Course Description:
The Higher National Certificates and Diplomas are well recognised qualifications which have been developed in consultation with employers and professional bodies. The course is designed to equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required for success in current and future employment or for progression to an undergraduate degree. Throughout the programmes emphasis is placed on the development and assessment of practical skills relevant to a wide range of business careers.

The HNC qualification is made up of 8 modules. These can be taken as a whole qualification or by taking individual modules for the purpose of continuing professional development. This is a part-time evening course on one evening per week plus some additional evenings to fit in with work commitments. Typically, the HNC will take 2 years to complete if studying 4 modules per year.

Entry Requirements:
You will normally have achieved a Level 3 qualification with at least 80 UCAS points, or an equivalent qualification such as a National Diploma, plus a Level 2 qualification in English. Mature students without these formal qualifications are welcome to apply.

Course Content:
The subjects studied are broad based and cut across all areas of business. The HNC consists of 8 units in total, 4 of which are mandatory.  Students may if they wish undertake individual modules for personal development in a particular area. Individual certificates are awarded in this case.

The Level 4 HNC contains the following modules. The first 4 are mandatory modules for the qualification.

• Business Environment
• Managing Financial Resources and Decisions
• Organisations and Behaviour
• Marketing Principles
• Plus 4 units from a range of options, to be decided such as advertising, human resources and personal development.

Assessment
You will be assessed by a mixture of methods throughout the course, including class tests, assignments, presentations and examinations. On average, you will have 2 to 3 assessments per module. These are designed not only to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge of the subjects, but will also develop your core skills such as report writing and verbal presentation skills.

Additional Information
Course fees are £350 per module, making a total fee of £2,800 for the whole course. Fees can be spread over the length of the course. In addition, there is a one-off registration fee with Edexcel which is currently £200. This course is eligible for a government-sponsored career development loan. Further information can be found in the Education and Learning section of the Directgov website: www.direct.gov.uk

Next Steps:
On successful completion on this course, you may wish to undertake further study in order to achieve a full degree.

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