This Distance Learning course is accredited by the Skills and Education Group (SEG).

The Access to Higher Education Diploma in Social Work is a Level 3 qualification designed to equip you with the credentials needed to progress to university-level study in Social Work. Equivalent to three A-Levels, it is tailored for individuals who left school without the necessary qualifications or those returning to education after an extended break.

Throughout the course, you will develop essential academic skills, including note-taking, essay writing, research techniques, time management, exam preparation, and oral presentation delivery, ensuring you are well-prepared for university-level study.

The program is structured to provide you with the knowledge and skills necessary for building a strong foundation in Social Work. It focuses on developing your understanding and competence in critical areas such as Social Care Provisions, Poverty in Contemporary Britain, Responding to Prejudice and Discrimination, and Cognitive and Developmental Psychology.

You will also explore key principles, including Family, Social Inequality, the Welfare State, and Psychology, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the role and responsibilities of a Social Worker.

By the end of the course, you will have a clear understanding of the areas of Social Work that interest you most, enabling you to make an informed decision about your future degree and career path.

This Access to HE Diploma can be started at any point throughout the year, and takes approximately 9-12 months to complete; this means it does not necessarily follow the standard academic year. If you start the course later than September, it is unlikely you will meet the January UCAS deadline to start at university that September.

You will need:

• GCSE grade 4 or above for both English and maths
  or
• A relevant Level 2 qualification and Functional Skills in English and maths at Level 2*

You will also have an online assessment and interview with our course tutors before completing your enrolment, so we can ensure the course is right for you.

*Some universities do not accept Functional Skills and require GCSEs - please check the entry requirements of your chosen course and universities to ensure you will be eligible to apply.

The assessment process for this course is ongoing and designed to evaluate your progress throughout the year. It includes a combination of:

• Assignments
• Tests
• Exams

Each unit of the course is modular, promoting manageable, bite-sized learning. Every unit consists of smaller components called Assessment Criteria. At the end of each unit, you will complete an assignment, which is reviewed by your personal tutor. Your tutor will provide constructive feedback, highlighting strengths and offering guidance on areas for improvement to help you surpass your expectations.

All assessments are designed by your tutors and externally moderated by SEGA to maintain quality and fairness.

After completing your Access to HE course, you will be able to:

• Apply for a social work-related degree at university*
• Progress to employment in a large range of sectors in society.

*Please check the entry requirements of your chosen course and universities to ensure you will be eligible to apply, as these can vary between institutions, even for similar courses.

Topics you will study include:

Academic Writing Skills:
- 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

Reading and Note Making:
- 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

Perspectives in Psychology:
- Understand different psychological perspectives
- Understand the differences between alternative psychological perspectives
- Understand the application of psychological perspectives to contemporary issues in psychology

Crime and Society:
- Understand crime and deviance
- Understand crime statistics
- Understand theoretical explanations of crime
- Understand social and cultural patterns of crime and criminality

Developmental Psychology:
- 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

Family:
- 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

The Role and Responsibilities of a Social Worker:
- Understand the influence of feminism on the study of the family
- Understand social work values and principles
- Understand the range of employment opportunities available for a Social worker
- Understand the importance of current legislation for the Social Worker and social work
- Understand a range of client groups and the services available to them

Cognitive Psychology:
- Understand a range of client groups and the services available to them
- Understand the contribution of cognitive psychology research to our understanding of three of the following:

(a) development
(b) memory
(c) attention
(d) perception
(e) language and thought

Understanding the​ Welfare State:
- Understand the historical development of the British Welfare State
- Understand the main welfare services available in contemporary British society
- Understand the differing ideologies of welfare
- Understand a current contemporary issue in welfare provision

Biopsychology: Behaviour and the Brain
- 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

Social Care Provisions:
- Understand the adult and child social work provisions in the UK
- Understand the contributions of the voluntary and private sector in the provision of care
- Understand the differing welfare needs of groups of people

Poverty in Contemporary Britain:
- 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

Biopsychology: Behaviour and Drugs:
- 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

Social Inequality:
- Understand the relationship between social differentiation and social inequality
- Understand the main theoretical perspectives on social inequality
- Understand how class, gender and ethnicity influence the opportunities available to people

Responding to Prejudice and Discrimination:
- Understand theories for prejudice and discrimination
- Understand legal responses to discrimination and prejudice
- Understand community initiatives in overcoming discrimination and prejudice

In addition to the qualification units, you will also be required to complete short introductory tasks at the start of your course to support the development of your academic study skills.