Level: 3 | Duration: 1 Year | Start Date: September
Online Study: You will need to travel to college for the induction sessions at the start of the course and also any drop-in progress/support meetings throughout the course. They are NOT fully distance learning courses. See below for more information.
Kickstart your ambition of a university degree and a successful career in Psychology with an Access Course at Riverside College:
- Flexible online learning with the added security of face-to-face induction and weekly support sessions when needed
- Take a step towards a career as a Psychologist
- Learn the many factors that influence thoughts, behaviours, and emotions
- A qualification which is equivalent to 3 A-Levels for entry to university
- Midwifery Access course assessed through end-of-unit assignments with no exams!
Studying psychology allows you to explore the mind and understand the different ways people think, behave and feel. You will also look at how things that have happened in your past can influence your future actions, reactions, and relationships. You can study behaviour from childhood to adulthood as well as the methods behind a diagnosis.
The Access to HE (Psychology) Diploma will give you the relevant knowledge needed to study psychology or a related social science at degree level. You will cover many units including:
- Ethical issues in Psychological Research
- Crime and Deviance
- Explanations of the Development of Individual Differences
Entry Requirements
- You will need GCSE English at Grade A-C (9-4) or equivalent (Level 2 Functional Skills) and GCSE Maths at Grade A-C (9-4) or equivalent (Level 2 Functional Skills) - you will need to provide us with written evidence from your chosen Universities that they will accept Functional Skills for your year of entry to University
- Some Universities will only accept GCSEs to meet entry requirements. They will also require you to have additional GCSEs at Grade A-C (4-9) for some courses, including a science for some pathways
- As the course is fully online you must have strong ICT skills to enable you to cope with the demands of the course
- You will also need to have your own laptop
University Entry Criteria: Each university will set its own admission criteria. You will need to check the entry requirements of your chosen university and course.
The specialist Access tutors alongside the ACE/ Careers team at Riverside College can support you with your application to university. You are likely to require:
- A certain number of credits passed with a merit or a distinction grade* (see the Modules tab for the individual modules included in this course)
- GCSE Grade C/4 or above in Maths and English alongside literacy and numeracy assessments provided by the university
- A face-to-face interview at the university
- Course-related work placements or work experience
Course Fees:
Fee: £3,384
You can apply for an ADVANCED LEARNER LOAN; the Loan eligibility does not depend on your income and there are no credit checks. The loan will cover the full cost of your Access Course, this will be written off when you complete your degree – saving you up to £9,000 in fees and not using any of your Student Loans allowance.Assessments:
There are no exams on the Access to HE course, you will be assessed via academic reports, essays, case study analysis, illustrated mind map, illustrated report, worksheet, journal article, portfolio, academic poster, presentation (video and audio recording), revision guide, series of questions, academic writing skills tasks.Why choose Riverside College:
- Flexible online learning for your Access to Higher Education qualifications with the support of weekly face-to-face drop-in support sessions when and if needed*
- Initial face-to-face induction to fully prepare you for your studies
- Up to six hours per week of drop-in support sessions with tutors when needed (Daytime and Evening sessions available)
- Interactive online sessions (Assessed and marked online).
- Access college facilities including the Learning Resource Centre, Study Rooms with PCs and printing, UCAS support, and bursaries
- Streamline your qualification to fit into your spare time giving you the option to complete the Access to Higher Education faster.
- Social groups offering tutor and peer support and encouragement.
- Ofsted Outstanding Access teaching and support teams
- Dedicated specialist Access teachers with over 10 years' experience in successfully supporting adults to progress onto degrees
- Study for FREE, saving up to £9,000 in fees AND you won’t use up any of your Student Loans allowance. See the ADVANCED LEARNER LOAN for more details.
Career
After you successfully complete the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Psychology) you can apply to university to study psychology or a similar social science degree. With a degree in psychology, you could become an:
- Assistant Psychologist
- Domestic Abuse Worker
- Head of Learning and Professional Development
- HR Director
- Lecturer in Policing
- National Crime Agency (NCA) Officer
- Occupational Therapy Support Officer
- Wellbeing Lead
Unit 1: Preparing to Study
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand how study is organised and planned
- Understand how to apply theories of learning in relation to personal approaches to learning
- Understand a range of constraints upon study
- Understand the importance of assessment feedback
Unit 2: Academic Writing Skills
On completion of this unit you will:- Be able to write with relevance in responding to an academic task
- Know how to interpret and discuss ideas and issues in responding to a set, academic writing task
- Be able to summarise for academic purposes, selecting key points, information, or central ideas
Unit 3: Preparing a Written Assignment
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand how to use key information sources
- Understand why sources are acknowledged and referenced
- Understand a range of reading strategies
- Understand note-making methods
- Understand how to plan, draft and produce a written assignment
Unit 4: Introduction to Psychology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the importance of research in psychology
- Understand the main approaches in psychology
- Understand ethical issues in psychological research
Unit 5: Understanding Crime and Deviance
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand explanations of crime and deviance
- Understand theories of crime and deviance
- Understand perceptions of crime and deviance
Unit 6: Developing Child
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the stages of development of children from birth to 18 years
- Understand the stages of cognitive development of children from birth to 18 years
- Understand factors which affect social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development in children from birth to 18 years
Unit 7: Sociology of the Family
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand changes in family structure
- Understand sociological explanations of the family to include Functionalist, feminist, interactionist and postmodern views
Unit 8: Developmental Psychology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the importance of early relationships in child development
- Understand the nature/nurture debate in relation to the development of intelligence, personality or language
Unit 9: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand research in an area of cognitive psychology
- Understand how the findings of research into cognitive processes can be applied to real-life issues
Unit 10: The Brain and Nervous System (Psychology)
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the major subdivisions of the nervous system
- Understand the structure and function of glial cells and neurons
Unit 11: Abnormal Psychology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the difficulties faced by psychologists in the definition and diagnosis of abnormal behaviour
- Understand a psychological disorder
- Understand possible treatments used to treat people with psychological disorders
Unit 12: Psychological Methodology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand research methods used by psychologists
- Understand the principles of research design
- Understand the importance of ethical considerations in psychological research
- Understand what is meant by hypothesis testing and statistical significance
- Understand the purpose of statistical tests in psychology.
Unit 13: The Psychology of Learning
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand what is meant by learning
- Understand what is meant by conditioning and its practical applications
- Understand Social Learning Theory and Observational Learning
Unit 14: Sociology of Education
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the important of education as a socialising agency
- Understand the roles of education in contemporary society
- Understand the sociological explanations of labelling and the use of stereotypes
- Understand the concept of meritocracy
Unit 15: Social Relationships
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand theories of interpersonal relationships
- Understand differing explanations and research evidence relating to the stages of relationships
- Understand the effects of interpersonal relationships on the individual
Unit 16: Forensic Psychology
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand the roles of the Forensic Psychologist
- Understand how psychologists have contributed to jury behaviour and eyewitness memory
- Understand offender profiling
- Be able to apply an offender profiling technique to a case study
Unit 17: Theories of Child Development
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand Piaget’s theory of development
- Understand the major criticisms of Piaget’s work in child development
- Understand alternative theories of development
- Understand how stages of development link to practical situations
Unit 18: Psychobiology of Stress
On completion of this unit you will:- Understand common physiological and psychological responses to stress
- Understand the relationship between stress and illness
- Understand the methods used to reduce stress
Course Features
- Lectures 0
- Quizzes 0
- Duration 10 weeks
- Skill level All levels
- Students 0
- Assessments Yes