The SamuelB.LindeCollege of Modern Languages

The Higher National Diploma In Business Programme

The PoznańCollege of Foreign Languages
The Higher National Diploma
In Business Programme
The HND Manual 2008/09
  1. Introduction

1.1 Welcome Letter

1.2 What Edexcel Is

1.3 What HND Is

  1. Programme Details

2.1 Programme Coordination

2.2 Programme Design and Structure

2.3 Unit design

2.4 Programme Tutors

2.5 Programme Layout

2.6 Programme Policy

  1. Study, Assessment and Evaluation Procedures

3.1 Assignment Schedules

3.2 Submission and Return of Assignments

3.3 Submission Format

3.4 Duplicate Work

3.5 Late Submissions

3.6 Referred/Failed Assignments

3.7 Assessment by Tests

3.8 Definition of Grades

3.9 Assignment Assessment

3.10 Group Assignments

3.11 Common Skills

3.12 Policy of Student Grievances and Appeal

Fig. 1 Submission work front page template

Fig. 2 Student assignment reference list template

  1. Introduction
  2. Welcome letter

October 7, 2008
Dear Candidates,
Congratulations on choosing the most challenging and the most unique programme offered by the Samuel B. Linde College of Modern Languages!
You are about to commence an exceptional programme that combines knowledge and skills of two different fields of science: English philology and business know-how. The Programme will provide you with two different types of qualifications: a Bachelor of Arts, granted by SamuelB.LindeCollege of Modern Languages, and a Higher National Diploma in Business, confirmed by Edexcel, a British educational board.
A successful completion of both your courses of study will provide you with a combination of skills highly desirable on the labour market. However, the success will not come easily. You will have to allocate your time very reasonably to combine all your tasks as students: complete assignments, study for the tests and exams, practice presentations and do your research. This programme requires serious discipline and commitment even larger than in other modules. You can always count on a very friendly attitude, professional advice and understanding of all the HND team members, but at the same time you have to be aware that we will expect a respectful and responsible conduct on your part.
As the HND Team we will do our best do provide you with all the skills and knowledge required in order to obtain a Higher National Diploma in Business. The team is a combination of devoted teachers, experienced instructors and professional business people. We all desire your success as much as you do and we know how to assist you in achieving it.
The next four semesters will bring you a discovery of a new world of issues, problems and concepts. You are going to develop intellectually and expand your skills. It will bring you satisfaction, challenge you with tasks and requirements and sometimes it will disappoint you with an occasional failure. Yet we all hope that you will successfully meet all the requirements and complete all the tasks as scheduled to proudly receive the Higher National Diploma in June 2010.
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Katarzyna Matschi
HND Programme Co-ordinator
on behalf of the HND Team

1.2 What Edexcel Is[1]

Edexcel was the first of the three unitary awarding bodies to be established to offer both academic and vocational qualifications, following the Stafford Review of exam standards in 1995. They were formed in 1996 by the merger of the Business & Technology Education Council (BTEC), the country’s leading provider of vocational qualifications, and the University of London Examinations & Assessment Council (ULEAC), one of the major exam boards for GCSEs and A levels.

The name “ Edexcel” was originally derived from ‘educational excellence’. Edexcel vision is 'To be the number one choice for qualifications in our selected markets'; and their mission is 'To enable recognition of achievement by providing great qualifications which are easy to deliver, enthuse learners and enable progression'.

1.2.1 What Edexcel Does[2]

Edexcel provides a very wide range of academic and vocational qualifications that were carefully tested and standardised to be universally recognised and acknowledged in a variety of professional and educational contexts.

Edexcel strongly believes in the parity of esteem of vocational and general qualifications and work to ensure that all qualifications provided by Edexcel retain their value and credibility through a consistent high standard of assessment.

Every year, more than 2 million people study for Edexcel qualifications, which are recognised and respected by employers and higher education institutions around the world. By providing a trusted standard of excellence, Edexcel encourages and rewards achievement in both vocational and academic education. Edexcel works closely with its customers, helping them to deliver high quality education and training programmes to their learners.

Edexcel is organised to allow focus on its key customer markets:

  • Schools
  • Further Education Colleges
  • Higher Education Institutions
  • Employer organisations
  • Training Providers

These customers are serviced through a network of regional offices and outbased field staff.

The head office is in London, but have regional offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester.

Edexcel International is the department of Edexcel that deals exclusively with customers outside the UK. Formed in 1997, it has developed a team of over 60 staff, including its own Customer Relations Unit.

Edexcel Internationalservices customers in 112 countries around the world from its headquarters in London. Every year more than four million people trust Edexcel International’s respected learning programmes and qualifications. It has bases in Beijing, Colombo, Delhi, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpar, Dubai and South Africa. Plans are also in hand for a launch in Bulgaria.

