Harmeet enrolled onto his degree studies through a Foundation Year in Wildlife Conservation, through Clearing, which gave him the time to settle into university life and to understand the academic challenges. Read on to hear all about studying a Foundation Year in Wildlife Conservation.

Students on a wildlife field trip

Hi Harmeet! Could you tell us why you decided to do a Foundation Year?

I joined the foundation course through clearing because I didn’t have the required grades, but it was the best decision I made. It really helped me settle into university life and to understand the academic challenges/ life.

Could you tell us a little bit about what you studied on your Foundation Year?

We studied six modules which are compulsory for everyone. It covers all the topics that you will need when you start your actual degree. Learning about referencing, academic writing, how to do academic research, data handling and analysis, the practical aspects of the course. Collecting samples and analysing them etc.

Did you do any field work while on your Foundation Year?

The best part about studying Wildlife Conservation is that you are out in the field every other week. I wasn’t sure if we will have as many field trips in the Foundation Year, but we went on several field trips which were very fun and informative.

How did the academic staff support you through your Foundation Year?

The lecturers really helped us with the assignments and we had regular check-ins with our tutor who helped us with writing our assignments and guiding us to the right sources which we needed.

What was the highlight of your Foundation Year?

Being able to attend field trips was amazing. I didn’t know we would go on so many field trips in the Foundation Year, but it really gave me insight into how practical the course was going to be and how much field work we will be doing.

What surprised you when studying your Foundation Year?

The number of skills I learnt really surprised me. I thought the Foundation Year would be very basic, but it really prepared me for starting my degree which made me confident as I knew I was ahead of many other students in getting work done because of the skills I learned studying Foundation Year.

Did you have any worries about studying a Foundation Year?

I thought a Foundation Year was a waste of time and would waste a year of my life, but once I started the course it really made me feel better with settling into the university life and getting to know the university/course. I have learned to manage my time and understand what I can expect from my course by studying a Foundation Year. It also gave me some extra time to get involved in outside activities on campus and help manage my schedule.

What advice would you give to someone about studying a Foundation Year course?

If you are thinking of doing a Foundation Year course, I would recommend going for it. You will see the benefits of it in the first year of the degree and how it helps you to progress further. You will get to know about the university life, and it will give you good amount of time to settle in. The Foundation Year also helps you by giving you the time to think and see if you would like to go for a different course within that field. You have the opportunity to explore your field of work which gives you an insight into how and what options to choose for your degree.