Qualifications Explained

Foundation Degrees

Foundation Degrees are Higher Education qualifications with a strong vocational emphasis. Foundation Degrees include work experience as part of the course, so you can gain an insight into your chosen area of study and can forge valuable links with employers.

"Foundation Degrees are providing opportunities for students who had not previously considered studying at Higher Education level, and for employers through work-based learning."

Source - QAA - (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education).

Our courses are jointly designed by employers, the College and the partner university to ensure the quality and relevance to industry. This will enable you to achieve a nationally recognised qualification, whilst also gaining the skills needed for a satisfying career. With an increasingly competitive employment market, employers are looking for skills in graduates to differentiate them from the crowd.

The benefit of Foundation Degrees is that they give you more than just academic knowledge; they also provide you with skills which can be used in the workplace, such as working in a team, dealing with people and coping in a busy environment.

If you successfully complete a Foundation Degree, you will graduate with an FdA (Arts) or FdSc (Sciences) after your name. This qualification gives you the choice to continue studying for a further year to gain an Honours Degree or to progress to employment.

Foundation Degree Top-Up's

On completion of your Foundation Degree you may wish to top-up your qualification to a related full Honours Degree with just one more year of study at the college, one of our partner universities or other Higher Education institutions.