Higher National Certificate
A Higher National Certificate (HNC) is a higher education/further education qualification in the United Kingdom.
At Level 4 on the national qualifications framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the HNC was once seen as the more vocational equivalent of the then perceived academic counterpart the Certificate of Higher Education. However, Universities have since seamlessly intergrated both qualifications into the first year of an undergraduate honours degree and can now be interpreted as both being equivalent academically.
Overview
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, HNC and may either be awarded by British degree-awarding bodies under approved licence from Pearson (which allows the Universities to devise, deliver and award the HNC themselves), or they may be awarded directly by Pearson, as an awarding body regulated by Ofqual. In Scotland the HNC is a Higher National awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.[1]
The HNC is equivalent to the first year of university in the United Kingdom and the Certificate of Higher Education but being less extensive than that of a Higher National Diploma (HND). Studied full-time, the qualification normally takes one year or two years part-time.[2] Many HNCs cover the same areas as an HND and it is often possible to complete an HND with one year full-time study after successfully completing the HNC. Also, it is possible to be awarded a HNC on a two year full-time HND course, if the student has unsuccessfully completed the second year of their studies, aslong as they successfully completed the first year of the HND.[3]
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, an HNC (previously a level 5 qualification) is now Level 4 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework.[4]
Ireland, an HNC is considered roughly equivalent to a FETAC level 6 Advanced Certificate – as both contain at least 8 modules/units at IRL level 6 (UK level 4)
In Scotland, an HNC is Level 7 on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework.[5]
References
- ^ civic,sqa. "Higher National Qualifications – HNCs and HNDs". www.sqa.org.uk.
- ^ HNCs and HNDs: what they are – Direct.gov.uk, accessed 30 August 2012 Archived 16 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Higher National Certificate (HNC) – Aimhigher.ac.uk Archived June 23, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20060926024602/http://www.qca.org.uk/493_15772.html. Archived from the original on September 26, 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2006.
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