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Glite Dictionary
HND

HND

1 5.8
A two-year job-focused diploma that prepares you for work or more study
  • noun
  • /eɪtʃ ɛn diː/
  • UK
translation icon : diploma HND
  • After two years of hard work, she proudly graduated with an HND in graphic design.

Examples

  • Hi there, I have just recently heard of TEFL-Scotland. My partner and I would really love to go abroad and teach English; however, both of us only have standard grade English. He is currently a manager, and I'm an HND travel student at college.

    Blog text (16)

  • He decided to pursue an HND to gain the practical skills needed for a career in engineering.

  • Many students choose to study for an HND to improve their job prospects and continue to a university degree.

Synonyms

diploma
vsHND
149 2.8

An official paper from a school or university that shows someone has finished a course of study

is a vocational qualification that specifically prepares for careers
Higher National Diploma
vsHND
  • UK
4.3

A college qualification that teaches practical skills for work, usually taking two years

is the same qualification but appears as its shorter written form

How Advanced

HND
  • UK
1 5.8
certificate
307 2.7

Surface Forms

HND singular
HNDs plural

Morphology

HND = H + N + D

This is an initialism; the letters do not independently convey lexical meaning in English unless the learner knows the expansion (Higher National Diploma), so the morphology is not transparently informative.

Etymology

HND stands for Higher National Diploma, and the parts make the meaning clear: 'higher' is a level above basic, 'national' means it is recognized across the country, and 'diploma' means an official certificate. So an HND is a higher-level certificate you usually get after about two years of study. It gives training for a job or helps you move on to a university degree.