The Department for Education (DfE) describe Applied General qualifications as follows:
Applied General qualifications are rigorous, advanced (Level 3) qualifications that allow 16 to 19 year old students to develop transferable knowledge and skills. They are for students who want to continue their education through applied learning. Applied General qualifications allow entry to a range of higher education courses, either by meeting the entry requirements in their own right or being accepted alongside and adding value to other qualifications at Level 3 such as A levels. Higher education institutions, such as universities, have pledged support for all approved applied general qualifications listed.
NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Music Technology: the following HEPs have provided letters of support for this qualification:
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- Middlesbrough College
- Newcastle University
- University of Huddersfield
- University of West London
This qualification enables students to develop their skills, knowledge, and understanding of working in the music technology sector. It will enable students to continue their education through applied learning and equip them with transferable knowledge and skills, while giving them the opportunity to respond to contextualised industry briefs.
It is aimed at post-16 students studying a Key Stage 5 curriculum, with an interest in creative music production and performance. It has been designed to sit with the Study Programme, alongside A levels and other qualifications.
NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Art and Design: the following HEPs have provided letters of support for this qualification:
- Glasgow School of Art
- University of Southampton
- University of Huddersfield
- University of Sunderland
This qualification is designed for students who want to progress to higher or further education. It provides an applied study of art and/or design alongside theoretical content and opportunities to acquire practical and technical skills.
This qualification aims to:
- focus on an applied study of Art and/or Design
- offer breadth and depth of study, incorporating a significant core of knowledge and theoretical content with broad-ranging applicability
- provide opportunities to acquire a number of practical and technical skills
- develop new technical skills in art and design
- develop students' knowledge of art and design.
Throughout the delivery of this qualification, the following core areas and transferable skills should be evident:
- problem solving
- research skills
- safe working practices
- evaluative skills
- critical thinking
- visual communication
- promotional planning.
NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Business and Enterprise: the following HEPs have provided letters of support for this qualification:
- Peterborough Regional College
- Southampton Solent University
- University of Huddersfield
This qualification is aimed at post-16 year olds studying a Key Stage 5 curriculum who want to progress into higher education. It enables students to develop transferable skills, knowledge, and understanding in the business and enterprise sector and is appropriate for students wishing to continue their education through applied learning, equipping them with transferable knowledge and skills. This qualification can be used within a study programme.
This qualification aims to:
- focus on an applied study of the business and enterprise sector
- offer breadth and depth of study, incorporating a significant core of knowledge and theoretical content with broad-ranging applicability
- provide academic and study skills that will support progression in business and enterprise more broadly
- develop students' transferrable knowledge and skills in business and enterprise.
Throughout the delivery of this qualification, the following core areas and transferable skills should be evident:
- theoretical knowledge of business practice
- research skills
- evaluative skills including analysis and critical thinking
- planning.
The overall qualification is graded: Distinction*/Distinction/Merit/Pass/Not Yet Achieved.
All units in each qualification are graded: Distinction/Merit/Pass/Not Yet Achieved.
The final grade is calculated by converting the two assessment components (Business and Music) and the three assessment components (Music Technology) into a UMS score to ensure comparability between the different components. The collective UMS is then converted into a grade based on fixed thresholds.
Please refer to the qualification specifications for further information on grading.
As noted in Education Context, to be classified as an Applied General qualification, the qualification in question must meet certain criteria. This includes:
- A minimum of 40% external assessment
- A minimum of 60% mandatory core content
- An element of synoptic assessment
- There is a single resit opportunity
These qualifications include synoptic assessment. Synoptic assessment is an important part of a high-quality vocational qualification because it shows that students have achieved a holistic understanding of the sector, and that they can make effective connections between different aspects they have studied. It enables students to show they can transfer knowledge and skills learned in one context to resolve problems raised in another.
NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Music Technology
The qualification has internal and external assessment. Students must achieve a minimum of a pass in all units and a combined pass across the two external assessments to achieve the qualification as a whole. The internal assessment contributes to 50% of the overall grade and the external assessment contributes to 50% of the overall grade. The internal assessment is internally assessed and externally quality assured.
All units of the qualification are subject to external assessment (see specification for confirmation of which units are subject to the written exam and which units are subject to the practical exam).
The external assessment is externally set and externally marked and comprises a two-hour written exam and a 10-hour practical exam.
