Our Access to Higher Education Diplomas are designed specifically for adult learners aged 19 and over who want to progress onto an undergraduate degree. This one year Level 3 programme, delivered over 35 weeks, prepares you fully for the demands of university study at Level 4 and beyond.
Many students join us without traditional Level 3 qualifications such as A levels or BTECs. The Access course, which is regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), offers a genuine second chance to progress into higher education. We understand that returning to study after a break can feel challenging, and that academic confidence may take time to rebuild. That’s why you will be supported by an enthusiastic, experienced teaching team who are committed to helping you succeed.
The course develops the knowledge, study skills, and confidence needed to complete the diploma successfully and progress to university. While many Access courses are delivered in colleges, you will study in a university setting, helping you feel prepared and confident about your next step into higher education.
Before applying, please check the entry requirements to ensure you are ready to start in September. If you do not yet have the required Level 2 English and Maths, we also offer a Level 2 course. This provides an excellent stepping stone, allowing you to gain essential qualifications, experience Level 3 study, and prepare for successful progression onto an Access to HE Diploma.
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You will cover Business, Law and Study Skills modules. Each of these contain content that will be transferable to your degree. In addition, it will enable you to develop skills that will help you transition into level 4 undergraduate study.
Business
Business Studies & Commercial Practice are delivered as a double subject, contributing to 30 of the 45 graded credits on the programme. Together, they provide a broad and practical introduction to key areas of business, carefully aligned with business related degree pathways at UK universities.
Business Studies introduces core concepts through engaging case studies and applied learning. You will explore how different types of organisations operate, develop strategies, and respond to internal and external pressures. Topics include business organisations, ethics and corporate responsibility, marketing tools and product life cycles, and human resource management, with a focus on recruitment, skills development, and planning for future workforce needs.
Commercial Practice develops the academic, analytical, and practical skills essential for higher education and the modern business world. You will learn how to plan and produce written assignments, understand the macro economic and business environment, and analyse teamwork, leadership, and motivation. The course also examines innovation, entrepreneurship, globalisation, and trade policy, alongside an introduction to financial accounting, including profit and loss accounts and double entry bookkeeping.
Together, these subjects build a strong foundation of business knowledge, transferable skills, and confidence, preparing you for university study and a wide range of business related careers.
Law
Law Studies explores how law shapes everyday life and modern society. While media headlines often focus on criminal cases, this subject shows that law extends far beyond crime, influencing business, government, and individual rights. Students are introduced to both public and private law, developing an understanding of how the legal system operates in real-world contexts.
You will study key legal principles including criminal liability (actus reus and men's rea), the torts of negligence and nuisance, and the operation of the civil and criminal justice systems, including appeal processes. The course also introduces contract law and company law, providing a strong foundation for law related degree programmes and careers.
Alongside Law, students develop an understanding of human behaviour through Psychology based units. These explore how psychologists investigate behaviour, the role of nature and nurture in early social development, and the causes of mental health disorders through core theories of psychopathology. You will also examine treatments and therapies and develop insight into stress and its impact on individuals.
Together, this pathway builds strong analytical, evaluative, and presentation skills, preparing students for university study in law, psychology, criminology, or related social science disciplines.
Study Skills
Study Skills provides you with the essential academic and personal skills needed to successfully complete your Access to HE Diploma and progress confidently onto undergraduate study. These skills are highly valued by university admissions tutors and play a vital role in supporting success at degree level.
Study Skills is delivered through a single unit, Academic Study Techniques, designed to help you develop effective approaches to learning, research, and independent study. In these sessions, you will either build new skills or enhance existing ones to meet the demands of higher education. Areas covered include academic writing, referencing, research methods, critical reading, time management, revision strategies, and presentation skills.
A key element of Study Skills is UCAS application support. You will receive structured guidance on researching university courses, understanding entry requirements, and writing a strong personal statement that clearly reflects your skills, experience, and ambitions. Support is also provided for interview preparation where required, helping you present yourself confidently to admissions tutors.
Throughout the unit, students are encouraged to reflect on their learning, build confidence, and develop independence. By the end of the course, you will be well-prepared not only for your Access assessments, but also for the academic expectations of university life.
Please note that our modules are subject to change - we review the content of our courses regularly, making changes where necessary to improve your experience and graduate prospects.
A wide range of engaging and interactive teaching and learning activities are used across all subjects to support different learning styles and build confidence. Lessons are designed to encourage active participation, with opportunities for discussion, practical tasks, and student led activities.
You will experience a variety of approaches from session to session. Some lessons focus on group work and collaboration, helping you develop communication and teamwork skills, while others encourage independent research and investigation, preparing you for the expectations of higher education.
