Access to Higher Education: Health Professions

Course Code

OSC1465

Offering the academic equivalent of three A Levels, this Access to Higher Education Diploma for Health Professions provides a direct pathway to pursuing your dreams of becoming a nurse, midwife, paramedic, or other health professions. Gain up to 144 UCAS points and open the door to university study, all without the inconvenience of traditional exams.

This course carries the equivalent value of three A levels, providing you with the UCAS points needed to go to university.
The diploma is a full level 3 qualification, which can enhance your chances of landing a job in industries that demand proof of accomplishment at this level.
No need to worry about exams; you will be assessed solely through assignments.
Study a wide range of topics, from human biology to the responsibilities of healthcare professionals and more.
Your first step towards a rewarding career as a nurse, midwife, paramedic, and other health professions.
Receive dedicated tutor support from a subject specialist every step of the way.

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Tailored for aspiring health professionals, this Access to Higher Education Diploma is perfect for individuals with a passion for the sector but undecided on a specific focus. Whether you aspire to be a midwife, paramedic, or nurse, or another health-related profession, the course will give you the foundation knowledge you need to progress into further study to make your career dreams a reality.

You will engage with a diverse curriculum covering essential topics ranging from human biology to safeguarding to the roles and responsibilities of a health care professional. Additionally, you will develop valuable skills in writing, research, and academic study, which will be vital for the completion of this diploma and your future studies at university level.

Please note: As this course is popular, spaces fill up quickly. Ensure you enrol as early as possible to secure your spot for the September 2024 intake.

Course Duration

It will take two years to complete this course with a required independent study commitment of 20 hours per week. You will receive an assessment timetable outlining assignment release and deadline dates.

Course Outcome

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Health Professions.

Entry Requirements

You must be at least 19 years old, and you will also need to have a minimum of a grade C or 4 in GCSE English Language and GCSE Maths. Functional Skills Level 2 Maths and English will also be considered.

Assessment

There are no exams for this Access to Higher Education course. You will be graded solely through your assessments which include, essays, presentations, and reports.

Understand personal learning strengths and weaknesses.
Understand how to plan and organise study.
Be able to assess the reliability of sources of information.
Understand how to use reading strategies.
Understand note-taking methods.
Understand how to plan written work.
Understand how sources are referenced.

Be able to plan a piece of research on an approved subject area.
Be able to collect research material from different sources.
Be able to use data to substantiate an argument.
Be able to record sources of information.
Be able to present research findings.

Understand the changes to the roles and responsibilities of a chosen healthcare professional.
Understand the role of a professional/regulatory body for a healthcare professional, for example HCPC and Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Understand the multidisciplinary approach to healthcare.

Understand the development of legislation guidelines, policies and procedures of safeguarding.
Understand the different categories and indicators of abuse.
Understand policies and procedures in relation to safeguarding in a given work related environment and their use.
Understand how different agencies within a multi-disciplinary team work together to safeguard individuals.
Understand the importance of application accepted Codes of Practice.

Understand the structure of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells.
Understand the functions of cell organelles.
Understand how materials are exchanged across the cell membrane.

Understand the process of external respiration (ventilation) and gas exchange.
Understand the structure and function of the cardiovascular system.
Discuss the homeostatic mechanisms controlling respiration and circulation.

Understand the nutritional requirements of humans.
Know how to identify biochemical molecules in food.
Understand the principles of digestion and absorption in relation to the structure and function of the human gut.

Understand the endocrine system.
Understand the effects of hormones.

Understand and use the four rules of number including in relation to units of measure.
Understand and use decimals, fractions and percentages, including in relation to units of measure.

Understand the structure and function of the nervous system.
Understand the autonomic nervous system.
Understand the effects a disorder can have on the nervous system.

Understand the human urinary system.
Understand the maintenance of water and salt balance.
Understand common diseases of the urinary system.

Understand the function of the human skeletal system.
Understand the function of the human muscular system.
Understand the importance of maintaining the health of the muscular and skeletal systems.

Understand differing definitions of the concepts of health, illness and disability.
Understand the social construction of health and ill health.
Understand competing sociological approached to the concept of mental illness.
Understand alternative approaches to health.
Understand sociological vies on the role of medical professionals.

