BTEC ND
Encyclopedia
The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is a vocational
qualification taken in England
and Wales
and Northern Ireland
by young people aged 16 and over and by adults. The qualification is organised and awarded by the Edexcel
Foundation within the BTEC
brand. BTEC ND is the highest level of the BTEC structure and is equal to three A-Levels.
and Higher National Diploma
. The portfolio of courses was integrated when the BEC and TEC merged to form BTEC.
The Ordinary National Diploma is a vocational qualification at Level 3. It is the equivalent of 3 A levels. It is a course that lasts two years and has 18 units altogether unlike the Advanced VCE that is only worth two (Double Award). This is often a very good alternative way to achieve A Levels in the UK and in parts of Scotland.
The course is available from Edexcel
and is in many different subjects. This qualification is mainly studied in further education colleges and along with the right passes at GCSE, can qualify you for degree level at university.
As BTEC
stands for Business & Technology Education Council, the best known subjects for a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma are business
and Information Technology
. This qualification has become more popular recently, especially with the demise of the AVCE
.
The course is assessed in units, consisting of 18 in total. Students are assessed by coursework and exams.
The Level 3 Extended Diploma is the BTEC qualification most commonly taken in order to gain entry to university, and is recognised by most universities. However, as it is mostly coursework based some of the more acclaimed universities such as Oxbridge
will not accept it as a standalone qualification (unless combined with more traditional qualifications such as A-levels).
The future of the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is uncertain since the introduction of the new 14-19 Diploma. The BTEC National Diploma is now called the Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma.
A Level, more specifically to three A2 awards and the AVCE
. The course is particularly suitable for those who have strong inclinations towards a particular vocational career, starting with technical level posts and leading, after experience, to supervisory and enterprise management posts. The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is popular amongst school leavers who wish to pursue Nursing
, Midwifery
or other health professions as the BTEC Health course gives more thorough preparation than A Levels would for the degree course. The work placement element of the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is particularly valued by universities considering admissions for these subjects.
The usual entry requirement is at least four GCSE
subject passes at A*, A, B or C grades. In most land-based industries, science (usually double science) will be a preferred subject, together with Maths and English. Equivalent entry qualifications are also accepted, including an appropriate BTEC First Diploma
with a merit grade or a relevant NVQ at Level 2 or an Intermediate GNVQ.
Other qualifications and experience may be acceptable for mature students. Mature students are advised, in some cases, to consider a Higher National Diploma (HND) course instead. Career experience frequently leads to an ability to cope with HND level education and the two year commitment can be better spent in acquiring a higher qualification.
It is possible for a student to be accepted onto a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma course without the recommended entry requirements, this is generally the case in students who have left school and acquired a job in the field of the subject that is relevant to the course. If the college is satisfied that the student has the ability to benefit successfully from the course. Students with a good National Certificate or equivalent qualification may be considered for entry to the second year of the National Diploma course in which case "bridging" studies may be necessary.
It is possible for students on the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma to leave the course after 1 and 1/4 years with a BTEC National Certificate should they achieve Pass grades in all of the units from the first year.
It contains two booklets which are about 100 pages long.
, Graphic Design
, Interactive Media
, Photography
and Textiles.
and Marketing
and Human Rescources. Others Business courses include: Administration and eBusiness strategy. eBusiness software concentrations with Business courses are popular.
, basic construction
and Business Engineering Services are one of the three main BTEC Extended Diplomacourses available in this subject.
& Social Care, Early Years, Health Studies and Care are the main a subjects under the Health and Care courses available. Health Science and Early Years are less-popular courses also available.
and Computing
are becoming more popular in community colleges within the UK as the profession is becoming wider and more dominating in all aspects of society and business today. Software Development
, Networking, Business and Systems Support are the four courses available under IT Practitioners as a BTEC Extended Diploma.
and Blacksmithing with Metalworking
. Other land-based courses can be found at the edexcel
website.
and Radio
. Music Production and Music Technology
. Performing Arts
with Acting
, Dance
and Design
.
, Forensic Science, Medical Science and Dental Technology are just few of the courses available under Science.
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
qualification taken in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
by young people aged 16 and over and by adults. The qualification is organised and awarded by the Edexcel
Edexcel
Edexcel, a UK company, is one of England, Wales and Northern Ireland's five main examination boards, and is wholly owned by the private-sector Pearson PLC, a UK-based media and publishing conglomerate. Its name is a portmanteau word derived from the words "educational" and "excellence"...
