The Applied Sciences Foundation Year (Hons) course at Northumbria University is designed to provide fundamental scientific knowledge and skills, to give you experience in a range of science fields before you choose your ultimate degree destination. These areas include Biology, Chemistry, Food Science and Forensic Science, establishing your laboratory skills, basic numeracy skills, data handling, ICT and study skills. Many of our students report that, having completed this foundation course, they feel more confident and much better prepared to begin their chosen degree.
This foundation year will allow you to hit the ground running in your chosen career path . With successful completion you can automatically progress on to one of our 10 full-time, accredited science degrees.
Learn From The Best
You will learn from the best Ð our academic staff have a genuine passion for their subject. Our courses are at the forefront of current knowledge and practice, and are shaped by world-leading and internationally excellent research.
The academic team are active researchers in their chosen specialisms and routinely impart this knowledge into their teaching, as well as scientific conferences and publications. Furthermore, many of our staff are experienced and established within their professional science bodies, thereby informing policy and practices within their profession.
Our staff's talent is also recognised by others. Northumbria was rated in the top 20 in the UK in eleven subjects, and in the top five in three subjects, by the Complete University Guide 2015.
Learning Environment
We teach in large, modern, well-equipped labs with audio-visual facilities to enhance our ability to demonstrate techniques or interesting observations. Our laboratories, equipment and bespoke subject-specific facilities (for example a dedicated crime scene house and state-of-the-art- laboratories) provide students with Ôreal worldÕ experiences and learning opportunities directly applicable to their future degree subject. This authenticity is evident in all aspects of the course from lectures through to assessment design.
Research-Rich Learning
Our expert, enthusiastic staff are at the heart of our department, on hand to offer guidance and support throughout your course. The Department of Applied Sciences contributes primarily to the UniversityÕs research themes in Cellular and Molecular Sciences and Health and Lifestyle Studies. We have research groups in: Applied Chemistry; Health Interventions and Wellbeing Research; Mammalian Cell Biology and Immunology; Microbiology; and Forensic Science.
We encourage early-career researchers and have a distinctive appeal based on academic excellence, entrepreneurialism and innovation. Our academics balance teaching, research and working with external organisations.
Give Your Career An Edge
This course is specifically designed to inspire and support your progression onto one of our applied BSc science degree courses. On successful completion of the course you will have gained sufficient knowledge and experience to decide which scientific career path is the right one for you and have the relevant entry criteria to move onto it. You will have the range of essential skills both analytical and practical, plus assessment experience which means that you will be confident to progress on to the full degree of your chosen career path.
The transferable skills that you will gain in the course are also relevant to and valued by employers. These include critical thinking, effective group work, data-mining through use of electronic and classical sources of information, record-keeping, problem solving, independent learning and the communication of ideas to various audiences.
Your Future
The Applied Sciences department is business focused Ð we seek to develop sustainable partnerships with industry and commerce to benefit you, the student.
The applied nature of research has enabled enterprise and consultancy to be established in collaboration with a wide range of industrial partners ranging from large multi-nationals to small companies based in the region and nationally.
Your skills will be developed to meet the needs identified by our partners, and your lab-ready skillset will be demonstrated to potential employers through placements and graduate recruitment available once you progress onto the full degree.
