Foundation Degrees
- They have a much higher requirement for workplace competence than
honours degree courses and contain workplace assignments to put the theoretical
content into practice. The workplace is considered to be a learning environment
just as much as the lecture theatre. In that respect they are distinctive
to other qualifications in which work-based learning or placements are
a peripheral requirement.
- They have an equivalent standard to the second
year of an honours degree course and attract a minimum of 240 credits.
- All
Foundation Degrees are degrees in their own right but are also required
to offer progression to an honours degree course by further study.
- They
offer an ideal progression for those who have undertaken an Apprenticeship
or NVQ level 3 courses.
- Foundation degrees are delivered in innovative
and flexible ways, often designed around the requirements of the workplace
and the commitments of the employee. They can be studied full-time or part-time.
They can involve day release, block release at agreed points or they can
be delivered entirely by distance learning with support from tutors and
workplace mentors agreed between the employers and educational institutions.
- The
Foundation Degree better prepares you for work in a relevant occupation
through personal and professional development, and because of the vocationally
specific curricula. Consequently you gain better employability skills,
giving you better career prospects and increased job satisfaction.
- Both
universities and colleges offer Foundation Degrees. For a list of those
currently available, the UCAS website has a special Foundation Degrees
section and you can search for FDs by subject group, study mode, Institution
and region. To access this, click
here.
- To apply you will need to go through UCAS if you are under 21 and want
to study full time, or you can apply direct to the institution if you want
to study on a part-time basis.
- Further information on Foundation Degrees can be found at Foundation
Degree Forward. For more information click
here.
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