Qualifications Explained
The Scottish qualification system has a comprehensive range of awards available. The College offers qualifications from Access 1 to HND (SCQF Level 1-8).
The College’s awards are certificated through various awarding bodies, including Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), City & Guilds and Active IQ.
National Qualifications (NQs)
NQs are one of the most important types of qualifications in Scotland. Almost everyone leaving school or college has one or more National Qualification.
Qualifications sit at various levels allowing learners to progress from one qualification to the next:
National 1 units are stand-alone and do not form part of a course of study. Each subject consists of one or more units; units can be passed separately to gain a National 1. National 1 units are assessed as pass or fail by a teacher/lecturer and learners may progress on to other National 1 subjects or to a range of subjects at National 2 level
National 2 courses are made up of units which are assessed as pass or fail by a teacher/lecturer. Each course consists of one or more units; some units are mandatory and provide the building blocks for learners to achieve more units at National 2 within the same subject area. Learners need to pass all units to achieve the qualification.
National 3 courses are made up of units which are assessed as pass or fail by a teacher/lecturer. These Units require learners to develop:
- basic knowledge and understanding of the subject
- apply skills to a range of simple tasks in familiar contexts, with guidance from teacher/lecturer
Learners need to pass all units to achieve the qualification.
National 4 courses are made up of units, including an added value unit which assesses learners' performance across the course. The units are assessed as pass or fail by a teacher/lecturer and learners need to pass all units, including the added value unit, to achieve the qualification.
National 5 courses are broadly taken in secondary schools (S4-S6) and in further education colleges. National 5 courses are assessed through a question paper (exam) or coursework, or both - most of which will be marked by SQA. In some subjects, coursework is marked by a teacher or lecturer. The courses are graded A to D or 'no award'.
Highers are broadly taken in secondary schools (S5-S6) and in further education colleges. The course assessment involves a question paper (exam) or coursework, or both - most of which are marked by SQA. In some subjects, coursework is marked by a teacher or lecturer. The courses are graded A to D or 'no award'. Some learners leave secondary education with Highers and progress to further/higher education, training or employment. Highers are the standard entry requirements for higher education in Scotland.
SVQs and NVQs are work-based assessed qualifications that are nationally recognised. They are assessed in a combination of ways: by portfolio – you build up evidence of what you have done at work (or in a work-based setting), and by observation – an assessor watches you work and checks that you can do the tasks.
The assessor also tests candidates' knowledge, understanding and work-based performance to make sure they can demonstrate competence in the workplace. There are no formal exams, however online assessments are required to be taken for the City & Guilds NVQs that the College offers.
Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) courses provide the practical skills you need to do a job and the theoretical knowledge your employer will expect you to have. SQA develop HNCs and HNDs in partnership with colleges, universities and industry.
Achieving an HNC or a HND is one of the best ways to achieve a career with prospects. They also help develop advanced study skills and the generic core skills necessary to progress on to University. Possessing an HNC or HND can also give you entry to a number of professional bodies.
All the courses are made up of Higher National Units:
- HNCs are made up of 96 SCQF credit points and usually take one year to complete
- HNDs are made up of 240 SCQF credit points and usually take two years to complete
Please note:
Group Awards are achieved by completing a number of units with assessments taken throughout the session. However, all units within group awards are qualifications in their own right, so students who do not achieve all of the units required for the group award, will still be certificated for the units they achieve which will give employers an idea of their ability and interests.
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF)
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) promotes lifelong learning in Scotland and is a way of comparing the wide range of Scottish qualifications and learning programmes. It covers achievements such as those from school, college, university, and the workplace.
It supports everyone in Scotland by:
- helping people of all ages and circumstances access appropriate education and training so they can meet their full potential;
- helping employers, learners and the general public to understand the full range of Scottish qualifications, how qualifications relate to each other and to other forms of learning, and how different types of qualification can contribute to improving the skills of the workforce.
The SCQF helps describe both programmes of learning and qualifications, support the development of progression routes and maximise the opportunities to transfer credit points between qualifications.
The SCQF also helps to illustrate the relationships between Scottish qualifications and those in the rest of the UK, Europe and beyond, which can clarify opportunities for international progression routes and credit transfer.
For more information on the SCQF, visit www.scqf.org.uk or contact the team on +44 (0) 141 225 2922.
For information on the SCQF level and credit points for learning programmes which have been credit rated, search the SCQF database below.