

	Introduction to HE
	HE and Curriculum 2000
	Understanding HE's requirements
	Widening participation
	Key skills and HE
	Advising students on HE entry

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"I've actually formulated a plan for what I'm going to do over the next two years linked to my career goals in the media field".

Picture of two prefects badges. One says ‘students’ the other ‘parents’

Key skills and HE

One of the reasons why key skills presented a challenge for schools and colleges in the first cycle of Curriculum 2000 was that many students were uncertain of their value for university entrance. The question is: do universities want key skills?

Universities and other higher education institutions have to be certain that the students entering their courses have the ability to succeed on them. Their primary requirement of 18-year-olds is therefore that they have the A levels (GCE or VCE) or BTEC qualifications that provide the foundation for higher education study.

Provided an applicant has these qualifications, an institution will then consider any other evidence of the applicant’s ability, such as the other information on the UCAS form and information obtained in an interview.

The weight attached to the applicant’s other achievements, including key skills, is often a matter for the individual admission tutor. At present, key skills are new qualifications, and it is only to be expected that many admission tutors have yet to make up their minds about how important these qualifications should be in selecting students.

Admission tutors will have different views about key skills, just as they do about the value for university entrance of A level general studies or the Duke of Edinburgh Award. However, many institutions have expressed support for key skills and have said they will be taken into account in selecting candidates. To see what individual universities say about key skills, visit the UCAS entry profiles page. Entry profiles are descriptions of what is needed to succeed on specific HE courses and include experience and personal qualities as well as qualifications.

Using key skills in higher education

Key skills are now being targeted in undergraduate programmes. Those who enter HE with a clear understanding of their key skills will have a head start, and be able to build on their achievements.

Students’ experience of key skills at university

Students at the University of Warwick involved in a pilot project with Nottingham and Durham universities have found key skills valuable at university.

'Experience of key skills before I came to university would have helped, especially application of number. It's been a steep learning curve. The key skills work has helped me to brush up my number skills - some of the basics, as well as dealing with statistics - and to go on and cope on my Social Services placement. I had six weeks to facilitate a programme and write a 5,000 word report, including an analysis of findings from a large survey - a tough target. I'd never had to write a management report before, only essays. ' (History student)

' I've actually formulated a plan for what I'm going to do over the next two years linked to my career goals in the media field. I've used the Level 4 IT key skills in researching careers - using the Internet, contacting people from industry, emailing my tutor, producing a CV. Then it was practical things that I could show employers in a portfolio - like articles I've written, competition entries, a Quark Express course at the Student Union - I saw the opportunity to do this and went for it…a ten-week course.' (English Literature student)

' The level 4 key skills work has helped me pay more attention to how I'm developing and adapting my communication skills. For example, I was involved in a meeting with a 100 people at a training day for the Student Union Council - so it was a big deal with a set of rules for conduct. For one of my course seminars I had to do a presentation on industrial relations in the law. This also involved doing research and answering questions. I got some very good feedback. Other examples have included writing an econometrics essay - this involved bringing mathematics and economics theory together - the key skills certainly helped me to think about the quality of my writing.' (Industrial Economics student)

Also see

> Basic and key skills
> A brief guide to level 3 qualifications

QCA web links

> Key skills