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• Foundation Courses > 
• Social Science Foundation Year

The Social Science Foundation Year provides:

• A chance to sample social science subjects at university level before making a final choice of Honours courses
• Intensive modules which provide the requisite background for specific Honours courses for those without the necessary qualifications
• Access for non-traditionally qualified students to a wide range of social science courses
• A broad grounding in academic principles and methods

Entry Requirements

To enter the Social Sciences Foundation Year, students must normally have:

• at least 160 UCAS tariff points or
• the equivalent in other qualifications or
• relevant work experience

AND

• GCSE English Language at grade C

AND

• a Level 2 numeracy qualification

For progression to a numerate discipline after the Foundation Year, GCSE Mathematics at grade C or above is required.

How to apply

All applications must be made through UCAS.

Students should apply for a specific subject with a Foundation Year (see subject codes below). Over the summer, prior to entry to Keele, students will be asked to decide provisionally which two Dual Honours  subjects or Single Honours course they expect to take after the Foundation Year. Students can discuss options with a Foundation Year Tutor before arriving at Keele, and may be able to change their choice at any time following discussions with Foundation Year staff.

Course content

All students take the core skills modules in Writing for Social Science Students, Seminar Skills, Learning Skills, IT and Critical Thinking. In addition, modules are taken which are related to each of the subjects to be pursued in the remaining three or four years of the degree programme. The choice of modules is individual to each student and made in consultation with a Foundation Year course tutor.

Writing for Social Sciences Students and Seminar Skills
Social sciences students must be able to communicate efficiently and professionally, using the conventions of their disciplines, to a wide range of specialist and lay audiences. This includes writing documents, giving oral presentations, participating in seminars and interpreting the work of others. These modules provide training in a wide range of forms of communication, laying the foundation for the communication skills required in future years.

Learning Skills
This modules provides opportunities for students to consider their learning process as well as relevant information and advice about the process of studying. The programme aims to look at the whole learning experience and individual approaches to studies. By the end, students will have had the opportunity to develop skills in a variety of study processes, consider strengths and weaknesses in relation to their studies, reflect on what influences their learning and consider how you can make the best use of the available resources.

Information Technology
All students take two modules in IT, one in each semester: Communicating Information and Handling Data.

Critical Thinking
All students will take the module Critical Thinking which provides grounding in a range of thinking skills.

Option Modules
A range of other modules is available which provides a broad coverage of a particular subject area, including foreign languages. If students have a free choice of modules available after satisfying the relevant prerequisites for their degree courses, then they can choose one or more of these modules to broaden their general knowledge or pursue specific interests.

Further Information

For further information, please contact:

Dr Jonathan Cope
Social Sciences Foundation Year Tutor
Foundation Year Centre
Keele University
Staffordshire  ST5 5BG

Tel: 01782 733454
Email: j.cope@keele.ac.uk 

Degree programmes

On successful completion of the Foundation Year in the above subjects, students will progress to a Bachelor’s degree in that subject, plus a second subject for Dual Honours.

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