Program Overview

Access to Higher Education Diploma (Business and Law)

Course Description

The Access to Higher Education Diploma (Business and Law) is a one-year Level 3 course designed for mature students over the age of nineteen. The course prepares students for the rigors of level 4 study and beyond, with the intention of achieving a place on an undergraduate degree.

Study Options

• Full-time: 35 weeks
• Start dates: September, See below †
• Location: Derby Campus

Course Content

The course covers Business, Law, and Study Skills modules, each containing content that will be transferable to your degree. The modules will enable you to develop skills that will help you transition into level 4 undergraduate study.

Business Modules

• Introduction to Business Organisations: Through a series of case studies, you will gain an understanding of business objectives and analyze differing business organizations.
• IT for Academics: This unit is designed to develop students' skills in Information Technology, an important aspect of the study of business.
• Motivational Management and Leadership: This unit covers the importance of recruiting the right staff with the relevant skills for not only the now of the business but also for its future needs.
• Introduction to Financial Accounting: This unit will explore accounting so that students can gain an understanding of how businesses operate in a financial context.
• Business Planning: In this unit, we will unravel business planning models, tying elements learned on the Marketing, HR, and Finance units, and learn the nuances of planning in differing sectors of the marketplace.

Law Modules

• Understanding Actus Reus and Mens Rea: This module is designed to help students understand the difference between a guilty mind (mens rea) and a guilty act (actus reus), and how they can be applied in the study of law.
• An Introduction to the Law of Tort: You may have already come across the familiar term 'duty of care' in daily life. During this unit, we delve into what this actually means and how it applies to you and those around you in everyday life.
• Employment Law: This unit covers fundamental principles of employer and employee law and legal requirements of employment contracts.
• Introduction to Contract Law: This unit builds knowledge of fundamental principles of contract law. It develops an understanding and use of legal terminology specifically related to a range of legally binding contracts.
• The Judicial System: Clarifying the structure and jurisdiction of courts, this unit also covers the roles of contributors to the civil and criminal justice systems.

Study Skills

• Progression Skills: This unit provides you with some essential skills necessary to complete your Access Diploma and progress onto undergraduate study.
• English for Academic Study: In your Study Skills lessons, we aim to provide you with a range of new skills or to give you the opportunity to develop existing skills.

How You Will Learn

A diverse range of teaching and learning activities are used across each subject. Sessions are interactive and work to include student participation and student-led tasks. You will learn differently in each taught session, some sessions utilize group-work, others will focus on independent research and investigation.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of different assessments that include essay writing, presentations, writing, and academic posters. Assessments are explained within each unit, and support is offered to scaffold your progress throughout the course.

Careers

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.

Entry Requirements

• You will need to be 19 years of age or above on 31 August 2025.
• Ideally, you will have achieved Mathematics and English GCSEs at grade A-C/9-4 or Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Maths.
• If you have grade D/3 or Functional Skills Level 2 in one of the subjects, you could study one GCSE alongside the Access course.

How to Apply

Please look at our application deadlines before you apply. Our undergraduate and postgraduate course pages will show the intakes that are available and open to applications. It's best to apply early so you can secure your place and beat the rush.

Additional Information

• The start date for this course is 8 September 2025.
• 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.
• 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.