Access to HE Diploma (Counselling)

When & Where

8 January 2024 - 15 July 2024 ( 448.5 hours, 23 weeks )
North Kensington Centre

Quick Facts

Availability Yes
Course Code K23HSSB02A
Suitable For 19 year olds and up are permitted on this course

What you will learn

The Access to Higher Education Diploma is a Level 3 qualification which prepares people without traditional qualifications for study at university. They are qualifications that give you the relevant academic subject knowledge needed for higher education study and the opportunity to develop study skills to help you to succeed. Normally, the course is delivered over a full academic year (September – July). However, we have designed a special “fast track” version of the course which can be completed in just 20 weeks and apply for university or college courses starting as early as September 2022 (although you will need to apply either as a late applicant in the Spring or through Clearing, which opens in July). Our Careers Advisors will support you with this process. The qualification is well established and widely accepted by universities, qualifying for UCAS tariff points that are comparable to the tariff points for three A-Levels. The number of Tariff points for the Access to HE Diploma varies between 48 and 144 points, dependent on your grade profile. The Access to HE Diploma (Counselling and psychology) will provide you with foundation knowledge of the social sciences with a strong emphasis on counselling and psychology. The course offers an equal balance of theory and practice and includes compelling units such as: contemporary approaches in counselling, Stress and wellbeing, contexts in counselling, counselling skills in Practice, crime, poverty and families and households. You will also learn generic study skills relevant to studying science, including undertaking effective research, collecting and analysing scientific data and writing experiment reports and essays.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Study Skills: Academic essay writing, Critical Thinking, Researching and understanding opportunities for HE report writing, examination skills and more
Counselling: Contemporary approaches in counselling, Counselling skills in Practice, and Contexts in Counselling
Sociology: Crime, Poverty, Families, Households and Personal Relations
Psychology: Introduction to psychology, Psychological abnormality, Developmental and social psychology, Research Methods and independent research Project
Develop your study skills and employability skills alongside a range of specialist skills including: Practical skills, Analytical, evaluative skills and IT skills

On successful completion of the course, you will achieve the following qualification: Access to HE Diploma (Counselling) [OCNLR]

Class format and activities

The course is delivered both online via MS Teams and in-person at our North Kensington Centre. You will need to attend college for one day per term and additionally attend online sessions on another day as well as one evening each week. Excellent attendance is essential. Due to the intensive nature of the course, you will also need to plan to work independently for at least another day each week. The Diploma is made up of units that amount to 60 credits at Level 3. The 60 credits include 45 credits in graded units and 15 credits in ungraded study skills. You will be taught in a variety of ways including lectures, workshops, seminars, self-directed study, research exercises, group-learning and work-based activity and tutorials. Morley also reinforces teaching through the use of e-learning that enables you to learn interactively using the internet, with self-tests and quizzes as well as online lecture notes being made available. Assessment includes assignments, exams, presentations and observation of practical teaching. Each unit studied will use one or more of these assessment methods. In order to ensure that you make the best possible progress on your course, you will have regular feedback from your tutor, in a constructive and supportive environment.

Entry requirements

You must be aged 19 or over and have GCSE English and Maths at Grade A-C / 4-9. At interview, you will need to demonstrate an understanding of the commitment required to complete the course over a shortened period of time. Excellent attendance and punctuality will be required to complete the course successfully. It is therefore essential that you think about how you are going to balance work, family and social life with your studies. Applicants are expected to show a high degree of verbal and written communication skills. If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5/7, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

What you need to know before you enrol

Once you have applied for the course, you will be invited for an interview. Enrolment is dependent on you being able to finance your studies, therefore if you are applying for an Advanced Learner Loan it is essential that you apply as soon as you receive your offer. The course launches in mid-February and will run until mid-July. You should have researched which university will offer the degree you are interested in. You will have to ensure that you meet the entry requirements of the university you are interested in. Kindly note that you will have missed the UCAS deadline for application and so will need to apply either as a late applicant in the Spring or through Clearing, which opens in July. Some universities also offer an April intake.

What you need

You should arrive to your lessons prepared to learn with pens, pencils and a writing pad. All other resources and materials you need will be provided. For online sessions via MS Teams, you will need a computer with microphone and camera capabilities, internet access and a quiet place to work from.

What you can do next

Upon successful completion of the year, you will be able to progress on to a university degree course. Learners who complete an Access to HE Diploma in Counselling and Psychology go on to study for degrees in subjects such as: Psychology, Psychology with counselling, Counselling and Psychotherapy, Education with psychology, Sociology, Criminology, Psychology with Professional Development or such other similar subjects.