University home > Unit and programme catalogues in 2019/20 > Programme catalogue > Faculty of Arts > Arts Faculty Office > Foundation in Arts and Social Sciences (CertHE) > Specification
Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
Programme code | 1ARTF007U |
---|---|
Programme type | Undergraduate Certificate |
Programme director(s) |
John McTague
|
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
School/department | Arts Faculty Office |
Teaching institution | University of Bristol |
Awarding institution | University of Bristol |
Mode of study | Full Time |
Programme length | 1 years (full time) |
This programme aims to develop a student’s interest in, and knowledge and understanding of, a range of disciplines in the arts and social sciences. Students follow one of two pathways: ‘Arts and Humanities’ or ‘Social Sciences’. Each pathway combines units that deliver the skills required to pursue undergraduate study in these areas with interdisciplinary lecture and seminar units that introduce students to a wide range of arts and social science subjects taught at the University of Bristol. As the programme progresses students have opportunities to specialise in particular subjects by taking optional units and completing an ‘Individual Project’. The programme aims to help students develop the confidence and skills required to take an independent approach to their studies and to engage with curiosity and an open mind with the subjects on offer, without passively accepting received ideas. The aim is that a student should have the requisite knowledge, understanding, intellectual and study skills to progress to an undergraduate degree in the arts and humanities upon completion of the foundation programme.
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
---|---|
|
Students will be able to develop such knowledge and understanding through ‘What does it mean to be human?’ I and II, ‘Global Bristol,’ which will offer a range of teaching methods, designed to help students operate in a variety of contexts (e.g. lectures, seminar discussion and small group work). There will be an emphasis on teaching methods that are designed both to help students develop their knowledge and understanding (1-4) and to reflect on how it may subsequently be applied at undergraduate level (5). There will be a particular emphasis on non-Western perspectives (3) and on the relationship between theoretical and practical knowledge and everyday experience (4) in the TB2 units 'Representations: (Re)-making the world’, and ‘Global Bristol,’ both of which encourage students to examine their own knowledge and experience, and that of different communities locally and globally, with the help of various theoretical frameworks. In addition, some knowledge of the overall aims and content of disciplines in the arts and social sciences (1) will be gained during the units ‘An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities/Social Sciences’, while a student’s knowledge of how a particular discipline may be studied in more depth (5) will be extended in the supported independent study undertaken in the ‘Individual Project’ or other optional unit. |
Methods of Assessment | |
Students will undertake a range of assessments across the abovementioned units, normally combining essay or report writing with at least one other mode of written assessment and including at least one formal examination. They will be encouraged to engage with a range of disciplines in these assessments. The units ‘An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities / Social Sciences’ will be assessed through a reflective portfolio. The ‘Individual Project’ unit will be assessed through a presentation and an extended essay. The 'Representations' unit will offer students the choice of undertaking either an academic essay, a creative response, or a reflective assignment that maps the cultural contexts of an individual or organisation outside the academy. ‘Global Bristol’ is assessed by a group presentation, written report and reflective commentary on extracts from a learning diary, all of which relate to a group research project devised by students. |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
---|---|
|
Many of these skills/attributes (1-6) will be addressed explicitly in the units ‘An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities/Social Sciences’, through seminar and small group discussions and in assignments to be completed week-to-week in independent study. In addition, students will be expected to put many of these skills (1-4) into practice in the What Does it Mean to be Human units, and ‘Global Bristol,’ through their contributions to seminar and tutorial discussions, in independent study, group research projects, and in written assignments. There will also be an opportunity to gain skills specifically relevant to utilising the knowledge that has been gained in professional and community settings in the 'Representations' unit and through the group research project in the ‘Global Bristol’ unit (5). The ‘Individual Project’ is designed to give students an opportunity to develop their understanding of the discipline in which they wish to specialise beyond the course (6) and is thus taught in a mode combining seminar discussion and support with individual mentoring and supervision. In this unit, students will thus also be given greater responsibility for the work they are undertaking. |
Methods of Assessment | |
These skills will be continually assessed through a range of assignments across all units, with a particular emphasis on essay and report writing and reflective assignments, but also including assessed presentations (‘Individual Project’; ‘Global Bristol’) and formal examinations ('What Does it Mean to be Human? 1'). |
Programme Intended Learning Outcomes | Learning and Teaching Methods |
---|---|
|
These issues (1-5) will be addressed primarily in the units ‘An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities/Social Sciences’, through seminar and small-group discussion and in individual consultations with tutors throughout the unit. ‘Global Bristol’ also offers students the opportunity to examine their experience of re-entering formal education with the help of theoretical frameworks from the Social Sciences (1). In addition, the ‘Individual Project’ is designed to enable students to (4) relate the process of making decisions about their future progress to a specialised piece of academic work within the programme. There will be an option for students to work collaboratively in the 'Representations' and ‘Global Bristol’ units and to develop skills that facilitate working with both fellow students and in a range of non-academic environments (4). |
Methods of Assessment | |
These skills/attributes will be assessed through the units ‘An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities/Social Sciences’, in the form of a portfolio of work submitted at the end of the unit. This portfolio will draw on practical tasks set each week, designed to help students reflect on the skills they are developing and their future plans. The exact nature of the tasks set may vary from year-to-year, but they might normally include reflection on time management and/or taking notes in lectures, to help place the work undertaken in the context of the student’s future plans within or beyond formal education. Students will also have an opportunity to reflect on their own educational history and current engagement in education in this assignment. This work will be assessed on a pass/fail basis as the work is seen principally as being formative and developmental in nature. The skills developed for working in teams/groups may be assessed through an optional reflective assignment in the 'Representations' unit and the assignments relating to the group research on the ‘Global Bristol unit’ (a group presentation, an individual report, a reflective commentary). |
Statement of expectations from the students at each level of the programme as it/they develop year on year.
