Course overview
Please note: we have limited spaces available for our January intake, enrol early to avoid disappointment!
If the idea of going into healthcare appeals to you and you want to go on to study at the university level, this Access to HE course will get you on the right track.
Perfect for those looking to go onto nursing, midwifery, or other healthcare, this course is specifically designed with a degree in healthcare as an end goal.
The equivalent of three A-Levels, this access course is a direct progression route into university. The course content is designed to be relevant, covering only what you need to know within healthcare.
Gain knowledge in human biology. Understand diseases and human immunity. Learn relevant maths and discover psychology and psychological issues.
Study method
- Online
- Blended
- In-class

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Duration study load
Your course will run over the duration of two years. You will have a specified amount of time to complete each unit.
The next course intake starts in January 2022.
You can enrol online or with our course advisers at any point in the year however, there are three set official course start dates in January, May, and September when you will receive your course materials and be able to start your study.
Your course will then run for two years from your official start date in either January, May, or September.
Entry requirements
You will need to be over 19 to enrol on this access course.
You will also need to have a minimum of a grade C or 4 in both GCSE Maths and English to be able to enrol on the diploma. Copies of your official certificates from the awarding body must be provided as part of the enrolment process before your place is confirmed.
If you have functional skills level 2 in maths or English, these will be considered but, it will be on a case by case basis.
Once you have enrolled, you will need to complete a short telephone interview to confirm your place on the course. In this interview, we will discuss your university choice and ensure you have checked and understood the requirements.
You will also need to have access to a laptop, computer, or tablet.
If you have a particular university course you are looking to progress onto after, it’s your responsibility to make sure that this access course meets the university course requirements.
Unit Credits
Each unit carries a certain amount of credits at different levels. This information is needed when you make your university choice.
Pathways
Degrees in:
- Nursing
- Midwifery
- Other health-related degrees
Course features
- Dedicated personal tutor support and mentoring sessions
- Dedicated student support
- Assignment marking and feedback
- Guide to UCAS application
- CV writing service
- Employability guide to help you impress future employers
- XO Student Discounts membership
Included in the study pack option:
- Comprehensive study guide
- Open Study College pen and highlighter
- Student study planner
- Student notebook
Assessment
There are no exams for this course. You will only be graded through your assessments. Assessments are a mixture of written assignments including essays, presentations, and reports.
Assessments are handed out at set dates throughout the course with fixed deadlines.
You will be graded across five units. The course is 60 credits in total.
Delivery
Although you have the flexibility of distance learning, you will still have strict assessment deadlines you will need to meet.
You can choose to study by study pack or online, whichever suits you! You will have full tutor support through email and set mentor sessions through audio or video.
Subjects
- 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.
- Characteristics of human cells and tissues.
- Process of gaseous exchange and blood circulation.
- Process of digestion.
- Importance of homeostasis.
- Factors that cause disease and their effect on human physiology.
- Genetic factors and disease.
- Environmental factors in human health.
- Structure and function of the body’s defences.
- Abnormal immune responses.
- Learning styles.
- Exploring your personal development.
- Reflecting on your performance.
- 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 are expressed in standard form.
- Scientific nature of psychology.
- Psychological perspectives.
- Work of prominent psychologists.
- Ethical issues in the scientific investigation of human and/or animal behaviour.
- Fundamental principles of value-based health care.
- Values of care and application in a health setting.
- Values-based health care from a personal and non-personal perspective.
- Professional behaviours in health care.
- Definitions of health.
- Factors influencing concepts of health and illness.
- Epidemiology in relation to health promotion.
- Delivering health promotion.
- Health promotion activity.
About Open Study College
At Open Study College we have helped more than 90,000 students over the last 13 years to enrol on courses that have helped them to achieve their goals.
Offering over 650 courses ranging from childcare to beauty therapy, we have something for everybody. All of our qualifications are independently accredited by established awarding organisations to provide courses such as A-Levels, GCSEs, and CACHE.
We have a fantastic team of expert tutors, knowledgeable and friendly student advisors and a caring student support team. We’re dedicated to supporting our students and pride ourselves on our service and care. We’re also proud to be rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot from over 1,500 reviews.
Family, respect and compassion are just some of the core values our company is built upon. Everyone’s lives are different and we want to ensure that no matter what your situation is, you’re able to get to where you need to. Whether that’s developing your current job, embarking on a brand new career, or fuelling a hobby, we have the course for you.