Access to Higher Education Diploma

Do you have a thirst for knowledge and the motivation to succeed? If a lack of relevant qualifications is holding you back, we can support you on your academic journey.

We understand that taking steps towards higher education can be daunting – especially if you’ve had a break from learning. Our flexible Access to Higher Education Diploma is designed for learners who wish to return to the classroom or change their career path but need further academic credit before they can progress to study at degree level.

Did you know?

84% of learners stayed on to complete a degree after completing their Access to Higher Education course

Source: internal UCR survey 2017/18

Courses

Full-time

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Land-Based Studies)

Industry focused

Combining your studies with other work or life commitments can be challenging but helping you to achieve your learning goals is our priority.

Working together, we’ll make sure you are degree ready by offering academic support and developing your study skills, IT skills and self-confidence.

We offer outstanding levels of student support (Outstanding, Ofsted Care Standards 2017), while smaller seminar groups mean you will get plenty of encouragement from your tutors in a mature learning environment.

Flexibility

Enjoy a flexible approach to learning

Our flexible approach means that you can tailor your course to meet your interests with a choice of land-based modules.

The course also offers flexibility in that it runs three days a week to fit in with your work or family-life commitments.

Our Access to Higher Education Diplomas will prepare you for study at university level and this well-respected qualification is recognised by many institutions as an alternative to A Levels.

Working in close partnership with the University of Chester, we make sure that you are ready to progress on to a wide range of degree programmes – either at University Centre Reaseheath or further afield.

If you are over 19 and hold a Level 3 qualification, you could be entitled to an Advanced Learner Loan. If you are under 24 and do not hold a Level 3 qualification, you may be entitled to a ‘fee waiver’. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Student Finance team who will be happy to help you.

If you successfully complete a degree following on from your Access to Higher Education Diploma, and you have taken out an Advanced Learning Loan with Student Finance England, the outstanding balance will be written off.

Facilities

Access our outstanding facilities

As an Access to Higher Education student, a full range of facilities will be available to you including our Higher Education and Professional Development Centre.

This dedicated building has open-access IT suites, classrooms, a dual-screen lecture theatre, tutorial rooms, study rooms and a social area with café.

If your IT skills could do with a reboot, we provide training in dedicated IT suites for all our Access to Higher Education students. Here you will upgrade your IT knowledge and learn how to apply it practically to help you in your academic career and beyond.

Alongside your studies, we like you to make the most of your ‘Reaseheath Experience’. Our Student Association organises a varied programme of activities and there are many student societies on offer.

Access to Higher Education courses are carefully designed with your future in mind. We provide a well balanced approach to learning which allows you to develop the study skills and the confidence needed to progress to higher level study.

Louise GlennAccess to Higher Education Advanced Practitioner

Degree ready

Receive dedicated support

We are here to support you throughout your learning journey. Our team of expert staff are always available to offer any academic support you require and you’ll have access to regular one-to-one sessions with your course manager and other staff from across college.

Move on to further study

Here are just some of the degree routes you may choose to follow after your diploma:

Student success

Joe Cooper

Access to Higher Education 2016

BSc (Hons) Wildlife Conservation and Ecology 2019

MRes Conservation Biology 2020 University of Chester

Access to HE opened new and exciting doors for me. I believed that I couldn’t achieve a degree because I’d been out of education for years but I couldn’t have been more wrong!

I was a head falconer and am passionate about birds, but my Access to HE diploma helped me explore the wider conservation industry. My degree gave me good research and survey skills, particularly through field study trips to Peru and Costa Rica, and I’m keen to take these further.

For my Masters I’m working with BirdLife International and Desert Watch to conserve the endangered houbara bustard in the Canary Islands. I’m excited to see what the future will bring!

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