Step Up To Higher Education University Foundation Certificate

The courses will be taught by a wide combination of tutors including academic specialist subject staff, study skills tutors, library and IT specialists. In your first week with us you will assigned a specific tutor who will be your personal contact throughout the programme. They will help you to find your feet and offer guidance on future study routes that may be open to you. Student Ambassadors - existing students at the university and colleges - will be available at different points in the programme to offer support and information from a student perspective.
The certificate course is made up of two separate modules which are designed to introduce you to some of the skills you’ll need at university as well as giving you the opportunity to sample some subjects you may think about studying.
Module 1: Step up to HE: Enhancing your Skills
This course will help you build your confidence as a learner, enabling you to identify where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and how you can build your skills for the future. It will help you develop the skills necessary for successful study in Higher Education such as note-taking, preparing for lectures and seminars and research skills. You will find out more about how to use the library and the extensive range of IT support materials.
Module 2: Step up to HE: Subject Tasters and Guidance for the Future
In this module you will sample a range of learning perspectives from a selection of academic disciplines across the University. You will explore and experience a variety of learning and teaching approaches that will introduce you to some of the subjects you can study at Staffordshire University or our SURF colleges.
Throughout the module you will also be offered opportunities for advice and guidance about which future study route will be best for you. During both modules, you will work with tutors who’ll be able to tell you more about learning at university and you will have the opportunity to talk to Student Ambassadors about their experiences and how they got to university.