Foundation Year: Engineering, Computing & Science 

The academic structure of the Foundation Year programme is set out below. You take modules in both core subjects and subjects specific to your route:

Core modules

Foundation English Skills 1
Read academic texts, write extended texts, write subjective notes, listen effectively and participate in classroom discussion.

Foundation English Skills 2
Improve all your abilities developed in part 1 with greater accuracy, speed, cohesion, organisation and presentation.

Study Skills in the British Environment
Use your study time more effectively, improve your use of, and range of, information sources and prepare comprehensive essays in your own time to given deadlines.

Project Study, including Word Processing Skills
Complete a self-study project on a topic that you will take, in consultation with your tutor, from the academic discipline that you will subsequently study at degree level.

Pure Mathematics 1 
Understand and interpret straight lines and linear equations, set theory and probability, statistics, linear programming, indices and logarithms, and experimental laws.

Route modules

You choose one of the subjects out of the choice offered for each of the five route-specific modules:

Route module 1

(a) Applied Mathematics 1
Vectors, forces and equilibrium, relative motion, Newton’s Laws of Motion, friction and work, energy and power.
OR
(b) Chemistry 1
Formulae, equations and moles, atomic structure, introduction to redox systems, thermodynamics and bonding.

Route module 2

(a) Applied Mathematics 2
Advanced vectors, forces as fixed vectors, centres of gravity/centres of mass and particle dynamics.
OR
(b) Chemistry 2
Equilibria, acid-base equilibria, kinetics and organic chemistry.

Route module 3

(a) Physics 1 (Properties of Matter and Waves)
Sound, reflection, refraction, interference, diffraction, electromagnetic waves, strengths of solids, fluids, heat and gases, and the structure of the atom.
OR
(b) Biology 1 (Cell Biology)
Biological molecules, cellular structure, cell division, movement through cell membranes, enzymes and metabolic pathways.

Route module 4

(a) Physics 2 (Electricity and Magnetism)
Electrical current and charge, potential difference, resistance, capacitance, transistors and amplifiers, electrical fields,gravitational fields, magnetic fields and electromagnetic fields.
OR
(b) Biology 2 (Physiology)
The cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, the digestive system, osmoregulation, control and co-ordination, and reproduction.

Route module 5

(a) Pure Mathematics 2
Further algebra, co-ordinate geometry, trigonometry, differentiation, integration, numerical methods and vectors.
OR
(b) Further Studies in Biology and Chemistry
Genetics, ecology and plant biology plus inorganic chemistry, oxidation/reduction reactions and transition element chemistry.
OR
(c) Computing
HTML, website design, the use of Javascript to promote website interactivity and an introduction to the programming language Java 1.5.

Foundation course key facts
Tuition price	See fees page
Course length	3 terms
Entry points	September, January and in 2010, April
Term dates	January 2010 start: Term 1 – 11 January to 26 March 2010 Term 2 – 12 April to 18 June 2010 Term 3 – 21 June to 20 August 2010 April 2010 start: Term 1 – 12 April to 18 June 2010 Term 2 – 21 June to 20 August 2010 Term 3 – 20 September to 10 December 2010 September 2010 start: Term 1 – 20 September to 10 December 2010 Term 2 – 10 January to 25 March 2011 Term 3 – 11 April to 17 June 2011
Entry requirements	See admissions section for academic and English Language entrance requirements. Please note that on application, you might be required to submit a portfolio.
Course structure	The programme is modular and comprises five core subjects and up to five route modules. You take three modules in term 1, three in term 2, and up to four in term 3.
Assessment	End of module/term: a combination of examinations, coursework, presentations and extended essays. Continuous: a mixture of lecture classes, small-group seminar work and directed self-study.
Progression	On successful completion, you progress to the first year of a University of Huddersfield undergraduate degree in selected subject areas, or only for programmes starting in April 2010, students will be able to progress onto the International Diploma starting in January 2011.