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PET offers over 130 distance learning courses in every prison in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

We offer courses in a range of sectors – from health and social care to transport and logistics – as well as GCSEs, A-levels and Open University Access modules. Here you’ll find information about every course we offer.

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A-Levels | NEC | AQA | A-Level | Duration: 150 hours

Philosophy A-Level Part 2

This course delves into some of life’s fundamental questions – about existence, knowledge and ethics. You’ll deepen your understanding of human beings and free will, and consider questions about God’s existence and what knowledge is. This course also improves transferable skills, such as independent studies and the ability to explore and evaluate concepts.

The course contains five lessons that follow on from Part 1:

  1. Metaphysics of God, 1: Arguments for the existence of God (the concept of God, the design argument, the cosmological argument)
  2. Metaphysics of God, 2 (the ontological argument, the problem of evil, religious language)
  3. Metaphysics of Mind 1 (substance dualism, philosophical behaviourism, mind-brain identity theory, eliminative materialism)
  4. Metaphysics of Mind 2 (functionality, property dualism)

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus Philosophy A-Level Part 1

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Five written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.

Exams: Two exams – each are 3 hours long, and contribute 50% towards the final grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees).

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and invigilate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Open University Access Module Y032 People, Work and Society

Find Out More: From NEC here

 

A-Levels | NEC | Edexcel | A-Level | Duration: 150 hours

Politics A-Level Part 1

This course will expand your knowledge of elections, referendums and nationalism and help you develop an understanding of current political issues in the world. It will also improve your transferable skills, such as research, and build your analytical and critical thinking ability.

PET offers A-levels in two parts. Upon completing Part 1, you can choose either to take your AS exam (a qualification marking the first year of a full A-level) or continue on to Part 2 to build up to a full A-level.

The course consists of the following units:

1. Democracy and political parties
2. Elections and voting behaviour
3. The Constitution and Parliament
4. The Executive and relations between institutions

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Five written assignments. These do not contribute toward the final grade.

Exams: Two, each are 1 hour 45 minutes, and contribute 50% of the overall grade.

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next?  Politics A-Level Part 2

Find Out More: From NEC here

 

A-Levels | NEC | Edexcel | A-Level | Duration: 150 hours

Politics A-Level Part 2

This course will expand your knowledge of elections, referendums and nationalism and help you develop an understanding of current political issues in the world. It will also improve your transferable skills, such as research, and build your analytical and critical thinking ability.

The course contains six lessons that follow on from Part 1:

5. Conservatism and Liberalism
6. Socialism and Nationalism
7. U.S. Constitution and Congress
8. The U.S. President and the Supreme Court
9. Democracy and Participation in the U.S.
10. Comparative Approaches

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus Politics A-Level Part 1

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Six written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.

Exams: Three – all are 2 hours long and count 33.3% towards the final grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees).

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and invigilate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Open University Access Module Y032 People, Work and Society

Find Out More: From NEC here

Horticulture (Professional Gardening) and Animal Care | Open Study College | Unaccredited | Level 3 | Duration: 80 hours

Principles of British Wildlife Care and Rehabilitation

This course will introduce you to the basic principles and ethics of wildlife care including rehabilitation and release, and develop your knowledge in the care and management of birds, small mammals, larger mammals, and marine mammals.

1. Basic principles and ethics of wildlife care including rehabilitation and release
2. Care and management of birds
3. Care and management of small mammals
4. Care and management of larger mammals
5. Care and management of marine mammals
6. Rehabilitation considerations and release methods

PET entry requirements: Level 2 English

Format of course material: Paper-based

Assignments: Six assignments

Exam: No

Prison support requirements: Support assessment submission and contact supplier for tutor support

Tutor support: Tutors give support by providing feedback and answering queries.

A-Levels | NEC | AQA | A-Level | Duration: 150 hours

Psychology A-Level Part 1

In this course, you’ll deepen your understanding of theories underpinning human behaviour – exploring memory, cognition and mental health. You’ll also develop your analytical and organisational skills, discovering which scientific research methods can be used to collect, process and analyse data.

PET offers A-levels in two parts. Upon completing Part 1, you can choose either to take your AS exam (a qualification marking the first year of a full A-level) or continue on to Part 2 to build up to a full A-level.

The course consists of the following units:

  1. Approaching Psychology (introduction and origins, learning cognitive approaches, the biological approach and biopsychology)
  2. Memory (multi-store model, working memory model, explanations for forgetting, eyewitness testimony)
  3. Social Influence: Conformity and Obedience (resistance to social influence, minority influence and social change)
  4. Developmental Psychology: Attachment (developments, explanations, types, maternal deprivation)
  5. Psychopathology (definitions of abnormality, phobias, depression and OCD, approaches to phobias, depression and OCD)

Research Methods (scientific processes, data analysis and presentation, maths resources)

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Seven written assignments. These do not contribute toward the final grade.

Exams: Two, each are 1 hour 30 minutes, and contribute 50% of the overall grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees)

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Psychology A-Level Part 2

Find Out More: From NEC here

 

A-Levels | NEC | AQA | A-Level | Duration: 150 hours

Psychology A-Level Part 2

In this course, you’ll deepen your understanding of theories underpinning human behaviour – exploring memory, cognition and mental health. You’ll also develop your analytical and organisational skills, discovering which scientific research methods can be used to collect, process and analyse data.

