HNC in Business (Pearson)

U1 Business and the Business Environment

The aim of this unit is to provide students with background knowledge and understanding of business, the functions of an organisation and the wider business environments in which organisations operate. Students will examine the different types of organisations (including for profit and not for profit), their size and scope (for instance, micro, SME, transnational and global) and how they operate.

The knowledge, understanding and skill sets gained in this unit will help students to choose their own preferred areas of specialism in future studies and in their professional career.

U2 Marketing Essentials

This unit is designed to introduce students to the principles of marketing, enabling them to develop a basic marketing plan and to employ elements of the marketing mix to achieve results. While they will learn the underpinning theories and frameworks, they will also be able to relate these to real-world examples, including products/services that they encounter in their own daily lives.

The knowledge, understanding and skill sets that students will gain on successfully completing this unit will enhance their career opportunities; whether setting up their own business or being employed by an organisation.

U3 Human Resource Management

The aim of this unit is to enable students to appreciate and apply principles of effective Human Resource Management (HRM). This unit will explore the tools and techniques used in HRM to maximise the employee contribution and how to use HR methods to gain competitive advantage.

The unit investigates the importance of good employee relations and the ways in which employers engage with their staff and possibly with trade unions. Students will gain an understanding of the law governing HRM processes as well as the best practices which enable an employer to become an ‘employer of choice’ in their labour market.

U4 Management and Operations

The aim of this unit is to help students understand the difference between the function of a manager and the role of a leader. Students will consider the characteristics, behaviours and traits which support effective management and leadership. In addition, this unit will introduce the concept of operations as both a function and a process which all organisations must adopt to conduct business.

On successful completion of this unit students will have developed sufficient knowledge and understanding of how management and operations make a positive, efficient, and effective contribution to an organisation at a junior level. This could be in the role of a team leader or managing a specific aspect of an operation function and/or process.

U5 Management Accounting

The overall aim of this unit is to introduce the fundamentals of management accounting which apply to the wider business environment and the organisations which operate within that environment. Students will explore how management accounting uses financial data to aid planning decisions and the monitoring and control of finance within organisations.

On successful completion of this unit students will be in a position to present financial statements in a workplace context and be able to assist senior colleagues with financial business planning. In addition, students will have the fundamental knowledge and skills to progress onto a higher level of study.

U6 Managing a Successful Business Project

The aim of this unit is to offer students an opportunity to demonstrate the skills required for managing and implementing a project. They will undertake independent research and investigation for carrying out and executing a business project which meets appropriate business aims and objectives.

On successful completion of this unit students will have the confidence to engage in decision-making, problem-solving and research activities using project management skills. They will have the fundamental knowledge and skills to enable them to investigate and examine relevant business concepts within a work-related context, determine appropriate outcomes, decisions or solutions and present evidence to various stakeholders in an acceptable and understandable format.

U7 Business Law

The aim of this unit is to enhance students’ understanding of how business law is applied to the running of a business organisation. Students will gain knowledge of business law and examine the impact of the law on business operations and decision- making. Throughout the unit students will identify legal solutions available to business owners and assess their suitability. Their experiences in this unit will help them better understand the different areas of law that apply.

U8 Innovation and Commercialisation

This unit aims to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of innovation and commercialisation. In this unit, we will look at a number of tools and techniques organisations use to drive innovation and become more commercial in their approach. The aim of the unit is to give students cutting-edge knowledge as well as practical application of the key ways organisations become more innovative while remaining commercially driven.

U9 Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management

This unit provides students with an understanding of the definition and scope of entrepreneurship and an understanding of the enablers and barriers to business start-up.

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to explore and illustrate the range of venture types that might be considered entrepreneurial, assess the impact of small businesses on the economy, determine and assess the key aspects of an entrepreneurial mindset, and examine the different environments that foster or hinder entrepreneurship.

U10 Financial Accounting

The overall aim of this unit is to introduce students to essential financial accounting principles and techniques which will enable them to record and prepare basic final accounts. Students will learn how to prepare accounts for sole traders and partnerships as well as limited companies.

On successful completion of this unit students will be able to contribute effectively to the accounting function of an organisation, or to understand how to record and prepare basic financial accounts for their own business. They will have the knowledge and skills required to progress to a higher level of study.