HND’s and HNC’s provide a recognised qualification and focus on learning through direct experience to provice a highly practical way of advancing your career.

HNCs (Higher National Certificates) and HNDs (Higher National Diplomas) are workplace focused qualifications designed to give you the skills necessary to apply knowledge to a particular job. They tend to be a lot more practical in nature compared to bachelors degrees which are more knowledge bases. Employers both here and abroad give them a lot of value and they often count towards membership of professional bodies and other trade organisations.

There are over 400 higher education colleges offereing HNC and HND courses. HNC’s typically take one year to complete full time and two years part time. HND’s usually take two years to complete, longer for part time courses.

On the National Qualifications Framework HNC’s and HND’s rate at level 5. This is a measurement of the demands different types of qualifications place on students.

A wide range of subjects are available as HNC and HND courses, including:

  • agriculture
  • IT and computing
  • construction and civil engineering
  • engineering
  • health and social care
  • business and management
  • sport and exercise sciences
  • performing arts
  • retail and distribution
  • hospitality management

To qualify for an HNC or HND course you will need evidence of previous studies. Most HND courses require at least one A-level or the equivalent.