Business, Law & Social Studies Foundation

The academic structure of foundation course includes both compulsory core modules and a choice of route modules. Key facts about the course are summarised below:

Foundation course key facts

• Route modules

Core modules

Foundation English Skills 1: Develop your ability to read academic texts, write extended texts, write subjective notes, listen effectively in class and participate in classroom debate.

Foundation English Skills 2: Improve all your abilities developed in part 1 with greater accuracy, speed, coherence, 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: Complete a self-study project on a topic that you will take, in consultation with your tutor, from the academic discipline that you plan to study at degree level. Includes word processing skills.

Core Mathematics for Business: Containing both algebra and statistics. Develop your knowledge and understanding of mathematical terms and techniques and apply these to solving problems, frequently drawn from practical and real-life situations.

Route modules

Where there is a choice between (a) or (b) choose one option.

Principles of Economics 1: Understand economic systems, types of goods, allocation of resources, elasticity, price controls, types of markets, cost and revenue, economies of scale and market failure.

Principles of Economics 2: Learn about aggregate demand and aggregate supply, economic policies, inflation, unemployment, international trade and development economics.

Business Law: An introduction to the English Legal System, business organisations, contract law and consumer protection.

a) Introduction to Financial Accounting: Learn about double entry book-keeping, preparation of trial balances, profit and loss statements, depreciation, limited companies, manufacturing accounts and interpretation of accounts.
or
b) English Legal System: Concepts of law, the relationship between law, justice and morality, the sources of law, including British and European Union (EU) legislation and the doctrine of precedent; the Civil and Criminal Courts and the role of the Judiciary.

a) Introduction to Business Studies: Develop your understanding of the operational and strategic problems facing business people in the modern market economy. The module will focus on a wide range of issues, such as management, human resource practice, marketing and ethical aspects.
or
b) British Political System: The basic principles of the British constitution, civil liberties and their relation to the judicial system; how parliament works, including the electoral system, political parties and the legislative process; the composition and functions of the government, the civil service and Britain’s relationship to the EU.