All scheduled teaching is tutor led, with sessions carefully planned to suit the needs, experience, and goals of each group. This flexible approach means learning is relevant, supportive, and inclusive. By experiencing different teaching methods and study approaches, you will also gain first hand insight into effective learning strategies thus helping you become a more confident, independent learner ready for progression.
Enrichment
A wide range of enrichment activities takes place throughout the academic year to enhance your learning experience and support your progression to higher education. These activities are designed to help you explore future opportunities, build confidence, and gain insight into university level study.
Students will have opportunities to attend guest speaker sessions, where professionals from relevant industries and academic fields deliver short talks and share real world insights. These sessions help bring subjects to life, showing how what you study connects to careers and higher education.
In addition, students can meet with degree level teaching staff to learn more about undergraduate courses, expectations, and progression routes. Together, these enrichment experiences broaden horizons, raise aspirations, and help you feel well prepared for your future study journey.
How You Will Be Assessed
You will be assessed through a varied range of methods, designed to help you demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and confidence in different ways. Assessment types may include essay writing, presentations, written tasks, academic posters, and exams, depending on the unit being studied.
All assessments are clearly explained at the start of each unit, so you know exactly what is expected. You will receive ongoing support from your tutors, with guidance, examples, and structured activities to help scaffold your progress and prepare you for each assessment type particularly if exams are something you feel less confident about.
Assessments are designed to be purposeful and engaging, allowing you to apply what you have learned in lessons, independent study, and wider reading to topics linked to your interests and future progression. This approach helps build confidence, develop academic skills, and prepare you for the assessment methods used in higher education.
A degree in business can lead to many varied and exciting career opportunities for graduates. Some examples include marketing, project management, procurement management and sales. After graduation, you will have knowledge of different business sectors such as finance, and business functions, such as human resource management; all of which will have prepared you for employment.
Graduate schemes are popular with business graduates as they often lead to excellent career development in established organisations. For further information about your career prospects, you can contact our careers team at careers@derby.ac.uk.
The University of Derby Access to Business course gave me confidence, structure, and the academic skills needed for higher education. It improved my writing, research, and critical thinking, while helping me believe in my potential. It changed my direction in life and prepared me successfully to progress onto studying Law.
Jack Wright
The course gave me a real insight into “university life,” teaching me how to reference, write academically, and develop the essential skills needed for degree-level study. It provided a strong foundation that prepared me for the demands of my nursing degree. It is a challenging course—what you put into it is what you get out. The support from lecturers was excellent; they were always willing to help and motivate me to reach my full potential. I completed the course with mostly distinctions, meeting the requirements to progress onto Adult Nursing at the University of Derby. The experience helped me grow not only academically but also personally, building my confidence and shaping me as a professional. It took four years to become a nurse, and now I have three years of practice under my belt. I am currently working as a Registered Nurse in Neurology: a career path that started with this course. I would highly recommend it to anyone considering a future in healthcare, as it opens doors, builds confidence, and provides a clear pathway into a rewarding career.
Kenley Fairbrother
I've built myself a business as a freelance video games developer, video producer and games critic. I'm becoming quite well known in the video games industry for my coverage and critique of very complex and difficult PC strategy games. I'm the public face for a mid-sized games developer based out in Michigan, USA where I make regular videos promoting their games, and I'm currently working on my own video game development projects too. I was 37 when I took that Access course and I don't think I'd have finished or stuck it out if it wasn't for the genuine camaraderie I found in the class I worked in. I don't think it's possible to understate how important it is to build up confidence in people who, like myself, might have previously failed at education, or struggled in other aspects of their life. I can wholeheartedly recommend the course to any young adult who wants to get themselves into higher education. If you're willing to put the work in, then you'll find the support you get at the University of Derby will be enough to take you further than you ever dreamed.
Benjamin Kirkman-Halford
You will need to be 19 years of age or above on 31 August 2026. You will have achieved Mathematics and English Language GCSEs at grade A-C/9-4 or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths. However, if you have grade D/3 or Functional Skills Level 2 in one of the subjects, and passed the other, you could study one GCSE alongside the Access course.
If you do not already hold the necessary qualifications, we also offer Level 2 English and Maths courses. To receive further information on these, please register your interest online, email access@derby.ac.uk or call 01332 591080.
The start date for this course is 7 September 2026.
Teaching hours
Like most universities, we operate extended teaching hours at the University of Derby, so contact time with your lecturers and tutors could be anytime between 9am and 9pm. Your timetable will usually be available on the website 24 hours after enrolment on to your course.
Course updates
The information provided on this page is correct at the time of publication but course content, costs and other individual course details do change from time to time and are updated as often as possible, so please do check these pages again when making your final decision to apply for a course. Any updated course details will also be confirmed to you at application, enrolment and in your offer letter.
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