Access to Higher Education Diploma (Social Science)

Diplomas are offered to mature students over the age of nineteen. The intention of the course is that students will achieve a place on an undergraduate degree. This is a one-year Level 3 course taught over thirty-five weeks that prepares students for the rigours of level 4 study and beyond.

Most students do not have relevant Level 3 qualifications such as A-Levels or BTECs, so our Access course (which is regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency) gives students a ‘second chance’. We fully understand that many individuals who are returning to study after a length of time, may be low in academic confidence, but we have an enthusiastic and dedicated team to make sure that our students have the tools to successfully complete the course.

This gives students an excellent foundation in the knowledge and skills that successful applicants will need to pass the Access course. Most Access courses are taught in a college, but students can study with us in a university setting. 

Please check our entry requirements to see if you meet the criteria to start with us in September. If you are lacking in level 2 qualifications, we also offer a Level 2 English and Maths course. This allows students to prepare for the Access course by taking English and Maths qualifications alongside other modules to give you an insight to Level 3 study.

Book your place at our next Access information event

You will cover psychology, sociology, educational psychology and study skills modules. Each of these contain content that will be transferable to your degree.

In addition, it will enable you to develop skills that will help you transition into level 4 undergraduate study.

• Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Sociology

Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.

A diverse range of teaching and learning activities are used across each subject. Sessions are interactive and work to include student participation and student-led tasks. You will learn differently in each taught session; some sessions utilise group-work, others will focus on independent research and investigation. Scheduled teaching hours are led by your tutor who designs the learning accordingly to the group profile and therefore you will be exposed to a vast range of practises – this also helps demonstrate the techniques/strategies reviewed within the subjects.

Wider enrichment takes place to supplement learning across the academic year. There are opportunities where guest speakers attend to deliver short talks from settings. You will also have access to the University of Derby’s library and on-site facilities for Further Education students.

How you are assessed 

You will be assessed through a range of different assessments that include essay writing, presentations, writing and academic posters. Assessments are explained within each unit and support is offered to scaffold your progress throughout the course. These are all designed to apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours from sessions (and wider reading/experiences) into areas of interest within education.

• Social Worker
• Youth Worker
• Social Researcher

Studying an Education or Teaching degree can allow you to pursue a range of related careers, such as:

• Early Years Teacher
• Primary School Teacher
• Secondary School Teacher
• Further Education Lecturer
• Special Educational Needs Teacher
• English as a Foreign Language Teacher
• Learning Mentor
• Play Therapist
• Youth Worker
• Community Education

It is a popular route for graduates who do not pursue a course with in-built Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to then complete a QTS or equivalent postgraduate qualification for roles that require this after completing an undergraduate degree. 

An Access to Higher Education course will prepare you to pursue a degree related to Education in many fields, from Primary Education (with QTS) to Education Studies.

Our Information and Progression Officer can assist students with applications and the UCAS process. Careers Guidance is also available for students on the course. 

You will need to be 19 years of age or above on 31 August 2025. Ideally, you will have achieved Mathematics and English GCSEs at grade A-C/9-4 or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths but if you have grade D/3 or Functional Skills Level 2 in one of the subjects, you could study one GCSE alongside the Access course.

For BEd, GCSE English 4/C is required, GCSE Science recommended, and GCSE Maths could be taken alongside if Functional Skills level 2 or GCSE 3/D previously achieved. 

Additional information about your studies

The start date for this course is 8 September 2025.

Teaching hours

Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.

Course updates

The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.

If you are thinking about transferring onto this course (into the second year for example), you should contact the programme leader for the relevant course information as modules may vary from those shown on this page.

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