Cloud Computing with Foundation Year BSc (Hons)
Study level: UndergraduateFoundation year

The Cloud Computing with Foundation Year BA (Hons) course aims to provide you with a solid grounding for building a career in the digital sector.
Year of entry
Location
CU Coventry (Coventry)
Study mode
Full-time
Sandwich
Duration
3 years full-time
4 years sandwich
Course code
162I
Start date
May 2023
July 2023
Course overview
Digital technology pervades our society and studying it can lead to an exciting and fulfilling career. The digital sphere isn't just about improving efficiency. It improves business prospects, can shape the development of a company and can influence the way people operate. Innovations in technology have improved operations in companies and governments of all sizes and through IT, small businesses can quickly become successful on a global scale. The Cloud Computing with Foundation Year BA (Hons) course aims to provide you with a solid grounding for building a career in the digital sector.
The strength of the course lies in preparing students, who are unable to follow the more traditional route onto a degree course in Cloud Computing.
- This course is available as either a full-time four year programme or a three year programme (foundation year plus accelerated two year degree programme).
- Students who successfully complete their foundation year will then progress onto the Cloud Computing BA (Hons) degree.
- Cloud Computing is a model for enabling on-demand access to a pool of computing resources, e.g. networks, servers, storage, applications, and services, that can be rapidly provisioned with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.
- The Cloud Computing BSc (Hons) degree part of the course incorporates contemporary issues and approaches in computing, underpinned by fundamental skills in networking, software design, data science, coding, computer hardware and physical infrastructure.
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. Wherever possible we aim to provide career-focused courses, coupled with placement opportunities2 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, so you have the opportunity to study topics in-depth and give assignments your full attention before moving onto the next.
Accreditation and Professional Recognition
The foundation part of this course is accredited and recognised by the following bodies1:

BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
Modules within the programme include units based on the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) ITQ Level 3 award. Upon successful completion of these elements, you’ll have the opportunity to take the examinations to complete this professional qualification. This is not, however, a condition of academic credit; assessments for the professional qualification will be independent from that undertaken for the academic award. Should you decide to take the professional qualification with BCS, there is an initial affiliate membership fee. Please visit the BCS website for further details.
How can we help?
Chat with an advisor now or leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
What you'll study
The foundation year aims to provide you with the skills and knowledge relevant for successful progression onto a degree in Cloud Computing. It also aims to introduce you to the fundamentals of hardware, workshop, software and the internet. You will also be supported in developing a range of transferable skills in areas including research, project and laboratory skills, academic writing and communication.
The Cloud Computing BSc (Hons) degree part of the course is designed to provide you with the breadth of skills to be effective in the varied digital workplace, developing your self-management and self-development capabilities to keep pace with change and adapt to new technologies, software languages and cloud management systems.
We aim to produce graduates that are well equipped with a range of skills, knowledge and understanding of latest cloud-based platforms and technologies, e.g. Scalable and Elastic systems, Infrastructure as Code, Infrastructure as a Service, Platform as a Service, Software as a Service and Machine Learning.
This course is available as either a full-time four year programme or a three year programme (foundation year plus accelerated two year degree programme). Students taking the full-time four year course will study four modules each year instead of six modules. All modules and the order they are studied are the same for both options.
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.
How you'll learn
Your initial foundation year is focused on applied learning geared to high intensity teaching and study throughout the course. The delivery of course content is a blend of lectures, tutorials and online mediums.
After your foundation year, you will have the option to do either another two or three years or another three or four years if you choose the sandwich course where you undertake a work placement or study year in a related field2.
Our teaching methods for the degree courses are varied depending on which course/modules you take, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops and group work. We also operate an open-door policy, with additional availability via email and our current online learning platform, Aula.
Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.
Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end of year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of our learning model.
Teaching contact hours
The number of full-time contact hours may vary from semester to semester, however, on average, it is likely to be around 20 contact hours per week each year (excluding placement year) for the four/five year option. Additionally, you will be expected to undertake up to 30 hours of self-directed study, depending on the demands of individual modules.
As an innovative and enterprising institution, CU may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), CU Coventry may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prepared for courses due to start in or after the 2022/2023 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 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.
Assessment
During your foundation year, 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:
- Coursework
- Interactive Assessments
During your degree, each module’s assessment is comprised of two components, the first being a pass/fail competency assessment which may take the form of a multiple choice quiz or oral assessment, this assessment does not count towards your module mark or degree classification, however, you must pass this assessment to pass the module. This has been designed so that all students progressing through the course have demonstrated knowledge and competency of the core areas of the module regardless of the project grade. This aims to help you to improve your employability and abilities as a potential cloud practitioner following graduation, by being able to recall technical knowledge and skills from memory.
The second component is a project that will be submitted in the final week of each module and may be comprised of a single or combination of; Quizzes, Viva Voce, Presentation, Artefact Submission and Demonstration, Reflective Report and Business Documents. All coursework is designed to be consistent and appropriate with the types of outputs required in the workplace (e.g. demonstration of a working product, technical report, presented to the customer) with the addition of a reflective or evaluation component to enhance self-development.
