HND Computing for England (top-up) - Application Development & Testing

This Higher National Diploma in Computing for England is a Top-Up programme for students who have achieved the HNC Computing (or equivalent) and wish to progress into a full Level 5 HND qualification. This qualification is a part of the new Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) Framework which incorporates some technical elements of the Software Tester apprenticeship to enrich the curriculum. It is highly valued and recognised brand of technical qualification which is well-respected sector Employers. It covers theoretical concepts and vocational skills required to excel in today’s IT industry. It has been developed to equip learners with the specialist knowledge and skills to make them competitive and employable in the job market. The HND Computing Top-Up can be achieved in one-year of full-time study. This is an ideal progression route for learners who have completed the HNC Computing programme. Full Time study at Level 5 usually requires learners to attend College two days a week. Students who seek a two year full time programme to level 5 from the outset can apply for the HND Computing for England (App Dev and Testing) HTQ instead of the HNC followed by HND top up combination.

Successful completion of this programme leads to the award of Pearson BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computing for England HTQ - with a specialism in Application Development and Testing. This programme is an industry recognised, stand-alone level 5 qualification which is the equivalent of completing the second year of a University degree programme. Students who achieve this HND Computing qualification can either progress directly into IT related employment or continue onto a one-year Bachelor's degree Top-Up programme at a collaborating University.

Learners pursuing the HND qualification are expected to have completed all the eight HNC modules at Level 4 by the time they would start the HND programme. The HND Computing itself will cover seven modules at Level 5 (including a Research Project module). All modules in these programmes have a 15-credit value (except the double-value Research Project module which has 30 credits.)

Module titles are listed below:
Computing Research Project
Business Process Support
Application Development
Prototyping
Application Programming Interfaces
Risk Analysis & Systems Testing
Cloud Computing
Note: We are currently running the Applications Development & Testing Pathway.

Please be aware that modules studied may change periodically in line with student and stakeholder feedback, awarding body changes, or to reflect developments in the discipline. Students can always find the most up-to-date information about modules and who is teaching them in the course handbook.

The lecturing team consist of highly qualified and experienced HE lectures who are dedicated to ensuring students success through effective curriculum delivery and pastoral support. Most of the current lecturers have had relevant industry experience in IT.

Learners benefit from a combination of tutor-led sessions, lectures, seminars, group discussions and research, visiting speakers, practical activities and online materials via VLE. Learners also have additional support sessions with their personal tutor. In addition to these, learners are expected to dedicate some time to individual research and self-study outside the timetabled sessions. As expected of all HE programmes, learners individual engagement with the programme contents is very important for successful completion and achieving high grades in the programme.

There may be some voluntary educational visits to seminars and IT Expositions outside the College campus. Students are expected to fund their own transportation to such events if they wish to attend.

For information about tuition fees, please refer to the YCUC Tuition Fees List and the YCUC Higher Education Fees Policy, available at https://www.yeovil.ac.uk/policies-reports

The programme uses different types of formative assessments to test and prepare learners for the summative (graded) assessments. There are usually two summative assessments designed to cover all the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO) for each module. The assessment tasks usually require students to produce coursework which may include written reports, presentations, practical implementation of IT systems etc. Each module is second-marked and graded as either Refer, Pass, Merit or Distinction. We aim to provide learners with written feedback within 15 working days of their assessment submission deadlines.

Typical offer is 120 Level 4 CATS points from an appropriate subject area such as HNC Computing for England. Candidates with a recognised and similar level 4 qualification in Computing may be considered through the Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process. APL allows the qualifying modules they achieved to be mapped across to the HNC Computing for England qualification. GCSE Maths at grade 4 and GCSE English at grade 4 are also desired. For more information on the APL process, please email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk. Applicants will be invited to attend an admission interview and will be advised of the criteria in advance. International applicants will be required to evidence English language skills - this could be an IELTS score of 5.5 (with both reading and writing at least 5.5), 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 email university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk.

Applicants that have achieved a relevant HE qualification (e.g. FdSc or HNC/D) or required credit value at another higher education institution may also be able to gain direct entry to this HND Computing programme. All applicants will be invited to an admission interview before an offer is made.

To study full-time, please apply through UCAS:
Institute name: YEOV
Institute code: Y25
HND Course code: YTCP
For the part-time route, please apply directly to the Yeovil College University Centre by calling: 01935 845454 or emailing:university.centre@yeovil.ac.uk