Science Foundation Year

Summary

The Science Foundation Year provides a scientific background customised to your needs, helping you to progress to the subsequent years of a degree programme at Keele. An extensive choice of modules is available from the life, physical, geographical and environmental sciences; mathematics; computing and psychology.

Overview

Modules for 2019/2020 entrants are yet to be confirmed. Details of the modules that ran for entrants in 2018 are shown below. These can be used as an indication of the modules you will study. Once modules for 2019/20 are confirmed they will be published here.

For all international (non-EU) students please see Keele International Foundation Year/Degree Programme.

You will take a combination of modules to a total of 120 credits: core modules (30 credits, or 40 for mathematics), those related to your intended degree programme after your Foundation Year and some free choice. Modules are worth 10, 15 or 20 credits.

Core modules

The core modules include:

Communication Skills for Scientists (10 credits)
One of
- Basic Numerical and Computational Skills, (10 credits) for students with GCSE mathematics at at least grade
- Intermediate Numerical and Computational Skills, (10 credits) for students who can demonstrate proficiency in mathematics significantly above GCSE grade C
- Elementary Mathematical Methods I, (20 credits) for students enrolled on single honours or dual honours Mathematics with Science Foundation Year
One of
- Academic Development (10 credits)
- A Guide to Success for International Students (15 credits), for students deemed to require English language training during the Foundation Year

Subject-specific modules

Modules related to particular subjects, some of which can also be taken as options are shown in the Indicative Modules tab.

Option modules

Additional modules will be taken where necessary to bring the total module credit value to 120. These can be in any subject available at Foundation level and modern foreign languages, subject to timetabling constraints and room capacity.

