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Anyone had to complete a Foundation year?

Has anyone had to complete a foundation year before progressing onto a specific degree?

Im considering a foundation year and was wondering if it will mean anything if I decided to not continue for a Bachelors degree.

Are they still recognised as having knowledge up to A level standard?

Also does anyone know if they are marked 1st, 2:1 etc or is it simply pass or fail?

Thanks

Reply 1

Shelly_x

15

My bf has done one. It seems to be pass/fail... though I'm not entirely sure about this. You need 60% on his to pass the year anyway, which is much higher than the 40% at degree level.
I'm not sure it will mean anything if you don't carry on to degree... the reason most people do them is to get on the degree so yeah...

Reply 2

Dangermoose

2

I'm doing a Level 3/4 Art & Design foundation. Not because I need to, I just want to spend another year at home and earning money for my first year.

Reply 3

jip1

OP

1

Original post by Shelly_x

My bf has done one. It seems to be pass/fail... though I'm not entirely sure about this. You need 60% on his to pass the year anyway, which is much higher than the 40% at degree level.
I'm not sure it will mean anything if you don't carry on to degree... the reason most people do them is to get on the degree so yeah...

Thanks for the info!

The best degree for the job I want to do is Electronic Engineering but i've never really done it before so i suppose the foundation is a good way of seeing if I can handle it.

Just sucks thats its an extra year to wait and an extra 9 grand!

Do you mind me asking what course your boyfriend did and how he found it?

Reply 4

DL-6

4

Yep, did a Science foundation year and just finished.

Reply 5

Shelly_x

15

Original post by jip1

Thanks for the info!

The best degree for the job I want to do is Electronic Engineering but i've never really done it before so i suppose the foundation is a good way of seeing if I can handle it.

Just sucks thats its an extra year to wait and an extra 9 grand!

Do you mind me asking what course your boyfriend did and how he found it?

Strangely enough Electronic Engineering with a foundation year at York uni. He found it very hard. The foundation year is basically getting you up to speed on the maths and physics that you need to know for uni level, its intense but worth it. The second semester is especially hard. If you can get the books on your reading list beforehand and study them it would be worthwhile :smile:

Also, his course fees were much lower than normal on a foundation year.

Reply 6

taliman

14

Completed a Computer Engineering Foundation Year at Uni of Kent. It is marked distinction, merit, pass etc with overall percentages. I required 40% to pass and progress to the main course. Achieved 72% and now I'm going to King's College London to study Computer Science. In terms of difficulty, It's is in the middle of A Levels and Bachelors. If you can work smart and stay motivated you should be able to complete it quite easily.

Reply 7

FilipinoGuy

5

I'm being asked to take up a foundation course by Manchester since I do not have enough suitable qualifications to gain direct entry. Any tips?

Reply 8

colef001

I have to do a Foundation year as part of my course as I wasn't suitable for direct entry either. I've already been offered a place on the degree as long as I pass the Foundation year. It's just like doing a four year course instead of three so it hasn't made much difference to me yet (in terms of loans/accommodation etc.)

Make sure it's an integrated Foundation year though, not a stand alone one. If it's integrated and it's advertised as a 4 year course (3 + 1 Foundation) then you can get a Student Loan for your tuition fees. If it's a stand alone course with no automatic progression onto another course, then you have to pay your fees yourself! :s-smilie:

Reply 9

dj1015

13

Original post by jip1

Has anyone had to complete a foundation year before progressing onto a specific degree?

Im considering a foundation year and was wondering if it will mean anything if I decided to not continue for a Bachelors degree.

Are they still recognised as having knowledge up to A level standard?

Also does anyone know if they are marked 1st, 2:1 etc or is it simply pass or fail?

Thanks

I just finished an engineering one this year.

The pass criteria is quite strict, and they are not afraid to kick people off the course. At least where I was. However is goes get you a place on your chosen degree, so it is better than A levels, as you get taught what you need to prepare you for your degree, rather than loads of useless material like you get on A levels.

Reply 10

dj1015

13

Original post by FilipinoGuy

I'm being asked to take up a foundation course by Manchester since I do not have enough suitable qualifications to gain direct entry. Any tips?

