The Diploma
This page tells you about the 14 Diploma subjects available now and three that are coming soon. The information includes some career ideas but they are simply ideas. There are many more career options available.
Look at the Diploma subjects that interest you. Do they fit well with your Know yourself quiz results?
Does your school offer the Diploma subjects that interest you? Find out by speaking to your careers co-ordinator or Connexions personal adviser, looking at your options information and browsing your local online 14-19 prospectus. (Visit www.direct.gov.uk/14-19prospectus 
if you need help finding this.)
Jump Menu:
- Business, Administration and Finance
- Construction and the Built Environment
- Creative and Media
- Engineering
- Environmental and Land-based Studies
- Hair and Beauty Studies
- Hospitality
- Information Technology (IT)
- Manufacturing and Product Design
- Public Services
- Retail Business
- Society, Health and Development
- Sport and Active Leisure
- Travel and Tourism
- Coming soon - humanities, languages and science
Business, Administration and Finance
What's involved? Learning what the industry is about and how it works. Developing essential skills such as business enterprise, business communication, business finance and customer service.
Career ideas: Business management, financial services, human resources, marketing, sales.
Construction and the Built Environment
What's involved? Learning how the different industries in this sector work together to design, create, manage and maintain the built environment. Developing practical skills and exploring how built structures affect the communities that use them.
Career ideas: Architecture, glazing, painting and decorating, structural steelwork, surveying.
Creative and Media
What's involved? Learning to think and work creatively. Developing the practical skills to bring ideas to life. Understanding and learning the skills to succeed in a creative business working environment.
Career ideas: Art, broadcast media, fashion, film, interactive media, product design, television.
Engineering
What's involved? Learning why engineering is important in the modern world, exploring the basic principles of engineering technology and using creative approaches to discover what makes engineering innovations succeed.
Career ideas: Building services, communications services, energy/utilities, medical technologies, transport.
Environmental and Land-based Studies
What's involved? Learning how the diverse industries in the sector work together to make a difference to people's lives and the future of the world - exploring productive and working environments, working with plants and animals, and developing sustainable environments.
Career ideas: Animal health and welfare, environmental conservation, land and forestry management, landscaping, leisure and tourism, waste and water management.
Hair and Beauty Studies
What's involved? Learning what the industry is about, how it works and what makes a successful employee. Developing essential skills such as communication, customer service, basic business operations and creative thinking.
Career ideas: Beauty therapy, hairdressing/barbering, nail services, retail, spa therapy.
Hospitality
What's involved? Learning about the opportunities and occupations in the industry. Understanding and developing essential work skills such as safe working practices, customer service, finance and business planning.
Career ideas: Catering, conferences and banqueting, hotel management, housekeeping, and pub, club and bar management.
Information Technology (IT)
What's involved? Learning about the IT business, the people in it and how to use technology to solve business problems. Developing essential skills like team work.
Career ideas: Business technology, internet technology, multimedia technology, music technology, sports technology.
Manufacturing and Product Design
What's involved? Learning how a wide range of manufacturing businesses work. Developing practical skills by exploring product design, science and the steps involved in the manufacturing process - from purchasing raw materials through to selling the finished products.
Career ideas: Food and drink industry, pharmaceuticals industry, polymers industry, processing and print industry, textiles and apparel industries.
Public Services
What's involved? Learning about public services in the UK and how they work. Exploring the purpose and role of these services, the skills needed to work in them and the range of career opportunities they offer.
Career ideas: The armed forces, central and local government,education, healthcare and the legal and justice system.
Retail Business
What's involved? Learning about the retail industry and how it works. Exploring the purpose, role and impact of the different types of businesses and jobs in the sector and the skills needed to work in it.
Career ideas: Automotive retail, buying, customer care, finance and administration, human resources and training, IT, logistics, marketing, store operations.
Society, Health and Development
What's involved? Learning about the people and organisations in the sector - health, community justice and social care services and the children and young people's workforce. Exploring the principles and values that guide their work, the services they offer and how their services fit together to help individuals.
Career ideas: Childcare, community support, nursing, playwork, social work, youth offending.
Sport and Active Leisure
What's involved? Learning about the people and organisations in the industry. Exploring how the industry works and the wide range of careers within it. Exploring the purpose, role and impact of the industry, particularly on individuals and the community.
Career ideas: Coaching, leisure pursuits, outdoor activities, personal services, playwork, sports clubs, teaching.
Travel and Tourism
What's involved? Learning about travel, forms of transport and local, national and international destinations. Exploring careers in the industry. Developing the skills to create and deliver new products or services and provide good customer service.
Career ideas: Accommodation services, conferences and events, passenger transport, travel services, tourism services, visitor attractions.
Coming soon - humanities, languages and science
- Humanities - exploring the challenges and dilemmas that face individuals and societies around the world, including ethical issues and human rights.
- Languages - learning languages in a real context such as leisure or work and developing intercultural, translation and interpretation skills.
- Science - learning about the connections between the natural, human and technological worlds and using learning to solve real life and work-related problems.
What next?
Explore the Diploma subjects that interest you.
