Higher National Certificate (Business)

About Pearson BTEC:

BTEC qualifications are awarded by Pearson, the UK’s largest awarding body offering academic and vocational qualifications that are globally recognized and benchmarked. The BTEC suite of Pearson qualifications, Higher Nationals (HNs) are widely supported by higher education and industry as the principal vocational qualifications at Levels 4 and 5. BTEC is one of the world’s most successful applied learning brands, helping students develop their practical, interpersonal and thinking skills for more than 30 years. Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications take a student-centered approach to the curriculum. There is a flexible, unit-based structure that focuses on developing the practical, interpersonal and thinking skills the student will need to succeed in employment and higher education. They represent the latest in professional standards and provide opportunities for students to develop skills and behaviors for work, for example by taking part in a group project or meeting a client brief.

Professional Accreditation Body:

Pearson BTEC

Program Overview:

Pearson BTEC Diplomas are widely recognized as equivalent to the first two years of a three-year bachelor’s degree. Pearson Higher National Diploma students can “top-up” their qualifications by progressing directly to a third-year degree at over 60 plus Pearson progression Partners across the globe (40+ countries).

Duration:

1. Higher National Diploma (Business) 24 Months (After G.C.E Advanced Level or equivalent). 32 Months (After G.C.E Ordinary Level or equivalent)
2. Higher National Certificate (Business) 12 Months (After G.C.E Advanced Level or equivalent). 32 Months (After G.C.E Ordinary Level or equivalent)

Program Structure:

The programme consists of lectures, case studies, presentations, multimedia tutorials and research projects. It is designed to develop students’ practical skills related to management techniques and to enhance their ability to work professionally in a group or independently in a disciplined and structured environment.

Career Progression:

The Level 4 Higher National Certificate provides a solid grounding in business, which students can build on if they decide to continue their studies. The Level 5 Higher National Diploma allows students to specialize by committing to specific career paths and progression routes to degree-level study. Once students have achieved the Level 5 Higher National Diploma, they can develop their careers in the business sector by:

• Entering employment
• Continuing existing employment
• linking with the appropriate professional body
• committing to continuing professional development, or
• going to university

Modules:

HNC:

The Higher National Certificate (HNC) is a Level 4 qualification made up of 120 credits.
It is usually studied full time over one year, or part time over two years.

• Requires at least 120 credits = 8 units, each with a value of 15 credits.
• 6 core units and 2 optional units.
• Total qualification time = 1,200 hours.
• Total guided learning hours = 480 hours.
• All units are at Level 4.

*Units may be subject to change as per requirements of further industry or University or Board.

About the Modules/Units:

Unit 1: Business and the Business Environment
Credits: 15
Module Description: This module gives students a comprehensive background and knowledge about understanding the different types of organizations, their size and scope, business environment, functions of an organization and the related operations. Students will explore the relationships that organizations have with their various stakeholders and how the wider external environments influence and shape business decision making. The knowledge, understanding and skill sets that students gain in this unit will help them to have an insight into different business functions.

Unit 2: Marketing Processes and Planning
Credits: 15
Module Description: This module is designed to introduce students to the dynamic world of the marketing sector and the wealth of exciting career opportunities available to support their decision making in their career choices. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the competencies and behaviors required by employers to work in the marketing sector. They will be introduced to the key principles of marketing, enabling them to develop a marketing plan and to employ elements of the marketing mix to achieve results. They will study the underpinning theories and frameworks of marketing while relating them to real-world examples, including products/services that they encounter in their daily lives.

Unit 3: Human Resource Management
Credits: 15
Module Description: The aim of the unit is to enable students to understand and be able to apply principles of effective HRM in order to enhance sustainable organizational performance and contribute to organizational success, holding business outcomes and people outcomes in equal balance. Students will apply HR practices in a work- related context, utilizing their knowledge and practicing skills and behaviors in relevant professional areas, including resourcing, talent planning and recruitment, learning and development and employee engagement.

Unit 4: Leadership and Management
Credits: 15
Module Description: The aim of this unit is to help students to understand the difference between the function of a manager and the role of a leader. Students will consider the characteristics, behaviors and traits that support effective management and leadership. Students will learn about the theories that have shaped the understanding of leadership and management and how these have provided a guide to action for managers and leaders who want to secure success for their businesses. Students will look at leadership styles, how and why they are used and the extent to which they are effective.

Unit 5: Accounting Principles
Credits: 15
Module Description: The overall aim of this unit is to introduce fundamental accounting principles that underpin financial operations and support good and sustainable decision making in any organization. Students will develop a theoretical and practical understanding of a range of financial and management accounting techniques. On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to assist senior colleagues in producing and analyzing budgets, drawing up simple financial statements and using financial ratios to interpret performance. Students will also explore wider aspects of accountancy, especially ethics, transparency and sustainability, and gain fundamental knowledge and skills that will enable them to progress to a higher level of study.

Unit 6: Managing a Successful Business Project
Credits: 15
Module Description: The aim of this unit is to offer students an opportunity to demonstrate the skills required for managing and implementing a small-scale business project. They will undertake independent research and investigation for carrying out and executing a business project that meets appropriate business aims and objectives. On successful completion of this unit, students will have the confidence to engage in decision making, problem solving and research activities using project-management skills. They will have the fundamental knowledge and skills to enable them to investigate and examine relevant business concepts in a work-related context, determine appropriate outcomes, decisions or solutions and present evidence to various stakeholders in an acceptable and understandable format.

Unit 7: Business Law
Credits: 15
Module Description: The aim of this unit is to enhance students’ understanding of how business law is applied to the running of a business organization. Students will gain knowledge of business law and examine the impact of the law on business operations and decision making. The unit will enable students to illustrate the impact of the law on normal business operations and when registering a company and inviting shareholders to invest in it. They will gain an understanding of the law in relation to market abuse and director responsibilities. Students will be able to recognize the application of employment law while gaining a practical understanding of the skills and experiences undertaken by those practicing in a business law context.

Unit 8: Innovation and Commercialization
Credits: 15
Module Description: This unit aims to give students a comprehensive understanding of innovation and commercialization. In today’s competitive landscape it is critical that organizations continually innovate both their product offering and processes to ensure that they remain competitive in the market. Adopting a more commercially driven approach is vital to maximize the Return on Investment (ROI). In this unit, students will look at a number of tools and techniques that organizations use to drive innovation and become more commercial in their approach. The unit gives students cutting-edge knowledge as well as practical application of the key ways in which organizations become more innovative while remaining commercially driven.