Overview
Our Foundation Year courses offer an introduction to your chosen subject and are an ideal route to degree level qualifications, helping you develop the necessary skills for further study.
This is an ideal course if you want to gain the basic knowledge and skills needed for further study across a range of undergraduate courses, from Public Health & Community Studies to Early Childhood Development & Learning.
This course focuses on core skills required for academic progression, alongside equipping you with the principles of foundation topics taught on many of our degree courses. In addition, we will also make sure you are fully prepared to undertake a degree within public health by teaching you key skills, such as research methods, scientific fundamentals and promotion techniques.
Why CU Coventry
We offer a style of education which is flexible and designed to fit around your life, allowing you to benefit from a modern, forward-thinking higher education institution, reinforced by the quality and reputation of Coventry University. We aim to provide career-focused courses, wherever possible, coupled with placement opportunities to help prepare you for the world of work. We are dedicated to making higher education accessible and enjoyable to everyone, so we keep our fees low and made it a policy to cover one module at a time, allowing you to become a specialist in each topic before moving onto the next.
COVID-19
The University may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via emerging online technologies and methods across all courses. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2020/2021 academic year to be delivered in a variety of forms. The form of delivery will be determined in accordance with Government and Public Health guidance. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.
Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to Covid-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) and some non-academic offerings (particularly in relation to international experiences), may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Employability
Dedicated Careers & Employability department who will assist you in finding employmentTop Quality Courses
Taught by industry professionals, awarded by Coventry UniversityNo End of Year Exams
Our modern teaching techniques mean no last-minute cramming and less stressProfessional Recognition
Specific courses contain additional industry recognised qualifications from awarding bodies
What our students say...
The timetable for the course makes work and home life balance very easy and hassle free - I wish I had done it sooner!
Course information
This course aims to provide the skills and knowledge relevant for progression onto a relevant degree programme. Throughout the course, you will gain an understanding of key concepts such as behavioural influences and effective health promotion techniques.
Skills for Academic and Professional Development
This module is aimed at creating a culture of careful learning and self-reflection. You will learn to recognise personal strengths and weaknesses and take ownership of your development. You’ll be introduced to a range of skills that will aid you throughout the programme and further study, such as time management, cultural awareness and resource management.
In addition, you also gain employment skills such as digital proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint etc.), team management, communication, planning skills and more. We will also cover plagiarism, referencing, library skills and professional standard skills throughout the module, so that you receive thorough, full-circle academic and professional training.
Psychology of Learning and Development
This module examines life span development and supporting psychological theories to enable you to develop an understanding of human behaviour. It emphasises the importance of psychology in the context of learning and behaviour and its application to enhance relationships with service users. By understanding the factors that influence people’s behaviours we can provide interventions that will help people change their lifestyle choices. With this in mind, you will cover essential topics such as psychological perspectives, learning and behaviour, stages of lifespan and even participate in the lively discussion of nature versus nurture.
Fundamentals of Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology
The human body is a complex system performing a multitude of functions every day and like any system it can malfunction for a variety of reasons. You’ll delve into the reasons why, gaining fundamental knowledge of anatomy, physiology and its relationship with health and disease in the process.
This module is underpinned with exciting practical elements, meaning you’ll have the opportunity to undertake activities such as taking measurements of cardiovascular/respiratory systems.
Promoting Health and Wellbeing
After identifying the concepts of inequality in society and the resulting impact, you’ll get to work assessing, planning and implementing health promotion. You’ll take into account various approaches such as social change and empowerment and consider current programmes including national campaigns, social marketing and mass media.
With developed knowledge and confidence, you get to showcase your understanding of health and wellbeing by producing your own health campaign. At the end of this module, you will be equipped with the necessary skills and competencies to progress further onto your selected degree course.
Course Specification
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We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.
Coventry University is ranked 15th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2020. CU Coventry is part of the Coventry University Group.
In more detail...
Facilities
Located on our Mile Lane campus, you will have access to our Library & Learning Services, fully equipped seminar rooms and impressive IT suites. Plus, you can take advantage of reading rights in Coventry University’s Lanchester Library, make use of sport centre facilities and receive full membership to Coventry University Students’ Union (CUSU).
Staff
This course has been developed and is taught by practising professionals and industry experts. Our academics bring a wealth of expertise to the classroom with many continuing to undertake research and other projects alongside teaching, meaning our students gain a well-rounded and relevant teaching experience (Staff subject to change).
Practical experience
Throughout your studies, you will find that the course is underpinned with practical elements.
- We keep our fees low to make higher education more accessible to everyone
- Small tutorial group sessions ensure that you receive the mentoring help and support you need
- We deliver one module at a time during each block. This means you can dedicate your time to specialise in each subject without the distraction of numerous modules and multiple deadlines
- You will have the opportunity for multi-campus learning in Coventry, London and Scarborough.
