Access to Higher Education - Computing

You must be aged 19 or over to apply and will need to have English Language and maths GCSE at grade 4 (GCSE Grade C) or above or equivalent Level 2 qualifications. Applicants may be accepted on the Access Diploma with one of these, subject to a successful interview and entry test to show you are working at level 2. You will have to gain the other level 2 during the same year to progress to university. If your first language is not English will need an IELTS score of 5.5 or higher.

You will also need to have good IT skills as all of your assignments will be carried out using either Word, Excel or PowerPoint. You can undertake IT Skills classes at our Learning Centres.

It is very important to research the entry criteria of the universities you would like to apply to. You will need a minimum of GCSE English and maths, in addition to your Access qualification, for entry onto degree-level courses. We currently offer GCSE and Functional Skills part-time courses, which you may be able to enrol on alongside your Access course to gain these qualifications. Many university courses can be very competitive and it’s important to understand and fulfil the entry requirements prior to applying.

During the course you will study the following units:

• Computer Architecture
• Impact of IT Systems on Society
• IT System Security
• Computer Networks and Data Communications
• Operating Systems and Systems Tools
• Data Representation for IT
• Systems Analysis and Design Methodology
• Designing and building an IT software solution
• Designing and Building a Multi-Page Website

Core Units

• Study Skills
• English
• Maths
• Research Project

NB Units are subject to change.

You will develop self confidence in your ability to learn and develop the necessary academic skills such as essay writing and research skills to prepare you for university.

You will be invited to progression events to higher education at college and at local universities.

You will be regularly assessed through written, practical and oral assignments, project work and exams. To enable you to be successful on the course you will need to be able to use IT to produce essays, reports, presentations and statistical data.

You will gain:

• Access to Higher Education Diploma in Computing

This course is designed for progression to higher education and we offer two different university level courses at college, one in Computing & Systems Development and the other in IT Networking & Security. Both of these routes have direct progression to a final top-up year at university. Other routes may be available to you at universities locally and nationally.

You will be required to attend College for two days a week. The proposed times of the College day will 9.15am to 4.45pm. You will also be expected to study for approximately 15 hours a week outside of College some of which will be online learning. You may need to purchase books relating to the course.

Please declare if you have English and maths GCSEs and/or Functional Skills qualifications – this information is required (note: you will need to provide evidence prior to enrolment). Once we’ve processed your application you will be contacted by email.

Pay by instalments

The College offers an instalment plan for Further Education and Higher Education courses to students where the total amount payable at the point of enrolment is £200 or more. Within the scheme there is an ability to pay up to 6 instalments, depending on the length of the courses and the final payment must be paid at least a month before the end of the course.

If you are aged 19 or over, you may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan to help you pay the tuition fees for this course. Alternatively, you can pay by instalments to help make the cost more affordable. Find out more about your payment options here

If you complete one of our Access to Higher Education courses and use an Advanced Learner Loan to pay for your tuition fee, the Student Loans Company will write off the balance on the Advanced Learner Loan if you then go on to complete an undergraduate course.