Qualifications

Pathways programmes are a great way for students with support or learning needs to develop the skills they will need to progress with further education or independent living. Courses are delivered in small groups by friendly, experienced and qualified staff, across all four of our campuses. Learners will not only gain qualifications and experience but also boost confidence, make friends and develop social skills and get a taste of what college life is like.

A Level 1 programme is the first step towards a vocational qualification, designed to help you develop knowledge of a specific job or industry before progressing onto further study. Developing a wide range of practical skills and knowledge, you will learn in realistic training environments to prepare you for further study at Level 2, either at college full time or on an apprenticeship.

A Level 2 programme will expand the existing knowledge and experience gained from your Level 1 course, or your GCSEs. This course will include a wide range of practical activities and allow you to take responsibility for your own learning. A Level 2 programme could lead you to further study at Level 3, either full time or on to an apprenticeship.

The range of activities involved and the level of study are more demanding at Level 3, and there will be more independent study required. Successful completion of a Level 3 programme (including T Levels) could lead to further study at university level, including Higher Apprenticeships, Higher National Certificates or Diplomas (HNCs/HNDs), a Foundation Degree or an Honours Degree.

Access to HE courses are intended for adults who do not have A Levels or Level 3 qualifications. The course enables you to prepare for, and gain entry to, degree and other Higher Education programmes. You may have some qualifications already, for example, GCSEs or an A level, but not enough to get into university.

Both a Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) are classed as Higher Education courses, at Level 4 and 5, with a work-based focus. This means that you 'learn by doing', gaining the skills and knowledge you need for a particular job or industry. These qualifications are valued and recognised by employers and can count towards membership of professional bodies.

A HNC qualification is delivered at Level 4 and HNDs at Level 5. HNCs take one year to complete full-time and two years part-time. HNDs take two years to complete full-time and may also be taken part-time, which takes longer. To find out more about BTEC Higher National qualifications: https://qualifications.pearson...

A Foundation Degree is a Level 5 qualification which provided the techinical skills and academic knowledge required to progress into the workplace while also gaining a university-level qualification. Designed and delivered through a number of partnerships with universities and employers, our Foundation Degree programmes provide you with the relevant and important work skills required to succeed in the industry, usually with the opportunity to apply your learning in a real work environment. Successful completion of a Foundation Degree can lead you to further study on a 'top-up' to an Honours Degree, which could also be delivered at Wiltshire College.

A bachelor's degree is a programme of university-level academic study leading to a qualification such as a bachelor of arts (BA) or a bachelor of engineering(BEng). It is a Level 6 qualification. It usually takes three or four years to complete full-time and is designed to provide you with a thorough and in depth understanding of a subject area ready for entry into the workplace as a graduate. A bachelor's degree will develop your intellectual and analytical abilities, specific subject knowledge and dissertation writing skills.