- Academic Skills: You will improve and refine key academic skills needed for progression into higher education and industry application. These skills include research methods, communication skills, presentation skills and more.
- Inequality: Inequalities in health runs throughout the programme. You will look at several factors that contribute to the inequality, such as geographical location and financial income. You will critically appraise inequalities, and train to identify bias and injustice in communities.
- Social Determinants: Social Determinants are key to public health practice and can affect communities and public health. Themes explored in this programme include, but are not limited to, infrastructure, classism, education, social networks and area of residency.
- Communications: Exploring communicating with teams and the role of importance in the business industry.
At CU Coventry, students learn through a variety of modes. The foundation year programme is focused on applied learning geared to high intensity teaching and study throughout the programme, requiring full commitment from students. The delivery of course content is a blend of lectures, tutorials and online mediums.
Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end of year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of a working environment.
The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as providing an overall percentage grade.
Assessment methods vary and include practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments which take place at the end of each six-week block.
Course Breakdown (approximately):
- 60% Coursework
- 40% Phase Tests
On completion, you will be able to:
- Discuss the underpinning values and qualities required within a range of health, education and wellbeing settings.
- Examine the importance of cultural difference and individual circumstances when working with people in occupational settings.
- Discuss the extent to which inherited or acquired characteristics account for human behaviour.
- Outline the biological levels of the organisation of the human.
- Actively engage with learning through class participation, group works and independent study task.
Full-time
If you choose to study full-time you can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.
Part-time
If you choose to study part-time you'll usually receive up to eleven hours per week of blended learning, including classes, tutorials and online learning. Outside of this, there will also be independent study and online support.
Please note: part-time courses run subject to numbers.
What our students say...
The timetable for the course makes work and home life balance very easy and hassle free - I wish I had done it sooner!
Entry Requirements
CU Coventry has assessed that you can achieve the required grades and we have demonstrated this belief by making you an offer. This is our commitment to you so then we ask that you reciprocate this commitment by selecting us as your ‘firm’ choice and activating your offer.
We will consider other qualifications for a pre-result unconditional offer if you have an appropriate proven performance at GCSE (or equivalent) level and predicted grades in line with grades that we expect to see at A-level. Other qualifications that we may consider for a pre-result unconditional offer include: The International Baccalaureate Diploma, BTEC Level 3 qualifications, Cambridge Pre-U and combinations of qualifications (e.g. BTECS plus A-levels).
An unconditional offer is what it says it is. So, if you don’t meet your predictions then your place is still guaranteed. However, we would hope and expect that you continue to work hard to make the most of your potential and be best prepared to study at university level.
No, the unconditional offer is only available to those who will take up their place in the year for which they applied.
If you don’t meet the entry requirements for this course, we have a number of programmes which upon completion, automatically qualifies you onto a place on this degree course, such as Foundation Years.
What our students say...
The timetable for the course makes work and home life balance very easy and hassle free - I wish I had done it sooner!
Tuition Fees
We pride ourselves on offering competitive tuition fees which we review on an annual basis. Course fees are calculated on the basis of what it costs to teach each course and we aim for total financial transparency.
Fees & Funding
We price our courses competitively in an attempt to make higher education accessible for a wide range of people. Your tuition fees will cover all of your classes, online tutorials, some of the learning materials and access to our Library & Learning Services.
Funding
As a full-time or part-time student resident in the UK or EU, you can apply for a loan to cover the cost of your tuition fees at CU Coventry from Student Finance England.
What our students say...
The timetable for the course makes work and home life balance very easy and hassle free - I wish I had done it sooner!
Career prospects
If you successfully pass a Foundation Year, you are guaranteed a place on a relevant degree course at CU Coventry, subject to meeting specific entrance criteria. Degree courses linked to this foundation year include:
The strength of the course lies in preparing students for further study, cementing the core principles of health, education and wellbeing ready to expand on this knowledge at degree level.
What our students say...
The timetable for the course makes work and home life balance very easy and hassle free - I wish I had done it sooner!
Disclaimer
The tuition fee for the course that is stated on the course webpage and in the prospectus for the first year of study will apply. We will review tuition fees each year. For UK and EU students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study in line with any such changes. Note that any increase is expected to be in line with inflation. Following the UK’s planned exit from the European Union, EU students should be aware that there may be a change to UK laws following the UK’s exit, this may change their student status, their eligibility to study part time, and/or their eligibility for student finance. We will act in accordance with the UK’s laws in force in relation to student tuition fees and finance at that time. For international students, we may increase fees for each subsequent year of study but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation.
