The Key features of the Exploring the Past Foundation Pathway
- Exploring the Past courses are open access* and are designed specifically for adult learners who would like to study a degree in history, ancient history, archaeology and religion at Cardiff University. Do not worry if you have not studied at University level before, or have not studied for a while, because none of the Exploring the Past courses have any formal prerequisites.
- The Exploring the Past Foundation Pathway provides a focussed, well-structured alternative route to Access and A level courses and can help you obtain Advanced Standing on Degree Schemes in History, Ancient History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff.**
All students completing the Exploring the Past Foundation Pathway (i.e. successfully passing six 10 credit courses including a compulsory 10 credit core skills course) will automatically qualify for an interview onto either a full-time or part-time degree scheme in the School of History, Archaeology and Religion. Students who perform successfully in an interview and are accepted onto a part-time degree scheme will be eligible for “advanced standing” of 60 credits. This essentially means that your Exploring the Past Foundation Pathway credits can contribute directly towards the first year of your degree, this is what we mean by “advanced standing”. - The Exploring the Past Foundation Pathway is designed to provide students with the knowledge, skills and the intellectual preparation needed to study history, ancient history and/or archaeology or religion at degree level.
The Foundation Pathway is deliberately diverse: it encompasses history, archaeology, ancient history and religion. This multi-period, multi-disciplinary structure is designed to broaden your horizons and our cutting-edge courses have been developed specifically to reflect the subjects that are taught and researched within the School of History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff. The Exploring the Past courses are taught by a team of dedicated, specifically recruited tutors with relevant research expertise, who have been trained to help and support you to study at degree level. Remember, unlike A level and Access routes, the Exploring the Past Foundation Pathway is taught and assessed in similar ways to first year undergraduate courses and therefore provides you with first hand experience of studying at degree level in a vibrant Higher Education environment.
It does not apply to degree schemes delivered jointly with other schools as they will have their own requirements.
* All students commencing Exploring the Past courses will be required to discuss their suitability of the Exploring the Past Foundation Pathway in the light of their individual needs/skills/capabilities with the Pathway Co-ordinator.
** Advanced standing applies only to single and joint honours degree schemes delivered solely by the School of History, Archaeology and Religion.