HND Business

The Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business is a varied programme which encompasses a range of business topics. It is designed to give you high quality technical business information which can lead to a variety of careers in industry. The programme seeks to balance both intellectual and practical skills and requires you to learn through lectures, group work, reflective practice, and presenting. This course is appropriate both for those working in Business looking to return to the classroom to upskill and develop their careers, as well as those who are looking to progress on from a relevant Level 3 qualification.

A HND is equivalent in level to the first two years of a ‘traditional’ undergraduate honours degree. Upon successful completion, learners may use this qualification to progress in their chosen career, or may choose to undertake a Level 6 ‘top-up’ degree to achieve a full BA (Honours) degree qualification.

This course is available on both a full-time and part-time basis and is taught in-person at our Yeovil College campus. The full-time course is studied over two academic years, and students are typically timetabled for two days per week. The part-time course is studied over three academic years, and students are typically timetabled for one day per week.

Higher National Diploma (HND) in Business, awarded by Pearson, and regulated by the Office for Students.

This course would prepare students well to work in a career in a range of business sectors including finance, retail, and manufacturing.

Upon successful completion, students would also be eligible to apply for further study, for example to progress to a Level 6 top-up degree to get a BA (Hons) qualification. At Yeovil College University Centre, we currently offer the BA (Hons) Business Management and Strategy top-up degree on both a full-time and part-time basis.

You will study a range of units that will develop your specialist knowledge and skills. Modules currently offered include:

• Business and the Business Environment
• Marketing Processes and Planning
• Human Resource Management
• Leadership and Management
• Accounting Principles
• Managing a Successful Business Project
• Recording Financial Transactions
• Innovation and Commercialisation
• Research Project
• Organisational Behaviour
• Principles of Operations Management
• Taxation
• Business Strategy
• Planning for Growth
• Planning Social Media Campaigns

All units are worth 15 credits, apart from ‘Research Project’ which is a 30 credit double unit.

Alongside developing a range of subject-specific skills, this course also gives you the opportunity to develop important transferable skills such as critical analysis, academic writing, time management, and communication.

Please be aware that modules studied may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, in response to student or stakeholder feedback, or as a result of regulatory body requirements. However, no significant changes to modules would be implemented without student consultation and feedback. Enrolled students can always find the most up-to-date information about their modules and who is teaching them in their course handbook.

The course is taught by well qualified lecturers who are dedicated to ensuring student success through effective curriculum delivery and high-quality pastoral support.?The team includes staff with relevant academic qualifications and sector expertise.

Learning will be achieved through a combination of class-based activity, group-based activity and independent study. These sessions are designed to actively support the development of independent learning strategies. They will combine tutor input with a wide range of participative activities including case studies, individual and group problem solving activities, student led activities which will include discussions of existing research and article reviews. You will be encouraged to study directed readings and to critique research articles.

You will be required to work independently and to take responsibility for your learning. The role of tutors is to encourage your independence whilst still offering the appropriate levels of support. During the programme of study, you will develop and attain a number of skills and attributes which include the following:

• The understanding and application of theoretical perspectives.
• The ability to critically analyse, synthesise, communicate and apply theoretical concepts.
• Develop creative solutions to problems.
• Reflect on experiences in an informed manner.

A full-time student is typically timetabled for two days of on-site contact time in taught sessions each week, plus additional 1:1 support available by student request. As with all higher education programmes, students are required to take ownership of their learning and development, and should therefore expect to spend time studying with independence outside of lectures. Time spent studying independently may include reading journal articles and relevant books, undertaking research, and completing assignments by set deadlines.

As a rough guide, between timetabled sessions and independent work a student should expect to spend around 10 hours studying for each credit they undertake. A full-time student will typically undertake 120 credits per academic year.

Part-time students should expect to spend a proportionately reduced amount of time in taught sessions and undertaking independent work, in line with their intensity of study.

Tuition Fees: Full information on tuition fees, including tuition fee lists, can be found on our Financial Support page. Please be aware that fee levels vary depending upon the year in which a student commences their studies. For more detailed information, see the YCUC HE Fees Policy, available in the the Policies and Reports area of our website.

Additional Costs: There are no required additional costs for the programme. Whilst some students may choose to buy their own copies of certain key texts this isn't essential as relevant resources are available through the College's Learning Resources Centre.

An assessment schedule, outlining all assessments and deadlines, will be issued to you at the start of each academic year. You will be assessed using a range of methods which will reflect the requirements of the subject, including essays, reports, and presentations. Feedback will be provided to you in writing, along with information reflecting your performance and recommendations for improvement.

Entry Requirements: Typical entry requirements are 48 UCAS tariff points. These could come from a relevant BTEC Level 3 qualification, a relevant T Level, an A Level profile that demonstrates strong performance in relevant subject areas, or other Level 3 qualifications such as an International Baccalaureate or an Access to HE Diploma. Grade 4 (C) or above in GCSE English and Maths (or equivalent) are required.

Mature Applicants: We welcome applications from mature students (aged 21 and over as of 1st September in the academic year of admission) and do not necessarily require the same academic qualifications as school leaving applicants. Mature students requesting contextual admission are required to provide details of their relevant prior work or study experience, and to also undertake a pre-entry admissions assessment to ensure there is suitable grounds to suggest they are academically ready to begin the programme and there is a reasonable expectation that they will succeed in their studies. Please email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk to find out more.

International Applicants: International applicants will be required to evidence English language skills - this could be an IELTS score of 5.5, with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component, a grade 4 in GCSE English (or equivalent), or having recently completed a Level 3 qualification taught and assessed in the English language. For more information, please get in touch via university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk or call 01935 845454.

Interviews: As part of the admissions process, applicants who meet the entry criteria for the course will be invited to attend an admissions interview with a member of staff from the course they are applying to. More information about the interview process can be found on the How to apply page.

Full-time: To apply for this course on a full-time basis, you will need to apply via UCAS (Campus name: Yeovil College University Centre; Institution code: Y25; Course code: 2Y1V). For more information on UCAS and how the application process works, see our How to apply page.

Part-time: To apply for this course on a part-time basis, you will need to submit an application form directly to the University Centre. You can find out more about this process and download a copy of the application form by visiting our How to apply page, or you can request a copy of the application form directly from the Yeovil College University Centre team via 01935 845454 or university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk.