Social Sciences and Humanities with a Foundation Year

4-5 years full-time (Foundation year + Undergraduate course + Optional placement year)

Typical offer
BBB Entry requirements
Fees for 2024-25
UK: £9,250
International: See ONCAMPUS Loughborough

Fees for 2025-26 entry are to be confirmed.

UCAS code
L3FY
Start date
October 2025
Institute code
L79

Overview

This course is primarily for candidates who have not studied the prerequisite subjects needed for first year entry, or have not met their expected entrance requirements due to adverse situations, or because of their previous sport performance commitments, as well as mature students returning to education or care leavers.

Our Foundation Studies programme at Loughborough is designed to help a range of students realise their university ambitions. Our streamed approach enables you to progress on to one of multiple courses within your chosen stream – giving you further time to decide which course is right for you.

The foundation programme would suit:

Students who have not studied the prerequisite subjects needed for first year entry on a preferred course;

  • Students who did not meet the expected entrance requirements due to adverse situations (including illness or caring responsibilities);
  • Mature students or care leavers;
  • Students performing at elite athlete level who have the added challenge of combining study with high-level sporting competition.

As a student on the course, you will be a full member of the University, enjoying access to the Students’ Union, clubs, societies, sports facilities and support departments, and the outstanding student experience Loughborough University offers.

This course is placed within the Business, Social Sciences and Humanities stream which is one of our four Foundation streams. Foundation courses in this stream include:

  • Business with a Foundation Year (elite athlete only)
  • Economics with a foundation Year (elite athlete only)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities with a Foundation Year

More information on our four Foundation streams can be found here

Why complete a foundation year

  • Completing a foundation year within the Business, Social Sciences and Humanities Stream will enable you to progress onto the first year of our Social Sciences and Humanities or any course, provided the relevant progression criteria are met.
  • Completing a foundation year can be a real attribute to your overall degree success. It not only opens doors to courses that may have previously looked closed, but also provides a sound base on which to establish a successful academic career. Many who have completed the foundation pathway have also said how beneficial it was to them in supporting their transition into university life.
  • Our foundation course is taught in-house by university staff

The Foundation Studies course also offers the opportunity for students performing at a very high standard in their chosen sport, looking to join one of our sporting performance programmes, who wish to study at Loughborough, but do not have the required qualifications. It is ideal for students who wish to combine their performance sports training with academic study. If you think your sport profile qualifies you to be considered for the elite athletes programme, please contact performancesport@lboro.ac.ukbefore applying.

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Why you should choose us

What you'll study

The Foundation Programme is integrated into your degree and prepares you for degree-level study in a supportive learning environment. Our modules are taught by University academics who have significant experience of teaching in Higher or Further Education, pursue research in innovation in e-learning and help to shape the National Foundation Year Network policies.

When you come to study a foundation programme, you will have both compulsory and optional modules (which are pathway dependant) that prepare you for your chosen degree subject. These are taught within the same high tech University spaces as those studying undergraduate degrees. For subsequent undergraduate course modules, see individual course pages.

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring module details for the current year of study. Modules are reviewed on an annual basis and may be subject to future changes – revised details will be published through Programme Specifications ahead of each academic year. Please see Terms and Conditions of Study for more information.

Study areas

We are introducing exciting changes to our Foundation year courses for 2024. Our new Foundation courses and their associated modules have been redesigned to offer a more tailored learning experience in preparation for your chosen destination degree.

The information below is intended as an example only, featuring example content for this course: 

Compulsory material in Business & Economics, Humanities and Citizenship, academic & research skills.

Business and economic courses are only available to elite athletes.
If you think your sport profile qualifies you to be considered for the elite athletes programme, please contact performancesport@lboro.ac.ukbefore applying. 

How you'll study

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Independent study
  • Group work
  • Workshops
  • Laboratory work
  • Practical sessions

How you'll be assessed

Foundation modules are assessed via written exams and/ or coursework assignments.

Some modules are continually assessed throughout the year. Typical coursework assignments include: laboratory reports, essays, poster presentations, assessed tutorials, workshops and peer review (review fellow students’ performance). It is expected that for every hour you are in a structured class, you should spend two hours of your own time researching, writing up, learning work or doing set questions etc.

Elite athlete pathway available

Our foundation programme now also offers the opportunity for students performing at a very high sporting level who are looking to join one of our performance programmes and study at Loughborough, but do not have the required qualifications due to sporting commitments.

The Elite Athlete Foundation Programme is ideal for students who wish to combine their sports training with academic study. We generally define ‘elite athlete level’ as competing at junior international level or higher, or expecting to do so within the next 12 months.

If you think your sport profile qualifies you to be considered for the elite athletes programme, please contact performancesport@lboro.ac.uk before applying.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

The entry requirements for each course should be read alongside the University’s general entry requirements which give further details on acceptable subjects, alternative UK and international qualifications and minimum English language requirements.

General entry requirements

Contextual admissions

The University’s admissions process uses contextual information to provide insights into the context in which your academic qualifications have been achieved. This may influence the typical offers listed below.

Contextual admissions

United Kingdom

Typical A level offer

BBB

Typical IB offer

32 points overall

Typical BTEC offer

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: DDD

GCSE

A minimum of 5 GCSE grades 9 - 4 (A*-C) including Maths and English Language

Other

T Level

Merit Overall
B in Core Component

T Levels in Accounting; Finance; Management and Administration; Engineering and Manufacturing; Health and Science are considered.
Other relevant T Level subjects may be considered on a case by case basis.

Selection

This course enables entry into a selection of our Social Sciences courses for students that have not studied the correct subjects, or not quite achieved the qualifications required, perhaps due to illness, family issues or other commitments. Offers will not normally be made to those who apply simply because their A-level grades/predictions are below the requirements for direct entry to the degree course.

Students who are eligible for this course include:

  • Those wishing to study a degree without the appropriate background
  • Students performing at a very high standard in a chosen sport, who wish to study at Loughborough, but do not have the required qualifications due to sporting commitments
  • Mature students returning to education
  • Those who did not meet their expected entrance requirements due to illness or other adverse situations
  • Students with alternative backgrounds and qualifications

Applications are treated on a case by case basis and a number of other personal situations may also be considered. Applicants are usually selected solely on the basis of their UCAS application, but in exceptional cases, an interview and/or maths test may be required. If applicants are made an offer of a place they will be invited to visit the department, meet staff and students, see facilities and get an insight into what it is like to be a student at Loughborough.

*If you think your sport profile qualifies you to be considered for the elite athletes programme, please contact performancesport@lboro.ac.uk before applying.

Tuition fees for 2024 entry

UK fees

Full-time course per annum
£9,250

International fees

See ONCAMPUS Loughborough

International students may be eligible for a Foundation course at ONCAMPUS Loughborough. ONCAMPUS Loughborough works in partnership with Loughborough University and offers guaranteed progression onto our courses subject to meeting progression criteria.

Fees for 2025-26 entry are to be confirmed.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. University fees and charges can be paid in advance and there are several methods of payment, including online payments and payment by instalment.

Additional costs

While the cost of your tuition covers lots of things, it doesn’t cover everything. For instance, this course doesn’t cover the cost of any stationery, printing, books or re-assessments which you might need.

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