HND in Business

Course Specification

Students with a keen interest and/or experience in either business management, marketing, finance and/or human resources who wish to embark on a career in this field or continue their study in order to gain a BA (Hons) in Business.

A widely recognised and highly-valued business qualification that enables you to develop a range of skills and gain the experience necessary to progress a career in business.

In addition to developing a set of key skills valued by employers, the course provides a solid platform for further study in the subject area. The course includes the key business areas of marketing, human resource management, and finance, as well as the operational and planning associated with business decision making. The programme is designed to prepare and develop people for advancement in business management as well as other business-related pathways.

Entry requirements include:

• One A Level or BTEC National Diploma / Certificate / GNVQ Advanced or Relevant work experience in a responsible business department role
• GCSEs in English and Maths at grade 4 or above, however equivalent qualifications and/or work experience will be taken into consideration
• Applicants without GCSEs will be required to complete initial assessments and may wish to consider the part-time GCSE courses that the College offers both during the evening and daytime
• Accreditation may be given for relevant work experience or prior learning for mature learners

The course is validated by Edexcel and delivered over two years on two days per week. The programme is run on a four semester basis from September to June. The HND is a broad-based business qualification and consists of the following modules:

Year 1: Core modules:

• Marketing Essentials
• Business Environment
• Human Resource Management, Management and Operations
• Management Accounting and Managing a Successful Business.

In addition to the six core modules, there are two optional modules. These could include:

• Business Law
• Innovation and Commercialisation
• Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management
• Financial Accounting.

Year 2: Core modules:

• Research Project and Organisational Behaviour.

There are five optional modules which could include:

• Statistics for Management
• Business Strategy
• Developing Individuals
• Teams and Organisations
• Consumer Behaviour and Insight
• Pitching and Negotiating Skills.

Your work will be continually assessed throughout the course. The assessment will depend upon the particular module being studied. Typical assessment methods include assignments, developing portfolios, examinations and presentations.

You will be required to complete an assessment for each module of your course. The purpose of assessment is to ensure that effective learning has taken place of the content of each unit.

Evidence of this learning, or the application of the Learning, is required for each unit. The assessment of the evidence relates directly to the assessment criteria for each unit, supported by the generic grade descriptors. The process of assessment can aid effective learning by seeking and interpreting evidence to decide the stage that learners have reached in their learning, what further learning needs to take place and how best to do this. Therefore, the process of assessment should be part of the effective planning of teaching and learning by providing opportunities for both the learner and assessor to obtain information about progress towards learning goals.

The HND is a well-recognised and valued higher education qualification. On completion, graduates may continue academic study towards a BA (Hons) degree. Alternatively, students may decide to move directly into employment in various business organisations and related roles.

The varied mix of modules studied means this course will prepare students for a diverse range of employment and further study options in subjects such as Marketing, Event Management, Accounting, Business Management and more.

To join this course you will first have to register with UCAS at www.ucas.com and then apply through UCAS. (Choose: Sign In–Students–Undergraduate–Apply–Register and follow the instructions.) You will then receive a confirmation email from UCAS and the College will be in contact with an interview date. Current Shrewsbury Colleges Group students should seek support from their tutor before applying.

If after reading this fact sheet, you are still undecided about the programme most suitable for you, please drop in to one of our Advice Events, ring Admissions on 01743 342346 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.