Foundation within the BTEC
Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
brand. BTEC ND is the highest level of the BTEC structure and is equal to three A-Levels.
Background
The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma dates back to the 1930s as a full-time two-year course. After the Haselgrave Report, the Business Education Council (BEC) and Technician Education Council (TEC) took over the accrediting of this qualification (called the "Ordinary National Diploma") and others in the stable, such as the National Certificate, Higher National CertificateHigher National Certificate
A Higher National Certificate is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom.In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the HNC is a BTEC qualification awarded by Edexcel, and in Scotland, an HNC is a Higher National awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority...
and Higher National Diploma
Higher National Diploma
A Higher National Diploma is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. This qualification can be used to gain entry into universities, and is considered equivalent to the first or second year of a university degree course....
. The portfolio of courses was integrated when the BEC and TEC merged to form BTEC.
The Ordinary National Diploma is a vocational qualification at Level 3. It is the equivalent of 3 A levels. It is a course that lasts two years and has 18 units altogether unlike the Advanced VCE that is only worth two (Double Award). This is often a very good alternative way to achieve A Levels in the UK and in parts of Scotland.
The course is available from Edexcel
Edexcel
Edexcel, a UK company, is one of England, Wales and Northern Ireland's five main examination boards, and is wholly owned by the private-sector Pearson PLC, a UK-based media and publishing conglomerate. Its name is a portmanteau word derived from the words "educational" and "excellence"...
and is in many different subjects. This qualification is mainly studied in further education colleges and along with the right passes at GCSE, can qualify you for degree level at university.
As BTEC
Business And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
stands for Business & Technology Education Council, the best known subjects for a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma are business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and Information Technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
. This qualification has become more popular recently, especially with the demise of the AVCE
Avce
Avče is a settlement on the left bank of the river Soča in the Kanal Municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in the settlement is dedicated to Saint Martin and belongs to the Diocese of Koper. A second church built above the village in the Nadavče area is dedicated to Our...
.
The course is assessed in units, consisting of 18 in total. Students are assessed by coursework and exams.
The Level 3 Extended Diploma is the BTEC qualification most commonly taken in order to gain entry to university, and is recognised by most universities. However, as it is mostly coursework based some of the more acclaimed universities such as Oxbridge
Oxbridge
Oxbridge is a portmanteau of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in England, and the term is now used to refer to them collectively, often with implications of perceived superior social status...
will not accept it as a standalone qualification (unless combined with more traditional qualifications such as A-levels).
The future of the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is uncertain since the introduction of the new 14-19 Diploma. The BTEC National Diploma is now called the Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma.
Level
The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is regarded as equivalent in level to the GCEGeneral Certificate of Education
The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
A Level, more specifically to three A2 awards and the AVCE
Avce
Avče is a settlement on the left bank of the river Soča in the Kanal Municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in the settlement is dedicated to Saint Martin and belongs to the Diocese of Koper. A second church built above the village in the Nadavče area is dedicated to Our...
. The course is particularly suitable for those who have strong inclinations towards a particular vocational career, starting with technical level posts and leading, after experience, to supervisory and enterprise management posts. The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is popular amongst school leavers who wish to pursue Nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, Midwifery
Midwifery
Midwifery is a health care profession in which providers offer care to childbearing women during pregnancy, labour and birth, and during the postpartum period. They also help care for the newborn and assist the mother with breastfeeding....
or other health professions as the BTEC Health course gives more thorough preparation than A Levels would for the degree course. The work placement element of the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is particularly valued by universities considering admissions for these subjects.
The usual entry requirement is at least four GCSE
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
subject passes at A*, A, B or C grades. In most land-based industries, science (usually double science) will be a preferred subject, together with Maths and English. Equivalent entry qualifications are also accepted, including an appropriate BTEC First Diploma
BTEC First Diploma
The BTEC First Diploma is a vocational qualification taken in England and Wales and Northern Ireland by young people aged 16 and over and by adults. The qualification is organised and awarded by the Edexcel Foundation within the BTEC brand....
with a merit grade or a relevant NVQ at Level 2 or an Intermediate GNVQ.
