What is a Foundation Year?

A Foundation degree, also known as an integrated 4-year degree, might be right for you if you: 

- don’t currently meet the grade requirements for the 3-year version of the course you wish to study 
- have spent some years away from education, for example, in full-time employment 
- want to retrain in a subject area that is new to you  

During your Foundation Year you will study three modules each worth 40 credits (total 120 credits). These three modules are the Skills module, the Breadth module and the Depth module and you will study all three modules in both Semester 1 and Semester 2. Each module has four hours per week of scheduled contact time and so all Foundation Year students will have 12 hours of scheduled contact time throughout the academic year.  

Skills Module 

You’ll learn the core academic skills of academic writing, speaking in small groups, delivering presentations, analytical and critical thinking and will develop your confidence and skill with assessments. You will learn how to use technology such as the University’s learning platform, Canvas, Microsoft Teams and the Intranet. On this module you will study alongside students from your course as well as related courses. The Skills module has ongoing continuous assessment with engagement tasks, approximately 10 tasks across the academic year. 

Breadth Module 

You’ll learn how your subject sits in a wider context. This module has assessments at the end of Semester 1 and at the end of Semester 2 which may be written assignments, presentations or other assessments appropriate for your particular subject area.  

Depth Module 

This is a focused module which will prepare you for the particular programme you have enrolled on and will explore certain themes in much more detail. This module also has assessments at the end of Semester 1 and at the end of Semester 2 which may be written assignments, presentations or other assessments appropriate for your particular subject area. 

Yes! Our Academic Skills Advisers support all students – regardless of your study level, ability or course – to help you achieve your full potential. We cover a wide range of topics including academic writing; assignment planning; critical thinking and analysis; exam revision; grammar; presentation skills; proofreading; punctuation; referencing; reflective writing; report writing; research skills and time management. 

You can access support via group workshops; one-to-one appointments with an adviser; and SkillsNet, our bank of online resources. We also have an Academic Skills mentoring scheme where you can be paired with a ’Student Academic Mentor' who you meet with on a weekly basis to build your confidence and to help you to study efficiently and effectively. 

Successful completion of your first year, Year 0, automatically guarantees you a place on the relevant linked undergraduate degree course you chose – so you progress onto the next level, Year 1. 

Many of our Foundation Year courses also offer you the option to change course after Year 0 if you wish; for example, moving from completing Year 0 on the Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year) course to starting Year 1 on the Business Management course. 

When you start Year 1, some students will have also completed a Foundation Year and some students may be starting directly at this level. Many students who have already completed a year at Winchester find this advantageous as you will be familiar with both the city and the University learning environment.