National Certificate in Applied Sciences

National Certificate in Applied Sciences

(G90M 45)

Course overview and skills development summary

Introduction

National Certificates are made up of Units. Each Unit is mapped against an agreed set of national standards to identify the appropriate level and credit value defined by the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

The SCQF level is a measure of how hard the Unit is.

The credit value is a measure of the time, on average, it should take a learner to achieve the Unit. A single-credit Unit works out at an average of 40 hours teaching time and 20 hours self-directed learning. A double credit Unit works out an average of 80 hours teaching time and 40 hours self directed learning. If you’d like more information, it is available at www.scqf.org.uk.

Most National Certificates have mandatory and optional Units:

¨  Mandatory Units provide the generic knowledge, understanding and skills needed to be successful in your chosen career. Every student has to complete them.

¨  Optional Units give you an opportunity to choose a particular area of interest that you would like to learn about.

This document provides information about the Units that make up your Course and the skills you will be developing as you work through each Unit. It explains:

¨  the way you will use Core Skills in your chosen area of work

¨  how the Course is structured

It also describes the purpose of each Unit in the Course, including:

¨  the subject-specific skills you will develop in each Unit

¨  the Core Skills you will develop naturally as you work through each Unit

¨  any Core Skill or Core Skill component that will be recorded on your certificate

Core Skills in your chosen area of work

Working in the scientific industries, you will be using Core Skills every day.

Communication

You need to be able to deal with work colleagues and make sure that you give clear and concise information and instructions regarding practical procedures and investigations. You need to be able to discuss with others the use of specific equipment, how to research evidence, how to produce reports relating to any investigations.

Numeracy

You need to be able to produce and interpret graphs and charts, read scales on instruments, understand how to measure appropriate quantities of chemicals or drugs, and use a calculator.

Information and Communication Technology

You need to be able to input information onto a computer to create a graph or report, and access and analyse documents that contain different types of information.

Problem Solving

You will have to decide the correct way to solve problems. This will involve collecting information, analysing it and choosing the correct method of solving the problem by looking at different ways this can be achieved.

Working with Others

You will need to work with colleagues to agree appropriate methods of collecting and analysing information and reports. You will need to work with colleagues to ensure that the conditions you work in are safe and present no danger to others.

Course structure for Applied Sciences

To achieve this National Certificate you will need to achieve:

¨  ten Unit credits (7.5 credits at level 5 and 2.5 credits at level 4) from the mandatory section

¨  two Unit credits from the optional section

Mandatory Units (three credits):

Chemistry

Unit title / Unit
code / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Acids, Bases and Metals / D068 11 / 5 / 1
Building Blocks / D066 11 / 5 / 1
Carbon Compounds / D067 11 / 5 / 1

Mandatory Units (three credits):

Biology

Unit title / Unit
code / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Animal Physiology / D028 11 / 5 / 1
Environmental Biology and Genetics / D027 11 / 5 / 1
Living Cells / D026 11 / 5 / 1

OR

Managing Environmental Resources

Unit title / Unit
code / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Ecosystems / D310 11 / 5 / 1
Local Environment / D314 11 / 5 / 1
Natural Resource Use / D312 11 / 5 / 1

OR

Biotechnology

Unit title / Unit
code / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Biotechnology Processes / DF5G 11 / 5 / 1
The Biology of Micro-organisms / DF5F 11 / 5 / 1
Working with Micro-organisms / D039 11 / 5 / 1

Mandatory Unit (one credit):

Physics

Unit title / Unit
code / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Electricity and Electronics / D380 11 / 5 / 1
Mechanics and Heat / D379 11 / 5 / 1
Radioactivity / D382 11 / 5 / 0.5
Waves and Optics / D381 11 / 5 / 0.5

Mandatory Units (three credits):

Unit title / Unit
code / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved
Numeracy Intermediate 1 / D01C 10 / 4 / 1
Science and Technology in Society / F3TA 10 / 4 / 1
Science Investigation Skills / F3TB 11 / 5 / 0.5
Science Practical Skills / F3TC 10 / 4 / 0.5

