Access Unit Accreditation (Partial Diploma)
Access to Higher Education Certificate of Achievement
Who is Unit Accreditation for?
Unit Accreditation leads to a formal nationally-recognised Certificate and can be achieved entirely through distance learning. It is adaptable and flexible so students can study as many or as few Modules as they wish. You don't even need to decide how many at the beginning of the course. Registration with the Awarding Body last for 3 years, so you can build onto a Certificate over a period of time.
Professional Training & Development
- Employers can use Unit Accreditation for Staff Development
- You may be looking to develop your career or go for a promotion
- You may wish to broaden your knowledge and skills
- You may wish to use to to test out whether a particular career change is right for you
Obtaining a university place
Many universities accept an Access Diploma as the only entry requirement. However, as competition for places increases, universities are sometimes asking for other qualifications or specialist knowledge over and above the Access Diploma. This may include:
- GCSEs at Grade C (or equivalents)
- A number of Credits at Level 3 beyond the 45 included in a full Access Diploma
- You may have obtained an Access Diploma from another College but need to add Credits in specialist subject areas (often Biology or Mathematics) to gain a place
- You may have obtained an Access Diploma from another College and now find you also need GCSE equivalences to gain a place
- You may have existing, sometimes high level, qualifications in other subjects but the university requires evidence of recent achievement in subject areas relating to the place for which you are applying
What is Unit Accreditation?
Unit Accreditation does not make up a full Access Diploma but can be used to study a few selected Modules or to gain Additional Credits over and above an Access Diploma you are already studying or have studied in the past.
Unit Accreditation leads to a formal OCNNWR Access Certificate which lists all the Units you have studied.
There are no specific entry requirements.
What can you study?
You can study any combination of the Access Modules from any pathway for Unit Accreditation.
Modules are available from a range of subject areas: Biology & Health, Law, Psychology & Social Science, Social Work, Teaching & Education. There are also generic Modules available in English, IT, Maths, Statistics & Research Methods.
See full details >>> of all the Modules available.
Short Course vs. Unit Accreditation
If you do not specifically need a nationally recognised Certificate from an AVA (Accredited Validating Agency), you can create a short course in exactly the same way as you do with Unit Accreditation.
The work is at the same standard and the tutor service, course materials, internal verification and quality systems are exactly the same. If studying a short course, you will receive a Distance Learning Centre Certificate of Achievement but will not be subject to the same Moderation and Registration costs which are a requirement for Unit Accreditation.
You can leave the decision as to whether to treat your studies as a Short Course or Unit Accreditation until you are nearing completion.
