HNC/HND Public Services

The HNC is a one-year course which covers six mandatory units and two specialist units. The HND is a two-year course and covers an additional four mandatory units and three specialist units.

The units you will study are likely to include:

Core units:

• Organisational Structure and Culture
• Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Equality, Diversity and Fair Treatment
• Public Service in Contemporary Society
• Research Project
• Reflective Professional Practice

Specialist Units:

• Integrated Emergency Management
• Serious and Organised Crime
• Small-scale Research Project in Public Services
• Management of an Outdoor Event
• Community Engagement
• Expedition Planning
• Integrated Emergency Management
• Work-based Experience
• Blue Light Collaboration

All units are subject to change and may be withdrawn.

This course is ideal if you have an interest in Public Services and wish to gain Level 4 and 5 qualifications in HNC/D in Public Services.

Credit Scheme Completion of differentiated assignment tasks relevant to pass, merit or distinction criteria.

Assessment Grading

Pass A student must have satisfied all the pass criteria for the learning outcomes, showing a coverage of the unit content and therefore attainment at level 4 of 5 of the National framework.

Merit A student must have satisfied all the merit criteria (and therefore the pass criteria) through high performance in each learning outcome.

Distinction To achieve a distinction a student must have satisfied all the distinction criteria (and there for the pass and merit criteria), and these define outstanding performance across the unit as a whole.

Educational Aims of the Programme:

• To develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of employers in the public services sector and adapt to a constantly changing world.
• To widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake them.
• To develop a sound understanding of the principles in their field of study and will have learned to apply those principles more widely.
• To learn to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems.

Resources:

• Computer and relevant textbooks.

You will develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of:

• Risks within the community and the control methods that can be used to mitigate these
• How to prepare and maintain operational equipment and resources
• Duty within legislation.

You will have the ability to:

• Carry out safe working practices in accordance with legal requirements
• Work safely and effectively in emergency situations, operating within an appropriate command and control system
• Use and maintain specialist equipment.

What is required?

• Commitment to integrity and diversity, understanding and adopting a fair and ethical approach and treating others with courtesy and respect
• Confidence and resilience in highly challenging and changing situations, demonstrating reliability, adaptability, responsibility and accountability
• Work collaboratively with others, both internally and externally.

Possible Routes to Further Study On completion of the HNC (Level 4) students can progress onto the HND (Level 5). On completion of the HND (Level 5) students can progress the University to study many relevant Public Service-related courses, for example:

• BA (Hons) Criminology
• BA (Hons) Policing
• BA (Hons) Public Services
• BA (Hons) Public Services Management
• BSc (Hons) Applied Social Sciences
• BA (Hons) Leadership in the Public Sector
• BA (Hons) Sociology and Criminology
• BA (Hons) Uniformed and Public Services
• BSc (Hons) Public Services and the Community
• BSc (Hons) Fire and Rescue

Possible Routes to Employment On completion of the HND, employment opportunities include:

Pathway	Job Roles
Civil Protection	Police Officer - not a direct entry route from 2020 Fire Service Officer Armed Forces Non-commissioned Officer Maritime Operations Officer (Coastguard) Border Force Officer Customs Officer Trading Standards Officer
Crime and Criminal Justice	Justice Services - Youth Justice/Probation Officer Police Officer - not a direct entry route from 2020 Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Criminal Intelligence Analyst Major Crime Team Investigator Scenes of Crime Officer Crime Analyst Detention Officer Fingerprint Officer Prosecution File Preparation Officer Prison Officer Probation Services Officer Security Service Personnel
Public Service Management	Civil Servant Education - Finance Assistant, Faculty Officer, Programme Support Officer, Community Worker Political Parties - Election Campaigner, Adviser, Analyst Churches Administrator/Manager Charities Administrator/Manager Armed Forces Commissioned Officer
Blue Light Services	Fire Service Officer Fire Control Operator Police Officer - not a direct entry route from 2020 Police Communication Officer Police Command and Dispatch Officer Ambulance Call Handler/Emergency Medical Dispatcher

Students will require an appropriate Level 3 qualification which equates to a total of 48 UCAS points (such as 2 Ds or above in A Levels, an overall Merit pass grade in BTEC Diploma, an overall Pass grade in BTEC Extended Diploma, an Access to HE Diploma or an Advanced Apprenticeship).

Students will also need to achieve a grade 4 or above in English and maths at GCSE. Applicants aged 21 or older who do not have the entry requirements may be eligible for acceptance based on an interview.

We recommend that you attend one of our exciting open events so that you can look around the department, the college and meet the tutors. You are welcome to do this before or after you apply. These events have proved very successful in ensuring students and their families see the best of what the college has to offer such as our inspirational teaching areas, teachers, library facilities and places to eat. Once you have applied our experienced Enrolment Team will consider your application carefully and will let you know, by email, if the College would like to make you a conditional offer based on you meeting the specified entry requirements. If your predicted grades or career aims suggest that an alternative subject area or course level would be more appropriate for you at this stage, we will contact you either by telephone, email or text. If you have told us that you have some additional support needs we will contact you to find out more so that we can help you.