Optional Units (two credits):

Unit title / Unit
code / SCQF
level / Credit
value / Date achieved /
Acids, Bases and Metals / D068 11 / 5 / 1
Animal Physiology / D028 11 / 5 / 1
Applied Electronics / D186 11 / 5 / 1
Biodiversity in Scotland / D837 11 / 5 / 1
Biotechnological Industries / D024 10 / 4 / 1
Biotechnology Processes / DF5G 11 / 5 / 1
Building Blocks / D066 11 / 5 / 1
Carbon Compounds / D067 11 / 5 / 1
Causes and Prevention of Disease / D13E10 / 4 / 1
Chemistry and Life / D065 10 / 4 / 1
Chemistry in Action / D063 10 / 4 / 1
Communication / F3GB 11 / 5 / 1
Earth Physics and Earth Movements / D247 11 / 5 / 1
Ecosystems / D310 10 / 4 / 1
Ecosystems / D310 11 / 5 / 1
Electricity and Electronics / D380 11 / 5 / 1
Electronics / D378 10 / 4 / 0.5
Energy / D185 11 / 5 / 0.5
Environmental Biology and Genetics / D027 11 / 5 / 1
Environmental Issues / D309 10 / 4 / 1
Everyday Chemistry / D064 10 / 4 / 1
Forensic Science: Applications / F823 11 / 5 / 1
Geology and Scenery / D244 10 / 4 / 1
Geology, People and Environment / D245 10 / 4 / 1
Geology: The Study of the Earth / D243 10 / 4 / 1
Growing Plants / D025 10 / 4 / 1
Health and Technology / D023 10 / 4 / 1
History of the Earth / D8XL 11 / 5 / 1
Information and Communication Technology / F3GC 11 / 5 / 1
Information Technology / D01D 11 / 5 / 1
Introducing Microbiology / D13J 11 / 5 / 1
Laboratory Safety / F3TD 11 / 5 / 1
Land Use / D311 10 / 4 / 1
Living Cells / D026 11 / 5 / 1
Local Environment / D314 11 / 5 / 1
Mathematics 1 / D321 11 / 5 / 1
Mathematics 1 / D321 10 / 4 / 1
Mathematics 2 / D322 11 / 5 / 1
Mathematics 2 / D322 10 / 4 / 1
Mathematics 3 / D323 11 / 5 / 1
Mathematics 3 / D323 10 / 4 / 1
Mechanical Systems / D188 11 / 5 / 0.5
Mechanics and Heat / D379 11 / 5 / 1
Microbiology for Healthcare: An Introduction / DC4H 11 / 5 / 1
Minerals and Rocks / D8XK 11 / 5 / 1
Movement / D377 10 / 4 / 0.5
Natural Resource Use / D312 11 / 5 / 1
Practical Electricity / D374 10 / 4 / 0.5
Radiations / D375 10 / 4 / 0.5
Radioactivity / D382 11 / 5 / 0.5
Sound and Music / D376 10 / 4 / 0.5
Systems and Control / D187 11 / 5 / 1
Telecommunications / D373 10 / 4 / 0.5
The Biology of Micro-organisms / DF5F 11 / 5 / 1
The Human Body / F1RH 11 / 5 / 1
The Human Body / D13F 10 / 4 / 1
The Human Body / F1RH 11 / 5 / 1
Waves and Optics / D381 11 / 5 / 0.5
Work Experience Intermediate 2 / D36H 11 / 5 / 1
Working with Micro-organisms / D039 11 / 5 / 1

Unit summaries

This section provides a brief description of each Unit in the Course. It explains:

¨  the purpose of each Unit

¨  the subject-specific skills you will learn for each Unit

¨  which Core Skills you will be developing as you work through each Unit

¨  which Core Skill or Core Skill components are recorded in your Core Skills profile on your certificate

The Unit summaries are in alphabetical order so you can find them easily. This might not be the order you do them in.

Acids, Bases and Metals (D068 11) 1 credit

In this Unit, you will develop skills in understanding and solving problems, and practical abilities in the context of acids and bases, salt preparation and metals.

