By Linette Wallace - CELT Coordinator
September 2019 saw the inception of the new Foundation Year at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU). Although the benefits of the programme were widely recognised, no-one could have anticipated the demand of this flexible, bridging route.
A cohort of approx. 50 students are just successfully finalising this highly accessible Level 4 course. The majority of these have decided to continue on with further study and have now selected their preferred degree programme equipped with a new raft of skills to enable success. Others have used this year to improve on their transferable competences to become more employable in an ever-competitive labour market.
The Foundation Year consists of 8 modules which are assessed by a portfolio of work rather than through examinations. The beauty of the course, is that it gradually introduces academic ways of learning and working to those that may be nervous about attending university, or those who may not have achieved the necessary requirements to study at degree level straight away. Students have been carefully guided throughout the course and have received a wealth of support not only through the CELT team who predominantly deliver its teaching, but with other BG tutors who also are involved and committed to its delivery.
With the passing of its inception year, the demand for this course has risen by over 100% cementing it as a key component of the curriculum offer. Currently, BG has in excess of 100 people already applying for the Foundation Year, this is testament not only to its success but its necessity to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to access higher education learning and teaching through a variety of means.
By having a Foundation Year, it offers the opportunity for students to utilise building blocks to acquire knowledge and skills as an alternative route to progress onto undergraduate study. It prepares learners by getting them accustomed to university life, studying at an undergrad level, honing their referencing, analytical, reflective, digital and academic writing skills, for example. It also provides taster materials and sessions of the subject the individual is interested in proceeding onto at degree level, thereby proffering a varied, interesting and robust preliminary exploration into the world of academia. For further information about Foundation Year, please E: CELT@bishopg.ac.uk