Foundation degrees
Foundation degrees are new employment-related, higher
education qualifications, designed to provide higher-level skills
for employment purposes. It has been developed to be flexible
and allow students already in the workplace to continue with their
study. The qualification provides specialist technical knowledge
and skills needed at associate professional and higher technician
level, such as legal executives, marketing consultants or personnel
officers.
More than 70
Foundation degrees are being offered across England on a full-
or part-time basis. On completion of a Foundation degree, students
may progress to a full Bachelor (Honours) degree upon completion
of a further 15 months study.
Foundation degrees are awarded by both universities and higher
education colleges. Entry is based upon appropriate qualifications
at level 3 of the NQF
(for example,
GCE A levels; Vocational
A levels)
The Foundation degree is an intermediate higher level qualification,
benchmarked at level 4 of the NQF. In terms of its outcome, the
qualification is similar to the BTEC
Higher National Diploma, and discussions are continuing regarding
the exact relationship between the two awards.
