what is foundation course in humanities and social sciences

by Arch Nikolaus 4 min read

On the Foundation Year in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cambridge you will study a specially designed multi-disciplinary course that will focus on deeper learning skills and preparation for the academic demands of Higher Education.

Full Answer

What are the humanities and Social Sciences?

What are Humanities and Social Sciences? Humanities and Social Sciences are very broad fields of studies. It consists of two parts – the humanities and the social sciences. For the humanities part, you will get to learn a lot about philosophy, history, literature, religion, music, and the human condition. Whereas social sciences are more related to human behaviour.

What are humanities courses?

On the Foundation Year, you can expect a challenging academic curriculum in the arts, humanities and social sciences. This offers the best possible preparation for the rigours of a Cambridge degree course by broadening and deepening your knowledge and understanding as well as introducing you to the ways students learn at Cambridge.

What foundation courses are required for a BSc in social sciences?

Completing the Foundation Year will equip students to continue to a wide range of degree courses in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. At Cambridge, completing the course to the required standard will allow you to progress on to one of 18 degree courses. Some courses require completion of relevant curriculum streams.

What is an example of a foundation course?

The humanities is a term including art, literature, and music, as well as cultural studies involving history, philosophy, religion, and politics: Sample Arts Courses: Introduction to Visual Arts, Introduction to Music Theory, Shakespearean Literature: Sample Cultural Courses: African-American Literature, Ancient Philosophy, History of Women

Course options

This course is not accepting applications at this time. Please contact the provider to find out more.

Course summary

A free and fully-funded one-year residential course designed to offer a stepping stone to Cambridge for those who have experienced educational disadvantage.

How to apply

This course is not accepting applications at this time. Please contact the provider to find out more.

Unistats information

The Unistats dataset is produced by the Higher Education Statistics Agency on behalf of the UK higher education funding and regulatory bodies. It includes data from national student surveys, information collected from higher education providers, and other official datasets. It is published in full on the Discover Uni website.

What is foundation year in arts, humanities and social sciences?

On the Foundation Year in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cambridge you will study a specially designed multi-disciplinary course that will focus on deeper learning skills and preparation for the academic demands of Higher Education. You will have the ability to choose papers from across several streams and gain subject knowledge relevant to your future degree course as well as being introduced to new subjects and approaches.

What is Foundation Year?

The Foundation Year intends to address educational disadvantage and disruption. To be considered for the programme, you should meet one or more criteria from at least two of the categories detailed below (unless you are care-experienced) and will ordinarily be resident in the UK.

What are UCAS points?

UCAS Tariff Points translate your qualifications and grades into a numerical value depending on the qualification type or size and the grade you achieve.

Do you pay tuition for foundation year?

There are no tuition fees charged for the Foundation Year. However, if you continue to study at Cambridge by progressing to a degree course you will need to pay the tuition fee for that course. Find out more about our tuition fees.

What is the humanities?

The humanities refer to courses in two major categories, arts and culture, that are designed to enrich a student's knowledge of the world beyond their own life. Even for degrees in engineering and physical sciences, at least a few humanities courses are typically required.

What does "university" mean in humanities?

What Does a University Mean When It Refers to the Humanities? Universities offering degrees are concerned with creating well-rounded graduates who meet a basic level of education in a variety of subjects aside from their major, and one aspect of this is an education in the humanities.

What is the arts?

The arts is a foundation of humanities and includes studio arts, music, and literature. Low level courses in the arts which can be used to meet graduation requirements will typically cover the basics and founding principles without getting too in-depth.

What is African American studies?

African-American studies is a common cultural focus at universities in the US, looking at the subculture that exists, the history, the role African-Americans have played in wider American history, and literature produced by African American authors.

Is foreign language considered humanities?

Depending on the university, there may be other course options that could fulfill a humanities requirement. Foreign languages are typically a separate requirement, but may be considered humanities, and side courses within the department studying a particular culture may count, even if a course in that language is a prerequisite.

Course Descriptions and Abbreviations

Foundation courses are listed below according to the area they satisfy (English composition; fine arts, humanities; etc.). Some Foundation courses will appear in two or more Foundation areas.

Foundation III. Global Perspectives (6 hours)

Six hours of Foundation credit from any Miami-approved Study Abroad program.

What is the importance of social sciences and humanities?

An education in the humanities and social sciences provides graduates with essential skills that stay with them throughout their personal and professional lives. Students develop critical thinking, analytical, logic and presentation skills throughout the course of their degrees.

What are the careers of social science and humanities students?

The fact that skills gained by humanities and social science students can be applied to all facets of life makes for extremely rewarding careers. Graduates can be educators, policy makers, international development professionals and journalists, all over the span of a couple of decades.

How many students are there at the University of Bath?

Image courtesy of the University of Bath. Located in one of southwest England’s most picturesque cities, the University of Bath is home to 15,000 students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Is humanities more competitive than social science?

Further, recent studies have revealed that salaries for humanities and social science graduates are much more competitive than many are led to believe. While starting salaries tend to be lower for humanities graduates, the gap narrows dramatically as their careers progress.

Do employers value humanities and social sciences?

They shouldn’t. Thanks to the invaluable skills discussed above, humanities and social sciences graduates are highly valued by employers. Countless surveys have shown that most employers value written and oral communication, problem solving and critical thinking over technical expertise.

What are the classic fields of social science?

In the academic world the classic fields of social science are evolving and intermingling. Economics now embraces behavior, anthropology looks at gender balance, law considers the effects of human psychology on memory… the list goes on and on. Even the “hard” sciences, such as ecology, now measure the impact of human behavior on our physical world.

What is social science?

What Is “Social Science?”. The Social Sciences are as varied as the interests of humankind, but they share a fascination with human behavior and organizations. From the beginning of recorded history, humans have organized their societies using myriad systems—political, religious, economic, and social. Those organizational systems, and our ...

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