Higher Education

Vocational higher education qualifications are designed jointly by universities, colleges and employers to make sure that courses teach the technical and work-specific skills needed by the industry while also providing an academic learning base.

They are valuable qualifications to have as they combine the needs of today’s workplace with the benefits of higher education and increase students’ career opportunities and earning potential. Very importantly, for some students, they also allow you to earn while you learn.

Remember, many level 3 qualifications can be used to gain entry into vocational higher education but you should check with the university or college that you are interested in for specific entry requirements to your chosen course.

Certificates or Diplomas of Higher Education in vocational subjects

NQF Level: 4 and 5  (Certificate and Intermediate)

Certificates and Diplomas of Higher Education:

• can be studied in subjects as varied as Accounting, Construction, Engineering, Nursing, and Textile Design
• usually take two years to complete
• can sometimes be converted to an Honours degree with an extra year of study.

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQS)

Level: 4 and 8 (Certificate to Doctoral)

More info: www.qca.org.uk/qca_6640.aspx

National Vocational Qualifications

NVQs at levels 4 and 5:

• are vocational qualifications that reflect the skills and knowledge needed to do a job well and represent a national standard recognised by employers
• are assessed and gained mostly through the workplace.

NVQs can be awarded from level 1 to level 5. Levels 4 and 5 are classed as higher education and activities undertaken at these levels are complex, technical or professional with a substantial degree of personal responsibility for planning and evaluation.

NVQ subject areas

There are NVQs available for almost all occupations and they are categorised into 11 groups:

• Communicating
• Constructing
• Developing and Extending Knowledge and Skills
• Engineering
• Extracting and Providing Natural Resources
• Manufacturing
• Providing Business Services
• Providing Goods and Services
• Providing Health, Social Care and Protective Services
• Tending Animals, Plants and Land
• Transporting

Foundation degrees NQF Level: 5 (Intermediate)

Foundation Degrees

More info:

www.fdf.ac.uk

www.foundationdegree.org.uk

Foundation degrees:

• are employment-related higher education qualifications that provide professional development in a broad range of vocational areas
• have been designed jointly by universities, colleges and employers which means that you will be training for the skills that employers are looking for
• are available in a variety of subjects from Chemical Technology and Commercial Music, to Police Studies, Textiles or Tourism
• blend academic study with practical experience
• usually take two years to complete studying full-time but many people choose to study part-time or by flexible learning, and often while still working
• are valuable qualifications in their own right, but should guarantee an articulated progression route onto at least one Honours degree programme through further study sometimes referred to as a ‘top-up year’

Foundation degree subject areas

There are many different Foundation degrees available in the following subject areas

• Agriculture, Environmental and Land-based Studies
• Art and Design
• Bioscience
• Business
• Community and Social Studies
• Computing
• Construction
• Education
• Engineering
• Health
• History, Theology, Geography and Languages
• Hospitality and Tourism
• Law
• Media
• Performing Arts and Music
• Science
• Public Services
• Retail
• Sport
• Technology
• Transport and Logistics
• Veterinary Nursing and Animal Studies

Higher National Certificates (HNCs)

Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) NQF Level: 5 (Intermediate)

More info

www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/qualificationsexplained

HNCs:

• are work-related higher education qualifications and are available in a wide range of subjects from Accounting to Video Production
• are usualy studied part-time over two years by students who are also working
• can often allow entry into the second year of a relevant Honours degrees

HNDs:

• are vocational higher education qualifications
• usually take two years full-time to complete or longer part-time or with a sandwich year (a year-long work experience placement within your relevant industry)
• usually allow entry into the second or third year of an Honours degree

HNC and HND subject areas

Higher National Certificates

• Applied Science
• Art and Design
• Beauty Therapy Sciences
• Business
• Computing
• Construction and Civil Engineering
• Early Years
• E-Business
• Engineering
• Facilities Management
• Health and Social Care
• Hospitality Management
• Land and Environment
• Leisure, Sport, Travel and Tourism
• Media
• Music and Performing Arts
• Public Service
• Retail Management
• Sport and Exercise Sciences
• Sport and Leisure Management
• Travel and Tourism Management

Honours degrees in vocational subjects NQF Level: 6 (Honours)

More info: www.ucas.com

Honours Degrees

Although Honours degrees are traditionally academic qualifications, you can study them in a wide variety of vocational subjects such as Engineering, Construction, Textile Design and Social Work.

These qualifications are likely to offer a more theoretical approach to the subject than the more hands-on approach of a Foundation degree.