The Foundation Year is an amazing year to learn new skills
What drew you to apply and accept a place on the Foundation Year (FY)?
I have always been interested in Maths and Physics, so I picked both of these at A-level alongside Economics.
When applying to university, I knew I wanted to study Physics and therefore had the required subjects. However, I fell short of the grades required to study Physics at my chosen university and this is how I found the Foundation Year at Sheffield.
After doing some research, the Foundation Year was a way to enter my chosen field as well as a platform to bring my knowledge up to the standard needed.
How did FY help to prepare you for Year 1 study and beyond?
The Foundation Year helped prepare me for my degree as it was a way to consolidate my Maths and Physics knowledge from A-level whilst being in a university environment.
The structure and teaching of the course are similar to a degree, meaning that when I entered Year 1, I felt more prepared. This is because I knew what to expect and how to learn within a university setting.
What were the big learning points for you during your FY?
Completing the Foundation Year also allowed me to learn new skills that I wouldn’t have known if I have gone straight into a degree, such as report writing, referencing, exam skills and working in a lab setting.
This has helped so much in first year as I already know the skills and am able to apply them to a Physics context whilst other people are having to learn all these skills for the first time.
One of my favourite things about studying in Sheffield is the sense of community
Emily Clark
MPhys Physics and Astrophysics
What do you enjoy most about your current degree programme?
I am currently studying for a degree in Physics with Astrophysics. I enjoy the large variety of topics that are covered, and I get to learn in more depth about how space works.
One good thing about the Foundation Year is that once you have passed, you can progress to any degree offered by your department, so this gave me time to choose between the different Physics programmes, which is something I struggled with when I applied to university originally.
What are your favourite things about studying in Sheffield?
One of my favourite things about studying in Sheffield is the sense of community, both within the university and in the city itself.
The city is very student-heavy, meaning that there are always events on and experiences to be had. Another thing about Sheffield is the level of support I receive from the university, such as help from DDSS and other students.
How have you overcome challenges so far and what would be your advice to a prospective Foundation Year student?
My advice to a prospective Foundation Year student would be to work hard as the Foundation Year is an amazing year to learn new skills, make new friends and just experience university.
What are your career aspirations after your degree?
During my degree, I am hoping to find an area of Physics that interests me and to specialise more in that, and after graduating, I hope to do research within this area.
I am also open to the idea of working on projects not just within the Physics field, as the Foundation Year allowed me to work with engineers and I feel like this experience would help.