Edexcel International provides a comprehensive range of both academic (London Examinations) and vocational (BTEC) qualifications, including:

GCE O, AS and A levels

GCSEs

IGCSEs

BTEC Firsts, Nationals and Higher Nationals

English as a Foreign Language – London Tests of English and London Tests of English for Children

Edexcel NVQs

Vocational GCSE and Vocational A level

1.2.2 Qualifications Offered by Edexcel

Edexcel offers a wide variety of both vocational and general qualifications, including:

  • BTEC – more than 500,000 students study BTECs each year, as a leading vocational route into employment, further or higher education. They are studied at different levels and bespoke short courses are also developed for employers.
  • GCSE in vocational subjects
  • GNVQ
  • Advanced VCE
  • GCSE
  • GCE AS and A Level

1.2.3EdexcelRange of Operations

In terms of scale:

  • Edexcel qualifications are available in over 5,000 secondary schools, 450 further education colleges, 70 higher education institutes, 700 employer organisations and 300 training providers in the UK
  • There are over 2.5 million entries and registrations for Edexcel courses each year
  • Over 1.5 million certificates are printed annually
  • 400,000 students receive BTEC qualifications each year
  • Edexcel operates in over 100 Countries around the world from Australia to Zimbabwe.
  • To support the standard and consistency of its qualifications, Edexcel provides professional training and development for around 33,300 teachers and lecturers each year.

1.2.4 A Brief History of Edexcel

The history of the organisation can be traced back as far as 1836 when a royal charter gave the University of Londonlimited functions of conducting exams and conferring degrees. The 1902 Education Act introduced reforms that broadened secondary school education, bringing with it a need to rationalise school leaving certificates. The University introduced School Examinations in 1905, which became the General School Examination in 1911, and by 1918 was more commonly known as a School Certificate. By 1930, a new body had been set up, the Matriculation & School Examinations Council, which had the power to set matriculation requirements.

In 1951, the General Certificate of Education (GCE), normally taken at Ordinary (O) level at 16 and Advanced (A) level at 18, was introduced. The University Entrance & School Examinations Council took over the responsibilities of the Matriculation & School Examinations Council that was abolished at this time. In September 1984, it was replaced by the University of London School Examinations Board (ULSEB). On 1 September 1991, ULEAC, commonly known as London Examinations, was set up.

Throughout this period, vocational qualifications were developing. In 1973, the Technician Education Council (TEC) was established by the then Secretary for Education & Science, Margaret Thatcher. TEC’s remit was to establish a unified system for technical education and it eventually took over the validation of courses in further and higher education.

These courses led to Ordinary National Diplomas (ONDs) and Higher National Certificates and Diplomas (HNC/Ds) and were previously the responsibility of various professional bodies including the City & Guilds of London Institute.

In 1974, the Business Education Council (BEC) was established. BEC’s remit was to rationalise and improve the relevance to work standards of sub-degree vocational education in FE and HE colleges and in Polytechnics.

TEC and BEC merged in 1983, to form the Business & Technology Education Council ( BTEC), after a period of working together on computer studies, mathematics and statistics. BTEC and London Exams merged in 1996 to form Edexcel.

The business has grown considerably since its establishment. From 1996 to 1997, it employed about 600 permanent staff and dealt with 1,420,000 registrations. In September 1998, it acquired the Institute of Health Care & Development (IHCD), in order to grow business in the health care industry.

In June 2003 the Edexcel Foundation entered into a partnership arrangement with Pearson PLC to set up a new company called London Qualifications Ltd. The new company is 75% owned by Pearson and 25% by the Edexcel Foundation. All of the business activities and staff transferred to London Qualifications which is now a subsidiary of Pearson. The Edexcel Foundation remains as an independent charity. London Qualifications continues to trade as Edexcel at present.

Edexcel now annually administers more than 10 million separate certificates compared to only 4 million two years ago. It has over 850 employees and they set 20,000 exam questions, administered over 1,500 examinations and handled nearly five million exam scripts in 2003 alone.

1.3What HND Is[3]

The Higher National Diploma in Business Programme is one of the BTEC Higher National Diploma programmes in the portfolio of Edexcel.

Edexcel BTEC Higher National programmes are intended primarily for those who are in, or plan to enter, employment and who have reached the minimum age of eighteen. The qualifications have been designed on the assumption that they are available, without any barriers which restrict access and progression, to everyone who can achieve the required standard.

The 16-unit BTEC Higher National Diploma provides a specialist work-related programme of study that covers the key knowledge, understanding and practical skills required in the sector and also offers particular specialist emphasis through the choice of specialist units. The HND qualifications are mode-free but are predominately followed by full-time learners and allow progression into or within employment in the appropriate sector, either directly on the achievement of the award or following further study to degree level. The BTEC Higher National Diploma also provides for suitable work-experience in order for learners to apply their knowledge and practical skills in the workplace during their study.

