Access to HE: Health & Social Care

Are you thinking about changing your career? Not been in education for a while? Do you have a dream that you wish to fulfil?  If so at BLC, we have a fantastic range of diplomas for you to choose from. The course is aimed at mature students that are 19 years or above, that do not currently have relevant Level 3 qualifications to process on to a degree.  The Access course then gives students the skills and qualifications to apply to the university, then progress onto their chosen career path.  If you have not been in education for a long time, we fully understand that you may be lacking in confidence.  However, we have a great team that can guide you through your studies, and to help you gain a place on your chosen undergraduate course. The support you will receive during the course helps to raise your aspirations and provide the foundation needed to further your knowledge and skills.  We make sure that our learning environment will give you the tools to be a success and help you secure that dream career that you aspire to. There is no barrier to learning here at BLC. 

You will cover Biology, Physics OR Chemistry, and study skills. Each of these contain content that will be transferable to your degree. The difference between the physics and chemistry groupings depends on what degree you would like to do. Further information about this can be found in the ‘future careers’ section. In addition, this course will enable you to develop skills that will help you transition to Level 4 study. 

Biology 

• Human Cell Biology  

This unit is designed to give a foundation undertraining of eukaryotic cellular biology. Within this unit we will look at the components of human cell and investigate their structure and function. The unit will give the learner an understanding of the function of many organelles, such as the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and many more besides. We will also investigate the mechanisms of cellular transport and the role the cell membranes play in this process.   

• Biochemistry 

This unit explores the fundamentals of chemistry, starting with the structure of atoms and ions. From there students will begin to look at types of bonding found within biology to form molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. The student will learn to recognise the structure of the biological molecules, relate this structure to their function, and explain the formation and breakdown of polymer molecules within biology.  We will also explore the fascinating world of enzymes, with particular attention paid to evaluating the models of enzyme function and explaining the concept of enzyme activation energy. 

• Genetics  

Students will examine in the core concept the central dogma of molecular biology. Within the unit the learner will explore the importance and function of genetic material including DNA, mRNA, tRNA genes and chromosomes. We will discuss types of cell division and explore the importance of DNA replication. We will Understand the principles of Mendelian genetics and explain the role of multiple alleles in the inheritance. This unit lays the foundations of genetic understanding which future units will build upon.  

• Inherited Disease  

This unit leads directly on from the genetics unit and explores the medical consequences of errors within our genome.  This unit offers the learner some freedom to explore genetic illnesses which are of interest to the student. We will also have exciting guest lectures from senior geneticists who will offer their expertise within the subject.  

• Infectious Disease 

This unit will describe the characteristics of viruses, bacteria and fungi. Students will explore diseases caused by these microorganisms; with a focus on COVID19, TB and HIV.  

We will describe the key methods by which pathogens may be spread and examine treatment options such as vaccinations, Antibiotics, and antiviral drugs.  This unit will also offer an insight into the fasciation world of immunology. We will explore both innate and adaptive immunity, consider antibody formation from both natural and artificial exposure to antigens; and evaluate the effects of mass immunisation programmes.  

• Human Cardiac & Respiratory Systems  

The unit will offer students can understand of the structure and function of the respiratory and cardiac systems. Learners will understand the structure/function of blood and investigate the circulation of blood though blood vessels. The unit will investigate control mechanisms of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This unit will explore the causes, symptoms and treatments of cardiovascular disease, including analysing the statistical relationship between smoking and health. 

• Skeleton & Muscles  

This unit will examine the function of the human skeletal system, including types of bones, types of joints and connective tissues such as tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Learners will be taught the biochemical differences between skeletal muscle, smooth muscle and cardiac muscle; including an introduction to sliding filament theory.  

•  Health Promotion  

This unit is unlike any other. Rather than a purely biological perspective, this unit will look at ‘health’ from a larger, societal, view. We will draw upon aspects of psychology, sociology, law, economics and even politics to examine the health challenges being faced by Brutish society in 2022. Concepts such as health inequality will be explored, with students being encouraged to research the larger picture of health provision within a society.   