Level C/4 - Certificate |
This programme is offered at Level C and aims to prepare students for progression to an undergraduate degree in in the arts and social sciences, normally via progression to commence such a programme at the same level. A student may be able to progress to Level I, where an appropriate route is identified and there is suitable evidence of the student’s preparedness to succeed at that level. Students will be expected to develop knowledge and understanding of a wide range of disciplines within the arts and social sciences and a range of skills relevant to study within them; to apply this knowledge in various activities within and beyond taught seminars; to demonstrate both their comprehension of what is learned and their ability to access, evaluate and analyse materials relevant to these subjects and to make reasoned judgements about them; and to demonstrate an ability to relate the theoretical questions that are introduced to the skills and attributes that may be required to solve problems in a variety of professional and community settings. In order to progress, students should normally have demonstrated the potential to apply what they have learned at this level with a greater degree of specialisation in a particular discipline. |
---|
The intended learning outcome mapping document shows which mandatory units contribute towards each programme intended learning outcome.
For information on the admissions requirements for this programme please see details in the undergraduate prospectus at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/ or contact the relevant academic department.
Workload Statement
In common with the rest of the University, units in the Faculty of Arts
adhere to the credit framework which sets out that 20 credits normally
equates to some 200 hours of student input. Some of this time will be spent
in class, with the remainder divided between preparation for classes and
preparation for, and completion of, the assessment tasks. Some of this
activity may occur within the University’s online learning environment,
Blackboard, which you may use to prepare wikis, to interact with other
students, to download tutorials or to receive feedback.
Assessment Statement
Please select the following link for a statement about assessment. This is University of Bristol access only.
https://www.bris.ac.uk/arts/current/under/assessment.html
Each year taster courses are offered for the foundation programme with local community organisations. Current and recent partners have included IDEAL Community Action, Bristol Refugee Rights, the Single Parent Action Network (SPAN) and the Meriton. These courses help to recruit a diverse range of students to the programme, including those who might not otherwise have the confidence to apply. The taster courses are informal, non-accredited and free to those attending and the curriculum for the course is developed collaboratively with the community partner. The opening of new pathways in the Social Sciences presents some exciting opportunities for new taster courses.
Contact hours: The course is offered full-time only but, in order to make it widely accessible, it is taught in particular hours. Students are required to attend university on 2 days per week (currently Mondays and Tuesdays) with all taught hours on those days between 10am and 3pm to make the course accessible for those with childcare commitments.
Progression to undergraduate study: A student may progress to an undergraduate degree in the Faculty on satisfactory completion (see below) of the Foundation programme. However, we cannot guarantee that a student may progress to their first choice of degree, as this will depend on student demand in any given year, on the areas in which a student has chosen to specialise within the Foundation programme and on the evidence of their existing strengths and success in that discipline. Where a student cannot progress to their first choice, we will do our best to ensure they are offered a satisfactory alternative. Students may request to suspend studies (in the normal way) for a year on completion of the Foundation programme if there is a strong case, for academic or personal reasons, that it would be in their interests to defer entry to an undergraduate programme. The normal regulations for a suspension of studies apply.
Overall mark for the foundation year: A student’s overall mark for the Foundation programme consists of Arts and Humanities Pathway: an average of their unit marks for What does it mean to be human? I, What does it mean to be human? II, the Individual Project and the Representations unit or other optional unit, weighted to acknowledge the credit points for each unit. A pass is also required in the unit An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities. Social Sciences Pathway: an average of their unit marks for What does it mean to be human? I, Global Bristol, the Individual Project and the Representations unit or other optional unit, weighted to acknowledge the credit points for each unit. A pass is also required in the unit An Introduction to Study in the Social Sciences. Students seeking to progress to degrees in the School of Law will need to sit the LNAT exam.