Other qualifications and experience may be acceptable for mature students. Mature students are advised, in some cases, to consider a Higher National Diploma (HND) course instead. Career experience frequently leads to an ability to cope with HND level education and the two year commitment can be better spent in acquiring a higher qualification.
It is possible for a student to be accepted onto a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma course without the recommended entry requirements, this is generally the case in students who have left school and acquired a job in the field of the subject that is relevant to the course. If the college is satisfied that the student has the ability to benefit successfully from the course. Students with a good National Certificate or equivalent qualification may be considered for entry to the second year of the National Diploma course in which case "bridging" studies may be necessary.
It is possible for students on the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma to leave the course after 1 and 1/4 years with a BTEC National Certificate should they achieve Pass grades in all of the units from the first year.
It contains two booklets which are about 100 pages long.
Art and Design
The subject alone is available. Other Art & Design BTEC Level 3 Extended Diplomas include 3D Design, Design Crafts, Fashion & Clothing, Fine ArtFine art
Fine art or the fine arts encompass art forms developed primarily for aesthetics and/or concept rather than practical application. Art is often a synonym for fine art, as employed in the term "art gallery"....
, Graphic Design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, Interactive Media
Interactive media
Interactive media normally refers to products and services on digital computer-based systems which respond to the user’s actions by presenting content such as text, graphics, animation, video, audio, etc.-Terminology:...
, Photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
and Textiles.
Business
There are in total 24 Business courses available as a BTEC BTEC Extended Diploma. The core subject is available alone, but other Business courses contain other concentrations such as LawLaw
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and Marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and Human Rescources. Others Business courses include: Administration and eBusiness strategy. eBusiness software concentrations with Business courses are popular.
Construction
Civil EngineeringCivil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, basic construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
and Business Engineering Services are one of the three main BTEC Extended Diplomacourses available in this subject.
Health and Care
HealthHealth
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
& Social Care, Early Years, Health Studies and Care are the main a subjects under the Health and Care courses available. Health Science and Early Years are less-popular courses also available.
IT and Computing
ITInformation technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
and Computing
Computing
Computing is usually defined as the activity of using and improving computer hardware and software. It is the computer-specific part of information technology...
are becoming more popular in community colleges within the UK as the profession is becoming wider and more dominating in all aspects of society and business today. Software Development
Software development
Software development is the development of a software product...
, Networking, Business and Systems Support are the four courses available under IT Practitioners as a BTEC Extended Diploma.
Land-based
Land-based subjects available include: Countryside management, Animal Management, HorticultureHorticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
and Blacksmithing with Metalworking
Metalworking
Metalworking is the process of working with metals to create individual parts, assemblies, or large scale structures. The term covers a wide range of work from large ships and bridges to precise engine parts and delicate jewelry. It therefore includes a correspondingly wide range of skills,...
. Other land-based courses can be found at the edexcel
Edexcel
Edexcel, a UK company, is one of England, Wales and Northern Ireland's five main examination boards, and is wholly owned by the private-sector Pearson PLC, a UK-based media and publishing conglomerate. Its name is a portmanteau word derived from the words "educational" and "excellence"...
website.
Media, Music & Performing Arts
There are 16 courses available under these 3 subjects. Some listed are: Media Production with Games development, Interactive MediaInteractive media
Interactive media normally refers to products and services on digital computer-based systems which respond to the user’s actions by presenting content such as text, graphics, animation, video, audio, etc.-Terminology:...
and Radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
. Music Production and Music Technology
Music technology
Music technology is a term that refers to all forms of technology involved with the musical arts, particularly the use of electronic devices and computer software to facilitate playback, recording, composition, storage and performance. This subject is taught at many different educational levels,...
. Performing Arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
with Acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
, Dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and Design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
.
Science
Applied ScienceApplied science
Applied science is the application of scientific knowledge transferred into a physical environment. Examples include testing a theoretical model through the use of formal science or solving a practical problem through the use of natural science....
, Forensic Science, Medical Science and Dental Technology are just few of the courses available under Science.
Travel and Tourism
A whole list of other available subjects can be found at the BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma Website.Progression
Possible outcomes include:- Unemployment
- employment in, or leading to, enterprise management
- with further experience, business management is a possibility
- progression to a Degree(University)