HND in Digital Technologies for England (Cloud Networking)

Pearson BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in Digital Technologies with Embedded Level 4 HNC Exit Award

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Course Overview

Mont Rose College of Management and Sciences in London offers this course with the approval of the awarding body Pearson Edexcel. The purpose of Pearson BTEC Level, 5 Higher National Diploma in Digital Technologies, is to develop students as independent-thinking professionals who can meet the demands of employers and adapt to the continuously changing world.

Awarding Body  Pearson Edexcel
Level of Course HND is a Level 5 qualification (equivalent to the second year of a UK bachelor’s degree, at least 240 + credits). HNC is an embedded level 4 exit qualification.
Number of Credit Hours Upon successful completion of the course, the student will have completed at least 15 units and 240 + credits. On completion of HNC, the student will have completed at least 8 units and 120 + credits.
Study Mode Full-Time
BTEC Higher National Certificate (1 Year) The HNC is a level-4 qualification delivered over one year. The HNC is an embedded component of the HND. However, it can be taken as a stand-alone qualification. If a student opts to take the HNC the student would be eligible for Higher National Certificate after completing a minimum of 8 modules. Upon completing HNC, the student will have completed at least 120 + credits. Total Guided Learning Hours (GLH) Higher National Certificate (HNC) = 480 hours.
BTEC Higher National Diploma (2 Years) The HND is a level 5 qualification delivered over two years, the first year at level 4 and the second year at level 5. If a student opts to take the HND, the student would be eligible to gain a Higher National Diploma after completing a minimum of 15 modules. No exemptions are allowed for this programme. Upon successfully completing the course the student will have completed at least 240 + credits. Total Guided Learning Hours (GLH) Higher National Diploma (HND) = 960 hours.
Attendance Full-time students are required to attend 21 hours per week in term time.
Qualification Benchmark They are in line with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Subject Benchmark Statements. These qualifications are part of the UK Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).
Exemptions No exemptions are allowed for this programme.

Intended Learning Outcomes

After completing the course the student will be able to:

  • Examine commonplace networking principles used in a cloud infrastructure to support communication
  • Explain the operation of networking technologies within a cloud infrastructure
  • Design a networking solution for a cloud based system for a business use case
  • Enhance network performance for a cloud based system developed for a given business use case.

In the Pearson Edexcel suite of HND/HNC, the difference in intended learning outcomes between level 5 (HND) and level 4 (HNC) is in the number of credits to be obtained, i.e. quantitative rather than qualitative.

Course Contents

The award is made up of 15 units, each of 15 Credit values, except for Research Project Unit 19, which is rated as 30 Credits. For this Higher National Diploma Course in Digital Technologies, students will complete 8 Mandatory Units and 7 Optional Units over a 2-year period.

Course Contents/Description: The award is made up of 15 units:

HND Year One

  • Professional Practice in the Digital Economy (Level 4) – Unit 1
  • Innovation and Digital Transformation (Level 4) – Unit 2
  • Cyber Security (Level 4) – Unit 3
  • Programming (Level 4) – Unit 4
  • Big Data & Visualisation (Level 4) – Unit 5
  • Networking in the Cloud (Level 4) - Unit 6
  • Security (Level 4) - Unit 8
  • Networking (Level 4) – Unit 9

HND Year Two

  • Business Intelligence (Level 5) - Unit 19
  • Internet of Things (Level 5) – Unit 20
  • Emerging Technologies (Level 5) – Unit 21
  • Applied Security in the Cloud (Level 5) – Unit 23
  • Network Management (Level 5) – Unit 31
  • Digital Technology as a catalyst for Change (Level 5) – Unit 32
  • Work-Based Learning in the Digital Economy (Level 5)- Unit 22
  • Pitching and Negotiating Skills (Level 5) – Unit 42

Teaching & Learning

Learners must achieve a minimum of 240 credits to be awarded level 5 HND. The learning and teaching strategy for the course is explicitly designed to contribute to achieving intended learning outcomes clearly expressed at the programme and module levels. The general approach to the learning process for most modules involves:

  • Lecturers
  • Tutorials
  • Case studies
  • Class discussions
  • Presentations

Due to the wide variety of modules included in this programme, different approaches may be adopted that are appropriate for a particular module. At the start of each module, tutors will provide a work scheme detailing the module structure, assessment, and learning and teaching approaches to be adopted. The college uses a Virtual Learning Environment named Moodle, through which the students can access lecture notes and engage with staff and other students.

