Four students sitting studying around a table

BA/Diploma Higher Education: Education and Social Services

Location: Langside Campus
SCQF Level: 8
Start Date: 25 Aug 2025
Qualification Type: HND
Course Type: Full-Time
Duration: 1 Year (August to June) with progression to year 3 and year 4 at the University of Strathclyde

We partner with the University of Strathclyde to bring you this fascinating course, which is designed to prepare you for employment in the education and social services sector. You’ll complete the diploma at college, learning in a small class, before progressing to the third year of study at the University of Strathclyde. You’ll learn about the importance of service integration and social policy, and do a work placement to help you develop the practical and interpersonal skills you’ll need for a successful career.

What will I learn?

The college year of the BA in Education and Social Services course offers a Diploma in Higher Education qualification as a second-year undergraduate and is delivered at our Langside campus. During the course you will be introduced to the University of Strathclyde and participate in teaching and learning partnerships at the university campus.

Throughout this BA/Diploma in Education and Social Services you will study the modules below

Professional and personal development
Societal context and policy
Integration of services
Understanding and meeting needs
Understanding and developing practice
Work practice placement.

Entry requirements (minimum)

Preferred HNC in:

HNC Social Care/ Social Services
HNC Childhood Practice / Early Education and Childcare

Other qualifications may be considered at the discretion of the University of Strathclyde:

HNC Additional Support Needs
HNC Counselling
HNC Healthcare Practice
HNC Occupational Therapy
HNC Social Science
HNC Working with Communities / Community Education
Relevant equivalent SCQF Level 7 qualifications may be considered
Relevant 120 credits acquired from university study may be considered
All qualifications should have been achieved in the previous five years unless you have a noted qualification AND significant relevant workplace experience
You must achieve your full HNC award and Graded Unit
You will additionally require relevant experience in the workplace
You are also required to write a reflective personal learning statement demonstrating your experience and interest in the course
Academic reference
You may be invited for an individual or group interview.

Entry requirements equivalency table

If you do not meet the entry criteria for your chosen course, you may be offered an alternative course in the same subject area.

Employer and industry links

This course has very strong links with a wide variety of employers, who contribute to lectures by visiting the College to discuss their work, role and integrated service partnerships. We also arrange field trips to visit community services, which help our students understand the needs of local communities and meet the staff and people who use the service.

In addition, students have a four-week placement in a new workplace environment to help develop their range of knowledge and skills, and to introduce them to the importance of leadership skills and collaborative work in this sector.

Articulation Routes

Direct entry to 3rd year, BA (Hons) Education and Social Services, University of Strathclyde

Jobs and further study

If you successfully complete the Diploma, you can move directly to the third year, and upon successful completion, progress to the fourth year of the BA (Hons) programme at the University of Strathclyde. Following this you may choose to continue your studies at postgraduate level. Examples of courses in which past students have been successful are:

Drug and alcohol studies
Criminology studies
Social work
Mental health studies
Primary teaching
Autism studies
Counselling studies.

A diverse range of job options are available to you, and former students have secured employment in supporting service users in mental health, addictions, homelessness, social prescribing, children's services, learning disability, crisis services, police, family and education settings.

The BA (Hons) programme is a four-year course, and on completion, you will have a recognised academic degree at SCQF Level 10.

Take a look at the course progression map for social care and counselling courses.

Take a look at the course progression map for health care courses.

Take a look at the course progression map for early years courses.

Making an application

For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.

Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.

I've applied — what happens next?

When you apply

You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).

Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team / department based on assessment of the information provided on your application form, which must be completed fully and accurately. Application forms will then be checked for current and/or pending qualifications and relevant experience and interest as outlined in your personal statement section

Demand for this course is very high and if you meet the criteria, you will be invited to attend an Information Session - please do not call or email as you will have a full opportunity to ask questions at this session about the course, the college or the university.
You may be Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level

If you are invited to attend an Information Session you will be sent a University Personal Learning Statement and an Academic Reference template, which you will be required to complete and return before the information session. If you don’t return this or don’t attend the invited session we will assume you wish to withdraw your application.

We expect you to have attained at least 80% attendance on your HNC course and you will be asked to evidence this
Information Sessions will begin in February and will continue until June and you may be invited to interview.
Once the University Personal Learning Statement and Reference have been reviewed, and if they meet the criteria, successful applicants will be given a Conditional Offer based on HNC outcome.
Selection outcomes are based upon careful consideration of the interview performance, qualifications, relevant workplace experience, reference and the content of the written reflective personal and learning statement for each applicant.
You will be informed of the outcome of the selection process by email once we have received confirmation that you can meet all of the admission requirements/criteria and this may not be until the end of June as we need to wait until Graded Units are awarded.
We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.

Outcomes

If you are invited to information session, you will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:

Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a Reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.

Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.

Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date. This will normally be sent out in June.