• Control & Regulation  

This unit will cover key concepts involved in homoeostasis. Including osmoregulation, blood glucose regulation and temperature control; We will also explore the medical consequences of the loss of control, including diabetes   

• Human Reproduction 

Within this unit, students will examine the structure and function of the male and female reproductive systems and gamete formation. We will explore the role of FSH, LH, oestrogen and progesterone in the regulating the menstrual cycle and describe the events involved in fertilisation. Learners will explore the role of hormones in maintaining pregnancy, initiating birth and lactation; before detaining the events of parturition.  

Physics (Health Science students’ complete physics OR chemistry) 

• Static, Forces, & Newton’s Laws of Motion  

This introductory unit investigates balancing forces acting on an object (including gravitational force), objects moving under external forces, and friction.  

• Waves, Light & Sound  

This unit investigates oscillatory motion (such as mechanical and electromagnetic waves and their frequencies), properties of light and sound, and speed of waves. 

• Electricity  

This unit explores electrical charge and current, resistance and capacitance, and calculating electrical energy consumption and cost.   

• Electromagnetism  

This unit investigates electric and magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction and its use in power generation, and transformers.  

• Nuclear Properties of Material  

This unit explores atomic structure of materials, structure and properties of atoms, radiation and radioactive decay, and nuclear fission/fusion.  

• Medical Physics  

This unit, completed by students as an independent study, explored medical diagnostic techniques (such as X-ray/MRI/ultrasound imaging), the aspects of physics relevant to these techniques, and safety implications. The aspects of physics explored are specifically those from the previous four units.  

Chemistry (Health Science students’ complete physics OR chemistry) 

• Fundamentals of Chemistry  
• Haloalkanes, Alcohols, Aldehydes & Ketones  
• Acids & Bases  
• Reaction Kinetics  
• Bonding, Crystal Structure & Shapes  

Study Skills: 

Study skills provides you with some essential skills necessary to complete your Access Diploma and progress onto undergraduate study and is regarded as increasingly important by degree programme admissions tutors. Study skills is comprised of two units: Progression Skills and English for Academic Study. In your study skills lessons, we aim to provide you with a range of new skills or to give you the opportunity to develop existing skills.  

Level 3 Access to Higher Education Diploma in Health Science  

After completing your access course, you can progress to a degree within the Health Science discipline that matches your study of either Physics or Chemistry. Some examples include: 

• PHYSICS: Diagnostic Radiography – NHS, 2022 
• PHYSICS: Sonographer – National Careers Service, 2022  
• CHEMISTRY: Pharmacist – National Careers Service, 2022 
• CHEMISTRY: Dental Therapy – National Careers Service, 2022 

You will be assessed through a range of different assessments that include essay writing, presentations, writing and academic posters. Assessments are explained within each unit and support is offered to scaffold your progress throughout the course. These are all designed to apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours from sessions (and wider reading/experiences) into areas of interest within education. 

You’ll need to be over 19 years of age. You will have achieved and can provide evidence of GCSE Mathematics at C/4 or above and GCSE English at grade C/4 or above. 

Are you thinking about changing your career? Not been in education for a while? Do you have a dream that you wish to fulfil?  If so at BLC, we have a fantastic range of diplomas for you to choose from. The course is aimed at mature students that are 19 years or above, that do not currently have relevant Level 3 qualifications to process on to a degree.  The Access course then gives students the skills and qualifications to apply to the university, then progress onto their chosen career path.  If you have not been in education for a long time, we fully understand that you may be lacking in confidence.  However, we have a great team that can guide you through your studies, and to help you gain a place on your chosen undergraduate course. The support you will receive during the course helps to raise your aspirations and provide the foundation needed to further your knowledge and skills.  We make sure that our learning environment will give you the tools to be a success and help you secure that dream career that you aspire to. There is no barrier to learning here at BLC. 

Social Policy  

• Roles & Responsibilities of a Social Worker  

What does a Social Worker do? What qualities, skills and values do they have? What attributes must a social worker have, and can the student recognise and identify some of those qualities such as patience, resilience and respect? 

• Professional Communication in Social Work  

How do we communicate? How can we communicate better? Verbal and non-verbal signs (semiotics) play a significant role in interactions. Embedded within are discourses around power and agency. Systems of control are also explored and defined, and students will produce an 8–10-minute presentation describing and exploring their future roles. 

