Access to Degree Studies (SWAP)
Based on Lews Castle College National Certificate programme of units and 2 subjects delivered by Aberdeen University. The aims of the course are to provide students with the opportunity to gain a qualification which is recognised in its own right and also gives school leavers and adult returners the opportunity to progress into Higher Education or to enter the employment market with a nationally recognised vocational qualification.
Level
NC
Entry Requirements
No formal entry requirements, although candidates should have been out of education for a minimum of one year. Preference will be given to students who have reached the age of 20 by the start of the Access course.
Duration and Mode
1 Year Full-time (September to June, 21 hrs per week)
Start September
Description
Access to Degree Studies (SWAP - Scottish Wider Access Programme) aims to provide students with the opportunity to gain a qualification which is recognised in its own right and also gives school leavers and adult returners the opportunity to progress into Higher Education or to enter the employment market with a nationally recognised vocational qualification.
The student will complete a range of core units which will ensure adequate numerical, communication, information technology and problem solving skills, specialist skills will also be practised in the disciplines of politics, history and sociology.
History
The subjects covered in this suite of modules are Scottish history at the time of the Act of Union, European history in the early 20th Century and a research topic of the student’s choice.
Sociology
These modules look in detail at social structures in contemporary society. Students will also complete a research project on a topic of their choice.
Politics
The theory of political structures is studied as an introduction to a detailed study of British and American politics.
Additional Units
These may be chosen from the “Languages and Additional modules” list in the SQA specifications for National Certificate level 3. Examples of units in this list are: Macro Economic Issues, General Media Studies, Creative Writing, Language: Gaelic 3 and 4, Scottish Legal Framework, Mathematics: Statistics 2 and Analysis/Algebra.
Guidance on Choice of Modules
Candidates should do 8 mandatory credits and select 9 credits from the optional section. A pass in Additional units (3 credits) is also required.
Full details of the groupings and the organisations which recognise them are contained in the document, Recognised Groupings of National Certificate Modules.
Summary of Modules
EE3T12 - Communication 4
This unit is designed to develop English
Language skills with particular reference to vocational contexts. It
represents a level of communication which is valuable for intermediate
posts in business, administration and technician occupations.
Communication 4 is the entry level for certain courses in advanced and
higher education.
C11512 - Higher English
These are three units which make up the
course work for this award – Personal Study, which is a review of a
book of the student’s choice, the Language Unit, which requires textual
analysis and essay-writing, and Literary Study, which develops reading
and interpretation skills.
The course is completed, by sitting the external examination in May.
DO1C11 - Numeracy 3
This unit will introduce you to the topic
of statistics and provides a prelude to statistical methods appropriate
to a wide range of vocational areas. It deals with the preliminaries
of collecting data and reinforces work on graphs, charts and tables.
DO1D11 - Information Technology 2
This unit will enable you to
develop your skills and knowledge of microcomputer hardware and
software. On completion of the unit you will be able to perform a
variety of routine procedures using a microcomputer’s operating system
and process information using a wide variety of application packages
such as word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and desktop publishing
software.
D36J11 - Local Investigations 3*
You will develop your investigative and presentational skills whilst researching a local topic of your choice.
DON512 - Writing Papers and Reports
This unit develop your informal writing skills and is integrated with your social sciences modules.
E9X812 - Literature 1
A
range of types of literature provides the subject matter for this
module. Assessment is in the form of 2 essays and an unseen text.
ED4S11 - Using Information Retrieval Skills 2 and ED4W04 - Using Learning Skills 2
These modules are offered early in the session and will develop your study skills in preparation for work in other modules.
8 Mandatory credits
9 Optional credits
3 Additional Assessment credits
Total: 20 credits
Progression
All students successfully completing the course are guaranteed a place
on a degree course in Aberdeen University. The MA Degree may lead to a
wide range of careers, from Accountancy to Zoology.
Access to Degrees at other universities may be negotiated.
Campus
Stornoway
