Foundation courses in Business?

Does anyone have any experience in them or applying ? are they mainly for students who really want to go to a particular uni but do not make the grades? thanks

Reply 1

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Hi there,

I’m a Business Management graduate, and I can share a bit of insight.

A foundation year is an extra year at the start of a degree, designed for students who don’t quite meet the entry requirements for direct entry into Year 1. It’s a great way to build confidence and develop key academic skills — things like essay writing, referencing, and understanding core business concepts.

If you already meet the entry requirements for Year 1, there’s usually no need to take a foundation year. And don’t worry if you haven’t studied Business before — Year 1 modules are designed to bring everyone up to speed.

For example, our Business Foundation Year covers key concepts such as business operations, marketing, accounting, and professional development skills (though this may vary at other universities).

Hope that helps!

Megan (LJMU Rep)

Reply 2

Bsir

Original post

by LJMUStudentReps

Hi there,
I’m a Business Management graduate, and I can share a bit of insight.
A foundation year is an extra year at the start of a degree, designed for students who don’t quite meet the entry requirements for direct entry into Year 1. It’s a great way to build confidence and develop key academic skills — things like essay writing, referencing, and understanding core business concepts.
If you already meet the entry requirements for Year 1, there’s usually no need to take a foundation year. And don’t worry if you haven’t studied Business before — Year 1 modules are designed to bring everyone up to speed.
For example, our Business Foundation Year covers key concepts such as business operations, marketing, accounting, and professional development skills (though this may vary at other universities).
Hope that helps!
Megan (LJMU Rep)

thank you

Reply 3

LSBU

Official Rep

Original post

by Bsir

Does anyone have any experience in them or applying ? are they mainly for students who really want to go to a particular uni but do not make the grades? thanks

Hi there,

That’s a great question! Foundation years aren’t just for students who didn’t meet the grade requirements, they’re actually a really valuable option for anyone who wants extra preparation before starting a full degree. At London South Bank University (LSBU), many of our courses include a foundation year option, such as Marketing with Advertising and Digital Communications (with Foundation Year), Sport and Exercise Science (with Foundation Year), and Architecture (with Foundation Year).

A foundation year helps you build confidence and develop key academic and practical skills in your chosen subject. It’s ideal if you’re changing study areas, took different A levels, or simply want a smoother transition into university life.

You’ll study introductory modules related to your degree, get to know your lecturers, and experience university learning at a more supported pace.

After completing the foundation year successfully, you automatically progress onto the main degree course at LSBU, so it’s a great way to secure your place at the university you really want to study at.

If you’d like to find out more, LSBU has Open Day on Saturday, the 15th November, where you can speak to lecturers and students who’ve taken foundation years and hear how it helped them get started.

👉 You can sign up here: LSBU Open Day.
👉 You can also chat with our students through our Unibuddy platform: Chat with our students.

While foundation years can help students who just miss the grades, they’re also perfect for anyone who wants to feel fully prepared to succeed once their degree begins.

Reply 4

UniofReading

Official Rep

Hi,

I did my foundation year in BSc Business Management at the University of Reading’s Henley Business School. It was honestly a really valuable experience for me, it helped me get comfortable with university-style learning and figure out how I like to study and make friends.

I didn’t get the exact grades I was hoping at my a levels (current predicted for an offer on this course is CCC), but the support from tutors and staff made a big difference. They were approachable and understanding, which really helped me settle in and improve over time.

The foundation year modules, like Study for Success and Business Data Science, gave me a good mix of academic and practical skills. I especially liked how the assignments encouraged independent thinking, something I wasn’t really used to before university.

Once you progress to the main degree, you'll have the opportunity to specialize in areas such as marketing, entrepreneurship, or international business. The university also offers excellent career support, including placement opportunities and 121 guidance, ensuring good employability outcomes with our connections.

I also used our disability advisory service which made sure I had an equal opportunity to thrive.

Outside of classes, the campus life at Reading was one of my favourite parts. There’s a strong sense of community, and it’s easy to meet people through societies (100+) or just around campus and to be able to cheaply get into town with our frequent campus bus and meet my friends at the shopping centre or commute via the direct link to the train station was great!

Looking back, I’d say the foundation year gave me the confidence and grounding I needed to move forward in my degree. It was a great stepping stone, both academically and personally.

If you would like to find out more, please don’t hesitate to reach out - my foundation year was worth it for sure!

👉 more info: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/subject-area/foundation-programmes-ug/bsc-business-and-management-with-foundation

Kind Regards,
Sid
- UoR Student Ambassador
- LLB Law w/ International Business (Yr1)
- Business Management (Foundation)
my working day is: thursday