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The foundation year entry route is for talented UK students who do not meet the usual criteria for our degrees (see Personal Circumstances below). It is an opportunity for you to develop key skills before progressing to a choice of 22 courses. These skills include communication, critical thinking, teamwork, and digital ability.
Our dedicated foundation tutors will support you throughout the year and help you develop as a learner. This ensures you have the necessary skills, knowledge and confidence before you start your chosen degree. Teaching sessions vary, including lectures, seminars and interactive digital media workshops. You will also meet tutors from your chosen degree.
You will be a full member of the University of Nottingham from the outset, with all the experiences and opportunities this offers.
When you successfully complete the Foundation Year, you are guaranteed automatic progression to your chosen undergraduate degrees in the Faculty of Arts.
For more information on our teaching, research and what it's like to study with us see the Foundation Arts webpages.
No need to reapply upon successful completion of your Foundation Year.
You will be taught by dedicated Foundation Year tutors, and will also meet tutors from a range of degrees.
You will be taught as a small group, before progressing to your chosen degree.
We will consider you for direct entry if you exceed the Foundation Year grades.
This Foundation Year qualifies you for a choice of 22 undergraduate degrees. Only five require specific subjects at A level or equivalent.
Undergraduate degree choices for Foundation Year students
All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2022 entry.
Some of our progression routes require subject-specific qualifications:
The following language courses require specific language qualifications:
For applicants for History (V10F), English Language and Literature (Q39F), and English (Q30F) with Foundation Year: if you do not have History or English A Levels you should write about your interest in these subjects in your personal statement.
You will need to meet one of the following:
We recognise that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and follow a variety of pathways into higher education.
Consequently we treat all applicants with alternative qualifications (besides A-levels and the International Baccalaureate) on an individual basis, and we gladly accept students with a whole range of less conventional qualifications including:
This list is not exhaustive. The entry requirements for alternative qualifications can be quite specific; for example you may need to take certain modules and achieve a specified grade in those modules. Please contact us to discuss the transferability of your qualification. Please see the alternative qualifications page for more information.
We recognise the potential of talented students from all backgrounds. We make contextual offers to students whose personal circumstances may have restricted achievement at school or college. These offers are usually one grade lower than the advertised entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must have Home/UK fee status and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.
This course is part of the University’s commitment to widening participation. As well as meeting the academic entry requirements (BCC), you must have attended a state school/college and meet at least one of the following personal background criteria:
Where relevant you should include reference to 5, 6 and 7 in your personal statement, or provide this information via artssupport@nottingham.ac.uk when you submit your UCAS application.
We also take into consideration if:
This is course is not available EU/international students. Instead, you may consider the Business, Law and Social Sciences Foundation Certificate. This is offered through the University of Nottingham International College in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways.
Your six foundation year modules are assessed using a wide variety of methods. Each module has two or three assessment points. For example, our Critical Thinking and Reflective Learning module is assessed by an essay (50% of the module mark) and a reflective learning portfolio (50% of the module mark). These modules will prepare you for undergraduate assessment and allow you to develop a broad range of skills.
Teaching
You’ll have at least 12 hours of timetabled contact a week through lectures, seminars and workshops. Your tutors will also be available outside these times to discuss issues and develop your understanding.
The Foundation teams commitment to high levels of commitment to teaching and learning was recognised within a Lord Dearing Award in 2021.
One-to-one tutorials
You will have 5 general progress tutorials as well as individual module-focussed tutorials.
Once you have progressed to your destination degree, you will be able to participate in the University of Nottingham study abroad schemes. The following destination courses include a Year Abroad:
See School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies Year Abroad programme
For all other destination courses, students may participate in any relevant University of Nottingham Study Abroad programme.
Work experience gives you the skills and experience that will allow you to stand out to potential employers and is a crucial part of becoming 'workplace-ready'.
You also have access to a wide range of work experience and volunteering schemes through the:
Students from our Foundation Year course share what it's like and the benefits it brings.
You will take 120 credits-worth of modules split as follows:
If you are progressing to a modern language degree you may take 20 credits of modules in the Language Centre in place of The Project.
In every field of the arts and humanities there are significant people who have contributed to the intellectual and cultural development of humanity. In this module you’ll consider a selection of these ‘important thinkers’, drawn from different disciplines across the Faculty of Arts, across a broad sweep of history and representing a variety of cultural and geographical contexts.
