Foundation Programme Structure

The Foundation academic year is divided into two teaching blocks of 10 teaching weeks each, and 2 revision/consolidation weeks (see Academic Calendar). Attendance at all timetabled sessions is required and attendance will be noted. The course ends with a three-week assessment period. There is one resit period later in the summer.  

The curriculum offers 12 to 15 hours of taught activity time each week. You are also expected to undertake the same amount of time engaging with semi-structured and independent study, as well as spending additional time preparing for assessments. All students will study 120 credits of academic content across a range of modules suitable for their chosen degree route. Specific programme and module information can be found in the  

Total learning hours are 1200 over the three terms, meeting the estimated Student Learning Activity Time (SLAT) requirement for a 120 credit University level programme.  

Foundation Modules 

Project:

• Project is the culminating research module of the Durham Foundation Year. It gives you the opportunity to carry out a small-scale research project in your chosen discipline - moving from learning about how knowledge is created, to creating it yourself. 
• The module runs alongside Communication and what you learn about academic communication in that module feeds directly into how you present and disseminate your research in Project.

Research in Action:

The Research in Action modules are designed to explore authentic examples of knowledge generation and application using a range of methods and knowledge types

Communication:

• Communication is a second-term Foundation Year module that builds on the academic skills you developed in Practice. It focuses specifically on academic communication - helping you recognise and produce different types of academic writing, and apply the conventions of your own discipline effectively. 
• The module runs alongside the Project module and what you learn in Communication directly supports the production of your final assessment in Project.

Enquiry:

• Enquiry is one of the core modules on the Durham Foundation Year. It introduces you to the key concepts, methods and theories used in your chosen subject area and helps you begin to think and work like a scholar in your discipline.
• The module is streamed by disciplinary area, so you will be learning content and skills suitable to the subject you plan to progress into - whether that’s in the sciences, humanities, social sciences, or another field.

Practice:

• Practice is one of the core modules on the Durham Foundation Year. It helps you develop the study skills, academic writing skills, and habits of mind you will need to succeed at university - all grounded in your own subject area. 
• The module runs alongside Enquiry. While Enquiry focuses on the knowledge and ideas of your discipline, Practice develops the practical academic skills you will use to engage with that knowledge.

The Maths modules 

Maths competency is a core prerequisite for most Science Faculty UG courses, which is reflected in the standard entry requirements of those degree studies. Standard UG entry requirements for Computer Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics routes include a minimum grade A in A-level maths; Mathematics requires A*A including Mathematics and Further Mathematics. In addition, Business routes, such as Economics requires a grade of A at A Level for standard entry. To provide directly comparable standards of mathematical attainment and to ensure student preparedness, curriculum assessments are calibrated to relevant A-Level qualifications and marked using a scaling method. More detail will be provide in the module handbook.  

Programme Level 

The programme is aligned to (but not validated as) FHEQ Level 4. Some A Level content is delivered, predominantly within Maths and the Physical Sciences routes, to ensure expectations and presumed knowledge for Level 1 modules are met. The majority, however, is neither A Level content nor delivered utilising the pedagogic philosophy of A Level study; rather, it is multi-disciplinary and designed to develop deeper learning skills, epistemological maturity, metacognition, self-regulated learning, and self-efficacy. 

Completing the Programme 

Students need to pass each module they study with an overall module mark of 50% to qualify to progress to their next year of study at Durham University. No further application is required; progression from Foundation Year to Level 1 is automatic for successful students. A Foundation Certificate is available for students achieving over 40% in all modules.