Higher National Diploma
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A Higher National Diploma (HND) is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom.
The HND is a BTEC qualification awarded by Edexcel in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority in Scotland. The attainment level is one above that of a Higher National Certificate (HNC) and one below that of a bachelor's degree. Studied fulltime, the qualification normally takes two years.
It is usual for HNDs to cover roughly the same area as the first two levels of a bachelor's degree; though it, of course, does not cover the final demanding levels that are valued highly by employers. It is quite common for those who have passed an HND to upgrade their qualification by undertaking another level, sometimes two, to obtain a bachelor's degree.