Assessment:

BTEC Higher Nationals in Digital Technologies are assessed using a combination of internally assessed Centre-devised internal assignments (set and marked by Centres). Student achievement in assessment in all units is graded as ‘Pass,’ ‘Merit,’ or ‘Distinction’. The assessments are based on assignments, presentations, case studies, and role plays. The student’s work is marked and IVed internally by the College. An External Examiner from Pearson checks procedures and results at least once a year, and the grades are final only after this verification. Pearson assignments are mandatory and target particular industry-specific skills. The number and value of these units are dependent on qualification size:

  • All units are assessed by the Centre-devised internal assignments.

Assessment Decisions through Applying Unit-based Criteria

Assessment decisions for BTEC Higher Nationals are based on the specific criteria given in each unit and set at each grade level. The criteria for each unit have been defined according to a framework to ensure that standards are consistent in the qualification and across the suite as a whole. The way in which individual units are written provides a balance of assessment of understanding, practical skills, and vocational attributes appropriate to the purpose of the qualifications. Assessors must show how they have reached their decisions using the criteria in the assessment records. When a student has completed all the unit assessments, the assessment team will give a grade for the unit. This is given simply according to the highest level for which the student is judged to have met all the criteria. Therefore:

  • To achieve a Pass, a student must have satisfied all the Pass criteria for the learning outcomes, showing coverage of the unit content and therefore attainment at Level 4 or 5 of the national framework.
  • To achieve Merit, a student must have satisfied all the Merit criteria (and therefore the Pass criteria) through high performance in each learning outcome.
  • To achieve a Distinction, a student must have satisfied all the Distinction criteria (and therefore the Pass and Merit criteria), and these define outstanding performance across the unit as a whole.

The award of a Pass is a defined level of performance and cannot be given solely on the basis of a student completing assignments. Students who do not satisfy the Pass criteria should be reported as Unclassified.

Entry Requirements

Mont Rose College recruits students of good achievement from all educational backgrounds. Proven previous exam results are the main criteria for admission to Mont Rose College. International (Tier4) students must also show English language competence to secure admissions.

The following criteria must be met in order to secure admission to Mont Rose College.

  • A BTEC Level 3 qualification in Computing, Business or Creative Digital Media Production
  • A GCE Advanced Level profile that demonstrates strong performance in a relevant subject or adequate performance in more than one GCE subject. This profile is likely to be supported by GCSE grades at A* to C (or equivalent) and/or 9 to 4 (or equivalent) in subjects such as maths and English
  • A-level pass or equivalent or BTEC level-3 qualifications in business
  • Other related level-3 qualifications
  • An Access to a Higher Education Diploma awarded by an approved further education institution
  • Relevant work experience
  • An international equivalent to the above

On top of the above, candidates must pass a written test and an interview.

English Language

International (Tier-4) students must show proof of English-language competence through success in an English test or background approved by the Home Office. They should have CEFR (The Common European Framework of Reference) B2 level and above in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. European Union students should also have good exam results or a background in English.

Restrictions on Learner Entry:

The Edexcel BTEC Higher National qualifications are accredited on RQF for learners aged 18 years and over. New intakes are available each January/April/September.

Total Course Duration

2 years comprising of a total of 6 semesters. Each year will have 3 semesters. Each semester, there will be teaching on 3 different days and the days can be different from one semester to another. The class timings for morning classes, normally, are 9:30 am to 2:00 pm and for evening classes, there are 6:00 pm to 9:45 pm. All classes are face-to-face in Mont Rose House.

Progression Routes on Completion

The Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Digital technologies offers a progression route for learners to join a specific career paths and progression routes to degree level.

Tuition Fee

Home Students

The course fee is £8,950 for the academic year 2024-25 and £9,250 for the academic year 2025-26.  For some students, the course is fully funded by the Student Loan Company; this facility is only available to UK and EU students. For more information, please contact the admissions team at admissions@mrcollege.ac.uk or T: +44 20 8556 5009.

Awarding Body Registration Fee:

The Pearson fee for HND Membership will be paid by the College at the time of student enrolment. This fee is in addition to the tuition fee.

How to Apply

If you are interested in the Pearson Edexcel BTEC level-5 HND in Digital Technologies, please download the application form from www.mrcollege.ac.uk, complete and return it to Mont Rose College required documents by email to admissions@mrcollege.ac.uk or, by post at

Admission Location

Mont Rose House, 412,-416 Eastern Avenue, Gants Hill, IG2 6NQ.

Study Mode

Full time


Level of Course

Level 5


Learners

240 Credits


Attendance

21 Hours per week


Time Table

Morning and Afternoon


Duration

2 Years


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