University Courses - Qualifications

Foundation Degrees

A Foundation Degree is an employment-related, university level qualification, designed to equip you with the work-related skills that employers are looking for. Launched in 2000, many students are now opting for this new and exciting vocational route.

Foundation Degrees focus on:

• Work-specific skills that are relevant to a particular sector of industry.
• Key skills like communication and problem-solving.
• Generic skills such as reasoning, professionalism and work process management.

Foundation Degrees have been specifically designed to increase your employment and career prospects. If you want to develop your skills, understanding and knowledge in line with employers needs, a foundation degree could be the right choice for you.

A full time Foundation Degree will take 2 years to complete but can be studied in a variety of ways, so if you already work you can apply and choose to follow a part time programme of study. You will be credited for your Foundation Degree, earning the letters FdA (for arts based subjects) or FdSc (for science based subjects) on successful completion.

BA (Hons) and BSc (Hons)

Somerset College offers a number of Honours Degree programmes structured either as a 3 year programme or as a 2 year Foundation Degree plus a further year of study on an honours degree top-up programme. Although Foundation Degree courses are designed to lead directly to employment but many students do choose to top-up their qualification to an Honours Degree in this way.

Top-up Degree Programmes

We offer a number of top up programmes here at Somerset College or you could continue your studies by heading off to the University of Plymouth for your final year. In addition, the Credit Accumulation and Transfer scheme means that your Foundation Degree will be formally accepted in most other UK universities so you can choose to carry on your studies anywhere in the UK.