The Health Foundation Year offers:

  • Intensive modules that provide the requisite background for those without the necessary qualifications for direct entry onto Honours courses in the Faculty of Health

  • Access for students offering non-traditional qualifications to a wide range of health courses

  • A broad grounding in academic and vocational principles and methods

Course Content

All students take a mixture of core skills modules together with academic modules related to their chosen degree programme. The academic modules are selected from: general and organic chemistry, physical and inorganic chemistry, the human organism, sex and survival, anatomy, psychology, biomechanics. Skills modules include: numeracy, personal development, learning skills, counselling skills, IT, communication skills, visual impairment awareness training.

How to apply

All applications must be made through UCAS.

Students should apply for a specific course with a Health Foundation Year (see codes below and under each relevant subject section in this prospectus). Students can discuss options with the Foundation Year Course Director before arriving at Keele, but you will not be able to change your choice of progression route within the Faculty of Health after starting the course.

Entry Requirements

To enter the Health Foundation Year, the entry requirements for students taking A levels are given in the table below.  A wide range of equivalent qualifications are accepted. For more details contact the Foundation Year Centre.

Intended Progression RouteUCAS codeA-LevelsSubjects NOT acceptedAdditional GCSE requirements

 Medicine

 

A104

360 UCAS points: AAA or A*AB

plus a further AS at grade B or above

Chemistry must not have been studied beyond GCSE. Biology is only accepted with other non-science A levels.

General Studies and Critical Thinking

Minimum requirement of Maths and English Language at Grade C
Midwifery B721 220 - 260 UCAS points from 3 A levels General Studies and Critical Thinking
5 GCSEs at grade C or above including English and Maths

Adult Nursing

 

Children's Nursing 

 

Learning Disability Nursing

 


Mental Health Nursing

B742

 

B731

 

 

B762

 

 

B763

200 - 240 UCAS points from 3 A levels 

or

180 - 240 UCAS points from 2 A levels

  5 GCSEs at grade C or above including English and Maths
Pharmacy
B231 AAB

Chemistry and Biology (if these subjects are taken, direct application should be made to the degree course)

General Studies and Critical Thinking

Minimum requirement of Maths and English language at Grade C
Physiotherapy
B1B9 ABB  Biology and PE  (if these subjects are taken, direct application should be made to the degree course)
Minimum requirement of Maths and English language at Grade C

 

Progression

Progression

Progression to your chosen degree programmes is subject to passing all the Foundation Year modules (minimum pass is 40%).  In all cases the threshold mark for progression is higher than the basic pass mark for the module.

Students who pass the Foundation Year overall but do not obtain the requisite grades in all modules for progression to their chosen degree course are eligible to apply for transfer to degree courses in other faculties, subject to meeting the relevant prerequisites by the end of the year, but may not transfer to other Health Faculty courses.

 

All students take Foundation Year modules to a total CATS credit value of 120. In all cases progression is subject to passing all Foundation Year modules taken.

All students must pass the module Personal Development for Health Professionals which is assessed by competency.

The mark thresholds for progression to the next year of study vary between professions as follows:

Medicine - at least 70% in all modules

Midwifery - at least 60% in all modules  and 100% in the module Clinical Numeracy

Nursing (all fields) - at least 50% in all modules and 100% in the module Clinical Numeracy

Pharmacy - at least 70% in all modules

Physiotherapy - at least 65% in all modules

Transfer between routes within the Health Foundation Year is not permitted, although students may be able to transfer into non-healthcare courses at the end of the Foundation Year, subject to passing the requisite modules for progression to the course of interest. 

 

Further Information

For further information, please contact:

Ms Barbara Western
Foundation Year Course Director
Foundation Year Centre
Keele University
Staffordshire  ST5 5BG

Tel: 01782 733509

Email: b.c.western@keele.ac.uk