International Foundation Program in Physics and Engineering

Modules

The modules in this program have been developed to give you a thorough preparation for various related undergraduate degrees.

Mathematics for Science

This module is designed to provide you with the key foundational mathematical understanding required to progress to a wide range of science-facing undergraduate disciplines, including physics, engineering, chemistry, and life sciences. You will develop your ability to represent a situation mathematically and use the skills learned in unstructured problems, whilst continuing to increase your awareness of the relevance of mathematics to other fields of study.

Physics

During our Physics module, you will develop the skills and confidence in building, applying, and reviewing models and techniques in physics to analyze practical scientific and engineering problems. The module will enable you to develop the academic competency to proceed to undergraduate studies in physics and other mathematics-based programs, developing both your theoretical and practical skills. By the end of the module, you will be able to use physical principles in the analysis and solution of real-world problems in the sciences and engineering.

Computer Science

The Computer Science module is an introduction to a broad range of foundational concepts. You will develop problem-solving skills with an emphasis on computational thinking; decomposition, abstraction, patterns & algorithms. You will gain a knowledge of fundamental aspects including the theory of computing, systems, and architectures, practical activities including programming, top-down design, the application of the software lifecycle, and the object-oriented paradigm. Additionally, you will see how computing has an impact on the whole of society and how its use will have social, ethical, and legal consequences.

Our Inquiry and Research Skills for Science is a core module in this course and is delivered in two parts to complement your other modules. The first part of this module looks at developing core research and inquiry skills including academic searching, using sources, teamwork, reflection, and problem-based learning inquiries. The second part of the module allows you to put everything you have learned into practice through a research-based project.

All students will also study an English for Academic Purposes module. This module is not about developing your conversational or everyday English skills; instead, it will develop your Academic English skills. You will consider how academic essays should be written, including looking at appropriate referencing and paraphrasing, as well as thinking about how presentations should be delivered in an academic context.

Teaching and Assessment

How will I learn?

You will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars, which is the same type of teaching you can expect at the undergraduate level in the UK.
Lectures are where all students on a module are together (this can be up to 100 students on the IFP), and the academic tutor introduces the topic of study. Seminars are much smaller groups (typically no more than 15 students), where you have the opportunity to explore a subject in more detail with your academic tutor and classmates. In your seminars, you will be expected to engage in discussions and debates around the subject matter.

On the Physics and Engineering Foundation course, there will also be some practical lessons in our laboratory classrooms.

How will I be assessed?

Across your modules, you will be assessed through a range of methods including essays, literature reviews, presentations, and examinations.