Northumberland College Higher Education Guide 2024-25

Higher Education course guide.

Take your learning higher. #YourFutureYourWay | northumberland.ac.uk

What is higher education?

Studying higher education can give you access to exciting new opportunities and more career options. There are lots of different types of courses and subjects to prepare you for career success. Higher education study will also help you to develop transferable skills for a successful future.

Why study higher education?

Studying a higher education qualification can bring lots of benefits for career opportunities and personal development Provide you with the edge in the jobs market Enrich your life with new experiences and enable you to meet new people with the same passion as you Access to more career options Develop both your academic, technical, professional and transversal skills Earn on average £11,500 per year more than the average non-graduate* Enable you to contribute positively to society and make an impact on the economy Support you in preparing for a highly skilled career Allow you to feel empowered by your achievements and more motivated *DfE Graduate Labour Market Statistics June 2022.

Why study with us?

Northumberland College is a great place to study higher education.

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High quality teaching and learning experience. You’ll be taught by subject specialists and industry practitioners.

Hands-on learning - Our HE courses are practically focused to ensure you can apply your knowledge in the real world.

Links with employers - Our employer partners help us to design our HE qualifications to provide you with the skills, knowledge and competencies that employers demand. Our higher level qualifications meet the demands of the local and regional economy, matching skills priority sectors.

Excellent facilities - Our industry-standard facilities and professional working environments mirror the exceptional quality standards, attitudes and behaviours demonstrated in industry to prepare you for a successful career.

Flexible study options - Our HE qualifications can provide a stepping stone to a full degree, or the option to top up to a degree at a later date, providing you with the flexibly to complete your higher education in bite-sized stages.

A supportive environment - Excellent academic and wider student support, provided in an inclusive environment to provide a positive learning and student experience to ensure you get the best out of your studies.

Achieve your ambitions - We have high expectations for our students and will support you to progress and achieve your career ambitions.

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How to find us.

Ashington, Berwick and Kirkley Hall campuses 3 Berwick Campus

Ellington Lynemouth

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Pegswood Morpeth

Ashington Campus Guide post Choppington

Stakeford Cambois

Bedlington

Blyth East Hartford

Cramlington

2 Kirkley Hall Campus

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Higher Education course guide

Annitsford Seghill Ponteland

1. Ashington Campus College Road, Ashington, NE63 9RG What.3.Words: expressed.opera.tides Walking Ashington Campus is an approximate 30-minute walk from the town centre and accessible by pedestrian links.

Bus services Ashington Campus is serviced by several local bus routes including Northumberland College’s transport scheme through Cooper’s Tourmaster Travel and Stagecoach, available from locations across Northumberland, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North Tyneside.

Train services From 2024, a new train station in Ashington will open on the Northumberland line from Newcastle-upon-Tyne which will include car parking spaces, taxi rank and stair and lift access to platforms.

The station will be a 30-minute walk to the current Ashington Campus, and 10 minutes to our new campus at Wansbeck Business Park.

Car parking Ashington Campus is located on College Road from which the A189 and A19 are easily accessible. There is free parking on site.

2. Kirkley Hall Campus Ponteland, Northumberland, NE20 0AQ What.3.Words: layers.dote.skill Bus services Kirkley Hall Campus is serviced by Northumberland College’s transport scheme through Cooper’s Tourmaster Travel and Stagecoach, available from locations across

Northumberland, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North Tyneside.

Tyne & Wear Metro The closest Metro station to Kirkley Hall Campus is: Newcastle International Airport – 30 minutes from campus on the X79 (Stagecoach) from Ponteland Road.

Car Parking Despite its rural location, Kirkley Hall Campus is accessible from the A1 via Ponteland (A696). There is free parking on site.

3. Berwick Campus Adams Drive, Spittal, Berwick-upon-Tweed What.3.Words: feed.frozen.gentle Walking Berwick Campus is an approximate 30-minute walk from Berwick-upon-Tweed town centre.

Bus services Berwick Campus is serviced by several local bus routes.

Train services Berwick-upon-Tweed train station is located on the East Coast Main Line and is an approximate 30-minute walk to the campus.

Car parking Berwick Campus is accessible from the A1.

There is free parking on site.

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HE qualifications explained Higher education is a qualification at Level 4 or above.

A full honours degree course is not the only way to gain a higher education qualification, there are lots of other flexible study options that will help you to achieve your goals.

HNC

Higher apprenticeship

A Higher National Certificate (HNC) is a work-related qualification that is highly valued by employers. This professional and technical course offers an industry relevant qualification at Level 4.

