BTEC National Qualifications
A Guide for Higher Education
Admissions Staff
Enhancing Progression Opportunities
for Vocational Learners
September 2009
CONTENTS
Introduction
Structure
Duration of Course
Entry Requirements
Assessment
Unit Grading
Overall Grading
UCAS Tariff
Functional Skills
Other BTEC Qualifications
The Future
Progression Agreements
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1. Introduction
BTEC qualifications have been running for twenty five
years and are offered by the Edexcel awarding body,
created in 1996 by a merger of BTEC and the University of
London Examinations and Assessment Council. BTEC
remains a brand and is offered only by Edexcel. In 2007,
more than one million students enrolled on a BTEC
course.
The level 3 BTEC National qualifications are work
related qualifications which aim both to accommodate
the needs of employers and to allow progression to
university. They provide work related learning with key
theoretical background, and are based on relevant
National Occupational Standards (NOS) as determined by
sector skills councils.
BTECs are flexible, enabling students to study them
full-time or part-time. They can be taken as well as, or in
place of, GCSEs and A levels in schools and colleges, as
part of an apprenticeship or as part of the Additional
Specialist Learning (ASL) component of the new
Advanced Diploma.
Teaching of the new BTEC qualifications in their
current form began in September 2002. They are
currently undergoing further development to be
accredited onto the new national Qualifications and
Credit Framework (QCF) from September 2010.
The BTEC National qualification is at NQF (National
Qualifications Framework) level 3 and is expected to be
accredited onto the QCF at level 3 (broadly equivalent to
A levels).
1
BTEC National Qualifications
2. Structure
The BTEC National has three ‘sizes’: Award, Certificate
and Diploma.
The BTEC National Award: The 6-unit National Award
seeks to provide a unit-based specialist qualification
that focuses on particular aspects of employment
within a vocational sector.
The BTEC National Certificate: The 12-unit National
Certificate seeks to provide a specialist work-related
qualification that covers the key knowledge and
practical skills required in a vocational sector and
also offer a different emphasis through the choice of
specialist units. It is broadly equivalent to two GCE A
levels.
The BTEC National Diploma: The 18-unit National
Diploma extends and deepens the specialist focus
available in the 12-unit Certificate. The qualification
prepares learners for employment in the sector. It is
broadly equivalent to three GCE A levels.
including GCSE English or Key Skills Communication
Level 2 or equivalent. Sometimes five GCSE passes or
Maths or Science GCSEs may be specified, or for some
subjects a portfolio.
Alternatively a BTEC First Diploma may offer entry
with a minimum overall grade specified. Mature
students may be admitted with other relevant level 2
qualifications and knowledge and experience in the
relevant sector or industry.
5. Assessment
Each unit is assessed and graded through
assignments. All units are internally assessed and
assessments are constructed by the delivering organisation. Students will complete a range of
assignments, case studies and practical activities.
All assessment is quality assured through internal
verification and Edexcel carry out external verification
activities (including sampling assessors’ decisions
using sector-specialist external verifiers).
3. Duration of Course
A BTEC National Diploma will generally take two years
to complete by full time study.
However, being a unit based qualification, the
actual duration of the course is flexible, dependent
on the size and level of the qualification and whether
it is studied full or part time. The mode of study is
determined by the provider.
A summative unit grade can be awarded at pass,
merit or distinction:
• to achieve a ‘pass’ a learner must have satisfied all
the pass criteria
• to achieve a ‘merit’ a learner must additionally
have satisfied all the merit criteria
• to achieve a ‘distinction’ a learner must additionally have satisfied all the distinction criteria.
7. Overall Grading
BTEC National Award
Is given a single grade of Pass, Merit or
Distinction e.g. P, M,D.
BTEC National Diploma
Is given a triple grade e.g. PPP, MMP, DDD.
Diploma
Tariff Points
Certificate
Award
DDD
360
DDM
320
280
MMM
DD
240
MMP
DM
200
MPP
MM
PPP
MP
D
120
PP
M
80
P
40
160
9. Functional Skills
At the moment functional or keys skills are not an
integral part of BTEC Nationals, although they do
provide the opportunity to achieve them.
With the advent of key and functional skills the
‘Common Skills’ which the BTEC Nationals contained
in the past were removed from the qualification.
Universities will therefore separately specify entry
requirements for degree courses in terms of GCSE
Maths and/or English or equivalents.
10. Other BTEC Qualifications
Award
Certificate
Diploma
Units
6 units
12 units
18 units
Equivalent to
One GCE A level
Two GCE A levels
Three GCE A levels
Choice of specialist units
Deepened specialist focus
2
Grade
DMM
BTEC National Certificate
Is given a double grade e.g. PP, MP, DD.
4.Entry requirements at FE colleges for BTEC
Nationals
Entry requirements will vary but are generally a
minimum of four GCSE passes at Grade C or above,
Breadth
6. Unit Grading
All assessment for BTEC Nationals is criterion
referenced, based on the achievement of specified
learning outcomes. Each unit has specified criteria
which are used for grading.
8. BTEC Nationals included in the UCAS Tariff
A BTEC National Award is equivalent to one GCE A
Level (or two AS Levels), a BTEC National Certificate to
two GCE A levels and a BTEC National Diploma to
three GCE A Levels.
Level 1
BTEC Introductory
Actual tariff points are determined by the overall
grade. Where, for example, a learner has achieved an
overall grade profile of 3 Merits - MMM - in the BTEC
National Diploma this provides a learner with 3 A
Level equivalence and 240 UCAS points.
Level 4 (some at level 5)
BTEC Higher National Certificate (HNC)
Level 2
BTEC First
Level 3
BTEC National
Level 4 and 5
BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND)
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BTEC National Qualifications
11. The Future
When the BTEC National is accredited onto the QCF
from October 2010 the structure of the qualification
will be based upon the number of credits (based
upon the number and size of units achieved) as
opposed to the number of units themselves.
Furthermore, the titles will be amended to reflect the
qualification nomenclature of the QCF.
The BTEC document BTEC in the Future highlights
the use of the BTEC National as part of Additional
Specialist Learning on the new 14-19 Diploma. Additionally, once on the QCF, both qualifications and
units could be part of the potential flexibility of the
QCF for learners.
12. Progression Agreements
As one of its core activities to support progression
into higher education, Linking London LLN brokers
and develops progression agreements between FE
and HE institutions, which make clear entry requirements for BTEC National students and how applicants
can expect to be treated in terms of offers, interviews
and feedback. They also help to develop the ongoing
relationships between course teams including
discussing curricular issues.
13. Further Information
For further information please contact:
info@linkinglondon.ac.uk, 0207 380 3223 or visit
www.linkinglondon.co.uk
Alternatively visit Edexcel’s pages at
www.edexcel.com
This guide was prepared in collaboration with Edexcel
by David Saunders, Credit and Progression Manager,
Linking London Lifelong Learning Network,
d.saunders@linkinglondon.ac.uk
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The Linking London Lifelong Learning Network is a
membership organisation of thirty five universities
and colleges in Central, East and North London which
aims to improve the progression of vocational learners
into and through Higher Education. We are funded by
the Higher Education Funding Council for England
(HEFCE) and are hosted at Birkbeck, University of
London, Egmont House, 25-31 Tavistock Place,
London, WC1H 9UT. If you found this guidance
document useful or would like to discuss our work in
the area of vocational learning, please contact:
info@linkinglondon.ac.uk or 0207 380 3223
www.linkinglondon.ac.uk