The qualification prepares learners for employment in a particular vocational sector and is available for learners who are aged 16+, who have already decided that they wish to enter the sector, and have relevant academic ability and motivation to achieve. Some adult learners may wish to make the commitment required by this qualification in order to enter a specialist area of employment or progress into higher education. Other learners may want to extend the specialisation that they followed on the BTEC Higher National Certificate programme. Progression from this qualification may well be into or within employment in the sector where learners may work towards membership of professional bodies if applicable.

No time limit is placed by Edexcel on the completion of an individual programme, up to the normal Edexcel registration period of five years (which is itself renewable). Students may, if they wish, take only parts of a qualification for separate accreditation and certification.

1.3.1 Rationale

The Edexcel BTEC Higher National qualifications in Business are designed to equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills required for success in current and future employment or for progression to an undergraduate degree. These transferable skills will enable students to meet changing circumstances, whether these arise from a shift in their own sphere of employment, promotion to supervisory or management roles or from general changes in business practices and the business environment.

The qualifications have been developed to meet the needs of the major functions in business, hence the inclusion of the functional pathways (Finance, Marketing, Management, Personnel).

The pathway qualifications ensure professional progression through recognition by relevant professional bodies. The pathway qualifications also underpin much of the knowledge and understanding required for the relevant NVQ level 4 units in Accounting, Management and Personnel.
These qualifications provide:
  • nationally recognised qualifications with detailed standards for centres, students and employers
  • guidance for centres with their own quality assurance procedures
  • a focus on independent learning and practical knowledge and skills. Such a focushighlights theneed for a common core study with related functional pathways into employment, professional or academic progression
  • a Business pathway which provides the flexibility for centres to devise units of study to meet local or specialist needs. The related functional pathways of Business and Finance, Business and Management, Business and Marketing and Business and Personnel have been identified on the basis of popular demand from prospective students, providers, employers and professional bodies
  • for a modular approach which allows the aspirations of different students to be met. Students may complete single units, several units or complete programmes. Centres are free to make their own decisions about sequencing of units, delivery mechanisms and assessment strategies.

1.3.2Aims

The Higher National qualifications in Business are designed to meet the following aims:

  • to provide an educational foundation for a range of administrative and management careers in business
  • to provide specialised studies directly relevant to individual vocations and professions in which students are working or intend to seek employment
  • to enable students to make an immediate contribution in employment
  • to provide flexibility, knowledge, skills and motivation as a basis for future studies and career development
  • to develop students’ ability in business through effective use and combination of the knowledge and skills gained in different parts of the programme
  • to develop a range of skills and techniques, personal qualities and attitudes essential for successful performance in working life.

1.3.3 Key Features of BTEC Higher Nationals[4]

The BTEC Higher Nationals are designed to provide a specialist vocational programme, linked to professional body requirements and National Occupational Standards where appropriate, with a strong work related emphasis. The qualifications provide a thorough grounding in the key concepts and practical skills required in their sector and their national recognition by employers support progression direct into employment. The BTEC Higher Nationals offer a strong emphasis on practical skills development alongside the development of requisite knowledge and understanding in their sector. Learners are attracted to this strong vocational programme of study which meets their individual progression needs whether this is into employment or to further study on degree or professional courses.

The BTEC Higher Nationals have been developed to focus on:

the education and training of those who are employed at a professional level in a variety of types of technical and expert work in the area of study

providing opportunities to achieve a nationally recognised level four vocationally specific qualification

providing opportunities for full-time learners to gain a nationally recognised vocationally specific qualification, to enter employment, or progress to higher education qualifications such as a full or part-time degree

providing opportunities for learners to focus on the development of the higher level skills

providing opportunities for learners to develop a range of skills and techniques and attributes essential for successful performance in working life.

This qualification meets the needs of the above rationale by:

developing a range of skills, techniques, personal qualities and attributes essential for successful performance in working life and thereby enabling learners to make an immediate contribution to employment at the appropriate professional level

preparing learners for a range of appropriate careers in the field of study

equipping individuals with knowledge, understanding and skills for success in employment in the related industries

providing specialist studies relevant to vocations and professions in which learners are working or intend to seek employment within related industries

enabling progression to an undergraduate degree or further professional qualification in a related area

providing a significant basis for progression to Professional Body Recognition where applicable

1.3.4 Progression

Progression from the BTEC Higher National programmes can be directly into employment or via further study at degree level. Employed learners will continue in employment and many full-time learners go into employment on achievement of their award where they will often undertake further study towards professional body examinations in the sector.

A key progression path for BTEC Higher National Certificate and Diploma learners is to the second or third year of an Honours degree programme, depending on the match of the Higher National units to the degree programme in question.

Level 1 – eg BTEC Introductory

Level 1 qualifications give you a broad introduction to a subject or sector. They also provide a flavour of how BTECs work

Level 2 – eg BTEC First

Level 2 qualifications are good for those who have some GCSEs, for example, but who want to do something different. They also develop skills and knowledge from Level 1

Level 3 – eg BTEC National

These qualifications are at the same level as A levels but can get you a job as well as a university place. BTEC Nationals are very well known and recognised