HND Mechanical Engineering
For a while now I have been toying with the idea of bettering my education. When I left school, I got an apprenticeship with a World Wide Engineering company and completed it only leaving the company in October 2010 (9 years total service). With my apprenticeship came an NC and HNC in Mechanical Engineering, which I did both but due to me having the immature mindset that "I DON'T EVEN NEED AN HNC!" I ended up buggering up a few units of the HNC and never going back to finish them.
Obviously this is a massive regret of mine and for the last 3-4 years I have been adament to address the situation. Had I thought about it earlier I could have been in a much better position, as I could have completed the missing units, but due to reform I must complete the whole HNC again if I wish to achieve this level.
So I have decided to make up for it and go for the HND (even though I considered degree!).
As things stand I will be enrolling with Teeside University's COLU, where I will use open learning to achieve my goals.
Open Learning - Has anyone done this before? I am looking for any information, tips advice...ANYTHING that can help. (Not the answers though!!
).
My reason for opting for Open Learning is because I currently work offshore, and have a wife and two kids, so not really in a position to take time out to study full time. Positives of my situation would be that I have complete isolation whilst offshore to conduct study, and my occupation is relevant to the diploma I wish to do.
My next big decision, I suppose is, which subjects to include within my Diploma, and I am pretty stuck with that at the moment.
Thanks for reading that big whallop of words,
Jam
Obviously this is a massive regret of mine and for the last 3-4 years I have been adament to address the situation. Had I thought about it earlier I could have been in a much better position, as I could have completed the missing units, but due to reform I must complete the whole HNC again if I wish to achieve this level.
So I have decided to make up for it and go for the HND (even though I considered degree!).
As things stand I will be enrolling with Teeside University's COLU, where I will use open learning to achieve my goals.
Open Learning - Has anyone done this before? I am looking for any information, tips advice...ANYTHING that can help. (Not the answers though!!
).My reason for opting for Open Learning is because I currently work offshore, and have a wife and two kids, so not really in a position to take time out to study full time. Positives of my situation would be that I have complete isolation whilst offshore to conduct study, and my occupation is relevant to the diploma I wish to do.
My next big decision, I suppose is, which subjects to include within my Diploma, and I am pretty stuck with that at the moment.
Thanks for reading that big whallop of words,
Jam
What I would recommend might be different to your FE/HE institution. If you want to go and complete your degree then definitely opt for the Further analytical Methods unit along with the Advanced maths unit (something like units 35 and 61). Also the fluids unit, thermodynamics units and maybe the heat transfer unit. Design is covered adequately in core material.
The big fly in the ointment is wherever you study may put you off the maths units as their success rate with the 2 additional maths units will not be as high with some of the other units (they will be under orders to make sure completion/success is as high as possible).
As a little aside, the HNC is being downgraded to a L4 qualification, so doing the full HND (L5) is a good move.
Also consider Mech Eng foundation Degrees - there are quite a few FE/HE colleges in the North West that offer them and allow entry onto the final year of accredited BEng programmes.
The big fly in the ointment is wherever you study may put you off the maths units as their success rate with the 2 additional maths units will not be as high with some of the other units (they will be under orders to make sure completion/success is as high as possible).
As a little aside, the HNC is being downgraded to a L4 qualification, so doing the full HND (L5) is a good move.
Also consider Mech Eng foundation Degrees - there are quite a few FE/HE colleges in the North West that offer them and allow entry onto the final year of accredited BEng programmes.
Just out of curiosity, what does an HND do for your job prospects that an HNC doesn't?
Do you not mean the first year of accredited degree?
Original post by wdywuk
Also consider Mech Eng foundation Degrees - there are quite a few FE/HE colleges in the North West that offer them and allow entry onto the final year of accredited BEng programmes.
Do you not mean the first year of accredited degree?
Original post by Smack
Just out of curiosity, what does an HND do for your job prospects that an HNC doesn't?
Do you not mean the first year of accredited degree?
Do you not mean the first year of accredited degree?
At the moment very little difference between an HNC and HND apart from a few units. Typically students study PT for an HNC and full time for an HND (or take an extra year PT). With the changes to them both the HNC will be become a L4 qual while HND will remain a L5. When it comes to using these quals to enter uni HND will typically allow a slightly more advanced entry point.
Foundation Degrees are also a L5 qualification and far too often confused with Foundation Years. One of their key features is that they must link directly to the final year of Hons degree programme (most allow direct entry onto final Year - while the max conversion allowed is 0.3 of a year - obviosuly these rules don't apply for any other institution, just the ones running/accrediting the particular Fd)
Original post by wdywuk
At the moment very little difference between an HNC and HND apart from a few units. Typically students study PT for an HNC and full time for an HND (or take an extra year PT). With the changes to them both the HNC will be become a L4 qual while HND will remain a L5. When it comes to using these quals to enter uni HND will typically allow a slightly more advanced entry point.
Foundation Degrees are also a L5 qualification and far too often confused with Foundation Years. One of their key features is that they must link directly to the final year of Hons degree programme (most allow direct entry onto final Year - while the max conversion allowed is 0.3 of a year - obviosuly these rules don't apply for any other institution, just the ones running/accrediting the particular Fd)
Foundation Degrees are also a L5 qualification and far too often confused with Foundation Years. One of their key features is that they must link directly to the final year of Hons degree programme (most allow direct entry onto final Year - while the max conversion allowed is 0.3 of a year - obviosuly these rules don't apply for any other institution, just the ones running/accrediting the particular Fd)
Thanks for the information; I didn't know the difference between a foundation year or foundation degree myself, or even that there was a difference!
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