Foundation Years at Keele University

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Foundation YearsatKeele University
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History

• Keele degrees innovative since 1949
• Depth and breadth
• Dual honours
• Foundation Year
• Incl. transfer courses and breadth (level one)

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Current Foundation Years

• 2000 FY changed to widening access
• Group of level zero programmes
• For students without prerequisite background for
  chosen principal programmes

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Staff

• Director of Foundation Year Programmes
• Dr Peter Haycock
• Foundation Year Programme Manager
• Mrs Libby Smith
• Foundation Year Office
• Computer Science Building (MacKay) room 32

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Programmes

• Science
• One or two science principal courses
• Pharmacy
• Humanities
• One or two humanities principal courses
• Not including science
• Social Science
• Two social science principal courses
• International
• Non-native speakers of English

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Assessment

• 120 credits
• Core modules, subject-specific, electives
• Most modules 10 credits at level zero
• Mixture of course work and examinations
• Automatic progression if pass FY

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Science Foundation Year

• Core modules
• Communication and learning skills (20 credits)
• Numeracy (10 credits)
• Many prescribed subject-specific modules
• Leads to principal programmes
• one or two sciences
• one science and a social science
• one science and a humanity
• pharmacy

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Humanities Foundation Year

• Core modules
• Writing skills (15 credits)
• Seminar skills (15 credits)
• Includes learning skills
• Less prescribed subject-specific modules
• Leads to principal programmes
• one or two humanities
• one humanity and a social science

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Social Science Foundation Year

• Core modules
• Writing skills (15 credits)
• Seminar skills (15 credits)
• Includes learning skills
• Less prescribed subject-specific modules
• Leads to principal programmes
• one or two social sciences

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Progression

• Initially registered for a particular principal
  combination
• Passing the FY leads to automatic progression
• Passing with 120 credits by June leads to
  Foundation Certificate
• In May asked to confirm principal combination
• Can change in May subject to FY modules taken and
  course availability

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Organisation

• Pre-registered for core and subject-specific
  modules
• Register for elective modules now
• Registration and course management from FY Office
• Modules delivered and examined by academic
  schools
• Timetable currently provisional depends on
  modules
• Semesters
• September January
• January June
• Exams in January and May

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Support

• Programme Manager - Libby Smith
• General tutor Peter Haycock
• tutorials, interviews, office hours
• Subject tutors and school offices
• http//www.keele.ac.uk/foundationyear
• http//www.learn.keele.ac.uk
• Email
• Learning Support Unit
• Student Support Unit
• Student Finance
• Disability Services Unit
• Students Union
• Careers Service
• Student Counselling Service

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Studying

• Check web pages (need access) regularly and read
  course materials and handbooks
• Get hold of recommended reading
• Attend classes (warnings for non-attendance can
  lead to being sent down)
• Attend assessments
• Hand in coursework on time (cannot be marked
  after 7 days and penalty before that)
• Check (Keele) email daily (not personal email
  unless automatically forwarded)
• All coursework must be completed individually
  except for group projects (plagiarism committee
  for non-adherence)

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Problems

• Inform Libby Smith if need to be absent
• in advance if possible and complete form
• on the day if illness
• complete mitigating circumstances forms,
  self-certification, or doctors notes on return
• Discuss longer term problems affecting academic
  performance with Peter Haycock

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Live Life

• Study (40 hours per week, 100 hours per module)
• Meet people
• Broaden your outlook
• Find yourself
• Travel (within reason)
• Make use of
• student societies
• local societies and religious organisations
• etc.
• Keep in contact with family (we cant)

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• ENJOY!