January 2007/03 (web only)
Issues paper
This report is for information
Foundation degrees
Key statistics 2001-02 to 2006-07
This report describes key characteristics of foundation degree programmes and students. It covers the trends in student numbers, the characteristics of programmes, attributes of students, students' feedback, progression and qualification rates, progression to further study and employment outcomes, and support from employers.
View updated report (April 2010)
| To: | Heads of publicly-funded higher education institutions in the UK Heads of publicly-funded further education colleges in the UK |
| Of interest to those responsible for: | Student data, Widening participation, Learning and teaching |
| Reference: | 2007/03 |
| Publication date: | January 2007 |
| Enquiries to: | Wendy Staples tel 0117 931 7324 e-mail w.staples@hefce.ac.uk |
Table of contents and summary (read online)
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Annexes A-D
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Note: Table 20 in the main report and Table HND20 in Annex C were corrected on 18 December 2007. Tables 2, 28 and 37 in the main report, and Table A1 and paragraph 9 in Annex A, were corrected on 15 April 2008.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Summary
Introduction
Sources and definitions
Growth in foundation degree provision
Programme characteristics
Student attributes
Student feedback on the quality of programmes
Progression through foundation degree programmes
Progression from foundation to honours degree programmes
After qualifying: employment outcomes
Support from employers
Conclusions and policy implications
References
List of abbreviations
Annexes
Annex A: Reconciliation of aggregate and individual data
Annex B: Additional tables
Table B1: Entrant numbers by region of domicile
Table B2: Subject of study by age and sex
Table B3: Progression rates for 2002-03 entrants
Table B4: DLHE responses in writing
Annex C: Comparison groups - HND and all undergraduate programmes
Annex D: Population definitions
Summary
Purpose
1. This document describes the characteristics of foundation degree programmes. The attributes, progression, achievement, attitudes and post-qualification outcomes of students on those programmes, and the support they received from their employers, are also presented.
Key points
2. In the academic year 2001-02 the first students entered programmes leading to a new qualification - the foundation degree. In 2006-07 over 60,000 students were estimated to have registered, or to be registered, on these programmes. This report describes this provision with statistics derived from the data sets collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and through the National Student Survey.
3. Apart from tracing the growth in numbers of students and entrants, we have not attempted to create any time series. For each statistic we have presented the most recent set of data that can be described. For example, employment outcomes can only be derived for those students who started their foundation degree programmes in 2003-04 or earlier. This means that some of the results are based on relatively small numbers, and they relate to early foundation degree provision. Future reports will update this analysis and, over time, reveal any trends in the characteristics of the students and their programmes of study.
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