Allied Health Professions (SWAP)

Access - North East Scotland College

Course overview

Provides access to university-level study for adult learners wishing to gain a degree in midwifery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy or paramedic practice.

Course description

Developed by NESCol and Robert Gordon University (RGU), this programme is for adult learners who have been out of education for some time and would like to pursue a career in occupational therapy, physiotherapy, paramedic science or midwifery.

You may be considering a change of career or have worked in a support worker role and now wish to gain qualifications and study Allied Health Professions (AHP) at degree level.

This programme has been recognised by RGU as a suitable entry route for these AHP degrees. It is an excellent opportunity for those with few or no formal qualifications to progress to higher education.

SWAP Access Courses

Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) courses are primarily intended for adults aiming to enter higher education for the first time, or returning to education after a significant gap.

Find out more about SWAP courses at NESCol

What you will experience

This is a highly demanding course, and you will undertake subjects and assessments for Higher Human Biology and Higher English, as well as Maths for Science.

Units covered include:

Care Values & Principles
Social Influences
Human Development and Behaviour
First Aid
Preparation for Higher Education (HE) – helps support those returning to education and prepare you for the transition to university
Human Cells
Physiology and Health
Neurobiology and Immunology
Introductory Biology
Human Body
Maths for Science

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

This course is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programme. This means that you are required to have access to your own laptop computer, netbook or similar device in class each day that you are in college.

Find out more about BYOD here

This may be funded or part-funded by a bursary, if you are eligible to receive one.

Find out more about bursaries here

Entry requirements

You do not require any formal qualifications however:

You must be able to prove you can study at this level.
If your last course of study was up to SCQF Level 6, then you must have been out of full-time education for at least three years.
You will be interviewed by a member of the NESCol Care team to assess your suitability.

This course is not suitable for candidates applying straight from school or those who already hold a university degree. Please see other courses we offer if this applies to you e.g. SCQF Level 5 Health & Social Care or SCQF Level 6 Advanced Healthcare.

Progression

Whether you wish to progress in your studies or enter the world of work, North East Scotland College has excellent progression opportunities, with links to several universities across Scotland and strong relationships with industry employers.

University

Successful completion of this course will allow you to apply for a wide range of degree programmes at a number of partner universities — visit the SWAP website for more information.

Subject to meeting conditions, these include:

Employment:

Information about working in the Allied Health Professions can be found on the NHS Scotland careers website.