Higher Education

Higher National Certificates (HNCs) and Higher National Diplomas (HNDs) are work-related, or vocational, higher education qualifications. They are specialist technical courses that will help you gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours you need for employment within your chosen field or to prepare you for further study. Together, they are referred to as Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs).

HTQs are at Level 4 and Level 5, these programmes are suitable for students who want a more practical, employer-directed programme of study. They focus on learning by implementation, providing skills that can be applied to a particular job or specialism. They are highly valued by employers and in some instances can also count towards membership of professional bodies and organisations. A HNC will take about one year to complete full-time whilst a HND will usually take two years to complete studying full-time.

Run in partnership with: University of Portsmouth