Public Services including Foundation Year
The Foundation Year in Public Services forms part of an integrated four-year degree programme and is designed for students who do not currently meet the admissions criteria for direct entry onto a degree course such as BA (Hons) Public Services.
How to apply Apply through UCAS Book an Open Day Chat to us/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/03-courses/public-services/ba-public-services-foundation.jpg)
UCAS Code
L44F
Start Date
September 2027
Location
Pontypridd
Campus Code
A
UCAS Points
48
International students: £17,600*
Course Overview
Prepare for a career in public services while building the academic skills needed to succeed at university.
If you're ready to start a rewarding and fulfilling journey to a career in Public Services but don’t yet meet the entry requirements for the degree or you need extra support, this foundation year provides the perfect stepping stone into higher education.
Why study this course?
What you'll study
Prepare for university study by developing academic skills and exploring real-world public service issues. Through teamwork, reflection and applied learning, you’ll build confidence and understanding across the foundation year.
For details of the modules you will study after successful completion of the Foundation Year, please see the main course page.
Develop academic, personal and professional skills for university study. You’ll reflect on your progress, build confidence, and create an evidence-based portfolio to support your future learning.
Focusing on crime and justice in society, this module examines how media, identity and public opinion shape understanding and policy. You’ll engage with key debates and propose evidence-informed reforms.
An introduction to criminal investigations in England and Wales, exploring investigative processes, ethical decision-making and professional practice. You’ll apply investigative thinking to realistic scenarios across different types of crime.
The Impact Challenge is a Foundation Year project module where students work in teams to tackle real-world issues, developing solutions through research, curiosity, teamwork, and responsible problem-solving.
We regularly review our courses to keep pace with changing skills and employer needs. If a review leads to significant changes, we’ll contact you to explain what’s changing for the coming year.
Teaching and Assessment
You will learn through active, real-world learning experiences that encourage curiosity, collaboration and independent thinking. Teaching helps you understand how learning works at university, while building academic confidence, critical thinking and self-reflection.
You’ll work independently and with others through discussions, practical activities and guided reflection, supported by digital tools. Regular feedback helps you recognise progress and plan next steps, supporting wellbeing, resilience and a strong sense of belonging as you prepare for a higher level of study.
You’ll be assessed in different ways, including short tasks, coursework, presentations, and group work. Early assessments are designed to support your learning and help you understand what is expected at university. Most assessments are coursework-based and help you develop key skills such as research, academic writing, teamwork, and communication. You’ll also reflect on your progress and use university systems and digital tools. Clear, timely feedback will help you understand how to improve and support your next steps.
Students who progress onto the BA (Hons) Public Services degree will complete a ten-week placement that aligns with their career goals and interests to gain real industry insights and develop valuable skills for the future. This will be in your second year of study on the degree program (third year of study if you are completing the foundation year).
You’ll collaborate with the university’s placement officer and your host organisation to tailor your experience to suit your needs. You could find yourself working with local authorities, South Wales Fire and Rescue, NHS, Citizen’s Advice, police forces, or even HM Prison Parc in Bridgend, gaining unique experience in various settings.
You will be taught at our Pontypridd site, which has modern learning spaces and a vibrant and welcoming community. From here, you can explore all that South Wales has to offer - whether it’s relaxing on stunning beaches, hiking historic mountains, or experiencing city life and culture. Studying in Pontypridd provides the perfect base to discover both the natural beauty and vibrant urban life of South Wales.
Once you progress onto the BA (Hons) Public Services degree, you will have access to extra facilities that will enhance your experience including our Hydra suite and VR headsets that allow us to simulate a range of scenarios that students tackle as part of their learning.
Course Leader
Emma Wheeler
Emma Wheeler is the Course Leader for the Foundation Year. Emma has many years of teaching experience, working with students who have been out of education for some time. Classroom environments on the Foundation Year are sensitive, encouraging and responsive to a wide range of needs from our students and help you go on to the degree course with confidence.
Entry Requirements
Contextual offers
We may make you a lower offer based on a range of factors, including your background (where you live and the school or college that you attended, for example), your experiences and individual circumstances (as a care leaver, for example). This is referred to as a contextual offer, and we receive data from UCAS to support us in making these decisions.