You will:

¨  solve problems related to acids, bases and metals by selecting, accurately processing, calculating and presenting relevant information

¨  use relevant information to plan, design and evaluate experiments

¨  accurately observe, measure, calculate and record the results of your experiments in a table with correct headings

¨  produce a report that explains what has happened and why

This Unit has the Problem Solving component Critical Thinking embedded in it. When you achieve the Unit, your Core Skills profile will also be updated to show you have achieved Critical Thinking at SCQF level 5.

As you are doing this Unit you will also be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Problem Solving, Numeracy and Communication.

Animal Physiology (D028 11) 1 credit

In this Unit, you will develop skills in understanding, Problem Solving and practical abilities in the context of mammalian nutrition, control of the internal environment, circulation and gas exchange, sensory mechanisms and processing of information.

You will:

¨  demonstrate your understanding of how the animal body works and solve problems in animal physiology

¨  carry out experiments and gather information from them

¨  study, review and evaluate your results

This Unit has the Core Skill of Problem Solving, and the Numeracy component Using Graphical Information, embedded in it. This means that when you achieve the Unit, your Core Skills profile will also be updated to show that you have achieved Problem Solving and Using Graphical Information at SCQF level 5.

Applied Electronics (D186 11) 1 credit

In this Unit you will develop an understanding of direct current networks and simple electronic systems as well as learning how resistance affects these systems.

You will:

¨  identify the relationship between current and voltage in a direct current network

¨  carry out calculations to solve problems involving resistance, current and voltage

¨  design and construct a simple electronic system

¨  devise a combinational logic system

This Unit has the Core Skills of Numeracy, Information and Communication Technology and Problem Solving embedded in it, which means when you achieve this Unit, your Core Skills profile will also be updated to show that you have achieved Numeracy and Problem Solving at SCQF level 5 and Information and Communication Technology at SCQF level 4.

Biodiversity in Scotland (D837 11) 1 credit

In this Unit you will develop knowledge and understanding of a selected group of organisms in Scotland, how they are distributed throughout the country, and the effect human activity has on these organisms.

You will:

¨  be able to identify different groups of organisms including fish, birds, mammals and plants and their ability to adapt to different environments

¨  research, collect and evaluate information on the distribution of a group of organisms

¨  identify the effect human activity has on the distribution of these groups

As you are doing this Unit you will be developing aspects of the Core Skills in Communication and Problem Solving

Biotechnological Industries (D024 10) 1 credit

In this Unit, you will develop practical skills related to the application of biology to industry.

You will:

¨  show your understanding of the subject by correctly describing the facts, ideas and terms used, and providing supporting evidence

¨  carry out practical work related to the subject and record your findings

¨  carry out a biology investigation and present your conclusions

This Unit has the Core Skill of Problem Solving, and the Numeracy component Using Graphical Information, embedded in it. This means when you achieve this Unit your Core Skills profile will also be updated to show that you have achieved Problem Solving and Using Graphical Information at SCQF level 4. This Unit will also cover elements of Communication.

Biotechnology Processes (DF5G 11) 1 credit

In this Unit you will develop practical skills related to biotechnological applications and processes.

You will:

¨  identify the different micro-organisms, conditions and materials involved in a variety of biotechnological processes

¨  describe how the biotechnology is used to obtain a product and the benefits of the product in relationship to industries such as agriculture and pharmaceuticals

¨  develop your practical skills by planning and carrying out experiments to solve problems relating to biotechnological processes

This Unit has the Core Skill of Problem Solving and the Numeracy component Using Graphical Information embedded in it, which means when you achieve this Unit your Core Skills profile will also be updated to show that you have achieved Problem Solving and Using Graphical Information at SCQF level 5. You will also develop aspect of the Core Skill Communication.

Building Blocks (D066 11) 1 credit

In this Unit, you will develop practical skills related to substances; reaction rates; the structure of the atom; bonding, structure and properties; chemical symbolism; and the mole (unit of mass).