Choosing the foundation degree or top-up route.
University Centre Leeds has foundation degree awarding powers enabling us to provide our graduates with higher education qualifications recognised and valued worldwide.
Foundation degrees are respected qualifications in their own right and develop specific expertise, relevant to a particular sector. Unless stated, foundation degrees generally last two years when studied on a full-time basis.
A top-up course is ideal for students who have already completed a relevant foundation degree or HND and wishing to top up their qualification to gain a full honours degree.
Benefits of the foundation degree and top-up route
- Develop the skills and behaviours that employers are looking for
- Developed so you can gain a degree around your lifestyle
Our courses are:
- Designed with employers: we ensure you’re equipped with the skills for graduate employment.
- Dedicated to excellence: our latest National Student Survey show the highest results for student satisfaction across all HE providers in Leeds for the third year running.
- Done your way: part time courses, flexible degrees, and support for those returning to study later in life are all our speciality.
City-centre location
You’ll be in a bustling city that’s rich in culture and heritage. Leeds ensures that whether you’re into galleries or gastropubs, libraries or laser tag, museums or markets, you’ll find yourself right at home in a place that often tops the polls for best student city.
What Qualifications Do We Offer?
A Honours degree (BA/BSc - Bachelor of Arts/Science) is a full undergraduate qualification designed to provide comprehensive academic and practical learning over three years. BA degrees enable students to gain a deep understanding of their chosen subject, along with the development of key transferable skills such as critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and research methodologies.
Our degrees offer a balanced mix of theoretical knowledge and practical application, with a range of modules covering industry-relevant skills, work placements, and project-based learning. Students graduate with a strong foundation in their discipline, fully prepared to enter the workforce or pursue further studies.
A full degree is ideal for students who wish to gain a broad, in-depth education in their field of interest and achieve a widely recognised qualification that opens up various career and postgraduate study opportunities.
The main higher education qualification we offer is the foundation degree.
Foundation degrees develop specific expertise relevant to a particular sector of industry, including key transferable skills such as learning skills, management of self, communication skills, ICT, numeracy skills, and academic writing.
These flexible qualifications and are designed to meet the need of employers for highly skilled, work-ready personnel. They are like Higher National Diplomas, but with added emphasis on work-based learning.
Foundation degrees generally last two years when studied on a full-time basis.
A top-up course is suitable for students who have already completed a relevant foundation degree or HND and wishing to top up their qualification to gain a full honours degree.
You will study for one-year (full-time) to top-up your existing qualifications into a full undergraduate degree. Our Top-Ups are only available for students who have completed a foundation degree, Higher National Diploma or equivalent qualification.
Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) are new Level 4 and 5 qualifications that have been developed by employers.
The HTQs we offer at University Centre Leeds are all foundation degrees, allowing students to gain both a foundation degree and a technical qualification.
HTQs meet the occupational standards of their sector. This means that students get the exact training, knowledge and skills required for their chosen career.
So, if you’re looking to gain the technical skills to enter a specific career, a HTQ could be right for you
How Does the Timetabling Work?
We tailor our degrees around our students and their commitments outside of studying.
Our full-time timetable schedules two days of attendance per week. This is done to make it possible for you to work alongside your studies or maintain personal commitments such as caring/parental duties.
We tailor our degrees around our students and their commitments outside of studying.
Part time students attend only the university centre one day per week and are expected to be working within the sector. Please email admissions@ucleeds.ac.uk for more details.
What Can I Study?
See Business and Leadership courses.
See Creative Arts courses.
See Digital courses.
See Engineering courses.
See Health courses.
See Law courses.
See Performing Arts and Production Arts courses.
See Science courses.
See Sport courses.
See Teaching & Education courses.
See Travel and Tourism courses.
