Information for Pupils

West Lothian College Schools Partnership provides people like you with the opportunity to sample further education and make informed choices about your future.

The courses we offer are ideal if you want to explore subjects and possible career opportunities that you might not have the opportunity to experience at school.

But it’s not just about experiencing different courses, at college you will also have the opportunity to experience a different kind of learning environment.

How is a College different from school?

At college there are fewer rules to be followed with a greater expectation that students are in charge of their own learning.

Everything tends to be on a larger scale with more tutors/lecturers and support staff, larger buildings, more facilities and resources.

As well as improving your learning skills, coming to college will also help you develop social and personal skills that will help you in many different situations including at work and in the community. At West Lothian College you’ll have plenty of independence and we’ll treat you like an adult.

So have a look at the courses that are available (here). They’re all designed to develop some of the skills and knowledge you’ll need to help you get a job. They’re also ideal if you’re thinking about studying full-time at college or University when you leave school.

In addition, most of the courses lead to a recognised qualification which will enhance your CV and increase your job prospects.

What happens now?

Take some time to consider the opportunities available at West Lothian College.

Talk to your parents or guardian and your teacher. Discuss your options with your friends.

If you decide you want to apply for a course you will first of all need to speak to your teacher at school and discuss with them what it is you would like to do.

College to University

Attending college before starting university can help build your confidence and it may be practically and financially beneficial for you to study closer to home.

The college to university route offers an alternative onto degree courses at university. Increasingly, Higher National Certificates (HNC) and Higher National Diplomas (HND) can enable students to progress into year two or three of a university degree.

The College even offers some degree level options. For example, Edinburgh Napier University’s BA Business Management is taught at West Lothian College. Students can gain direct entry into year 3 of this degree by completing our HND Business course.

The Edinburgh, Lothians, Fife and Borders Regional Articulation Hub (ELRAH) supports development of articulation routes.

Mairi Taggart, Articulation Support Advisor, can help you with specific questions. Telephone 01506 427701 or email mtaggart@west-lothian.ac.uk for more information. Please also visit the Student Zone of the ELRAH website at www.elrah.ac.uk

West Lothian College has excellence articulation agreements in place with many universities. The table below provides an example of some of these agreements:

College Course	University	Degree	Direct Entry
HNC Engineering Systems	Edinburgh Napier University	The following BEng (Hons): Electronical Engineering Electronic & Communication Engineering Mechanical Engineering Mechatronics	Year 2
HND Computing	Edinburgh Napier University	BSc (Hons) Network Computing	Year 3
HNC Computing	Heriot Watt University	BSc (Hons) Information Systems	Year 2
HND Computing	Heriot Watt University	BSc (Hons) Information Systems	Year 3
HNC Information Technology	Heriot Watt University	BSc (Hons) Information Systems	Year 2
HND Business	Edinburgh Napier University*	BA (Hons) Business Management	Year 3*
HND Fitness Health and Exercise	Edinburgh Napier University	BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science routes	Year 3
HNC Sports Coaching with Development of Sport	Edinburgh Napier University	BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science routes	Year 2