Back to school - Foundation Degree courses

Are you one of the many career shifters out there drawn to the idea of picking up your study books again and going back to school?

If you're wanting to make a career change, wanting to study whilst working or are new to your chosen career and want to progress, then you may want to consider entering higher education to study for a Foundation Degree. It's never too late to study at a university or college and institutions are keen on attracting adult learners.

Here at Careershifters we'd heard about these Foundation Degrees and thought we better go and find out more from the experts.

And so here you are - pearls of practical wisdom on Foundation Degree courses, fresh form the West London Lifelong Learning Network:

What is a Foundation Degree*?

Foundation Degrees are not foundation year courses. Foundation Degrees are work-related, higher level qualifications that include work-based and academic units. They provide a foundation in a subject, hence the name, enabling the learner to progress in their chosen field of employment.

They equip the learner with the skills and knowledge relevant to their employment and offer you the opportunity to implement what you have learnt. People already in work will have the opportunity to progress in their chosen field, for instance as senior technicians or into management positions.

How does it compare to a Bachelors programme of study?

Foundation Degrees are at the level of the first two years of an Honours Degree programme and graduates are entitled to use letters after their name, for example, FdA, FdSc and FdEng.

Learners can progress to the final year of an Honours Degree(unlike a foundation year course which precedes a three year Degree programme).

What are the advantages?

Achieving higher level work-related qualifications will help learners to:

• Boost their career prospects

• Increase job satisfaction

• Raise their profile

• Realise their aspirations

• Increase their earning potential

• Change career direction

• Improve their CV.

What is the employer role?

Academic institutions work in partnership with employers to design the course content, develop and deliver the award.

This ensures that Foundation Degrees offer the technical skills and knowledge required by the industry to advance your career progression.

Driving change for yourself and your organisation is a crucial factor for successful career progression and one that is recognised by employers. Increasing your self-awareness, knowledge and skills will help you choose the right opportunities to shape your future.

Flexibility

Foundation Degrees offer more delivery method opportunities for learners, including:

• Part-time or full-time study

• eLearning

• Distance learning

• And in some cases, in the workplace.

What are the entry requirements?

You don't need to have the traditional HE entry requirements - Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) enables you to gain university credits for learning gained through work, voluntary work and leisure related activities.

What subjects can I do a Foundation Degree in?

There are a variety of Foundation Degree programmes, including:

• Foundation Degree (FdA) in Business and Management

• Foundation Degree (FDSc) in Computing

• Foundation Degree (FdA) in Music Technology

• Foundation Degree (FdA) in Travel and Tourism Management

• Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Construction and Surveying

• Foundation Degree (FdA) in Applied Law

• Foundation Degree (FdSc) in Bioscience.

Where can I find a Foundation Degree course?

For a full list of Foundation Degree availability in West London visit the West London Lifelong Learning Network website www.westlondonlln.org/fddirectory.

For further information on Foundation Degree courses and colleges throughout the UK that offer them go to: http://www.foundationdegree.org.uk

This advice was kindly brought to you by The West London Lifelong Learning Network:

The West London Lifelong Learning Network is a government funded partnership that aims to increase the number of vocational learners in Higher Education and respond to employers' skills shortages. For more information visit www.westlondonlln.org/learner.

* Foundation Degrees were introduced by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) in 2001.

They attract students from a wide range of backgrounds. In comparison to Bachelor Degree programmes (e.g. BA (Hons), BEng (Hons), BSc (Hons)) they successfully draw more learners from areas with low participation in Higher Education.

There are currently 61,000 students on Foundation Degrees and with 741 new Foundation Degrees known to be in various stages of planning for introduction nationwide next year, it is expected that recruitment will reach 100,000 by 2010-11.