Foundation Year in Computing

The foundation year is designed to prepare you for undergraduate study in computing. During the year you’ll learn the foundations of how to program a computer. You’ll work on practical examples of computing applications and learn to develop simple software programs which gradually increase in complexity. You’ll also work on your mathematical and problem-solving skills, as well as more general study skills.

The Foundation Year includes four integrated units of study:

Module title	Credits
Studying Computers Studying Computers 30 credits This module is designed to support your learning process by covering basic knowledge and skills necessary for the operation of computer systems and student-centred learning. This will help students in their transition to Higher Education and cover lacks in operative knowledge necessary for students to benefit from the learning environment in the Department of Computing. Topics Covered:  Study Skills Academic writing model –a way to approach longer writing tasks, e.g. essays, reports Paragraphing –producing clear, well-structured paragraphs Understanding tasks –making sure you understand exactly what you are being asked to do Reading –How to get to grips with difficult academic texts Writing style: academic language versus everyday language Referencing and bibliography –how to use quotations properly and avoid plagiarism! Time management Presentation skills –how to prepare and deliver an effective academic presentation Use of Computers Introduction to Departmental Facilities Computing Hardware and networks Web Technologies & Coding: Use of departmental server for web publishing Service Functionality, Service Interface User Experience and design of software artefacts Social Issues and Professional Responsibilities	30 credits
Foundations of Problem Solving Foundations of Problem Solving 30 credits This module aims to provide basic problem-solving strategies relevant to compute programming, by controlling the definition and use of algorithms to control data and achieve a task. This module is designed to be taught concurrently with the Foundations of Computer Programming module to students with little or no experience with computer programming. It complements the bottom-up tendency of the syntax based Programming module by providing a top-down view of programming. It is expected that this will increase students interest in and understanding of algorithms, and clarity and efficiency when programming, which are fundamental when pursuing a career in Computing.	30 credits
Foundations of Programming Foundations of Programming 30 credits This module aims to give students a basic understanding of computer programming. On completion, students should have the necessary skills to be able to design, build and test a small system in a high-level language that supports object-oriented programming (eg. Python).	30 credits
Foundations of Mathematics for Computing Foundations of Mathematics for Computing 30 credits This will introduce you to some basic yet fundamental mathematics that underpins many of the information technology and software systems of today.	30 credits

Teaching style

This programme is taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops. You’ll also be expected to undertake a significant amount of independent study. This includes carrying out required and additional reading, preparing topics for discussion, and producing essays or project work.

The following information gives an indication of the typical proportions of learning and teaching for each year of this programme*:

• Year 0 - 23% scheduled learning, 77% independent learning
• Years 1-3 - see individual degree pages

How you’ll be assessed

You’ll be assessed by a variety of methods, depending on your module choices. These include coursework, examinations, group work and projects.

The following information gives an indication of how you can typically expect to be assessed on each year of this programme*:

• Year 0 - 48% coursework, 47% written exam, 5% practical
• Years 1-3 - see individual degree pages

*Please note that these are averages are based on enrolments for the traditional pathway in 2022/23. Each student’s time in teaching, learning and assessment activities will differ based on individual module choices. Find out more about how this information is calculated.

Download the programme specification.

Please note that due to staff research commitments not all of these modules may be available every year.

Between 2020 and 2022 we needed to make some changes to how programmes were delivered due to Covid-19 restrictions. For more information about past programme changes please visit our programme changes information page.

There are no formal entry qualifications for this programme, and we will consider all relevant qualifications and related experience.

You will be required to submit a personal statement with your application. See guidance on writing a personal statement.

International qualifications

We also accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.0 no element lower than 5.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for degree-level study.

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2023/2024 academic year.

From August 2021 EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for 'Home' fee status. EU/EEA/Swiss nationals will be classified as 'International' for fee purposes, more information can be found on our fees page.

• Home - full-time: £9250
• Home - part-time: £4625
• International - full-time: £18930

If your fees are not listed here, please check our undergraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

We offer a wide range of scholarships and bursaries, and our careers service can also offer advice on finding work during your studies. Find out more about funding your studies with us.

The Foundation Year prepares you with the skills and knowledge necessary for studies in computing. If you successfully complete the Foundation Year and are admitted to one of our undergraduate degrees you'll benefit from the following skills and career possibilities.

Industrial placement year

Our degree programmes include an optional Industrial Placement Year between the second and third year of study. This offers you the invaluable opportunity to develop the practical skills and real world experience that is sought after by employers. You're supported throughout your placement year by a placement tutor, who provides you with guidance and liaises between you and your employer.

Skills

Studying computing at Goldsmiths will provide you with technical skills including:

• a strong understanding of how to design, develop and apply software in all areas of commerce and industry
• an awarenesss of the fundamentals of computing (hardware, software, architecture and operating systems)
• an understanding of programming languages
• a clear sense of the issues involved in building and maintaining reliable software for the sophisticated demands of today's market and for the software industry as it develops throughout the 21st century
• an understanding of the social context and visual design aspects of software development together with the technical skills of programming

Our degrees have a large proportion of practical work in which you must deliver software projects, both individually and in groups. This mirrors as closely as possible a real world work environment. These projects develop your technical skills but also require you to tackle the broader aspects of the software development process, such as understanding users' needs and requirements and the design of interfaces on a number of platforms – from web pages to touch screen phones.

You'll also gain skills in teamwork, creative thinking, report writing, time management and organisation, presenting reasoned arguments to a range of audiences, and retrieval of information – all of which are sought by graduate employers.

Careers

The explosive and ever-growing use of technology in business and commerce means that there's a whole range of different career possibilities for computing graduates. In terms of job opportunities and salaries, the IT sector is well ahead of most other industrial and commercial sectors.

Where do Goldsmiths computing graduates work?

Some of the recent graduate level careers for computing graduates have included:

• Application programmer
• Mobile App developer
• Web developer
• Video game developer
• Film special effects and post-production
• Computer music/sound engineer
• Interface designer
• Systems analyst
• Database manager

Employers include:

• FDM Academy
• Hepco Motion
• ACL
• Jigsaw Systems Ltd
• KCom
• Sanna Systems Ltd

Find out more about employability at Goldsmiths.