The BTEC First Diploma is a

vocational A vocation () is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. People can be given information about a new occupation through student orientation. Though now often used in non-religious c ...

qualification Qualification is either the process of qualifying for an achievement, or a credential attesting to that achievement, and may refer to: * Professional qualification, attributes developed by obtaining academic degrees or through professional exper ...

taken in

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and

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and

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

by young people aged 14 and over and by adults. The qualification is organised and awarded by the Edexcel Foundation within the BTEC brand.

Qualification Overview

The ''BTEC First Diploma'' is a vocational qualification at Level 2. It is the equivalent of 4 GCSE grades A*-C. The course is available from Edexcel and is in many different subjects. This qualification is mainly studied at further education colleges. The course is designed to give students a good grounding to progress onto the BTEC Subsidiary Diploma / BTEC Diploma / BTEC Extended Diploma in a related subject. As BTEC stands for Business & Technology Education Council, the best known subjects for the Diplomas are business and

Information Technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of Data (computing), data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information te ...

. The course is assessed in units of which 11-13 consist in total. Students are graded on their understanding of the unit by the grading of either a pass, merit or distinction (highest achievable). Students who wish to progress onto a BTEC Subsidiary Diploma / BTEC Diploma / BTEC Extended Diploma will usually need to attain merit grades or above in order to meet the entry requirements, however, this can vary depending on the college.

Level

The First Diploma is regarded as equivalent in level to the GCSE. However some students who may have three grade Cs could progress onto a degree in a university providing that they have gained a distinction or a merit profile. Most Universities will require a Level 3 qualification such as BTEC Subsidiary Diploma / BTEC Diploma / BTEC Extended Diploma so it would be advisable to contact each University first. The usual entry requirements consist of a mix of GCSE subject passes at grades D-G or better. Equivalent entry qualifications are also commonly accepted, including an appropriate BTEC Introductory Diploma with a merit grade or higher.

Subjects available

Animal Care Art and Design Business Construction Engineering Health and Social Care IT and Computing Land-based Technology Media, Music & Performing Arts Vehicle Technology Science Sport Public Services Travel and Tourism Management Hospitality

Progression

Possible outcomes include: *progression to a

BTEC Extended Diploma The BTEC (Business and Technology Education Council) Level 3 diploma is a Further Education qualification and vocational qualification taken in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The qualification is organised and awarded by Pearson within the ...

course at a further education college *progression into employment

References

External links

* http://www.edexcel.org.uk/quals/first/ * http://www.don.ac.uk/courses/full-time/full-time_courses/computers_ict/btec_first_diploma_for_it_prac.aspx * http://www.edc.ac.uk/all-courses/information-technology_44/cj20_188.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Btec First Diploma Educational qualifications in the United Kingdom