Exit award: If a student completes the foundation programme but chooses to leave without progressing to a degree, they may be awarded a Certificate in Higher Education (Arts and Humanities). In future, if the student achieves this award with an overall mark above 70%, the certificate will be awarded with distinction.
Satisfactory completion: The aim of this programme is to enable students to progress to an undergraduate degree. We are committed to enabling students to progress wherever they have satisfactorily completed the foundation programme and thus demonstrated a capacity to succeed at undergraduate level. For the purposes of this programme, satisfactory completion is defined as:
(i) An overall average of 60% or above;
(ii) An overall average of 50% or above and at least one unit mark of 60% or above;
(iii) An overall average of 40% (i.e. a pass) or above, subject to a progression review meeting with relevant academic staff.
Foundation Year in the Arts and Humanities
University of Bristol
Faculty of Arts
3/5 Woodland Road
Bristol BS8 1TB
E-mail: arts-fyah@bristol.ac.uk
Unit Name | Unit Code | Credit Points | Status | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
What Does It Mean To Be Human? I: The Modern World | AFAC10010 | 40 | Mandatory | TB-1 | |
Individual Project | AFAC10008 | 20 | Mandatory | TB-2 | |
Arts and Humanities Pathway - must also take: | |||||
An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities | AFAC10007 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
What Does it Mean to be Human? II: From Modern to Ancient | AFAC10006 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Arts and Humanities Pathway - choose 20 CP from: | |||||
Representations: (Re)-making the World | AFAC10009 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Post-Beginners French | UWLP10002 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Post-Beginners German | UWLP10005 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Post-Beginners Spanish | UWLP10010 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Social Sciences Pathway - must also take: | |||||
An Introduction to Study in the Social Sciences | SPAI10007 | 20 | Optional | TB-1 | |
Global Bristol | SPAI10008 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Social Sciences Pathway - choose 20 CP from: | |||||
Representations: (Re)-making the World | AFAC10009 | 20 | Optional | TB-2 | |
Post-Beginners French | UWLP10002 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Post-Beginners German | UWLP10005 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Post-Beginners Spanish | UWLP10010 | 20 | Optional | TB-4 | |
Foundation in Arts and Social Sciences (CertHE) | 120 |
Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:
For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.
For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.
Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.
All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.
Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 90 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.
The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).
An Ordinary degree can be awarded if a student has successfully completed at least 300 credits with a minimum of 60 credits at Level 6.
The pass mark for the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine and Dentistry is 50 out of 100. The classification of a degree in the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry is provided in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
Arts and Humanities Pathway
A student’s overall mark for the foundation year will consist of an average of their unit marks for:
Marks will be weighted to acknowledge the credit points for each unit. A pass is also required in the unit 'An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities'.
For the purposes of this pathway, satisfactory completion is defined as achieving an overall pass mark of 40% and a pass in the unit 'An Introduction to Study in the Arts and Humanities'.
Students who leave the University at this point will be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education. If the student achieves this award with an overall mark above 70%, the certificate will be awarded with distinction
Social Sciences Pathway
A student’s overall mark for the foundation year will consist of an average of their unit marks for:
Marks will be weighted to acknowledge the credit points for each unit. A pass is also required in the unit 'An Introduction to Study in the Social Sciences'.
For the purposes of this pathway, satisfactory completion is defined as achieving an overall pass mark of 40% and a pass in the unit 'An Introduction to Study in the Social Sciences'.
Students who leave the University at this point will be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education. If the student achieves this award with an overall mark above 70%, the certificate will be awarded with distinction.
Progression to Undergraduate Study
A student may progress to an undergraduate degree in the relevant Faculty on satisfactory completion (see below) of the Foundation programme. However, we cannot guarantee that a student may progress to their first choice of degree, as this will depend on student demand in any given year, on the areas in which a student has chosen to specialise within the Foundation programme and on the evidence of their existing strengths and success in that discipline. Where a student cannot progress to their first choice, we will do our best to ensure they are offered a satisfactory alternative. It is not currently possible for students to progress to degrees in the School of Economics and the School of Accounting and Finance. Students may request to suspend studies (in the normal way) for a year on completion of the Foundation programme if there is a strong case, for academic or personal reasons, that it would be in their interests to defer entry to an undergraduate programme. The normal regulations for a suspension of studies apply.
Satisfactory completion for the purpose of progression to an undergraduate degree is defined as:
(i) An overall average of 60% or above;
(ii) An overall average of 50% or above and at least one unit mark of 60% or above;
(iii) An overall average of 40% (i.e. a pass) or above, subject to a progression review meeting with relevant academic staff.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided.
University of Bristol,
Senate House,
Tyndall Avenue,
Bristol, BS8 1TH, UK
Tel: +44 (0)117 928 9000