Access to Higher Education Social Care Professionals

Summary: 

The Access to Social Care Professionals programme is a highly specialised and demanding programme for those wishing to work in the field of social work or social care. This course offers a Level 3 qualification as an alternative to A levels for mature students who wish to return to education. It is a more specialised version of the Access to Humanities and Social Sciences programme.

Course Content

As this is a specific pathway which allows for progression onto a range of social care degrees including BA (Hons) in Social Work it is highly prescriptive. It includes modules in Psychology, Sociology and Social Care all of which are compulsory. You will also study units in Study Skills and have the opportunity to study one subject in depth in an independant dissertation.
Our Access courses are validated by CAVA and are widely recognised as acceptable qualifications for most Social Work degrees and other Higher Education programmes both in Norwich and elsewhere. Whilst we can give no guarantee of acceptance on to a degree course you will gain a first class preparation for degree level study on a course that has a proven track record of success for its former students. If, during the course, your career aspirations turn away from Social Care this course will enable you to progress to other degree programmes.

Course Length: 
One year
Course Schedule: 
The course runs over four days a week and has child friendly hours.
Entry Requirements: 

There are no formal entry qualifications but you do need a good level of numeracy and literacy. Selection is by interview to discuss your suitability for the course and whether the course is right for you. As part of this process you will do a short on line exercise and a piece of writing to check you are at the right academic level to start the course. Advice can be given about alternative ways forward if necessary.
For acceptance on the Access programme you will need to convince us that you have the determination to succeed and will be able to cope with the work. It should be appreciated that, although there are no formal entry reqirements the course is as rigorous and demanding as an A-Level course in preparing students for higher education.
You will also be expected to have done, or be involved in, some form of paid or voluntary employment relevant to Social Care. This is because it is unlikely that you will progress to a Social care degree without this type of experience. You also need to be aware that many HE institutions require you have GCSE maths grade C or above. Whilst on the course you will sit the Level 2 Certificate in Adult Numeracy. Some HE institutions accept these from mature students instead of GCSE maths and English.

Core Skills: 

The course is classroom based but lecturers use a variety of teaching methods to prepare students for degree level study.
During the programme you will cover Psychology , Sociology and Social Care. You will also complete a compulsory study skills module and a research essay.

Assessment: 

Main subjects cover 3 or 4 units each of which is assessed. When you successfully complete each assignment you will gain 3 or 6 credits towards your final qualification. Assessment techniques range from formal essay writing to examinations.
To gain a CAVA access cerificate you need to achieve 60 credits, 45 of which have to be at Level 3.

Academic Progression: 

The majority of Access to Social Care students progress to degree programmes either at CCN or at UEA though some students move out of the area to continue their education. The CAVA Access qualification is widely recognised by Higher Education institutions.

Career Progression: 

Whilst the course is designed as a pathway into social care and social work it also facilitates entry into a wide variety of degree course and career pathways.

Full Description: 

Psychology
Psychology is concerned with the scientific study of human behaviour and experience. The psychology units will provide you with a thorough grounding in the different methods and perspectives adopted by psychologists. The course begins with an introduction to the nature of psychology, its relevance to every day life and ethical issues. The theme of 'the individual in society' links the topics that are studied through the rest of the course. Topics are mainly drawn from cognitive psychology, social psychology and individual differences. With help and guidance from staff you will be required to complete a number of assessments including writing a report based on empirical research.

Sociology
This module focuses upon debates and issues concerning contemporary global society. The central theme of society's inequalities in wealth, power and control between individuals and social groups and institutions runs through the course. This is introduced in Unit 1 through an exploration of classic and contemporary sociological theoryapplied to social change. As society has 'evolved' the theory used to study it has also evolved. This unit explores social change, the effect these have on institutions and the freedom the individual has in society within these institutions. Issues debated include: Has society moved from the modern to the post-modern? Is there such a thing as 'society' anymore? What impact has globalisation had on how we construct our views and values?

Social inequalities are investigated in Unit 2 through the introduction of stratification theory. Poverty and unemployment within the UK will be investigated using social theory and applied to gender and age. Theories surrounding prejudice can be investigated around the concepts of race, gender and disability and inequalities, looking at the role of ideology and policy. Finally, theories of global inequality can be investigated and applied to contemporary issues. Students will choose a topic of their interest from the social area and investigate and apply theories inequality.

An understanding of methods employed by sociologists to create their data and construct their theories about society will form the basis of Unit 3 and 4. During these units students will become familiar with the theory and practical application of research methods and participate in their own sociological research project. Topic areas and ethical considerations will be debated. Contemporary issues surrounding social change and inequality will form the core of the research project. Students have a broad social arena to choose from, ranging from investigations into 'classical' inequalities in education; are girls doing better than boys? to contemporary investigations into the 'post-modern' concerns of identity and cyberspace. Is your Face Book profile a true representation of yourself?

Social Care
These units provide an introduction relevant to those who wish to pursue a career in social work or associated professions. The course begins with an overview of social policy which is the framework in which social care services and social work practice operates. Further units explore issues that impact on the lives of social work clients and social care service users. These include poverty and social exclusion and the effects of inequalities and discrimination. The final unit considers the skills and values necessary to work with service users in the context of both social work and social care.

Please contact the Advice Shop for details of costs and start dates.

Please note that although the information given is believed to be correct at the time of publication, course information, costs and attendance details may change.

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