Access to HE Diploma (Social Science) Blended

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 also access remote support during the working week.

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

COURSE MODULES:

Module 1: Reading and Note Making

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand a range of reading strategies
• Understand the use of language in terms of the purpose and context of a range of texts
• Be able to use methods for developing notes from a range of sources

Module 2: Academic Writing Skills

Upon successful completion of this module, 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 module, you will:

• Understand different psychological perspectives
• Understand the differences between alternative psychological perspectives
• Understand the application of psychological perspectives to contemporary issues in psychology

Unit 4: Crime and Society

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand crime and deviance
• Understand crime statistics
• Understand theoretical explanations of crime
• Understand social and cultural patterns of crime and criminality

Unit 5: Developmental Psychology

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand 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
• Understand the application of developmental psychology theories in the real world
• Understand psychological changes that accompany ageing

Unit 6: Family

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

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

Unit 7: Cognitive Psychology

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand theories relating to cognitive psychology
• Understand the contribution of cognitive psychology research to our understand of three of the following:
  • Development
  • Memory
  • Attention
  • Perception
  • Language and thought

Unit 8: Social Inequality

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand the relationship between social differentiation and social inequality

Unit 9: Psychological Disorders and Therapeutic Strategies

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

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

Unit 10: Poverty in Contemporary Britain

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand definitions of poverty
• Understand the historical context of poverty in Britain
• Understand the different methods used to measure poverty
• Understand theoretical explanations of poverty
• Understand explanations about why certain social groups are more likely to experience poverty
• Understand recent policies for tackling poverty in Britain

Unit 11: Biopsychology: Behaviour and the Brain

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand the concept of localisation of function
• Understand the strengths and weaknesses of methods of investigating the relationship between the brain and behaviour
• Understand the interaction between the brain and behaviour

Unit 12: Health and Illness

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand the definitions and approaches to health and illness
• Understand explanations of health inequalities
• Understand the social construction of health and illness
• Understand the relationship between medicine and social control

Unit 13: Social Interaction

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand theories of social influence

Unit 14: Biopsychology: Behaviour and Drugs

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand how neurotransmitters in the brain control behaviour
• Understand the action of drugs on synaptic transmission
• Understand how psychoactive drugs change behaviour
• Understand the role of serotonin antagonists and reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of disorders

Unit 15: Current Issues in Criminology

Upon successful completion of this module, you will:

• Understand and apply key concepts in criminology to two topic areas
• Compare and contrast different approaches to crime issues
• Evaluate the usefulness of different theories of crime for understanding to two topic areas

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

Your UCAS application will cost £28.50.

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 Modules at Pass, Merit or Distinction

Ungraded: 15 are Ungraded Credits in Study Skills.

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.