Many alternatives to the traditional route into university now exist. Two types of undergraduate qualification, the Foundation Degree and the Certificate of Higher Education, are increasingly popular and attract students for a variety of reasons.
Read more about them below, or browse our list of CertHE courses.
Foundation Degree (FdA / FdSc) - Levels 4 and 5
A Foundation Degree is an employment-related qualification at higher education level. It is designed to equip you with the higher-level skills and knowledge that not only meet the needs of employers, but also offer you the opportunity to develop personally and professionally.
To achieve the qualification, you must obtain a minimum of 240 credits. The successful completion of a Foundation Degree can lead into the third year of an appropriate honours degree programme.
Our Foundation Degrees:
- Inclusive Education (Foundation Degree)
- Professional Practice (Foundation)
- Sinology (Foundation) - Pre-BA
We also offer Foundation Years in a range of Humanities courses.
Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) – Level 4
A Certificate of Higher Education is worth 120 credits, and is equivalent to the first year of a full-time Bachelor's degree.
At UWTSD we offer a wide range of CertHE programmes. Some are part of a full-time degree, so if you complete the first year of a BSc, BA or BEng and decide not to continue, you may be awarded a CertHE. Others, such as Art and Design Foundation (CertHE) or Digital Skills (CertHE), are standalone. In most cases, the credits that you earn from a CertHE count towards Recognition of Prior Learning, and can be taken into account in applications for other qualifications.
A CertHE can be a great choice if, for example:
- you want to study at university-level, but don't want to commit to a full course;
- you have been out of education for some time and would like a gentle reintroduction;
- you don't have traditional qualifications such as A-Levels, and are seeking a route into an undergraduate degree.
Advocacy
- Advocacy (Carmarthen)
Education
- Early Years Education and Care (Carmarthen, Swansea)
- Early Years Education and Care: Early Years Practitioner Status (Carmarthen, Swansea)
- Teaching and Training Skills for Professional Contexts (Swansea)
Humanities and Cultural Studies
- Celtic Studies and Medieval Studies (Online, Carmarthen)
- Social Studies (Carmarthen)
Psychology, Wellbeing and Counselling
- Applied Psychology (Carmarthen)
- Psychology (Swansea)
- Psychology and Counselling (Swansea)
- Psychology and Criminology (Swansea)
- Understanding Mental Health (Swansea)
Catering, Hospitality and Tourism
- Events and International Festivals Management (Swansea)
- International Gastronomy Management (Swansea)
- Travel, Tourism and Leisure Management (Swansea)
Health and Social Care
- Care (Swansea)
- Health and Care Management (Swansea)
- Health and Care of Children and Young People (Swansea)
- Health and Social Care (Swansea)
- Health, Nutrition and Lifestyle (Carmarthen)
- Nursing Studies and Health (Carmarthen, Swansea)
Law, Crime and Policing
- Criminology and Criminal Justice (Swansea) – begins in 2024
- Emergency Preparedness and Civil Protection (Swansea)
- Law and Legal Practice (Swansea)
- Policing Profession (Swansea)
Business and Skills for the Workplace
- Applied Leadership and Management in the Workplace (South Wales, delivered locally)
- Business and Management (Carmarthen, Lampeter)
- Developing Sustainable Enterprises – Community Sport (Carmarthen, Lampeter Swansea)
- Developing Sustainable Enterprises – Rural (Carmarthen, Lampeter, Swansea)
- Employability Skills (Cardiff, Newport, Swansea)
- Managing Retail for Growth (Swansea)
- Social Enterprise Management (Carmarthen)
Sport and Sports Education
- Outdoor Adventure Education (Carmarthen)
- Personal Training and Sport Massage (Carmarthen)
- Physical Education (Carmarthen)
- Sport and Exercise Science (Carmarthen)
Art and Design
- Art and Design Foundation (Swansea)
- Automotive and Transport Design (Swansea)
Computing
- Digital Skills (Swansea)
- STEM Computing (Swansea)
Film and TV
- Adventure Filmmaking (Carmarthen)
- Film and TV (Swansea)
Music and Theatre
- Creative Music Technology (Swansea)
Technology and Construction
- Professional Skills for Construction (Swansea)
- Skills for Electronics (Swansea)
- Skills for Engineering (Swansea)
- STEM Computing (Swansea)
- STEM Electronics (Swansea)
- STEM Environmental (Swansea)