The University Foundation Programme (UFP){{cite web , title=The University Foundation Programme , url=https://www.studyin-uk.com/profiles/pathway/university-foundation-programme/ , website=studyin-uk.com , publisher=SI-UK , access-date=19 August 2023 is a one-year intensive course that leads to entry to a wide range of

universities A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. It is designed as an alternative to the conventional A-Level route, which takes two years to complete.

Course structure

The UFP was conceived as an alternative to A-Level courses for international students wishing to gain entry into British universities. Although the structure of A-Levels has been changed in recent years to adopt a more holistic,

coursework Coursework (also course work, especially British English) is work performed by students or trainees for the purpose of learning. Coursework may be specified and assigned by teachers, or by learning guides in self-taught courses. Coursework can e ...

-based approach, the University Foundation Programme offers still less emphasis on end-of-year

exam An examination (exam or evaluation) or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics (e.g., beliefs). A test may be administered verba ...

performance and as such is considered more manageable for students whose

first language A first language (L1), native language, native tongue, or mother tongue is the first language a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period hypothesis, critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' ...

is not English. The course runs for 32 weeks and is divided into three Phases. Phase I and II are each 12 weeks long, and Phase III is eight weeks long. Students study six modules in total, spread over the duration of the course to provide an even workload. Three of these are core Minor modules ( English,

mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...

, and

information technology Information technology (IT) is a set of related fields within information and communications technology (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software, programming languages, data processing, data and information processing, and storage. Inf ...

) while the remaining three are Major modules, relevant to the student's future degree programme. The Major Academic modules will vary from one course provider to another, but students can expect to study modules in any of the following areas: accounting, sociology, psychology, economics, law, further mathematics, physics, business studies, etc. The course is assessed on the basis of credit points, and has been carefully designed so that Minor and Major modules each carry a number of points for both coursework and examinations in each of the three Phases of the University Foundation Programme. The overall allocation of points for the course is divided on a ratio of 40:60, for

and examinations respectively. However, the allocation varies for individual modules and Phases depending on the nature of the subject and most suitable method of assessment. Students who maintain a steady workload throughout each of the three Phases of the University Foundation Programme and who acknowledge the importance of both coursework and examinations will therefore benefit; as such, the course is considered more aligned to study and testing habits on most modern university degree courses. The course runs for up to one

academic year An academic year, or school year, is a period that schools, colleges and university, universities use to measure the duration of studies for a given educational level. Academic years are often divided into academic terms. Students attend classe ...

. A student starting the course in September of a given year will usually be able to start university in October the following year. Some institutions offer a faster-track course; students on these programmes enrol in January, graduate in August and commence university in October. Such fast-track courses are referred to as advanced or intensive programmes which are much more demanding in terms of work load. Some providers of the University Foundation course or Programme will have different entry points throughout the year, offering students greater flexibility. The total duration of such courses will still add up to 9 months of full-time study.

Where the course leads

Students graduating from the University Foundation Programme are eligible for entry into many British universities. They are not eligible for entry into

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

, as these institutions usually receive excessive numbers of applicants through the conventional A-Level route.

References

External links

Twin Group London University Foundation Programme: Business PathwayHomepage of the University Foundation ProgrammeUniversity Foundation Programme in Bath, United Kingdom
English-language education Higher education qualifications in the United Kingdom