Business HND

Who is this course for?

Employee's who have managerial skills as well as a theoretical knowledge of business and management, are becoming more sought after by employers. This business HND is designed to help you achieve this advantage. It also makes sure that you look at all the areas of business together, combining for instance, human resources, finance and marketing. The programme is designed to make students more immediately effective in current and/or future employment. It also provides a basis of transferable skills, personal qualities and attitudes to underpin the development of students' future careers.

What will I do on the course?

Timetables and provision will be confirmed once enrolled onto the course:

• Understanding People & Performance (30 credits)
• Financial & Legal Aspects of Business (Part 1) (law) (15 credits)
• Employability, IT and Reasoning Techniques (15 credits)
• Business Environment & Marketing Responses (30 credits)
• Employability & Project Management Techniques (30 credits)
• Financial & Legal Aspects of Business (part 2)(15 credits)
• Business Economics (15 credits)
• Entrepreneurial Marketing (15 credits)
• Design & Management of Effective Organisations (30 credits)
• Practical Research (15 credits)
• Professional Choice (15 credits)

What qualifications do I need?

• BTEC National Certificate in Business
• OCR Level 3 Certificate in Business
• An Advanced GNVQ
• A BTEC National Certificate, Diploma or at least one GCE
• A Level pass of any other related title
• Appropriate supporting passes in Maths, English at GCSE at Grades A – C or equivalent qualifications
• Mature students (over 21 years of age) are entitled to more flexible entry requirements and will be considered based on an interview with a Course or Admissions Tutor. Each applicant will be considered individually based on their qualifications, experience and suitable supporting statement.

When does the course start?

September

Where is it held?

Lichfield Campus

How long does the course last?

Two years

What does it cost?

Please enquire

What could I do after completing the course?

This course offers a wide range of potential career options in general management or, depending on your module choices, a particular area of business where your all round knowledge will also be appreciated. It is also suitable if you would like to progress onto year three of the BA (Hons) degree or seek employment at a mid or senior management level or go on to obtain a professional qualification within a specific business area, such as marketing or finance. You may also consider to pursue a career in teaching, the course offers an ideal basis for entry into this profession.

How will I be assessed?

Assessment is by a mixture of on-going coursework, closed and open book examinations and project work.

What equipment will I need?

Books but these are discussed at the start of each module

Are there any additional costs?

No

Employability

The Higher National Diploma offers a wide range of potential career options in general management or a particular area of business where your all round knowledge will also be appreciated.Upon successful completion you may be also be able to progress onto year three of the BA (Hons) degree or seek employment at a mid or senior management level. It is also suitable if you would like to go on to obtain a professional qualification within a specific business area, such as marketing or finance. Graduates wishing to pursue a career in teaching, will also find the course offers an ideal basis for entry into the profession.

Accreditation

The Higher National Diploma is accredited by Staffordshire University. The grade points that you receive for each individual assessment will be used to determine the overall grade point that you are awarded for each module by the appropriate Assessment Board. As well as being marked by the module tutor, students' work at Level 5 is also 'internally moderated' (sample second marked, including all fails and firsts) as well as 'externally moderated' by a subject based 'external examiner' – always someone who is an expert in the field, and usually a senior academic at another university. The external examiner is responsible for ensuring that the marking is appropriate across the range of modules comprising a particular subject area, and that the standards achieved by students on those modules are comparable with those of students on similar awards at other universities, as well as with the level and subject benchmarks established at national level. Assessment Boards, attended by the relevant external examiner(s), confirm the marks for all modules in the programme. The Progress Review Board looks at credit profiles by individual students, and may invite students who have failed any modules at that point of the academic year to resubmit/resit the assessment(s) in due course. The Award Board confirms the module marks achieved by each student and determines the date by which any failed modules must be recovered. The vast majority of assessment is done in-course through grading of completed practical product (films) tutor/mentor/peer assessments, written evaluations and portfolios. To ensure fairness and consistency, assessment is rigorously monitored. Formative assessment takes place in the college, is moderated by the university before being passed through an award board chaired by an external examiner.

Assessment

The assessment strategy is designed to both develop and evaluate your knowledge and skills throughout the award. A variety of academically rigorous assessment tasks, activities and formats will be used to suit different learning styles. Assessments are designed to be interesting, relevant and contemporary, with the aim of enhancing personal and professional development, while also evaluating performance. Assessments match learning outcomes within each module and the overall pattern of assessment matches the overarching learning outcomes of the full award. The variety and flexibility of the assessment strategy is designed to offer the student the opportunity to develop a number of intellectual, research, practical and employability skills. In developing the assessment strategy consideration has been given to the overall assessment workload in order to ensure this is fair. Students will also obtain formative assessment via peer and tutorial review of a number of theoretical and practical tasks. In order to provide formative assessment and feedback award modules will employ one or more of the following methods:

• Multiple choice tests
• Quizzes
• Essays
• Class presentations
• Exercises
• Peer assessment and/or discussions
• Case study discussions
• Workshop activities
• Self-assessment tests
• Class tests Alternative assessments are usually available to students with particular requirements.

Teaching and Learning

The HND in Business aim to provide an academically focussed programme which can act as a foundation for a range of business careers and also for self-employment. The programme is designed to make students more immediately effective in current and/or future employment. It also provides a basis of transferable skills, personal qualities and attitudes to underpin the development of students' future careers.The HND has been a successful, intermediate-level award that follows a common teaching programme with the business degrees. Formal entry criteria for the HND are a little less strict than those for the degree programme. Although there is a common first year, there is an additional tutorial support element on the HND that ensures that students further develop their range of study, academic and key skills to cope with demands of higher study. Students who successfully complete the HND have the opportunity to progress on to the final year of an honours degree.The Business School's commitment to promoting equality and valuing diversity means that a range of teaching and learning methods are employed to suit the various needs of diverse types of student learner. Subject knowledge and intellectual, practical and transferable skills are developed through the curriculum by supporting every business student within an inclusive and student-centred learning culture. Typically, lead lectures will be utilised to introduce key theories and concepts. Lectures are supported by smaller group tutorials and seminars, case workshops, project and group-based activities, role plays, gaming simulations and small business start-ups, which are co-ordinated and led by academic staff and/or visiting speakers as well as being student-centred. The active participation of students in the delivery of the module content via these small group activities provides an excellent opportunity to reflect upon underpinning theory and apply this to a variety of business situations and contexts. This form of problem-based learning helps students to acquire employability skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, an ability to work in teams, effective communication and enquiry skills. A key feature of the learning experience is the application of modes of teaching and learning which aim to develop, challenge and extend knowledge, and links theory to practice and employability which helps facilitate independence. Students are therefore provided with guided independent learning activities to further influence their educational growth and development in order to achieve the learning outcomes of each module. The independent learning is facilitated through activities such as direct reading and practical activities, and is co-ordinated with the tutorial, seminar or workshop exercises. Structured, teacher-led contact is weighted more heavily at levels one and two of the business awards, while independent learning increases significantly at level three.To assist with autonomous learning, students are advised to use the College VLE: Blackboard which can be accessed through STEPS at http://steps.southstaffs.ac.uk. Reading lists and identified texts are discussed during lessons and also within the assignment briefs. Furthermore, business students are also encouraged to undertake their own personal development planning to enable them to reflect upon their own progress and determine strategies to assist their learning.