• The Law in Social Work Part 1  

Using a workbook, the student will recognise and understand the processes of how legislation is created, how it is applied, and identify cases where the law has been challenged, such as the Cleveland Case.   

• The Law in Social Work Part 2  

Students will work through three serious case inquiries into historical cases of abuse: Kimberley Carlile, Jasmine Beckford, and Operation Bullfinch. These cases draw questions of how legislation has largely failed to identify and protect children whilst also missing opportunities to learn valuable lessons. 

• Equality & Diversity in Social Work Part 1  

Students work independently to identify a social issue related to the Equality Act 2010. Students produce a report intended to be a deeper evaluation of their social issue and direct the work towards a specific audience.  

• Equality & Diversity in Social Work Part 2  

Students compare and contrast the Human Rights Act with the Equality Act 1998 and present an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the two pieces of legislation. 

Sociology 

• Sociological Theory; An Introduction  

In this introductory, ungraded unit, you will gain an understanding of three very influential theories – Marxism, functionalism and feminism – and how they have tried to explain the nature and purpose of the family. 

• Class & Stratification  

Does social class still matter in the twenty-first century? In this unit, you will explore the nature of inequality and how it affects people’s lives, for example, their level of health and educational achievement. You will continue to build on your theoretical understanding by studying the perspectives of Weber and others.   

• Crime & Deviance  

Why do people sometimes behave in ways that society deems ‘unacceptable’? What happens when they do? In this unit, you will explore a wide range of issues, including media representations of crime, individual experiences and statistical evidence. A number of theoretical explanations will be evaluated. 

• Sociology of Health  

What is health? Is it a biological or a social concept? What do we mean when we talk about our ‘mental health’? What place do medical professionals have in society? These are just some of the questions we discuss in this unit.  

Psychology 

• Research Methods in Psychology  

This introductory unit is the groundwork for psychology. You will learn the various methods into how psychologists’ study human behaviour, such as the traditional laboratory experiment, the discreet observations, and case studies on a range of psychological areas of study. 

• Psychopathology  

This unit explores different approaches in psychology, such as the cognitive, biological, and behavioural approach. It then seeks to explain for the causes of various mental disorders from those viewpoints by considering theories and research evidence. 

• Key Studies in Psychology  

Here you delve into six key studies within the history of Psychology, all fascinating, and some rather gritty with surprising outcomes. This unit will particularly build on the initial research methods unit by delving into key laboratory experiments, observations, and case studies. This unit heavily encourages debate each week as part of preliminary discussions surrounding ethical considerations that may or may not have been adhered to, as well as how findings of the study relate to the real world. 

• Early Social Development  

This unit explores the differing psychological views about social development (attachment) with particular attention being paid to the nature vs nurture debate. Theories of attachment are examined using Bowlby’s theory and Ainsworth and Bell’s research. The long-term impacts of early experiences is the examined. 

• Treatments & Therapies  

You will gain an insight into the differing treatments available for various mental health disorders, from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to Psychosurgery. This unit requires you to choose a mental health disorder of your choice, where you discuss the various treatments and therapies available, thus giving an opportunity for you to delve further into mental health disorders that may have previously piqued your interest. 

Study Skills: 

Study skills provides you with some essential skills necessary to complete your Access Diploma and progress onto undergraduate study and is regarded as increasingly important by degree programme admissions tutors. Study skills is comprised of two units: Progression Skills and English for Academic Study. In your study skills lessons, we aim to provide you with a range of new skills or to give you the opportunity to develop existing skills.  

Level 3 Access to Higher Education Diploma in Social Work 

Students who complete the Access to Social Work course progress onto a wide variety of degree courses: 

• Social Work 
• Child and Wellbeing 
• Social and Community Work. 
• Child and Youth Studies 

You will be assessed through a range of different assessments that include essay writing, presentations, writing and academic posters. Assessments are explained within each unit and support is offered to scaffold your progress throughout the course. These are all designed to apply the knowledge, skills and behaviours from sessions (and wider reading/experiences) into areas of interest within education. 

You’ll need to be over 19 years of age. You will have achieved and can provide evidence of GCSE Mathematics and English at Grade C/4 and above, OR Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Mathematics.