Access to Higher Education Diploma (Law and Business)

About this course

An Access to Higher Education Diploma is a full level 3 qualification designed specifically for adults returning to study who want to go on to university. It is regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency and recognised by universities across the UK.

This diploma covers the legal and business subject knowledge that law and business degrees expect, along with the academic writing and research skills you will need.

Every Access to HE Diploma is 60 credits. Forty five of those are graded level 3 credits covering the academic subject content, and 15 are ungraded credits at level 2 or level 3 covering study skills. You need all 60 to be awarded the diploma.

Who this is for

Access to HE is for adults aged 19 and over who do not already have the qualifications needed for a degree. There is no requirement to hold prior qualifications, though we may ask about your level 2 English and maths, and universities usually expect these for entry onto a degree. We will talk this through with you before you enrol.

How the diploma is structured

The diploma is made up of graded subject units and ungraded study skills units.

Where this can lead

How you are assessed

Assessment is continuous and coursework based, through assignments, essays, presentations and reports set and marked here and quality assured by Gateway Qualifications. There is no final exam for the diploma as a whole. Individual graded units are awarded a pass, merit or distinction. There is no overall grade for the diploma. For UCAS tariff purposes, 45 credits at distinction is worth 144 points, the same as three A grades at A level. Forty five at merit is worth 96 points, and 45 at pass is worth 48 points.

Support while you study

Every learner gets an individual learning plan, an initial assessment of English and maths, and a named tutor. You will have a college email address and access to Microsoft Teams. See our learning support and career support pages for what else is available.