Course summary

The purpose of Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals in Public Services is to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals, able to meet the demands of employers in the public sector and adapt to a constantly changing world. The qualifications aim to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake them. Holders of the Level 5 Higher National Diploma will develop a sound understanding of the principles in their field of study and will have learned to apply those principles more widely. They will have learned to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems. They will be able to perform effectively in their chosen field and will have the qualities necessary for employment in situations requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision making. Pearson BTEC Higher National qualifications in Public Services offer: • a stimulating and challenging programme of study that will be both engaging and memorable for students • the essential subject knowledge that students need to progress successfully into further study or the world of work • a simplified structure: students undertake a substantial core of learning in the Higher National Certificate and can build on this in the Higher National Diploma, with optional units linked to their specialist area of study • specialist units have been developed in the Level 4 Certificate and the Level 5 Diploma, so there is something to suit each student’s preference of study and future progression plans • refreshed content that is closely aligned with professional body, employer and higher education needs • assessments that consider cognitive skills (what students know) along with affective and applied skills (respectively how they behave and what they can do) • unit-specific grading criteria and Pearson-set assignments • a varied approach to assessment that supports progression to Level 6 and also allows Centres to offer assessment relevant to the local economy, thereby accommodating and enhancing different learning styles • Quality Assurance measures to ensure that all stakeholders (universities, colleges and students) can feel confident in the integrity and value of the qualifications • a qualification designed to meet the needs and expectations of students aspiring to work in a Public Services environment. Course Detail The Higher National Diploma (HND) is a Level 4 and Level 5 qualification made up of 240 credits. It is studied full-time (two days a weeks) over two years. BTEC Higher Nationals consist of core units, specialist units and optional units: · Core units are mandatory · Specialist units are designed to provide a specific occupational focus to the qualification and are aligned to Professional Body standards Modules Year 1 Mandatory (Level 4) Year 2 Mandatory (Level 5) · Organisational Structures and Culture · Mental Health and Wellbeing · Equality, Diversity and Fair Treatment · Public Services in Contemporary Society (Pearson-set) · Law and Legal Systems · Crime Reduction and Community Safety · Research Project (Pearson-set) · Reflective Professional Practice · Justice, Punishment and Rehabilitation · Theories of Crime Year 1 – Specialist Year 2 – Specialist · Responding to Emergencies · Youth Offending · Psychology of Behaviour · Applied Forensic Psychology · Offender Management Additional Courses and Trips Available · First Aid · Mental Health First Aid · Houses of Parliament · The Supreme Court · Crown Court (subject to additional hours)