Science and Engineering Foundation Year programme structure

Module information for the Science and Engineering Foundation Year courses.

A student is working with a technical member of staff on a project - image

What you will study

To be a great scientist or engineer, you need to have an excellent understanding of maths and so this forms a significant part of the foundation year.

This year-long course will teach you the necessary skills to enhance your mathematical and scientific knowledge which are necessary to progress onto your chosen degree and must meet the required pass rate.


Module choice and selection

You will also study degree-focussed modules in bioscience, chemistry, engineering, further maths and physics.

The combination of modules you take will depend on the Year 1 entry requirements set by your destination department.

Each module is taught by academic specialists from the respective departments.

Courses

All foundation year courses with the exception of Bioscience, will feature a core maths unit.

Assessment

90% exams 10% coursework

The module covers aspects of:

  • Algebra
  • Coordinate geometry
  • Differentiation
  • Differential equations
  • Exponentials and logarithms
  • Functions and graphs
  • Integration
  • Sequences and series
  • Trigonometry
  • Vectors

How you will learn

For the whole programme, you will experience approximately 18-20 hours of contact time with specialist academic staff each week, delivered through a varied programme of:

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Problems classes
  • Practical laboratory sessions
  • Project work

To get the most out of the foundation year, you'll also be expected to spend about 20 hours each week on self-study.

Support and guidance

You will be guided and supported throughout the year-long course:


The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it is up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research, funding changes, professional accreditation requirements, student or employer feedback, outcomes of reviews, and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.

Information last updated: