A warm welcome to the start of your degree and your Foundation Year. It will prepare you and introduce you to your chosen academic pathway as you begin your journey to complete an undergraduate bachelors degree.

Dr Wendy Iredale
Foundation Year Coordinator

Key dates

Course start date: 16 September 2024

Academic Calendar: Semesters

View key dates for this Academic Calendar for 2024-25 including when teaching starts and finishes and when you break for holidays.  

Welcome and induction

Your Welcome Week is an essential introduction to your course and student life at CCCU, helping you to feel confident and prepared for your studies right from the very start.

It is important to check your Welcome Schedule for all the activities you are required to attend during the week.

We will let you know your group and room for the Meet your Personal Academic Tutor session during the Course Welcome on Monday 16th September. If you are unable to attend this session please go to Nt09 (Newton) at 3pm on Monday 16th to find out your group.

Your teaching timetable 

UniTimetables provides an overview of all teaching activities on a course. Your individual timetable will be available via MyTimetable and is personalised to show you what modules and groups you are expected to attend.

Your individual student timetable can only be produced once you have engaged with online registration and created your computing account. It is essential you complete these tasks when invited, so that your course team can assign you to your teaching activities and publish your individual timetable.

Find out more about all aspects of timetabling for new students including user guides.

Welcome

Week commencing 16th September 2024 is a welcome and induction week – you will receive information on this from the University in due course. You will be invited to a number of activities where you will be inducted into your course and the university. You will also be assigned (and speak with) your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT), who will provide you with academic and personal support and signpost you to other relevant departments for any additional help you may need. Week commencing Monday 23rd September 2024, the real work begins, as you start your first 3 modules…how exciting!

If you have any concerns about starting university, please do not fret, as this is perfectly normal. You will find the staff friendly, experienced and readily available to support you with your studies. We know that choosing to embark on a degree course is a big commitment in time, energy and money and we assure you that we are fully committed to helping you to reach your goal….so enjoy and embrace your future. We will be with you all the way!

 

Getting started

Over the course of the foundation year, you will take 6 modules, three in each semester.

Semester 1 (Sept-mid Jan) you will study:

  • Contemporary Issues in Sociology
  • Contemporary Issues in Politics & International Relations
  • Academic Skills 1

In semester 2 (mid Jan-mid May) you will study:

  • Contemporary Issues in Psychology
  • Contemporary Issues in Applied Criminology
  • Academic Skills 2

You will be assessed in a variety of ways including; learning portfolios, essays, reflective diaries, and academic posters. The academic skills modules will support you with these types of assessment and in developing essential study skills required at degree level.

Handbooks for each of the semester 1 modules will be available via Blackboard (the university’s virtual learning environment where staff post information relating to your course of study) when you start in September. These outline the content of each teaching session and the assessment requirements/deadlines.

Over the summer, please keep an eye on your personal email, and once pre-registered your student portal, for any further information that we may send to you. You can also keep up to date via our faculty social media channel: Faculty Instagram

 

Additional Resources:

Your welcome and induction will be w/c 16 September 2024 - we look forward to meeting you then.

 

Community

On the social side, the Student Union (CCSU) has a huge range of clubs and societies – all of which have unique social calendars of their own and offer endless opportunities to make lifelong friends and discover new hobbies. And you can always create your own society and cultivate your own community!

CCSU will be hosting their Welcome Fayre on Wednesday 18th September 2024. Make sure you keep checking the CCSU website for further details and how to get involved.

We understand that you may be nervous about your first few weeks on campus but rest assured - you'll be joining a nurturing and supportive environment where diversity, equality and individuality are part of everything we do.

You can find out more about our welcoming community and making friends.

If you are an International Student joining us then please see our International Student Support pages for further information and guidance.

 

Pre-course reading

Psychology

  • Martin, G. N., Carlson, N. R., & Buskist, W. (2019).Psychology (6th Edition). Harlow. England: Pearson

Politics

  • Edkins, J., Zehfuss. M. (2019). Global Politics: An Introduction, Abingdon: Routledge

Sociology

  • Cant, S., and Hardes, J. (2021). How to be a Sociologist. London: Collins

Applied Criminology

  • Burke, R. (2014) An Introduction to Criminological Theory. Abingdon: Routledge.

Academic Skills

  • Cottrell, S (2019). The Study Skills Handbook Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke [Primary]
  • Crème, P. & Lea, M. (2008). Writing at University: A guide for students (3rd ed). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.

Whilst all textbooks will be available from our University library, it is useful to note that the University Bookshop offers 10% discount on most titles in print and have some price-beating book bundles. They also price match Amazon on core texts recommended in the module handbooks you will receive when you start in September.

 

International student success programme

International students: don't miss out! Make sure you register for our international student success programme which provides practical advice on preparing to live and study in the UK.

Contact details

If you have any enquiries, please contact the course team at foundation.FSESS@canterbury.ac.uk