Understand research methods used in psychology.
Understand different psychological perspectives and their limitations.
Understand the relevance of psychology to everyday life.
Understand ethical issues encountered in the investigation of behaviour.

Understand the characteristics required to be a health professional making reference to the relevant professional and regulatory bodies.
Understand effective communication and teamworking skills.
Know how to manage risk and deal effectively with problems.

Understand the care planning process.
Understand the roles of service users and providers in care planning.
Understand the issues surrounding patient consent.

Entry requirements

You must be at least 19 years old to enrol on this course.
You will need to have a minimum of a grade C or 4 in GCSE English Language and GCSE Maths. Copies of your official certificates will be requested as part of the enrolment process before your place is confirmed. Functional Skills Level 2 Maths and English will also be considered.
You will need to have access to a laptop or computer and the Internet to complete this course.
If there is a particular university course you wish to study after completing this diploma, it is your responsibility to ensure it meets the entry requirements.

Course duration

It will take two years to complete this course. The minimum number of independent study hours you are required to do each week is 20 hours. It is crucial to ensure that you are able to allocate this study time around your other commitments.

Please note, you will be provided with an assessment timetable which will detail your assignment release and deadline dates.

Assessment

This Access to Higher Education course doesn’t include any exams. Your will be assessed through assignments including essays, presentations, and reports.

Your assessments will be distributed on set dates according to the course timetable, with each having a fixed deadline which you must meet.

Unit credits

Your qualification will not be assigned an overall grade. Instead, grading will be based on graded units, with a maximum of 60 credits available to achieve. These grades will correspond to a specific number of UCAS points based on the credit value:

Non-graded units will be graded as ‘achieved’ or ‘unachieved’.
For graded units, you will receive a pass, merit, distinction, or fail.

Find out more about unit credits, and which units are graded and ungraded here.

Study method

You will study this course via distance learning, offering you the flexibility to study whenever and wherever you choose. Whether it’s from the comfort of your home or any other location of your preference, the choice is entirely yours.

However, you must ensure that you submit your assignments by the dates outlined in your assessment timetable. Rest assured, tutor support is readily available via email, so help is only a click away. Additionally, you will have access to video mentoring sessions with your tutor for graded units.

The study method you choose depends on your personal learning style. Your options are:

Study pack: if you choose the study pack option, you will be sent a set of printed course materials.

Study online: if you choose this option, you will be sent your login details to our online portal through which you will access your course materials digitally. You can access your course via a desktop/laptop computer.

Course outcome

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Health Professions. AIM Group serve as an access validating agency for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.

With this Health Professions diploma, you can achieve up to 144 UCAS points depending on the grade you achieve. Find out more about UCAS points here.

Progression

Once you’ve completed the Access to Higher Education Diploma, you’ll have several options to consider. You could continue your education by pursuing bachelor’s degrees, foundation degrees, higher national certificates/diplomas, or even higher degree apprenticeships. Alternatively, the diploma can open doors to employment opportunities in sectors that require evidence of achievement at level 3.

This qualification will also prepare you for progression into higher education subjects including, but not limited to:

Midwifery
Nursing
Health science
Pharmacy
Paramedic science
Radiography
Physiotherapy
Occupational health
Other health-related degrees

Please note, it is strongly suggested you contact your prospective universities before beginning the Access to Higher Education Diploma to confirm their specific entry requirements.

This qualification provides you with a direct progression route to university and will earn you the UCAS points you need to support your university application.

It is the equivalent of three A Levels and successful students may progress on to university to study a degree related to a particular health profession.

You will need to check with your chosen university to ensure that they accept students who have completed an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Health Professions.

Dedicated personal tutor support with email access and mentoring sessions.
Assignment marking and feedback from your personal tutor.
Dedicated learner services from our learner services team.
Assignment marking and feedback.
UCAS application guide.
A free CV critique service and employability guide if you’re focusing on career advancement.
A free Student Discounts membership to save you money on your favourite brands.
A study pack including a pen, study planner, and notebook*.

For more information, see our FAQs.

It's not a problem. We offer a course replacement service, so if you get into trouble and your course pack is lost or damaged, our Student Support Team can provide you with a new set of materials for a one-time additional fee.