Students
Students
Access to Higher Education
(Land-Based Studies)
If you want to develop your career by gaining a degree, but lack the formal qualifications which universities usually require, then an OCN SER Access to Higher Education Diploma is ideal for you. Accepted by a range of colleges and universities throughout the country, this qualification will give you the basic knowledge and skills needed for university-level study.
Highly popular, with tens of thousands of students studying Access courses nationally, they provide mature students who may have taken a break from education to look after family with a route back into studying. In addition, they also offer GCSE equivalence schemes for students who do not have these qualifications and require them for entry onto certain degree courses, such as degrees in land-based biology and environmental subjects.
Successful completion of an OCN SER Access Diploma is not only a means of gaining a university place. Many Access students undertake the course to simply improve their skills and self-esteem, whilst gaining a nationally recognised qualification valid in its own right at A-level standard.
Entry requirements
No formal qualifications for this programme are required.
Students must be 19 or over, be willing to learn and have a basic competence in English.
Duration
Full-time students can complete it over one year, studying 14 hours per week over three or four days.
Modules
The course is delivered over one year, from early September until the end of June. You will attend three/four days a week between 10:00am - 3:00pm at the Hadlow Centre and you will study these land-based areas:
Basic biology
Principles of inheritance (genetics)
Animal Management
Animal behaviour
Horticultural principles
Plant biology and nutrient cycling
Basic chemistry
Ecology
How to plan and do a scientific project
How to analyse and present a scientific project
You will also develop other skills such as:
Study skills for effective learning
Using computers for study
Critical thinking - how to analyse evidence and develop and justify an argument
Communication and presentation skills - presenting and writing clearly and effectively
How to read technical books and journals effectively and easily
Planning and organising for future study
You will also be required to gain the equivalent of a Math or English GCSE.
How to apply
Contact the College or come to a course information evening for details. You will be invited to attend an interview to discuss the course with your tutor.