Foundation Year in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (pre-degree course)

**All applicants for this course must apply via UCAS by 25 January 2023**

Students interested in the Foundation Year are strongly encouraged to sign up to the Foundation Year mailing list for additional information and support.

You can also read about the next steps in Your Applicant Journey.

Foundation Year at Cambridge

If you want to study courses in the Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences and circumstances have prevented you from realising your academic potential, this is an opportunity not to miss.​ This innovative route is designed for a new field of candidates to help them realise their academic potential through a full-time, residential programme fully embedded in the Collegiate University. The course is open to those ordinarily resident in the UK and applicants must meet eligibility criteria.

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. Foundation Year students will also benefit from being part of the University, including being part of a College community and having full access to all the University's societies and facilities to pursue your interests.

Finally, you will gain a nationally recognised Certificate of Higher Education and upon finishing the course you will have the option to continue to a number of suitable undergraduate degree courses at Cambridge.

Progression and further study

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. Courses you could progress to are:

• Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic*
• Archaeology*
• Asian and Middle Eastern Studies*
• Classics*
• Education
• English
• History
• History and Politics
• History and Modern Languages*
• History of Art*
• Human, Social and Political Sciences
• Land Economy*
• Law
• Linguistics*
• Modern and Medieval Languages*
• Music*
• Philosophy*
• Theology, Religion and the Philosophy of Religion

* indicates a required stream combination for progression, see Course Outline for further information.

You will also be supported during the Foundation Year to apply to other degree courses at other universities.

Whether you stay at Cambridge or continue your studies elsewhere, you will receive a recognised award from the University of Cambridge which will help set you up for successful study and careers in a range of fields.

It is not possible to change course during the Foundation Year.

Course outline

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.

You will be taught through lectures, seminars and supervisions, with typically 14-16 hours timetabled teaching hours each week. This, combined with your independent study, will help develop your ability to take philosophical, reflective and critical approaches using a range of methods of analysis.

The curriculum is offered across four streams and you will complete eight papers from the options available across these four streams. You will also complete an induction module which will introduce you to the ways of learning at Cambridge.

Working with textual sources

This essential stream aims to help students develop a critical approach to textual sources they might encounter in different disciplines. This is applicable for subjects which rely on the interpretation and use of textual sources. You will gain an increased understanding of the variety of textual sources used in different subjects, the appropriate approaches for different disciplines and the different purposes, origins and biases of textual sources.

Working with material sources

This optional stream aims to support students to develop a critical approach to the different types of material sources that they might encounter in further study. This will be applicable for subjects that involve sources such as art, material culture, sound, film, sculpture, sites and landscapes and more. You will develop an appreciation of the possibilities of approaches and interpretations of different kinds of material evidence and the relationships between different material sources.

Working with languages

This optional stream aims to develop competence and confidence when working within a language other than English and provide an introduction to a range of ancient and modern languages. It has two components. First, it will equip you with an improved understanding of how language works, the challenges of such activities as translation, and understanding of cultural contexts. Secondly, you will be encouraged to acquire proficiency in a language other than English which could support further study of languages.

Experience of formal language-learning, available through this stream, is essential or desirable for some courses.

Working with data

This optional stream aims to help students develop a critical approach to the different types of data sources that they might encounter. Students will learn a wide range of data analysis skills, including qualitative research training which will have a broad focus on society and community. Students will also focus on the logical principles behind data to learn to apply these. Students will be able to evaluate and interpret a range of data types, their potential sources and limitations. This will include basic analytical and statistical techniques and experience of data handling. The stream will include IT-based sessions to support handling and analysis skills development.

Assessment

You will be assessed in a variety of different ways depending on your stream and paper choices but this will include written assignments and examinations. You will complete one extended project.

Optional extra-curricular language learning

All Foundation Year students will benefit from optional extra-curricular language learning as knowledge of languages can enhance options in many courses you may wish to progress to.

The application process

The Cambridge application process is slightly different to other universities. You still need to apply through UCAS, however, at Cambridge the process starts earlier to give us time to collect and consider all of the application information. The steps below and the following pages will guide you through the process.

You’re going to be studying to a very high level for several years so make sure you choose a course you’re personally interested in and will really enjoy studying! Check, also, that you meet the entrance requirements of the course you want to study.

Most applicants need to take a written admission assessment as part of the application process. Some applicants will also be asked to submit examples of their written work.

Please check the type of assessment required for your course as early as possible as some assessments require you to be registered before the UCAS application deadline (15 or 30 September).

Where would you like to live when you’re here? In your UCAS application, you can apply directly to one of our 29 Colleges or make an open application. 

You need to submit your UCAS application by 15 October – our institution code is CAM C05. Please note:

• Earlier or later deadlines may apply for Mature Students, Foundation Year and Organ Scholarship applicants.
• There's an additional application form if you're applying for the Graduate Course in Medicine.
• You can’t apply to both the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford in the same year.
• Some applicants will be required to submit an academic transcript.

After you’ve submitted your UCAS application, you will need to fill in an additional Cambridge-specific application form, which we’ll send you a link to by email.

Everyone with a good chance of being offered a place is invited to attend an interview. If you decide to apply, you can find videos and full information on what to expect and how to prepare, in our interviews section.

We’ll advise you of our decision before the end of January.