Don't screw it up, you only get one shot.

I completed the foundation this year at Manchester.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 11

FilipinoGuy

5

What would happen if I fail the program? I'm determined not to but I'm preparing for the worst case scenario.

Reply 12

dj1015

13

Original post by FilipinoGuy

What would happen if I fail the program? I'm determined not to but I'm preparing for the worst case scenario.

Everyone who failed this year that I knew was not allowed to continue onto the next year. Missing the pass requirements by even 1% is a fail btw. But honestly just do the work correctly and to the best of your ability, and your be fine.

Reply 13

Strawberry Blue

1

Original post by DL-6

Yep, did a Science foundation year and just finished.

Hi, I'm going to be doing a science foundation this Sept. What were the modules? Was it useful? Pass rate?

Reply 14

username418231

18

I will be doing a foundation year (Social Science) from September.

Reply 15

dg2009

13

The science foundation I started but didn't finish was nowhere near a level / degree difficulty. More like GCSE, you didnt any qualification to get on it.

I know some I went to college with went to do a foundation course at Sunderland, failed and went back to our old college to re-do a levels.

Reply 16

FilipinoGuy

5

Just got an offer from Liverpool International College for their Foundation program. It's pretty exciting but I'll still try my luck to gain direct entry come October since I've inquired to the unis I'm going to be applying and been told that I may be given direct entry.

Reply 17

DL-6

4

Original post by Strawberry Blue

Hi, I'm going to be doing a science foundation this Sept. What were the modules? Was it useful? Pass rate?

Well I did it at UEA but I'm sure it will be similar wherever you're going.

Modules
- Bio, Chem, Phy and Maths
They were split into 2 modules each (Semester 1 and Semester 2).
So for example you would have the first semester Biology module, in which you would undertake coursework and practicals, and then an exam before the end of the semester. Same for semester 2. Apply this to the others as well, except for Maths where there are no practicals.

Useful? Very. Pretty much A-Levels in a University environment. It also helps prepare you for your first year in terms of work rate and time management.

Pass Rates are 40% but to transfer to another course after the foundation you will need a overall mark of somewhere between 60% and 80% depending on the course.

For example the Chemistry course that I got onto had an entry requirement of 60% overall, but you also had to get 60% in both the Semester 1 and 2 Chemistry modules.

Other courses like Natural Sciences or Pharmacy have higher entry requirements, between 70% and 80%.

Also you are expected not to fail any of the modules (get below 40%), otherwise this might give you problems if you want to transfer courses.

This might be obvious but say you wanted to transfer to a Masters course or one with a year Abroad the entry requirements would be higher.

But I found it fun, and they way it was taught (at UEA at least), gave you good background knowledge so if you didn't do A-Levels or don't remember much of it it's not too hard to get back into it.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 18

Strawberry Blue

1

Original post by DL-6

Well I did it at UEA but I'm sure it will be similar wherever you're going.

Modules
- Bio, Chem, Phy and Maths
They were split into 2 modules each (Semester 1 and Semester 2).
So for example you would have the first semester Biology module, in which you would undertake coursework and practicals, and then an exam before the end of the semester. Same for semester 2. Apply this to the others as well, except for Maths where there are no practicals.

Useful? Very. Pretty much A-Levels in a University environment. It also helps prepare you for your first year in terms of work rate and time management.

Pass Rates are 40% but to transfer to another course after the foundation you will need a overall mark of somewhere between 60% and 80% depending on the course.

For example the Chemistry course that I got onto had an entry requirement of 60% overall, but you also had to get 60% in both the Semester 1 and 2 Chemistry modules.

Other courses like Natural Sciences or Pharmacy have higher entry requirements, between 70% and 80%.

Also you are expected not to fail any of the modules (get below 40%), otherwise this might give you problems if you want to transfer courses.

This might be obvious but say you wanted to transfer to a Masters course or one with a year Abroad the entry requirements would be higher.

But I found it fun, and they way it was taught (at UEA at least), gave you good background knowledge so if you didn't do A-Levels or don't remember much of it it's not too hard to get back into it.