Access to Higher Education Diploma Public Services

Course Code

OSC1427

Enrol on this Access to Higher Education Diploma Public Services qualification and start working towards your dream career! Whether you aspire to work in the emergency services, law, or military this course can help you get on the right track.

Enrol now for September 2023!
Perfect for anyone looking to return to education to pursue their dream career.
Equivalent to three A Levels, allowing you to progress to a relevant degree at university or career path once you’ve completed the course.
Start working towards a career in policing, law, and criminology.
You won’t need to sit any exams to achieve your qualification.
You’ll receive a guide to help you with your UCAS application.
90% of Access to Higher Education graduates were either employed or in further study within six months of completing their course.
Achieve this qualification from the comfort your own home without attending college.

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A route to university without the complications

Please note, we now have places available for our September 2023 intake, enrol early to avoid disappointment!

This Access to Higher Education Diploma Public Services qualification has been designed for those returning to education who dream of a career in law, criminology, or policing. During this two-year long course, you’ll study highly relevant course content that will prepare you for your future studies and career, meaning you can hit the ground running when it comes to taking your next step.

In your first year, you’ll explore topics such as psychology and the sociology of crime and deviance, as well as getting to grips with how to research opportunities at a higher education level, and how to construct your academic writing and referencing.

Your second year of studies will cover an introduction to law enforcement and policing, and an overview of crime including the causes of crime, criminological theories, and the effect of crime on the victim.

What does an Access to Higher Education diploma qualify you for?

As an equivalent to three A Levels and a direct progression route to university, this Access to HE Diploma Public Services qualification is a widely recognised pathway for those looking to change their career. You’ll achieve UCAS points to get you on track for university, and we will also provide you with a guide on how to apply to university via the UCAS system. This course is your first step towards pursuing a career in the police force, law, and criminology to name a few.

You can find out more about our Access to Higher Education Diploma programmes in this guide.

Course Duration

It will take two years to complete this course. Please note, you will be provided with an assessment timetable which will detail your assignment release and deadline dates.

Course Outcome

On successful completion of this course, you will be awarded an Access to Higher Education Diploma in Public Services.

Entry Requirements

You must be at least 19 years old, and you will need to have a minimum of a grade 4 or C in GCSE English Language and at least a grade 3 or E in GCSE Maths. We also accept Functional Skills Level 2 Maths and English. See the ‘Extra info’ section for full entry requirements.

Assessment

Written assignments, including presentations, essays, and reports. See the ‘Extra info’ section for more information.

This Access to Higher Education Public Services Diploma is made up of nine units. Five units will be graded, and four units will be ungraded. The course provides 60 credits in total. The course content will cover the units needed to progress to a variety of public service-related university degrees, covering the key academic skills and subject knowledge students will need to achieve this.

Each unit carries a set number of credits, and this information is required when you make your university choice. Here are the full details on unit credits.

Researching opportunities for progression to HE.
Opportunities available in HE.
Exploring your own aspirations.
Implications of following a HE course.
Importance of work experience.

Key resources and planning your learning.
Extracting key information from credible academic sources.
Academic writing.
Referencing.
Academic integrity.

Scientific nature of psychology.
Psychological perspectives.
Work of prominent psychologists.
Ethical issues in scientific investigation of human and/or animal behaviour.

Deviance and criminal behaviour relating to sociological concepts and theories.
Interpreting and evaluating crime statistics and quantitative evidence.
Assessing the reaction to crime by the media and other social groups.

Learning styles.
Exploring your personal development.
Reflecting on your performance.

Principles of policing in the UK.
The role and responsibilities of law enforcement officers.
The use of digital tools and how they can support the role of leadership and decision-making in modern policing.

Basic operations with whole numbers, integers, fractions, and decimals.
Percentages.
Using numbers in everyday situations.
Metric and imperials systems of units.
Basic rules for indices and numbers expressed in standard form.

