HNC Sustainable Business Management for England (Online)

Course content:

You will study eight units in total.

• Principles of Sustainability – you will be introduced to the essential principles of sustainability in business that organisations are increasingly making a priority and adhering to. You will be encouraged to consider the impact of sustainable business on communities, and the steps necessary to develop sustainability strategies within organisations. You will also have the opportunity to investigate in more detail the role of sustainability practitioners, who are responsible for leading projects and working closely with various stakeholders and partners. 

• The Contemporary Business Environment – you will develop the background knowledge and understanding of business, the functions of an organisation and the wider business environments in which organisations operate. You will examine the different types of organisations (including for-profit and not-for-profit), their size and scope (for example, micro, small and medium-sized enterprise, transnational and global) and how they operate. You will also explore organisations’ relationships with their various stakeholders and how the wider external environments influence and shape business decision-making. 

• Sustainable Business Practice – will provide you with the background knowledge and understanding of sustainable business practice and its operational impacts. You will explore developments in guidance and how this has contributed to the structure of organisations. You will also cover the influence of roles and responsibilities to ensure the effective delivery of sustainable business practice and the factors that deliver benefits and minimise operational risk. 

• Corporate Governance & Ethics – you will explore corporate governance and ethics and their relationship to organisational operations. You will examine conceptual ideas of ethics to establish the impact of corporate behaviour and corporate governance on competitive advantage. Using management techniques and conceptual frameworks, you will explore the application of corporate governance and ethics through continuous improvement and benchmarking. 

• Sustainable Leadership & Management – will develop an understanding of the difference between the function of a manager and the role of a leader. You will consider the characteristics, behaviours and traits that support effective management and sustainable leadership. You will learn about the theories that have shaped the understanding of leadership and management and how these provide a guide to action for managers and leaders who want to secure success for their businesses. Students will look at leadership styles, the concept of sustainable leadership, and how and why these are used and the extent to which they are effective. 

• Project Management – you will be introduced to the elements that constitute a project, the tools available to help achieve the specified outcome and the role of the project team and the project manager in the process. You will examine the criteria for the success or failure of a project, evaluate project management systems and consider the reflective and analytical processes involved in the appraisal of the finished project.

• Research Data & Techniques – in this unit you will be introduced to the knowledge and skills needed to be able to support the collection, storage and interrogation of data for business decision-making. You will explore methods of collecting data, both manually and online, and the techniques needed to interpret this quantitative and graphical data to produce information to assist business decision-making. 

The HNC will also help you develop your academic writing and research skills providing you with the opportunity develop transferable skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving. 

Teaching and assessment

This course is delivered online and will consist of ‘live’ (synchronous) workshops and seminars along with learning materials which you will be guided through and able to complete at a time that is convenient to you. You will learn through research, independent study, directed study and workplace scenarios. By participating in vocational activities, you will develop key behaviours and transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, research, and analysis. Plus, you’ll be taught by a friendly, committed, and qualified team of lecturers with both professional and teaching experience.

You will be assessed through a mixture of written assignments, group assessment, peer assessment, portfolio assessment and practice-related coursework. You will also be supported with a wide range of learning resources made available via Activate Learning’s Online Learning Environment (ALO), including access to textbooks, articles, and multimedia content.

Support? 

You will have a range of support made available to you, including academic and pastoral support, learning support and access to additional support funds (if eligible). Please see our Support Pages for further information.? 

?Additional study support? 

Whether you have a recognised disability, specific learning difficulty, or not, you will be eligible to access additional learning support in all the following areas:? 

• assistive software training? 
• IT upskilling? 
• essay planning and structure? 
• proofreading and editing written work? 
• bibliographies and referencing? 
• time management and personal organisation? 
• revision and exam tips? 
• presentation techniques? 

On successful completion of this course, you can progress to our HND in Sustainable Business Management (top-up) and complete another eight units. We offer excellent progression so once you have achieved your HND you can continue your studies and ‘Top Up’ to a BA (Hons) degree (subject to meeting entry requirements). 

Career opportunities could include becoming a Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Environmental Social Governance Officer or responsible business officer. to name a few.

We value relevant industry experience just as highly as academic qualifications. 

So, if you don’t have an academic background, don’t worry – your industry experience is considered on merit, and we encourage you to apply. 

A full breakdown of the entry requirements, including academic qualifications, can be found below: 

You’ll need to have a GCSE grade 4 or above in Maths and English. Other L2 qualifications (such as Functional Skills) in English and Maths may be accepted. 

 In addition, you will have either: 

• An A level at grade D, or 
• Relevant Access to Higher Education Diploma, or 
• Level 3 Extended Diploma in Business or related subject, at a Merit overall, or 
• T Level at Pass in a related subject 

However: if you are thinking of returning to education but do not possess all the formal entry qualifications, your application may be considered through our Recognition of Prior Learning procedure. You will need GCSE English and Maths or equivalent. In addition, you should be able to demonstrate experience and achievement in a range of business-related activities. We would also look for evidence of continuous professional development and learning. You should provide details of your experience and any courses you have completed, along with your reasons for wanting to pursue this course of study, in the Personal Statement section of the application. 

If you want to find out more about our recognition of prior learning procedure or have any questions about the course, please do talk to us.

Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate that their level of English is acceptable by achieving a score in a recognised test such as: 

• Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) level B 
• PTE Academic 51, or 
• IELTS 5.5 (reading and writing must be at 5.5) 

Additional costs? 

Students are advised that they will need access to a laptop or PC. We recommend that you budget c£100 a year additional costs such as for stationary to undertake your studies. You can borrow textbooks and access journals from the recommended reading lists from our Learning Resource Centres either physically on campus or in the majority of cases online. If you choose to purchase textbooks, they may cost up to c£60 each.

Apply via our website, or through UCAS

Codes: 

Course code: 5BDMGHAP8R

Institution code: O25 

Campus name: Online 

Campus code: 025