Access to Science – Medical and Health Sciences Pathway.

To study an Access to HE Diploma you must be resident in the UK and have a UK postcode.

You must hold Level 2 qualifications in both English and Maths, or be working towards them alongside studying your Access to Higher Education Diploma.

University Entry Criteria

It must be reiterated that each university will set its own admission criteria. So, you must check with your desired institution if your Access to HE Diploma and other qualifications will be accepted.

In many cases, to get started on healthcare courses at university, you will need:

• A certain number of credits passed with a merit or a distinction grade
• A face-to-face interview at the university
• Literacy and numeracy assessments provided by the university
• Course-related work placements or work experience
• GCSE Grade C/4 or above in Maths and English (or equivalent Level 2 such as Functional Skills/Key Skills, etc.)

It is your responsibility to check that your Access to HE Diploma will be accepted as part of these entry requirements for your chosen degree. Stonebridge will not be held accountable if completing this Access to Higher Education Diploma doesn’t secure you a position with a higher education institution.

Minimum Age Restriction

This course is ideally suited to those who have completed full-time education but have not achieved the grades required to get into university.

Average Completion Timeframe

The average time it takes our learners to complete the course is 9-12 months.

Assessment Requirements

A range of assessment methodologies are used, including: academic report, essay, scenario analysis, illustrated report, presentation (video and audio recording), series of questions, work sheet, academic writing skills tasks

Exams Required

There are no exams included in the assessment of the course.

Membership Required?

No membership is required to enrol on this course.

Additional Requirements

Learners must be actively studying for a minimum of six months before results can be ratified and certificates ordered. The six month period does not start until you have passed unit 2 of your course and you must be submitting assignments regularly (in line with the deadlines in your Individual Learning Plan) to meet this six month requirement. Certificates can only be issued once your course is paid for in full.

Certification Timeframe

You can expect to receive your certificate 12-16 weeks from your final assignment being marked and graded, depending on the time of year. You will be provided with regular updates throughout the certification process so that you are fully informed of your individual timeframes.

All course fees, inclusive of all payment plans including our Premium Credit Limited option, must be settled before certification can be ordered.

*You will have access to the course for 24 months.

Module 1: Academic Writing Skills 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• 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 

Module 2: Reading and Note Making 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• 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 

Module 3: The Structure and Function of Cells 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand cellular structure and organisation 
• Understand cellular activity 
• Understand the cell cycle 

Module 4: Atoms, Bonds and Structure 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand atomic structure 
• Understand bonding, structure and properties 
• Understand intermolecular forces 

Module 5: The Properties and Applications of the Electromagnetic Spectrum 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand electromagnetic waves 
• Understand visible and ultraviolet light including their applications 
• Understand microwaves and infrared light 
• Understand ultraviolet light and infrared light in terms of their potential to become hazardous 
• Understand the use of x-rays in medical settings 

Module 6: Cell Division and Genetics 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand mitosis 
• Understand meiosis 
• Understand genetic variation 

Module 7: Moles, Equations and Acids 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand the mole concept and perform related calculations 
• Understand chemical formulae and equations 
• Understand acids and bases 

Module 8: The Laws of Physics 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand force and motion 
• Understand energy conservation and momentum 
• Understand wave motion 
• Understand reflection and refraction 
• Understand magnetism and electrical current behaviours 

Module 9: Human Musculoskeletal System 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand the human skeleton and how it relates to locomotion 
• Know how muscles contract 
• Understand the development of bone 

Module 10: Chemistry of Drugs and Medicines 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand the key definitions used in medicinal chemistry 
• Understand the significance of the molecular structure of drugs upon their function 
• Understand analytic methods used for drug detection 
• Understand the importance of isomerism in drug action 
• Understand the common processes involved in drug design 

Module 11: Radioactivity in Medicine 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand the nature of radioactive decay 
• Understand the need for safety precautions when handling radioactive isotopes 
• Understand the beneficial uses of radioactive isotopes 

Module 12: Endocrine System 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand terms hormone and endocrine gland 
• Understand homeostasis and feedback mechanisms 
• Understand the action of hormones 

Module 13: Kinetics, Energetics, Equilibria and Acid-Base Equilibria 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand chemical kinetics 
• Understand energetics 
• Understand chemical equilibria 
• Understand acid-base equilibria 

Module 14: Waves and Optics 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand concepts associated with waves 
• Understand wave properties 
• Understand simple optics 
• Be able to illustrate the electromagnetic spectrum 
• Understand the effects of diffraction and two source interference of waves 

Module 15: Infection and Immunity 

Upon successful completion of this module, you will: 

• Understand the contributions of Snow, Semmelweiss, Pasteur, Jenner and Koch to the understanding of infectious disease 
• Understand how the human body responds to infection 
• Understand the cause and transmission of different pathogens 
• Understand how infections can be prevented by vaccination 
• Understand the mechanism of action of antibiotics 

The Access to Science – Medical and Health Sciences Pathway includes several online units containing rich, interactive study materials. At the end of each unit of study, you will need to complete an assignment, which your tutor will then mark and provide you with feedback and a grade to help you progress.

To successfully achieve this Access to HE Diploma you will need 60 credits, which are divided into units. Graded units that are focused on academic subject areas make up 45 credits, while the remaining 15 credits are from ungraded units that aim to improve your academic writing and study skills.

As part of your programme, you will also receive guidance on how to put together your university application as well as the research you need to get the most out of your diploma.

What's included:

• All study materials
• Study guide
• Full tutor and Admin support
• The course fee includes the awarding body registration and certification fee (valued at up to £96)