of broader life experiences and transferable skills in relation to

progression to Higher Education.

Unit 2: Academic Writing Skills

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will: ·

• Be able to structure a written response
• Be able to develop a structured response to a plan
• Be able to present the response appropriately for audience and purpose
• Understand how to apply academic writing principles to own work

Unit 3: Perspectives in Psychology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand different psychological perspectives
• Understand the differences between alternative psychological perspectives
• Be able to apply psychological perspectives to contemporary issues in psychology

Unit 4: Crime and Society

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand crime and deviance
• Understand crime statistics
• Be able to evaluate theoretical explanations of crime
• Know social and cultural patterns of crime and criminality

Unit 5: Theoretical Approaches to Criminology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand theories of crime
• Analyse the similarities and differences between theories of crime
• Evaluate the usefulness of theories of crime
• Understand the importance of biological, psychological and sociological influences on crime

Unit 6: Biopsychology: Behaviour and the Brain

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the concept of localisation of function
• Be able to evaluate methods of investigating the relationship between the brain and behaviour
• Understand the interaction between the brain and behaviour

Unit 7: Biopsychology: Behaviour and Drugs

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Know how neurotransmitters in the brain control behaviour.
• Understand the effects of psychoactive drugs on behaviour
• Be able to evaluate the role of drugs in the treatment of psychological disorders, patterns of crime and criminality

Unit 8: Cognitive Psychology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand theories relating to cognitive psychology
• Be able to evaluate the contribution of cognitive psychology research to our understanding of various cognitive processes
• Be able to apply cognitive psychology theories to real-world situations.

Unit 9: Psychological Disorders and Therapeutic Strategies

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand theoretical explanations for a psychological disorder
• Know the theoretical basis for different therapeutic strategies used in the treatment of psychological disorders
• Be able to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments for psychological disorders

Unit 10: Developmental Psychology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to evaluate the nature/ nurture debate in developmental psychology
• Understand early socialisation and the formation of attachment
• Understand cognitive development and the ways in which children process and use information
• Know the application of developmental psychology theories in the real world.
• Understand psychological changes that accompany ageing

Unit 11: Family Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the relationship between the family and the wider society
• Understand role relationships within the family
• Be able to evaluate the influence of feminism on the study of the family

Unit 12: Values, Diversity and Rights

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the concepts of prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination
• Understand the effects of discrimination on the individual
• Understand the current legislation which protects the rights of the individual

Unit 13: The Welfare State

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the historical background to the foundation of the welfare state
• Understand the main welfare services available in contemporary British society
• Understand the differing ideologies of welfare

Unit 14: Social Inequality Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the relationship between social differentiation and social inequality
• Understand the main theoretical perspectives on social inequality
• Be able to analyse and evaluate how class, gender and ethnicity influence opportunities available to people.

Unit 15: Poverty in Contemporary Britain

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to evaluate definitions and theoretical explanations of poverty.
• Understand the historical context and changes in poverty in Britain.
• Be able to evaluate recent policies for tackling poverty in Britain

Learning is assessed in a variety of methods to prepare you to study at university. These may include essays, report writing, online assessment, and presentations.

You must achieve 60 credits at Level 3 to be awarded the Access to HE Diploma:

Graded - 45 are Graded Credits in Academic Units at Pass, Merit or Distinction

Ungraded: 15 are Ungraded Credits in Study Skills.

Are there any additional costs the student be made aware of?

Your UCAS application for university entry will cost £28.50

You will be able to progress to university for an undergraduate degree or degree apprenticeship if you meet the entry requirements of your specific undergraduate course.

You will apply through UCAS – more details can be found via this website - https://www.ucas.com/

Learners who complete this qualification can progress to university for an Undergraduate Degree or Degree Apprenticeships.

What are the career routes for this course?

Psychology, Psychology with Counselling, Sociology, Social Policy, Social Sciences, Probation Service, Youth

and Family Work, Family Support Worker, Criminology, Policing, Social Work, Law.

On successful completion of the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Psychology), you will receive a Skills

& Education Group Access, QAA recognised, Access to Higher Education Diploma at Level 3 with 60

credits.

As part of your programme, you will also receive help as well as guidance on your university application

and the research you need to do to get the most out of your diploma.

Awarding body

Skills & Education Group Access - An Access Validating Agency with a strong social purpose to recognise achievement, particularly for those who have benefited least from their previous educational experiences, Skills and Education Group Access supports the needs of learners, providers, businesses and communities by enabling progression into higher education.