The course contains four lessons that follow on from Part 1:

  1. Approaches and Debates (psychodynamic approach, humanistic approach, gender and culture in psychology, free will and determinism, nature-nurture debate, holism and reductionism, idiopathic and nomothetic approaches, ethical implications of research, comparing approaches)
  2. Schizophrenia (Classifying, explanations, therapies, and the interactionist approach)
  3. Cognition and Development (Piaget’s theory, Vggotsky’s theory, development of social cognition)
  4. Aggression and Further Research Methods (Bio-psychological explanations, ethological and evolutionary explanations, social explanations, media influences, institutional aggression, psychology as a science, inferential testing, choosing a statistical test)

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English and Maths, plus Psychology A-Level Part 1

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Four written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.

Exams: Three – all are 2 hours long and count 33.3% towards the final grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees)

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and invigilate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Open University Access Module Y032 People, Work and Society

Find Out More: From NEC here

GCSEs | NEC | AQA | GCSE | Duration: 150 hours

Psychology GCSE

This course will help you better observe and interpret human behaviour, analyse your own social interactions with people of different personality types, and understand the drivers behind decision-making and behaviour. It covers a wide selection of topics including memory, perception, social influence, the brain and neuropsychology.

The course consists of the following units:

  1. Research methods, Part A
  2. Memory
  3. Perception
  4. Development
  5. Research methods, Part B
  6. Social influence
  7. Language, thought and communication
  8. Brain and neuropsychology
  9. Psychological problems

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Ten written assignments. These do not count towards the final grade.

Exams: Two, each are 1 hour 45 minutes and contribute 50% the overall grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees).

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? A-Level Psychology, or OU Access Module YO32: People, work and Society 

Find Out More: From NEC’s website

Open University Access modules | Open University | Open University Regulatory Bodies | Level 3 | Duration: 270 Hours

Psychology, Social Science and Wellbeing Access Module (Y034)

This Access module gives you the chance to dip into some of our most popular subjects, such as psychology, childhood and youth, early years, health and social wellbeing, sport, education, and social sciences. You'll be introduced to discussions of theory and engage with real-world events to build up your knowledge and understanding of these wide-ranging topics. The areas you'll cover are introduced and explained at a gentle pace, which is perfect if you want to discover something new or brush-up on your study skills.

There are three blocks:
Block 1: Who am I?
This block, which you will study in print, considers identity and the overarching question of “Who am I?”
Block 2: Is it fair?
Block 2 moves to online study and addresses the topic of fairness in several different ways and an exploration of difference and inequality.
Block 3: What can be done?
Block 3 identifies some key issues you studied in the previous two blocks and considers them in practical terms.

PET entry requirements: Level 2 English and Maths

Format of course material: Paper-based and on the VC2. Paper-based and a CD-ROM for the audio-video content. All content is also available on the VC2.

Assignments: There are four tutor-marked assignments (TMAs).
There are five interactive computer -marked assignments (iCMAs). No computer access needed.

Exam: No

Prison support requirements: Register and reserve learner on the course before start date (February, May and October each year) by contacting the OU and Student Finance England/ Wales.
Support assessment submission (ideally scan to the tutor or post) and contact supplier for tutor support.

Tutor support: Tutors give support by providing feedback answering queries.

A-Levels | NEC | Edexcel | A-Level | Duration: 150 hours

Religious Studies A-Level Part 1

This course explores a variety of perspectives on religion and its impact on people’s behaviour, communities and cultures. Focusing on topics such as life after death and the existence of God, you’ll get the chance to reflect on your own values and attitude, as well as develop critical thinking and effective communication.

PET offers A-levels in two parts. Upon completing Part 1, you can choose either to take your AS exam (a qualification marking the first year of a full A-level) or continue on to Part 2 to build up to a full A-level.

The course consists of the following units:

  1. Introduction to Religious Studies
  2. The Existence of God (Design Argument, Cosmological Argument, Ontological Argument)
  3. Religious and Ethical Debates (Religious Experience, The Problem of Evil, Environmental Ethics, The Ethics of Equality)
  4. Theory and Application of Ethics (Utilitarianism, Natural Moral Law, Situation Ethics, War and Peace, Sexual Ethics)
  5. Christianity (The Nature of God, The Trinity, The Church, The Bible, The Role and Nature of Jesus, Shaping and Expressing Christian Identity)

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Six written assignments. These do not contribute toward the final grade.

Exams: Three – each are 1 hour, and contribute 33.3% of the overall grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees).

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and facilitate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next?  Religious Studies A-Level Part 2

Find Out More: From NEC here

A-Levels | NEC | Edexcel | A-Level | Duration: 150 hours

Religious Studies A-Level Part 2

This course explores a variety of perspectives on religion and its impact on people’s behaviour, communities and cultures. Focusing on topics such as life after death and the existence of God, you’ll get the chance to reflect on your own values and attitude, as well as develop critical thinking and effective communication.

The course contains five lessons that follow on from Part 1:

  1. Religious Language (Analogy and Symbol, Verification and Falsification, Language Game)
  2. Belief and Unbelief (Critiques of Religious Belief, Life after Death, Creation and Cosmology)
  3. Ethics (Kant’s Deontological Ethics, Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, Cognitivism and Non-Cognitivism, Religion and Morality, Medical Ethics – the beginning and end of life)
  4. Christianity and Society (The Challenge from Science, Secularisation, new movements in theology, pluralism and diversity, gender equality and discrimination)
  5. Atonement Theory and Scholars

Entry Requirements: Level 2 English, plus Religious Studies A-Level Part 1

Format of Course Materials: Paper-based

Assignments: Five written assignments. These do not contribute towards the final grade.

Exams: Three – all are 2 hours long and count 33.3% towards the final grade. (Funding not included – you will need to re-apply to PET for the exam fees).

Prison Support Requirements: Support completion and submission of assignments. Organize and invigilate exams.

Tutor Support: Yes

What’s Next? Open University Access Module Y032 People, Work and Society

Find Out More: From NEC here

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