Computing for England Higher National Diploma (HND) – (HTQ)

Course overview

Our HND Computing has been aligned to the occupational standard for Cybersecurity. It has been approved by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) are Level 5 qualifications that have been approved as meeting occupational standards for the relevant sector. To Achieve the HTQ status both level 4 and level 5 pathways must be completed.

Having been developed in collaboration with employers in an ambition to meet the needs of the growing demands of the industry, a Higher Technical Qualification provides the opportunity to gain the proper training, knowledge, and skills to be successful in the workplace. Studying for the HTQ in Computing at Barnsley College, you will access state-of-the-art facilities that align with the industry. Complete with lab facilities, high tech specifications and modern settings, you will study a broad range of computing topics that prepare you for your next steps.

In your first year of studying for the Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Computing for England you will have completed six mandatory units and one specialist unit in areas such as programming, networking, professional practice, database design & development, security, planning a computing project (Pearson-set) and software development lifecycles (specialist).

In addition, you will gain a wide range of sector knowledge tied to practical skills gained in research, self-study, directed study and workplace scenarios. You will also be given the opportunity to study units aligned to professional vendor qualifications and allow you, if you wish to apply after unit completion, to be assessed externally for the vendor qualification.

By progressing onto or joining us on the Level 5 Higher National Diploma, it allows you to specialise by committing to specific career paths and progression routes directed towards degree level study.

Course content

At Barnsley College, you will specialise in the following area of Cyber Security and Networking, which has been aligned to the occupational standards defined by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE):

Specialist route Modules: 

• Cyber Security – Studying applied cryptography in the cloud, forensics and information security management.
  In addition to these core specialist units* you will also cover units in Network Management, Network Security and Cyber Forensics.

 *These units are subject to change where updates in specification and grading criteria are made by the awarding body.