This module will introduce you to key skills and practices for university work and help you make the transition from school, college or work to undergraduate study. Critical thinking and reflective learning are skills that are essential for thriving on your chosen degree course but they’re also important for developing thoughtful, responsible citizens who contribute effectively to society.
Language and culture are both fundamental aspects of any arts and humanities degree. In this module you’ll develop an analytical and critical approach to English as well as an understanding of the potential challenges and benefits involved in studying other languages and cultures.
This module will analyse the relationship between media, communication and society. The module will allow you to explore how communication occurs and engage with different kinds of reading and texts. You will also assess the positive and negative impacts of communication through a wide range of media.
This module will introduce you to academic theories about narrative and creativity. You’ll also encounter various forms of narrative and ‘storytelling’ to help you consider the role of narrative and creativity in different contexts. This will include exploring the role of creativity and story in society generally, reflecting on your own ‘stories’, and developing your own creativity in a variety of ways.
Extended projects or dissertations are a key feature of many university courses, especially in the final year. This module will help you develop the skills required to design, research and produce a major piece of work for assessment, using media (written and/or other) appropriate to your chosen topic.
If you apply to go on to a modern language degree you may study in our Language Centre in place of taking ‘The Project’ module.
Exception: If you are joining the BA Russian Studies and enter the Foundation Year with A Level Russian, you will take The Project module, and follow the post A Level pathway on the degree.
Upon successful completion of your Foundation Year you will be guaranteed progression to your chosen undergraduate degree. You will study for a further three years, or four if your destination course includes a year abroad*. Choose from:
University Park Campus covers 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings and modern facilities. It is one of the UK's most beautiful and sustainable campuses, winning a national Green Flag award every year since 2003.
Most schools and departments are based here. You will have access to libraries, shops, cafes, the Students’ Union, sports village and a health centre.
You can walk or cycle around campus. Free hopper buses connect you to our other campuses. Nottingham city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus or tram.
Benefit from Hallward Library's extensive collection of physical books and journals, online repositories of ebooks and ejournals, and study spaces, meeting rooms and computer labs.
Technology: MyNottingham app; full campus wi-fi; personal laptop repair; online, face-to-face and telephone support.
Libraries: extensive print and online resources; 24/7 opening; study support; laptop loans; assistive technology
Manuscripts and Special Collections: rare and specialised documents, books, photos and posters used for teaching and research. Collections include Soviet War posters, DH Lawrence, rare medical records and much, much more!
If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland starting your course in the 2022/23 academic year, you will pay international tuition fees.
This does not apply to Irish students, who will be charged tuition fees at the same rate as UK students. UK nationals living in the EU, EEA and Switzerland will also continue to be eligible for ‘home’ fee status at UK universities until 31 December 2027.
For further guidance, check our Brexit information for future students.
There are no extra compulsory fees to be paid as part of your course beyond your standard tuition fees. Essential course materials are supplied and recommended reading is available from our libraries.
There is a wide range of funding available to support you while studying at university. This includes:
Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary, worth up to £1,000 a year. Full details can be found on our financial support pages.
* A 'home' student is one who meets certain UK residence criteria. These are the same criteria as apply to eligibility for home funding from Student Finance.
Evidence shows that students commencing their university study at foundation level achieve the same levels of undergraduate degree as their fellow direct-route students, which in turn leads to the same wide range of career options.
In addition to your study we recommend that you participate in at least some of our cv-enhancing programmes which include:
You will also be able to take advantage of the wide range of services offered by our dedicated Faculty of Arts careers team within the Careers and Employability Service.
More information about subject-related careers opportunities from our Careers and Employability Services.
79.4% of undergraduates from the Faculty of Arts secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary was £23,106.*
*HESA Graduate Outcomes 2020. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.
Studying for a degree at the University of Nottingham will provide you with the type of skills and experiences that will prove invaluable in any career, whichever direction you decide to take.
Throughout your time with us, our Careers and Employability Service can work with you to improve your employability skills even further; assisting with job or course applications, searching for appropriate work experience placements and hosting events to bring you closer to a wide range of prospective employers.
Have a look at our careers page for an overview of all the employability support and opportunities that we provide to current students.
The University of Nottingham is consistently named as one of the most targeted universities by Britain’s leading graduate employers (Ranked in the top ten in The Graduate Market in 2013-2020, High Fliers Research).
This online prospectus has been drafted in advance of the academic year to which it applies. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate at the time of publishing, but changes (for example to course content) are likely to occur given the interval between publishing and commencement of the course. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply for the course where there has been an interval between you reading this website and applying.