Advanced Biochemical Sciences: Access
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Course overview
Would you like to take the first step to university in a friendly, supportive environment? Would you like to work in a science, computing, engineering, or maths environment?
This course is designed for you if you are an adult learner with no formal qualification to prepare, in one year, for entry to a Degree/HND/HNC course in Science or Engineering. It is run by the College in conjunction with the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP).
The course will allow you to study and gain recognised qualifications in physics, chemistry, engineering, and maths.
The course is intensive and requires enthusiasm in the areas you will study. Further information about SWAP Access courses can be found on the SWAP website.
What you will learn
A wide variety of units will be covered including:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Maths
- Communications
For this programme, you must possess strong mathematical skills.
Entry requirements
To take part in this programme, you should have been out of education for 3 years if you studied at National 5 level and 5 years if you studied at Higher level.
This Access programme is NOT intended for recent school leavers. If you are a recent school leaver you are very welcome to apply for our NQ Engineering programmes.
For this course, if English is not your first language
- you need to have SQA ESOL Higher (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.
Entry to the course will be based upon a supportive review of the applications. You should now provide detailed information on relevant life and employment experience within your personal statement, in addition to demonstrating a genuine interest in the subject.
Career Opportunities
Completing these courses opens the door to a huge choice of degree courses or of Engineering and Science jobs both locally and in every corner of the world. All learners who successfully complete our HN courses progress either to university or they often obtain well paid jobs in industry.
Future prospects
Access STEM allows academic progression to engineering or science based Higher Education (HNC, HND or Degree level) courses after 1 year of full time study. Through SWAPWest progression routes you can go onto study at the University of Glasgow, Strathclyde University, Glasgow Caledonian University, the University of the West of Scotland, and Stirling University.
Progression is possible to many different science or engineering disciplines both in College at the HNC and HND levels, and also by direct entry straight in to degree courses at university. Many students who initially progress to HNC/D levels then progress onwards to university.
To provide you with the greatest range of options, this academic progression is possible in a wide range of subjects including engineering, computing, maths, chemical and physical sciences.
