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The Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma is a U.K. qualification which prepares students — usually 19+ — for study as an
The Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma is a U.K. qualification which prepares students — usually 19+ — for study as an undergraduate
Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education, usually in a college or university. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, ...
at university
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
. The diploma is designed for people who would like to study in higher education
Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education.
The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
but who left school
A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...
without attaining a Level 3 qualification, such as A-Levels
The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...
. Once completed, the access diploma is held in the same standing as 3 A-Levels, allowing holders to study for BA degrees, BSc degrees, HNCs, HNDs, LLBs and other undergraduate degrees. A national framework has been in existence since 1989. The Quality Assurance Agency
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (usually referred to simply as the Quality Assurance Agency or QAA) is the United Kingdom higher education sector's independent expert quality body. It has a remit to maintain and enhance the qu ...
(QAA), the Access to HE regulatory body, has been responsible for this framework in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since it was established in 1997.
The first access courses were established in the 1970s. Many of these courses were set up to encourage entry to teacher training by people with a wider range of backgrounds than the traditional types of students who were attracted to teaching. Over the years, the success of these early courses led to the development of courses in other areas. In the 1987 white paper
A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. Since the 199 ...
''Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge'', the government identified Access to HE as 'the third recognised route to higher education', and sought to extend Access to HE provision through a national framework for the recognition of Access to HE courses.
Each year, around 20,000 Access to HE students apply to universities across the UK. There are over 1,000 different courses leading to the Access to HE Diploma and courses are available in most further education colleges
Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is additional education to that received at secondary school that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It ...
in England and Wales. Access courses are generally tailored as pathways; that is, they prepare students with the necessary skills and imbue the appropriate knowledge required for a specific undergraduate career. For example, there are 'access to law', 'access to medicine' and 'access to nursing' pathways that prepare students to study law, medicine and nursing at undergraduate level, respectively.
See also
*Foundation degree
A foundation degree is a combined academic and vocational qualification in higher education in the United Kingdom, equivalent to two-thirds of an honours bachelor's degree. Foundation degrees were introduced by the Department for Education and ...
References
External links
* Educational qualifications in the United Kingdom Higher education in the United Kingdom {{UK-edu-stub