These work-based learning programmes will allow you to gain nationally recognised higher education qualifications, such as a foundation degree or an honours degree, while being employed and learning high level job specific skills.

HND A Higher National Diploma (HND) is a higher level work-related qualification that is valued by employers. This professional and technical course offers an industry relevant qualification at Level 5.

Foundation degree A foundation degree is equivalent to the first two years of a full honours degree and is a standalone Level 5 qualification. This career focused qualification is designed with employers. A foundation degree can be topped-up to a full honours degree with further study.

Honours degree A traditional full honours degree programme will support you in developing a thorough understanding of a subject.

Professional qualifications A professional qualification aims to develop knowledge and skills required for specific jobs in a variety of sectors and industries. They are usually awarded by professional bodies in line with their charters.

Top-up degree A top-up degree is designed as a natural progression from a foundation degree or HND to achieve a Level 6 degree qualification. or new job.

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Higher Education course guide

Several of our HNC courses are Higher Technical Qualifications approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Providing a practical and employer-led study programme, HTQ’s are alternatives to apprenticeships or degrees and are approved against occupational standards set by employers to give you the skills and experience to start a career in your chosen field.

Find out more about our exciting range of higher education courses.

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Our courses Course BA (Hons) Working with Children and Families BSc (Hons) Animal Welfare and Management (Top Up) BSc (Hons) Equine Management Training and Coaching (Top Up) BSc Wildlife Conservation (Top Up) CertHE Working with Children & Families FdA Working with Children & Families FdSC Animal Welfare & Management FdSC Equine Management, Coaching & Training FdSC Wildlife Conservation HNC Computing HNC Sport (Community Coaching for England) HND Engineering

How to apply? Contact us or visit our next open event to find out more and apply.

0300 770 6000 | info@northumberland.ac.uk 6

Higher Education course guide

Finance & Funding.

Find out all you need to know about how to fund your higher education study.

Tuition fees These are fees charged by a college or university for your course tuition.

How can I pay them?

A Tuition Fees loan is available to all full and part-time students (UK and EU) from Student Finance England.

How is it paid?

The loan is paid directly to your college or university.

How much will I get?

The full cost of your course.

study, how long you are studying for and where you live.

Do I need to repay it?

The loan is paid back only after you graduate and are earning over £27,660* a year. It is written off after 30 years.

Advanced Learner Loans.

Advanced Learner Loans are available for those aged 19 plus to undertake Level 3 to Level 6 qualifications.* If your course is not free, they provide financial support for tuition fees and are paid directly to the college on your behalf.

When do I need to repay it?

The loan is paid back only after you graduate and are earning over £27,660* a year. It is written off after 30 years.

*If you study an Access to HE course and progress to a degree, your Advanced Learner Loan will be completely written off when you graduate so you won’t have to pay back your fees.

Living costs These are expenses associated with studying including books, equipment, uniforms and trips.

Childcare If you are aged 16-20 and require childcare support, you will need to apply to Care to Learn. Care to Learn www.gov.uk/care-tolearn. For students aged 20 and above at the start of your course, you should apply for Childcare* through the College by either collecting a Childcare Care Request form from your Financial Support Team or by downloading from www.northumberland.ac.uk.

How can I pay them?

A Maintenance Loan is available to all full and part-time students (UK and EU) from Student Finance England.

How is it paid?

Directly to your bank account at the start of term.

How much will I get?

The amount available to you will depend on household income, where you

*Students who are applying for an Advanced Learner Loan must have this approved by Student Loans Company (SLC) to be eligible for help with childcare costs through the College.

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Celebrating your achievements.

Graduating will be one of the proudest moments of your life, recognise the hard work you have put into your course and will mark the beginning of a bright future.

Our graduation ceremony takes place in October at the beautiful 17th century Kirkley Hall, where you will receive your diploma in the company of your friends and family.

The ceremony is presided over by the CEO of Education Partnership North East and Northumberland College, Ellen Thinnesen OBE who will congratulate each student on stage.

Your graduation will bring to an end one chapter of your journey, but it doesn’t have to be the end of your time with Northumberland College. You can progress onto another programme of study or higher apprenticeship with us or join our Alumni Association – a professional network of fellow graduates.

Our Information, Advice and Guidance team will also support you with job applications and CV writing to help you find your dream career.

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Higher Education course guide

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this leaflet was correct at the time of publication (July 2023) and courses, fee information and policies are subject to change.

#YourFutureYourWay | northumberland.ac.uk