University Courses - Mature Students

Mature students make up a significant proportion of the students studying at Somerset College.

• What does university level education involve?
• Access Certificate
• Course Content
• College Guarantee
• The Children's Centre

Whatever you have been doing with your life up to now, if you would like to return to college and study for a degree then we can help you achieve this goal.

We consider each applicant on individual merit, as well as qualifications and work experience, so we sometimes accept mature students who dont meet the specified entry requirements.

If you are enthusiastic and determined to succeed it is worth contacting us to find out more about mature student entry.

What does university level education involve?

Many of our university level courses can be studied either full-time of part-time.

Full-time study normally means attending College for between three and five days a week, whilst a part-time course may involve only coming to the College for one day.

You will also need to make sure you have time available for independent research, reading and project work this is a critical part of university level study.

Access Certificate

If you do not have traditional qualifications under your belt, do not give up! With just one year of study you can effectively prepare yourself for starting and succeeding on a university level programme.

The Access Certificate is a well established and successful course that will give you the study skills, subject knowledge and confidence to progress onto a foundation degree or honours degree programme.

No formal qualifications are needed, but the motivation to succeed is essential and you must be over 19 years old.

An Access Certificate is an alternative qualification to A levels for mature students wishing to enter university level education.

The programme has been deliberately designed to take account of childcare responsibilities and part-time working.

The College has been offering these courses for over ten years and in that time over 1,000 students have progressed onto university level courses, with around 50% of these choosing to stay and continue their education here at Somerset College.

Course Content

Each student chooses a pathway to follow depending on their previous qualifications, work experience and what they want to study at university level.

Pathways:

• Social Sciences - Psychology/Sociology
• Health Studies/Nursing
• Social Care
• Teaching
• Humanities History, Sociology and English
• Science - Chemistry/Biology
• Arts & Design

The course is divided into modules. Core modules which cover key areas such as study skills, maths and IT skills plus a range of optional modules from your chosen pathway.

An in-depth tutorial programme ensures that a supportive learning environment exists. During the course you will also have the opportunity to study for GCSEs in Maths and English.

College Guarantee

If you achieve an Access Certificate at an appropriate level in a relevant subject area, we will guarantee you a place on one of our university level courses. In some cases an interview may be necessary.

The Childrens Centre

If you have young children and want to return to college, we can help. Our purpose-built nursery is located on the campus and is fully-equipped for children aged 3 months to 5 years.

Click here for information on our Chidren's Centre or call the Childrens Centre Manager on 01823 276 261.