HNC ADMINISTRATION IT AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEB DESIGN

Intro to the course:

With a continued demand for staff with advanced administration and IT skills, and an average annual salary in Scotland of over £28,000 for an office manager, and specialist administrators earning over £23,000 a year, there are good opportunities for those wanting to enter the profession. 

The is a further demand for administrators to update social media platforms and maintain company websites.

This qualification also covers areas such as current administrative practices; IT skills; interpersonal skills; personal effectiveness; communication skills and presentation techniques. A range of optional units allows the inclusion of specialist knowledge and skills in human resource management, IT, administration, accounting, business, events management and you may have the option of selecting a language to support international opportunities. 

The HNC and HND Administration and Information Technology provide the skills and knowledge demanded in a modern administrative environment. They allow for progression to employment of a general administrative nature. The combination units provide the range of knowledge and skills required within small to medium sized enterprises, with more specialist skills and knowledge typically demanded by larger organisations. 

Who is the course for?

Are you ready to leave school but not ready for university just yet?  Perhaps you are fed up in your current job role and want to progress up the ladder, or now is the time to change your career?  

Do you have an interest in a career in administration at any level? Are you interested in web design?  Using social media? 

It will suit if you are a school leaver or if you are an adult returning to education.

The HNC Administration and Information Technology award is predominantly skills focused and will provide you with a broad foundation of skills and knowledge to prepare you for employment and/or further academic study. 

You will be introduced to the concepts and workings of designing and creating for the web. You will learn how to create a basic website, using a template design from elements supplied.  You will look at analysing web pages to learn how they were put together then you will appraise other website designs. Then you will construct a basic website. 

You will get the opportunity to use social media for a job role, and will learn types of social media platforms, business objectives, in-built social media metrics, benefits of social media to business, drawbacks of social media to business, how to measure the effectiveness of social media   You will learn in an accessible and interesting way, which may include the use of audio and video,

Then, this course is for you.  Take this next step in your learning journey.

The specific aims of HNC Administration and Information Technology are to: 

• develop technical and administrative knowledge relevant to current administrative practice
• develop the knowledge underpinning the technical expertise developed throughout the course
• prepare for progression to HND in Administration and Information Technology
• articulate with degree courses
• develop interpersonal skills relevant to an administrative role
• develop personal effectiveness, develop communication and presentation skills
• prepare for appropriate employment
• develop problem-solving skills within a range of time constraints

With a particular demand for those with administration and digital IT skills, the HNC course is perfect if you are looking to enter the business world or progress to the second year of the HND before entering year 3 of a University Degree course. 

What will I study?

In addition to the social media and web design content, you will learn about business and digital technologies in today's working environment. You may learn through work placement, groupwork, lectures, industry visits and guest speakers and units may include:

• Microsoft Office applications - word processing, spreadsheets, database, presentations
• office administration
• digital technologies
• business communication
• recording financial transactions
• personal development planning
• graded unit

With the option of specialising in 

• Social media and an introduction to web design
• Human resource management to achieve a PDA HR Management

You'll learn about time management, your own personal development, business and digital technologies in today's working environment through work placement, groupwork, lectures, project work, directed study and from industry professionals on site visits and guest speakers.

Next step course options

Direct entry to 2nd year HND Administration and Digital Technologies

How will I be assessed?

Ongoing assessment through a range of practical activities, observations, candidate folios, self-evaluation, presentations, planning and review using secure SQA assessment support packs. Towards the end of the HNC or HND year 1 you'll complete a graded unit examination.

Why should I choose this course?

This course will prepare you for numerous opportunities in the business, administration and IT sector. You will learn how to use word, databases, spreadsheets and communication skills for administrative management tasks in a fast-moving business environment. Units may also include human resources, marketing and enterprise. 

You'll be taught by people with experience of the industry and will have opportunities to participate in industry visits and learning from industry expert guest speakers. 

Where can this course lead?

The HNC and HND Administration and Information Technology provide the skills and knowledge demanded in a modern administrative environment. They allow for progression to employment of a general administrative nature. The combination of mandatory and optional units provides the range of knowledge and skills required within small to medium sized enterprises, with more specialist skills and knowledge typically demanded by larger organisations.

Learners who found employment obtained positions in a number of sectors: 

• finance 
• health care 
• medical practice
• police or uniformed services
• hospitality 
• HR
•  IT 
• marketing 
• accounting
• retail 
• legal services

Posts in these areas include: 

• administrative assistant, administrator
• clerical assistant, personal assistant or executive assistant 
• administrative Supervisor, network administrator, HR Administrator, organisation administrator 
• contact centre administrator, customer service administrator 
• team co-ordinator 
• receptionist
• retail supervisor 
• finance officer 
• conference officer, office manager

What are the entry requirements?

Any of the following:

• one relevant Higher
• relevant NQ or NPA at SCQF Level 6
• equivalent vocational qualifications from other awarding bodies
• relevant work experience 
• a keen interest in the subject area

If your first language is not English, it is recommended that you possess English for Speakers of Other languages (ESOL) at SCQF level 5 or an overall score of 5.5 in IELTS.

What are the interview arrangements?

Your offer will be based on your application.

Fees, finance and funding:

Fees and finances for full time:

There may be help available to assist with your study related costs. Impartial, confidential help and advice on financial matters is available from the Student Funding Team - including Bursaries, Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), Student Awards Agency for Scotland, Student Loans Company and student support funds.

Click here to find out more about fees, finance and funding options.

Other information:

Professional recognition:

Graduates of the HNC and HND Administration and Information Technology are eligible for Member grade membership of the Institute of Administrative Management (MInstAM). For more information see www.instam.org

The HNC course also includes two Professional Development Awards:

• PDA Information Technology in Business
• PDA Office Administration