Next Steps

Indicative modules

Subject	Modules taken
Astrophysics (Combined honours)	The Newtonian World Quanta, Atoms and Elementary Particles Thermal Physics and Fields Electricity and Electronics Numerical Skills for Physics
Biochemistry (Combined honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Organic Chemistry Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival
Biochemistry (Single honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Organic Chemistry Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival People and Pathogens Making Sense of Statistics
Biology (Combined honours)	Chemistry Matters Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival People and Pathogens Populations and the Environment
Biology (Single honours)	Chemistry Matters Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival People and Pathogens Populations and the Environment Making Sense of Statistics
Biomedical Science (Single honours)	Chemistry Matters Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival People and Pathogens Making Sense of Statistics
Chemistry (Combined honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Numerical Skills for Chemistry
Chemistry (Single honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Numerical Skills for Chemistry Global Warming or a New Ice Age? Crime, Science and Investigation Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism Imaging Physics
Computer Science (Combined honours)	Computational Thinking Computers & Programming Information Technology for Computer Scientists Introduction to the Digital Business World
Computer Science (Single honours)	Computational Thinking Computers & Programming Information Technology for Computer Scientists Introduction to the Digital Business World Decisions, Investigations and Problem Solving The Sound of Music Making Sense of Statistics
Environment and Sustainability (Single honours )	Chemistry Matters Global Warming or a New Ice Age? The Earth's Changing Surface Exploiting the Earth The Making of Landscape Populations and the Environment Sociology across the Life Course Making Sense of Statistics
Environmental Science (Combined honours)	Chemistry Matters Greening Business: Employability and Sustainability Global Warming or a New Ice Age? The Earth's Changing Surface Exploiting the Earth
Environmental Science (Single honours)	Chemistry Matters Greening Business: Employability and Sustainability Global Warming or a New Ice Age? The Earth's Changing Surface Exploiting the Earth Populations and the Environment The Earth - What Lies Beneath?
Forensic and Analytical Investigation (Single honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival Crime, Science and Investigation Making Sense of Statistics
Forensic Science (Combined honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism Crime, Science and Investigation A Guide to Sex and Survival
Forensic Science (Single honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival Crime, Science and Investigation Making Sense of Statistics
Geography (Combined honours)	The Making of Landscape Global Warming or a New Ice Age? Greening Business: Employability or Sustainability The Earth's Changing Surface Exploiting the Earth
Geography (Single honours)	The Making of Landscape Global Warming or a New Ice Age? Greening Business: Employability or Sustainability The Earth's Changing Surface Exploiting the Earth Making Sense of Statistics
Geology (Combined honours)	The Earth's Changing Surface Global Warming or a New Ice Age? Greening Business: Employability or Sustainability The Earth - What Lies Beneath? Exploiting the Earth
Human Biology (Combined honours)	Chemistry Matters Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival People and Pathogens Populations and the Environment
Mathematics (Combined honours)	Elementary Mathematical Methods I Elementary Mathematical Methods II Further Calculus Elementary Mechanics Making Sense of Statistics
Mathematics (Single honours)	Elementary Mathematical Methods I Elementary Mathematical Methods II Further Calculus Elementary Mechanics Making Sense of Statistics Further Statistical Techniques Decisions, Investigations and Problem Solving Computational Thinking
Medicinal Chemistry (Combined honours)	General and Organic Chemistry Physical and Inorganic Chemistry Numerical Skills for Chemistry
Neuroscience (Combined honours)	Chemistry Matters Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival People and Pathogens Populations and the Environment
Neuroscience (Single honours)	Chemistry Matters Introduction to Biology of the Human Organism A Guide to Sex and Survival People and Pathogens Making Sense of Statistics Populations and the Environment
Physical Geography (Combined honours)	The Earth's Changing Surface Global Warming or a New Ice Age? Greening Business: Employability and Sustainability The Earth - What Lies Beneath? Exploiting the Earth
Physical Geography (Single honours)	The Earth's Changing Surface Global Warming or a New Ice Age? Greening Business: Employability and Sustainability The Earth - What Lies Beneath? Exploiting the Earth The Making of Landscape Making Sense of Statistics
Physics (Combined honours)	The Newtonian World Quanta, Atoms and Elementary Particles Thermal Physics and Fields Electricity and Electronics Numerical Skills for Physics
Psychology (Combined honours)	First Steps in Counselling Skills for Health Professionals Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Forensic Psychology Making Sense of Statistics
Psychology (Single honours)	First Steps in Counselling Skills for Health Professionals Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Forensic Psychology Introduction to Ethics Critical Thinking Making Sense of Statistics
Psychology with Counselling (Single honours)	First Steps in Counselling Skills for Health Professionals Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Forensic Psychology Introduction to Ethics Critical Thinking Making Sense of Statistics
Accounting and Astrophysics (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Employment Lifecycle The Newtonian World Quanta, Atoms and Elementary Particles Thermal Physics and Fields Electricity and Electronics Numerical Skills for Physics
Accounting and Mathematics (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Employment Lifecycle Elementary Mathematical Methods I Elementary Mathematical Methods II Further Calculus Elementary Mechanics Making Sense of Statistics
Accounting and Physics (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Newtonian World The Employment Lifecycle Quanta, Atoms, and Elementary Particles Thermal Physics and Fields Electricity and Electronics Numerical Skills for Physics
Business Management and Computer Science (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Employment Lifecycle Computational Thinking Introduction to the Digital Business World Computers and Programming Information Technology for Computer Scientists
Business Management and Geography (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Employment Lifecycle The Earth's Changing Surface Global Warming or a New Ice Age? Greening Business: Employability or Sustainability The Earth - What Lies Beneath? Exploiting the Earth
Business Management and Mathematics (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Employment Lifecycle Elementary Mathematical Methods I Elementary Mathematical Methods II Further Calculus Elementary Mechanics Making Sense of Statistics
Business Management and Psychology (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Employment Lifecycle First Steps in Counselling Skills for Health Professionals Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Forensic Psychology Making Sense of Statistics Introduction to the Digital Business World
Economics and Mathematics (Combined honours)	Business and Management Introductory Economics and Business Data The Employment Lifecycle Elementary Mathematical Methods I Elementary Mathematical Methods II Further Calculus Elementary Mechanics Making Sense of Statistics
Human Resource Management and Psychology (Combined honours)	Business and Management Law for Business The Employment Lifecycle First Steps in Counselling Skills for Health Professionals Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Forensic Psychology Introduction to the Digital Business World Making Sense of Statistics
Marketing and Psychology (Combined honours)	Business and Management The Employment Lifecycle Introductory Economics and Business Data Introduction to the Digital Business World First Steps in Counselling Skills for Health Professionals Introduction to Psychology Introduction to Forensic Psychology Making Sense of Statistics

Next Steps

Teaching and assessment

The programme will be delivered through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops, computer classes, laboratory classes and field trips. In addition, you are expected to undertake a large amount of independent study and revision.

Lectures are normally 50 minutes long and consist of a member of staff talking to the whole class with the aid of PowerPoint presentations, whiteboards and other visual aids. Many lectures involve only teaching by the lecturer, although there is usually opportunity to ask questions. However, some lectures are more interactive and may involve activities for you to undertake.

Tutorials and seminars are small group sessions with a member of staff. Usually there is much more participation by students than in lectures. There is often opportunity for you to suggest the topics to be discussed, to ask questions and even to lead part of the session. Tutorials and seminars usually support the material delivered in the lectures; seminars often allow you and/or staff to introduce supplementary material.

Workshops are small group sessions based around an activity. These may be individual or group activities. A member of staff facilitates the session but the learning comes largely through the undertaking of the activity. Some workshops will complement the material delivered in the lectures rather than build on it directly.

Laboratory classes provide opportunity for you to perform experiments and other practical work under supervision.

Field trips allow you to carry out supervised investigations outside the class room.

In computer classes you complete tasks using a wide variety of computer applications. Members of staff are available to provide guidance.