USW prides itself on its student experience and we support our students to achieve their goals and become a successful graduate. This approach helps us to support students who have the potential to succeed and who may have faced barriers that make it more difficult to access university.
How to applyContextual admissions policyAsk us a question48 UCAS points or above
Typical qualification requirements
A Level:
DD to exclude General Studies
BTEC:
BTEC Extended Diploma Pass Pass Pass
Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate:
CC
Access to HE:
Pass the Access to HE Diploma
T Level:
P (D or E)
Additional requirements include:
The University normally requires a minimum 3 GCSEs including Mathematics and English at Grade C/Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent but consideration is given to individual circumstances.
International applications welcomed:
We welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications of our entry requirements. For more details related to your country of residence, please view our dedicated country pages.
International studentsPre-Sessional EnglishEnglish language requirements
International applicants will need to have achieved an overall of IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component/TOEFL 4 overall and a minimum of 4 in each component or equivalent.
Equivalents can be located on our English Language pages.
If you have previously studied through the medium of English, IELTS might not be required, please visit our country specific page for further details. If your country is not featured, please contact us.
If you do not meet the English entry criteria, please visit our Pre-Sessional course pages.
Fees and Funding
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
Foundation Year Tuition Fee
Where applicable, the Tuition Fee for international students is as listed in the fees section above. Please be advised that the fee shown is for the Foundation Year only. Subsequent years will be charged at the standard undergraduate tuition fee rate applicable to the relevant academic year.
Further Information
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
per year
Studying at university is one of the most significant investments you'll ever make. Whilst you’re studying, you’ll have two main financial obligations – tuition fees and living costs. There’s lots of financial help available from the University of South Wales and external funding sources, that may provide loans (which have to be paid back) and grants, scholarships and bursaries (that don't).
Foundation Year Tuition Fee
Where applicable, the Tuition Fee for international students is as listed in the fees section above. Please be advised that the fee shown is for the Foundation Year only. Subsequent years will be charged at the standard undergraduate tuition fee rate applicable to the relevant academic year.
Further Information
Please be aware that we may increase the maximum fee for home students on full-time undergraduate courses only where the Welsh Government increases the permitted level of inflation of fees. Fees for all students (including part-time, postgraduate and international students) may be amended in accordance with our applicable Fees and Debt Management Policy. We will ensure that students are given clear, intelligible, unambiguous and timely information about our courses and costs in good time, ahead of the next academic year.
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/18-campaign-assets/built-to-shape-futures/campaign-built-to-shape-futures-58868.jpg)
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/01-campus-and-facilities/12-campus-spaces/campus-spaces-cardiff-library-pod.jpg)
Explore our facilities
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/01-campus-and-facilities/16-pontypridd-facilities/162-glyntaff-facilities/campus-facilities-glyntaff-policing-hydra-33159.jpg)
How to apply
All applications for full-time undergraduate courses or foundation degrees should be made via UCAS. Take the next step: Apply through UCAS
You can apply to us directly for all part-time undergraduate courses, if you’re seeking advanced entry or you’re an international student. To apply directly, please choose the application form below for your preferred start date and mode of study (full-time or part-time).
-
Apply direct
Public Services including Foundation Year
-
Full-time, 4 years
-
September
-
Pontypridd
-
If you already have a relevant qualification or experience related to the course you're applying for, you may be eligible to start at a later stage of the course. For example, students from partner colleges can ‘top up’ their qualifications to a degree by joining us in Year Two or Year Three of a course. This process is known as ‘advanced entry’, you can apply directly to the University for 'advanced entry' using the application forms provided above.
Applicants accepted through advanced entry may study a different combination of modules to those advertised, as they will be joining a course already in progress. You will be contacted and advised about these modules once your application has been processed and an offer made.
International applicants can apply to us directly. If the University has an in-country team in your region, your application will be assigned to them for assistance.
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/04-profiles/41-undergraduate-student/profile-foundation-year-leah.jpg)
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/04-profiles/41-undergraduate-student/profile-foundation-year-griff.jpg)
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/04-profiles/41-undergraduate-student/profile-foundation-year-tito.jpg)
Related stories and highlights
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/13-video-thumbnails/video-thumbnail-search-and-rescue.jpg)
/filters:format(webp)/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/07-student-life/72-students-union/student-life-students-union--52621.jpg)