To support the development of a synoptic approach, the qualification encourages students to make links between elements of the course and to demonstrate how they have integrated and applied their increasing knowledge and skills from the beginning. External assessments are also synoptic in nature, as they require students to apply and integrate their knowledge and skills from across the whole qualification in a vocationally relevant context.
As students progress through the course, they use and build on knowledge and skills learnt in previous units. Full evidence of students’ accumulated knowledge, skills, and understanding, and of their ability to ‘think like a music technologist’ will be evidenced when the student successfully achieves the qualification.
NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Art and Design
The qualification has internal and external assessment. Students must achieve a minimum of a pass in all units and a minimum of a pass in the external assessment to achieve the qualification as a whole. The internal assessment contributes to 50% of the overall grade and the external assessment contributes to 50% of the overall grade. The internal assessment is internally assessed and externally quality assured.
Units 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the qualification are subject to external assessment. The external assessment is externally set and externally marked, it comprises an 18 hour practical test (this includes 5 hours of supervised preparation time).
To support the development of a synoptic approach, the qualification encourages students to make links between elements of the course, and to demonstrate how they have integrated and applied their increasing knowledge and skills from the beginning. External assessments are also synoptic in nature, as they require students to apply and integrate their knowledge and skills from across the whole qualification in a vocationally relevant context.
As students progress through the course, they use and build on knowledge and skills learnt in previous units. Full evidence of students’ accumulated knowledge, skills, and understanding, and of their ability to ‘think like an artist or designer’ will be evidenced when the student successfully achieves the qualification.
NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Business and Enterprise
The qualification has internal and external assessment. Students must achieve a minimum of a pass in all units and a minimum of a pass in the external assessment to achieve the qualification as a whole. The internal assessment contributes to 50% of the overall grade and the external assessment contributes to 50% of the overall grade. The internal assessment is internally assessed and externally quality assured.
Units 1 - 5 of the qualification are subject to external assessment. The external assessment is externally set and externally marked and comprises a two-hour question paper (plus pre-release material).
To support the development of a synoptic approach, the qualification encourages students to make links between elements of the course, and to demonstrate how they have integrated and applied their increasing knowledge and skills from the beginning. Synoptic assessment is embedded in units 6 and 7 which require the students to apply their knowledge and skills gained from units 1 to 5. The external assessment is also synoptic in nature, as it requires students to apply and integrate their knowledge and skills from across the whole qualification in a vocationally relevant context.
As students progress through the course, they use and build on knowledge and skills learnt in previous units. Full evidence of students’ accumulated knowledge, skills, and understanding, and of their ability to ‘think like an entrepreneur/business manager’ will be evidenced when the student successfully achieves the qualification.
Applied General qualifications are advanced (Level 3) qualifications, mainly taken by 16-19 year old students who want to develop transferable knowledge and skills.
The popularity of Applied Generals has risen over recent years. The entry rate for applicants holding at least one BTEC (either alone or in combination with A levels) was 6.0 per cent in 2016, up from 5.8 per cent in 2015.
There are a number of key considerations for HEPs when reviewing Applied General qualifications that meet the full DfE criteria from 2018:
- These qualifications are fundamentally different to their predecessors and likely to result in students developing different skills and aptitudes. HEPs should review their understanding of these qualifications to ensure it remains up to date.
- The dual running of the qualification may result in applicants declaring the incorrect version within their application. UCAS will be working to support applicants and advisers in this area.
- The fully-reformed qualifications include both external and synoptic assessment, as well as changes to resit processes. These changes are likely to result in fewer students passing the qualification. Equally, it is likely that grade distributions will change. In light of this, HEPs may wish to review their entry requirements, offer making and decision-making strategies in relation to these qualifications.
- The fully-reformed and interim-reformed qualifications will be delivered by schools and colleges at the same time (see ‘Education context’). Therefore, HEPs may wish to consider their approach to setting and listing entry requirements for the specific qualifications.
- A larger mandatory core means that HEPs who require certain levels of achievement in particular units or ask for specific units to satisfy subject knowledge requirements should familiarise themselves with the new content specifications to ensure that these requirements are still valid. It should be noted that not all students will be able choose their optional units and these may be prescribed by the school or college, therefore HEPs should be cautious if requiring achievement in optional modules as part of their entry requirements, offer making and decision-making strategies.
Read the full specifications on the NCFE website:
Read the specification for NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Music Technology
Read the specification for NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Art and Design
Read the specification for NCFE Level 3 Applied General Certificate in Business and Enterprise