Clearing 2026
Accounting and Finance BSc (Hons)
You'll cover all aspects of accounting from financial markets and…
Business, Computing and Social Sciences Foundation Year
Build your confidence, develop your academic and critical thinking skills with an integrated foundation year.
Find your direction
Whether you’re returning to education, changing direction, building confidence or developing your academic skillset, our integrated foundation year provides a broad curriculum and gives you the space to explore which degree pathway is best for you.
The foundation year offers a personalised and flexible learning experience, designed to help you discover your strengths, explore career options, and build the confidence needed for higher education success.
Course overview
The integrated foundation year is designed to help you gain insights into your skills, interests, and career aspirations, helping you identify the best degree pathway for your ambitions.
You will experience a diverse range of disciplines, including Law, Business, Marketing, Computing, and Social Science, equipping you with a well-rounded knowledge base.
Application is made via UCAS when you have chosen one of our courses with the ‘integrated foundation year’ option. However, you are not tied into this course choice – you will have the option for choosing a different undergraduate degree course at the end of the foundation year.
The foundation year isn’t just a stepping stone – it’s a transformational experience that helps you confidently shape your future.
Modules
Academic and personal development skills
Develop core skills in academic writing, reading, note-taking, and information searching using library and digital resources. The emphasis is on using sources appropriately in academic tasks, including paraphrasing, referencing, and understanding academic integrity and the ethical use of AI.
You’ll also develop confidence in communication through participation in group work, seminars, and presentations.
Inquiry in practice: Exploring your subject
By investigating a topic of interest, you’ll explore how knowledge can be acquired in a number of ways and from a variety of sources.
You’ll gain an understanding of what ‘evidence’ means in different contexts, how academic knowledge evolves through research, and how academic knowledge can inform working practice. You’ll consider how ‘researchers’ research their topics and their process to eventually arrive at accepted ‘theories’.
Exploring society’s big issues
Explore a range of topics such as sustainability across social, environmental, and economic contexts, using key sociological ideas to make sense of real-world case studies.
A central focus of the module is structured discussion and debate, where you’ll explore how people’s backgrounds and experiences shape different perspectives.
Designing the future
This module introduces key concepts in innovation and design thinking within structured and familiar contexts. You’ll develop an understanding of how these approaches address real-world issues, recognising basic complexity and interconnections.
Through guided learning, they will identify features of systems, describe human-centred and sustainable approaches, and apply frameworks to structured tasks and case studies.
Why choose a foundation year
Flexible progression opportunities
At the end of the year, you’ll be able to choose from a wide selection of degree pathways, ensuring you move forward in a direction that best suits your evolving interests and career goals.
Designed around your life
The foundation year is delivered two days a week, allowing you to balance study with work, family and other commitments, making higher education accessible and manageable.
A supportive and connected experience
Join a vibrant learning community, with dedicated academic and career support to guide you through your journey.
Teaching and facilities
The foundation year is delivered two days a week – one day at Park Campus in Cheltenham and one day at Oxstalls Campus in Gloucester.
Park Campus is home to FuturePark – our recently opened £5.8 million digital hub where our computing and cyber courses are based. You’ll have access to state-of-the-art computer labs and the latest technologies.
Our Business School is based at Oxstalls Campus, offering light, bright well-equipped spaces for students of Business, Marketing and Law. Our Social Science courses are also based at Oxstalls, home to cutting-edge facilities including FutureSim – an integrated hub featuring simulation, AI-ready technology and real-world environments.
During your foundation year, you’ll learn in a number of different ways including:
- Group discussions
- Lectures and demonstrations
- Individual work
- Practical activities
Discover our campuses: Park Campus | Oxstalls Campus
Hear from a recent graduate
“The foundation year allowed me to engage in academia as a mature student. The year gave me the opportunity to carefully decide to continue with my studies, while gaining essential skills to uphold and develop throughout my Law degree.
“The course leaders structured our learning through a mixture of seminars and lectures, and individual and group work. It provided me with valuable and immersive learning practices in preparation for a more independent way of learning.”
Chelsea Marriott, first-class honours graduate of Law LLB with foundation year
A foundation year that gives you options
The integrated foundation year sits at the beginning of a full undergraduate degree. When you apply, you’ll choose one of our courses with the ‘integrated foundation year’ option. For example, BA (Hons) Marketing (with integrated foundation year).
During your foundation year, you’ll build core academic and critical thinking skills while exploring your interests and strengths. As you progress, you’ll have opportunities to refine your direction and think more clearly about the area you’d like to specialise in.
Apply now
Browse our Business, Computing and Social Sciences courses below and select the one you’d like to apply for with the integrated foundation year option directly via UCAS.
After successfully completing your foundation year, you can continue onto your chosen degree pathway, or choose a different direction depending on your interests and goals.
Starting university later? You’re not alone
Many of our students join us after taking a different path into higher education.
Whether you’ve been working, raising a family, building a career or rediscovering your creativity, the integrated foundation year offers a supportive way to take the next step.
You’ll join a welcoming supportive community where ideas, experiences and perspectives are valued.
FAQs
An integrated foundation year is an introductory year at the beginning of a full undergraduate degree. It helps you develop academic and practical skills needed for degree-level study.
No. You’ll need to apply for one of our degree courses with the integrated foundation year option through UCAS.
Yes. The foundation year is the same for all students who have applied for our Business, Computing and Social Science degree courses. If you apply via UCAS for a specific degree with foundation year, you have the option for changing degree course at the end of the year.
Yes. The integrated foundation year is designed to support students from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds.
After successfully completing the year, you’ll continue onto the full undergraduate degree.
More information about entry requirements can be found on our Integrated Foundation Degrees page. If you are a mature learner, we will also consider your previous studies or experience. Find out more about Accreditation of Prior Learning.
Your academic journey starts here.
Build confidence. Develop academic skills. Discover your direction.