Description of a higher education qualification at level 5: Foundation Degree
The description provided for this level of the FHEQ (The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) is here below whcih also includes other level 5 qualifications such as Diplomas of Higher Education, Higher National Diplomas and so on.
Foundation Degrees are awarded to students who have demonstrated:
- Knowledge and critical understanding of the well established principles of their area(s) of study, and of the way in which those principles have developed
- Ability to apply underlying concepts and principles outside the context in which they were first studied, including, where appropriate, the application of those principles in an employment context
- Knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in the subject(s) relevant to the named award, and ability to evaluate critically the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems in the field of study
- An understanding of the limits of their knowledge, and how this influences analyses and interpretations based on that knowledge.
Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:
- Use a range of established techniques to initiate and undertake critical analysis of information, and to propose solutions to problems arising from that analysis
- Effectively communicate information, arguments and analysis in a variety of forms to specialist and non-specialist audiences, and deploy key techniques of the discipline effectively
- Undertake further training, develop existing skills and acquire new competences that will enable them to assume significant responsibility within organisations.
And holders will have:
- the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision-making.
- Holders of qualifications at this level will have developed a sound understanding of the principles in their field of study, and will have learned to apply those principles more widely. Through this, they will have learned to evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems. Their studies may well have had a vocational orientation, for example HNDs, enabling them to perform effectively in their chosen field. Holders of qualifications at this level will have the qualities necessary for employment in situations requiring the exercise of personal responsibility and decision-making.
Here are the titles of UK Foundation Degrees : Foundation Degrees (eg, FdA, FdSc), Diplomas of Higher Education (DipHE), Higher National Diplomas (HND),
Source: QAA (UK Quality Code for Higher Education)