The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.
Entry requirements
Typical offer for 2022 entry.
Fees and funding
2022/23 tuition fees.
Student | Full-time | Part-time |
---|---|---|
UK | 2022/23 fees - £6,800 per year 2023/24 fees - TBC |
Not available |
*The fees for years two, three and the final year are subject to review but are currently set at £8,050 (standard full-time) and £11,100 (accelerated) per year.
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.
For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see the University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.
We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.
Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them.
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How do you know if you need to pay UK or international tuition fees?
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Your fee status determines your tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available to you. The rules about who pays UK (home) or international (overseas) fees for higher education courses in England are set by the government's Department for Education. The regulations identify all the different categories of student who can insist on paying the home rate. The regulations can be difficult to understand, so the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) has provided fee status guidance to help you identify whether you are eligible to pay the home or overseas rate.
If you meet all the criteria required by any one category, including any residence requirements, your institution must charge you the home rate. You only need to find one category that you fit into.
Facilities
All our facilities are located at Mile Lane. Our building has been designed to enable collaboration, creativity and innovation to flourish, and includes (subject to availability):
- Indoor and outdoor social spaces, including a café
- A library that includes loan laptops, over 115,000 eBooks and a silent study area
- Open access IT suites and 83-inch teaching screens
- Engineering lab, science lab and a moot courtroom
- Student support and careers advice teams
Careers and opportunities
On successful completion of the Cloud Computing BA (Hons) you will be able to:
- Adapt and gain additional specific competencies.
- Apply contemporary knowledge and practical skills in Cloud Computing.
- Develop the combination of skills and knowledge required to undertake research and development work involving technically advanced computer applications.
- Deploy a range of skills into a global cloud computing market.
- Potentially complement the degree with additional certifications and relevant memberships responsive to local and international employer needs (such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Technology Associate, ITIL, PRINCE2). Subject to competitive application, availability, meeting any applicable visa requirements. You will need to refer to the relevant authority’s website for further information on requirements.
- Develop cognitive, practical and employability skills needed to play a critical role for societal and economic development.
Graduates of the Cloud Computing BA (Hons) could move into a variety of jobs in the computing industry such as:
- Cloud Support Associate/Engineer
- Cybersecurity Specialist
- Data Integration Specialist
- Data Scientist
- DevOps Engineer
- Machine Learning
- Web/Software Development Engineer
- Solutions Architect
- Application Developer
Where our graduates work
Graduates of the department work in business analysis and cyber security roles in National Rail; software development roles in BT; IT consultancy roles in Infosys Ltd and infrastructure and deployment roles at McKesson UK.
How to apply
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UK students
Full-time UK undergraduate students apply through UCAS. Otherwise, you will need to apply to CU directly. Read our application pages to find out your next steps to apply.
If you'd like further support or more information about your course get in touch with us today.
Chat with our admissions team
Complete our contact form
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Disclaimers
Coventry University together with Coventry University London Campus, CU Coventry, CU London, CU Scarborough and Coventry University Online come together to form part of the Coventry University Group (the “University”) with all degrees awarded by Coventry University.
1Accreditations
Some of our degree courses have been formally recognised by professional bodies, which means the courses have been reviewed and tested to ensure they reach a set standard. In some instances, studying on an accredited course can give you additional benefits such as exemptions from professional exams (subject to availability, fees may apply). Accreditations, partnerships, exemptions and memberships shall be renewed in accordance with the relevant bodies’ standard review process and subject to the university maintaining the same high standards of course delivery.
2UK and international opportunities
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any UK or International opportunities (whether required or optional) such as internships, work experience, field trips, conferences, placements or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (which could include, but is not limited to, equipment, materials, bench fees, studio or facilities hire, travel, accommodation and visas), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable travel COVID and visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the visa requirements, please contact the International Office.
3Tuition fees
The University will charge the tuition fees that are stated in the above table for the first Academic Year of study. The University will review tuition fees each year. For Home Students, if Parliament permit an increase in tuition fees, the University 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.
For International Students, we may increase fees each year but such increases will be no more than 5% above inflation. If you defer your course start date or have to extend your studies beyond the normal duration of the course (e.g. to repeat a year or resit examinations) the University reserves the right to charge you fees at a higher rate and/or in accordance with any legislative changes during the additional period of study.
4Facilities
Facilities are subject to availability. Due to the ongoing restrictions relating to COVID-19, some facilities (including some teaching and learning spaces) may vary from those advertised and may have reduced availability or restrictions on their use.
Student Contract
By accepting your offer of a place and enrolling with us, a Student Contract will be formed between you and the university. A copy of the 2022/23 Contract can be found here. The Contract details your rights and the obligations you will be bound by during your time as a student and contains the obligations that CU Group will owe to you. You should read the Contract before you accept an offer of a place and before you enrol at the university.
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