ADULT LEARNING SCIENCE Level 3 Diploma

Level 3
Further Education
Newry Campus
Ulster University

Overview

The overall aim of the Access Diploma in Adult Learning is to provide a sufficiently broad education for adults who have few or no appropriate qualifications to enter Higher Education. It is a unique programme that provides a ‘second chance’ route into Higher Education for those who have missed out on earlier opportunities and allows students to build upon their life experiences.

For the purpose of admission to higher education, successful completion of the full Access Diploma is accepted by both Universities in NI (QUB and Ulster University) as meeting the General Entrance Requirement for GCSE Mathematics and English Language at grade C and meets the level 3 tariffs that will satisfy entry requirements to many Higher Education programmes. However, it should be noted that an Access Diploma is not equivalent of GCSE Mathematics or English Language and employers or other academic institutions outside NI may not accept this qualification as equivalent to GCSEs and A-Levels.

An exit award of Certificate in Adult Learning is also available on successful completion of 60 credit points at Level 2.

The primary aims of the exit award are to:

Provide encouragement to adult learners through a well-structured and supportive programme.
Give students experience of different methods that may be used to develop and assess their learning.

Applicants must be at least 19 years of age on the date of entry to the programme and have no recent formal education experience within the last 2 years.

Applicants must provide evidence of a basic competence in written and oral communication in English and numeracy skills.

Applicants must demonstrate motivation for and ability to cope with the academic demands of the programme and are considered on their individual merit.

Attendance at Individual or Group Entry Pre- Advice Sessions (IPEAS and GPEAS) may be required. These interviews may take place either on campus, via telephone or video call (Microsoft Teams) and will play an important role in the selection of all courses.

Modules include:

Accessing Mathematics
Accessing Communications
Study and Digital Skills
Biology
Chemistry
Organic and Biomedical Science
Level 3 Mathematics

Assessment will be by coursework and exam, depending on module. Formative feedback is also provided to support understanding and successful completion.

This course equips learners with the necessary academic skills to succeed as undergraduates in most higher education settings. Students may progress into higher education courses, including biomedical sciences, chemical science and engineering.

Please note some courses may have specific entrance requirements so you must check the prospectus of your desired destination course to ensure that you understand what is needed.