Nursing Degree (Care): SWAP Access
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Course overview
Take the first step towards a meaningful career in care or the social sciences.
This short, full-time January-start programme is designed for adults who want to return to learning or prepare for a SWAP Access to Nursing, Paramedic Science, or Humanities course. It’s ideal for anyone interested in working with people, exploring society and behaviour, or building skills for further study in health and social care, social work, psychology, or social science.
Running from late January to June over two and a half days per week, the course helps you rebuild confidence, strengthen academic skills, and gain insight into the values and principles that underpin care and social understanding.
This course is perfect if you:
- Are returning to education after time away.
- Want to explore a career in care, social work, or social science.
- Need a short, supportive course to prepare for a SWAP Access programme.
- Have valuable life experience and want to apply it to learning and helping others.
What you will learn
You’ll study a variety of care and social science subjects that build knowledge, confidence and academic skill, including:
- Social Influences – understanding how society and environment shape people’s lives.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing – exploring the impact of mental health in care and society.
- Human Development and Behaviour – studying growth, change and psychology across life stages.#
- Criminology – examining social issues, law and justice.
- Core Skills: Communication and Numeracy – developing key skills for study and work.
- Study Skills – learning how to research, write and present ideas effectively.
Assessment is continuous and includes essays, class-based exams, presentations and project work.
Entry requirements
✅ No formal qualifications are required.
✅ Applicants should have good written and spoken communication skills.
✅ Life skills, motivation and empathy are key to success.
✅ Offers are based on your application form and personal statement, which should include:
- Why you wish to study this course.
- The type of career or study path you hope to progress into and why.
- The skills and qualities you believe make an effective care or social science professional.
ℹ️ You must be 16 years or older at the start of the course.
ℹ️ For this course, if English is not your first language
- you need to have SQA ESOL National 5 - grade B or above (or equivalent, click here to see equivalent qualifications)
- If you do not have a formal ESOL qualification but your language skills meet this level, you should apply for your course and then contact our Admissions team to organise an internal language assessment here at the College.
Career Opportunities
Graduates often move on to careers in:
🤝 Social Care or Support Work
🏥 Healthcare Assistance
🧠 Mental Health and Wellbeing Support
📚 Community Education
🌍 Social Science Research and Policy
Future prospects
Successful completion — with a strong reference and meeting SWAP criteria — allows progression to:
- SWAP Access to Nursing, Paramedic Science or Humanities
- Other Care and Social Science courses at Glasgow Kelvin College
This course also provides an excellent foundation for future careers in health and social care, social work, or social science, community work, psychology, and social policy.