Independent study includes revision, wider reading around the subject, preparation and writing of assignments, preparatory reading, preparation for seminars and tutorials, and developing skills to complement the material delivered in class. Reading lists are provided to help you direct your reading.

Assessment - The following list is representative of the variety of assessment methods used within the Science Foundation Year:

Unseen closed and open book examinations in different formats test your knowledge and understanding of the subject. Examinations may consist of essay, short answer and/or multiple choice questions, and paper comprehension
Essays and reports allow you to demonstrate your ability to articulate ideas clearly, using argument and reasoning skills and with close reference to the contexts and critical concepts covered in the modules. Essays also develop and demonstrate research and presentation skills (including appropriate scholarly referencing)
Class tests taken either conventionally or online via the Keele Learning Environment (KLE) assess your subject knowledge and often your ability to apply it in a more structured and focused way
Treatment projects test your knowledge of different research methodologies and the limits and provisional nature of knowledge. They also enable you to demonstrate your ability to formulate research questions and to answer them using appropriate methods
Oral and poster presentations and reports assess your individual subject knowledge and understanding. They may also test your ability to work effectively as members of a team, to communicate what you know orally and visually, and to reflect on these processes as part of your own personal development
Portfolios may consist of a range of different pieces of work but routinely include a requirement that you provide some evidence of critical reflection on the development of your own learning
Peer assessment: In some cases you will be involved in peer evaluation of other students’ work, particularly in group work. This helps you to take responsibility, improve your performance, and reflect on both your own work and that of others
Course work assignments consist of short written pieces completed in your own time and provide the opportunity to test a range of deeper learning concepts; you are expected to make use of a variety of source material, as well as your lecture notes and text books etc., to complete these assignments
Laboratory reports – structured pro formas and full laboratory reports are formal summaries of work carried out in the laboratory. They test your understanding of the practical aspects of the programme and develop the skills necessary to enable you to present and analyse your results, as well as explain the rationale behind an experiment, describe an associated replicable methodology and draw valid conclusions.

Next Steps

Progression

All students will be required to obtain an average of 55% across 120 credits during the Foundation Year. In addition, the following marks must be obtained in the certain modules to progress to the specified degree subjects.

Subject	Module requirements
Combined honours Astrophysics	55% in all Physics and Maths modules taken
Single honours Biochemistry	65% in General and Organic Chemistry 65% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Biomedical Science	Average of 65% overall
Single honours Chemistry	70% in General and Organic Chemistry 70% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Combined honours Chemistry	70% in General and Organic Chemistry 70% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Single honours Forensic Science	Average of 60% overall and 60% in General and Organic Chemistry 60% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Combined honours Forensic Science	Average of 60% overall and 60% in General and Organic Chemistry 60% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Single honours Forensic and Analytical Investigation	Average of 60% overall and 60% in General and Organic Chemistry 60% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Single honours Mathematics	70% in Elementary Mathematical Methods I 70% in Elementary Mathematical Methods II 70% in Decisions, Investigations and Problem Solving 70% in Further Calculus 70% in Making Sense of Statistics
Combined honours Mathematics	60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods I 60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods II 60% in Decisions, Investigations and Problem Solving 60% in Further Calculus 60% in Making Sense of Statistics
Combined honours Medicinal Chemistry	70% in General and Organic Chemistry 70% in Physical and Inorganic Chemistry
Single honours Neuroscience	Average of 65% overall
Single honours Physics	Average of 60% overall and 60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods I 60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods II 60% in Further Calculus 60% in Making Sense of Statistics 60% in The Newtonian World 60% in Quanta, Atoms and Elementary Particles 60% in Thermal Physics and Fields 60% in Electricity and Electronics
Single honours Physics with Astrophysics	Average of 60% overall and 60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods I 60% in Elementary Mathematical Methods II 60% in Further Calculus 60% in Making Sense of Statistics 60% in The Newtonian World 60% in Quanta, Atoms and Elementary Particles 60% in Thermal Physics and Fields 60% in Electricity and Electronics
Combined honours Physics	55% in all Physics and Maths modules taken
Single honours Psychology	70% in Introduction to Psychology 70% in Introduction to Child Psychology
Single honours Psychology with Counselling	70% in Introduction to Psychology 70% in Introduction to Child Psychology

Next Steps

Our Course Information Documents (CIDs) are designed to give you all of the details you need to make an informed decision about what and where to study

Download CID

Science Foundation Year

Summary

Overview

Core modules

Subject-specific modules

Option modules

Next Steps

Who can apply

Next Steps

Indicative modules

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Entry requirements

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Course routes

Next Steps

How to apply

UCAS single honours programmes with a Science Foundation Year

UCAS combined honours programmes with a Science Foundation Year

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Teaching and assessment

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Contacts and further information

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Progression

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Additional costs

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