Gain an understanding of crime and the causes of crime.
Recognise contemporary criminological theories.
The role of the media in relation to crime.
Discover the historical changes in crime and sentencing and the effect of crime on the victim.

Develop skills in planning and undertaking a research project which investigates a law and/or criminology-related research topic or issue.

Entry requirements

You will need to be over 19 to enrol on this Access to Higher Education course.

You will also need to have a minimum of a grade C or 4 in GCSE English Language and a minimum of a grade E or 3 in GCSE Maths to be able to enrol on this Access to HE diploma. Copies of your official certificates from the awarding body must be provided as part of the enrolment process before your place is confirmed.

Students with Functional Skills Level 2 Maths and English will also be considered.

Once you have enrolled, you will need to complete a short telephone interview to confirm your place on the course. During this interview, we will discuss your university choice and ensure you have checked that you meet and have understood the requirements.

You will need to have access to a laptop, computer, or tablet to complete this course.

If there is a particular university course you would like to study after you have completed this Access to HE Diploma, it is your responsibility to ensure that this course meets your chosen university’s entry requirements for the course.

The minimum number of independent study hours you are required to do each week is 20 hours. It is important that you are able to fit this study time around your other commitments.

Course duration

Your course will run for the duration of two years. Each unit will run for a specified amount of time and assignment deadlines for each unit will be detailed in your student guide when you enrol – you will be provided with your assessment timetable when your course begins.

The next intake for this course begins September 2023. You will need to enrol before August 31st to ensure you receive your course materials on time.

You can enrol online or speak to a course adviser at any time of year. We have two intakes each year, one in January and one in September. Once you have enrolled, we will provide you with access to your course materials when the cohort begins.

Unit credits

Each unit carries a certain amount of credits. This information is required when you make your university choice. Here are the full details on unit credits.

Study method

You will study this course by distance learning, which will enable you to learn when and where you want. You can study from home or any other place that suits you, it is completely up to you. You will receive our tutor support by email, so help is only a click away. You will also have access to video mentoring sessions with your tutor.

The study method you choose depends on your personal learning style. Your options are:

Study pack: if you choose the study pack option, you will be sent a set of printed course materials.
Study online: if you choose this option, you will be sent your login details to our online portal through which you will access your course materials digitally. You can access your course via a desktop/laptop computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Assessment

There are no exams on this Access to Higher Education course. You will be graded solely through your assignments, which will include essays, presentations, and reports.

Your assessments will be handed out on set dates according to the course timetable. Each assessment will have a fixed deadline.

You will be graded across five units, allowing you to achieve 60 credits in total.

Course outcome

Successful students will be awarded their Access to Higher Education Diploma (Public Services) in accordance with the requirements of AIM Group.

AIM Group are an access validating agency for the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.

What next?

Once you have successfully completed your course and received your qualification, there are a number of careers you could pursue:

Policing degree apprenticeship
Law degree
Criminology degree or similar

Social policy degree
Sociology degree
Other public service-related degrees

Please note, you will need to check your chosen university’s entry requirements.

This qualification provides you with a direct progression route to university and will earn you the UCAS points you need to support your university application.

It is the equivalent of three A Levels and successful students may progress on to university and study a relevant degree.

You will need to check with your chosen university to ensure that they accept students who have completed an Access to Higher Education Diploma (Public Services).

Expert personal tutor support with email access and mentoring sessions
Dedicated learner services from our learner services team
Assignment marking and feedback
UCAS application guide
FREE CV critique service and employability guide to help you impress future employers
FREE XO Student Discounts membership
*Exclusive Open Study College study pack including pen, highlighter, and notebook

*Not included with the online study option.

Yes, this is an official Access to HE Diploma (Public Services) qualification, accredited by AIM Group. This course is an alternative route to higher education and is widely recognised and accepted by universities in the UK.

It's not a problem. We offer a course replacement service, so if you get into trouble and your course pack is lost or damaged, our Student Support Team can provide you with a new set of materials for a one-time additional fee.