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Bradford College

Higher Technical Qualifications

What are they?

Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) are practical qualifications that employers have helped develop, to provide you with the right training and skills to succeed at work.  

They are ideal if you are;

  • looking for a more employer-led study programme and are already on your chosen career path
  • wish to gain a qualification and progress at work
  • wishing to change the direction of your career

You can study these courses on a full-time or part-time basis around your life and work commitments here at Bradford College.

Our HTQs:

Degrees step by step

You can achieve a degree at your own pace and around your life and work commitments.

QualificationLevelDegree EquivalentFull-time length of studyPart-time length of study
Higher National Certificate (HNC)4Equivalent to the first year of a degree1 year2 years
Foundation degree (Fd)4/5Equivalent to the first two years of a three year degree2 years3 years
Higher National Diploma (HND)5Equivalent to the first two years of a degree2 years3-4 years

Entry requirements

If you’d like to apply for one of our Higher Technical Qualifications (see below) you will need to meet the course entry requirements.

Your application and subsequent entry requirements for these courses are assessed through a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process. This allows us to assess your existing skills, prior knowledge and work experience against a given set of standards, competencies, or learning outcomes and then decide whether they can be used as credit on your course.

What do I need to know?

To start a HTQ, you’ll need to be aged 18 or over and live in England. 

You can apply for a HTQ while you’re still at school.  You can see the full list of HTQs on offer at Bradford College below.

A HNC is a level 4 qualification, which is equivalent to the first year of a degree. You will develop a solid foundation of knowledge and skills in your subject area that will give you a head start to further study.

A HND is a level 5 qualification, which is equivalent to the first two years of a degree. This qualification can provide you with the key skills and knowledge to prepare you for degree-level study or can be a route into employment.

Work placements are not usually needed on a HTQ, except in some professions. 

However, many courses do offer you practical skills and experience through workshops, labs or work experience. Full details are provided on our course pages.

After completing your HTQ, you can: 

Upcoming Events

Careers and Work Experience Fair 2024

Careers and Work Experience Fair 2024

16th April 2024, 10:00am – 2:00pm


Find out about careers, work experience and meet with prospective employers and universities, we are inviting you to attend our Careers and Work Experience Fair 2024.

Our courses

Higher National Certificate in Computing (Cyber Security)

Computing & IT University

Higher National Certificate in Computing (Cyber Security)


Study LevelLevel 4
Duration1 year, 2 years
Start DateSeptember 2024
FdA Performing Arts

Performing Arts & Music University

FdA Performing Arts


Study LevelLevel 5
Duration2 years
Start DateSeptember 2024

“I went onto the HNC […] hoping to get more information about my specialist area before progressing onto a degree and it was a great decision for me”

Iqra Sadiq,
HNC Electric and Electronic Engineering Student

an female engineering student smiling

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