INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION YEAR IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

The Academic English Skills course teaches students the specific academic language skills they need to develop for success at Durham University. The course focuses on the receptive (listening and reading) and productive (speaking and writing) skills through practice in semi and authentic task-based activities which build a strong foundation in preparation for each student's future studies. This critical module places particular emphasis on developing academic reading and research skills; research-based writing along with presentation and seminar speaking skills.

This module will allow students to pursue and develop subject specific interests, and encourages students to work independently with supervision in some depth. This module will also allow students to develop methods of research and analysis appropriate to their specific progression route.

Biological Sciences

• Lab Skills
• Foundation Biology
• Foundation Chemistry
• Advanced Biology
• Advanced Chemistry

Chemistry

• Lab Skills
• Foundation Chemistry
• Core Foundation Mathematics
• Pure Mathematics and Mechanics
• Advanced Chemistry

Computer Science

• Core Foundation Mathematics
• Proof and Logic
• Pure Mathematics and Decision
• Computer Science

Engineering/Physics

• Lab Skills
• Core Foundation Mathematics
• Foundation Physics
• Pure Mathematics and Mechanics
• Advanced Physics

Earth Sciences/Environmental Geosciences/Geology/Geoscience/Geophysics

• Core Foundation Mathematics
• Foundation Chemistry
• Pure Mathematics and Mechanics
• Geography 

Mathematics

• Core Foundation Mathematics
• Proof and Logic
• Pure Mathematics and Mechanics
• Further Pure Mathematics and Statistics 

Psychology

• Human Health and Disease
• Core Foundation Mathematics
• Foundations of Psychology
• Foundations of Statistics

Advanced Biology

This module seeks to develop the knowledge of biological sciences among students to the level required prior to entering an undergraduate course in that subject. It will cover how cell communication processes share common features that reflect a shared evolutionary history, and the structures and functions of cells and organisms.

Advanced Chemistry

This module seeks to encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject. The module will extend the fundamental knowledge base in Chemistry to include physical processes and organic chemistry.

Advanced Physics

The aim of this module is to encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in problem solving, it will aim to develop further understanding of physics and engineering concepts. The module looks also to enhance confidence and ability in handling calculations, and to develop a toolkit of independent study skills. It will develop the student’s ability to perform an independent piece of research, which will prepare students for future studies in Higher Education. Students will become confident, competent and comfortable in using information technology in the context of academic environments.

Biology of the Environment

This module will encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject, and will develop students' learning skills. A basic bank of knowledge will be introduced, on which students can build either by the process of self study or in further courses of directed study.

Computer Science

This module is designed to encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in problem solving, and to develop further understanding of physics concepts. The module will enhance students' ability to apply computer science techniques to problem solving in the physical sciences, it will also enhance confidence and ability in handling calculations. Students will develop a toolkit of independent study skills, with the opportunity to perform an independent piece of research.

Core Foundation Maths

This module hopes to improve confidence in algebraic manipulation through the study of mathematical techniques and development of investigative skills. It will introduce and develop a knowledge of logarithms and their uses. The module also wishes to introduce and develop a knowledge of trigonometry, and to introduce and develop understanding of a range of standard techniques for differentiation and integration. The module will also include trigonometric and logarithmic functions.

Extended Research Project for Psychology

This module will allow students to pursue and develop subject specific interests, and encourages students to work independently with supervision in some depth. This module will also allow students to develop methods of research and analysis appropriate to their specific progression route.

Foundation Biology

This module will encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject; it works to develop students' learning skills. The module will introduce a basic bank of knowledge on which students can build either by the process of self study or in further courses of directed study. It will support students to develop confidence in a laboratory situation, and works to introduce a range of equipment, and develop observational and interpretative skills.

Foundation Chemistry

This module seeks to introduce a foundation of chemistry knowledge on which students can build either by the process of self-study or in further courses of directed study. It will encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject by developing their learning skills and observational and interpretive skills. It will introduce a range of lab equipment while also developing students’ confidence and ability in handling chemical calculations.

Foundations of Psychology

This module provides students with a general introduction to the psychological processes underlying human behaviour. It will provide an awareness of the diversity, applications and limitations of psychological knowledge. It will familiarise students with the scientific approach to collecting and interpreting data, furthermore it will provide students with an introduction to the psychological processes of thinking and learning, and will develop students' knowledge of theories of thinking and learning. Students will become familiar with methods used to assess thinking and learning.

Foundation Physics

This module will encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject, it will introduce and develop understanding of physics concepts, and will develop students' ability to apply physics concepts to problem solving. This course will develop confidence and ability in handling physics calculations, and will develop confidence in a laboratory situation, and observational and interpretive skills, as well as a problem solving approach. It will help to develop scientific report-writing, data handling and critical evaluation develop confidence and ability in handling physics calculations.

Further Pure Mathematics and Statistics

This advanced two term module starts by introducing some fundamental techniques in Statistics. Students will spend the second term building on some of the key topics studied in Pure mathematics, as well as introducing some new complex abstract concepts. The module content includes; Data exploration, Correlation and regression, Probability distributions, Hypothesis testing, Further algebra, Further calculus, Vectors, Maclaurin Series. Further matrices, Further complex numbers and Polar coordinates.

Geography

This module will encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject, and will develop students' independent learning skills. It will extend the fundamental knowledge base in Chemistry to include physical processes and organic chemistry. The module will also extend the fundamental knowledge base in Geology in preparation for degree study in that area. Basic fieldwork skills and basic mapping and recording skills will be developed.

Human Health and Disease

This module will encourage students to develop confidence in their own abilities in a science subject, and will develop students' learning skills. A basic bank of knowledge will be introduced, on which students can build either by the process of self study or in further courses of directed study. 

Proof and Logic

This one-term module provides the opportunity for students to engage in logical reasoning using mathematical notation and develop the skills of formulation of mathematical derivations and proofs. The module content includes; Set theory, Logic, Boolean algebra, Logic gates, Number systems, Tracing algorithms, Proof (direct, contradiction, contrapositive, existence and induction) and Relations and functions.

Pure Maths and Decision

This advanced two-term module starts by building on some of the key topics studied in Core Foundation Mathematics, as well as introducing some new concepts in Pure mathematics. Students will spend the second term studying some fundamental concepts in Decision mathematics, a branch of mathematics which deals with the discipline of applying advanced analytical methods to help make better decisions. The module content includes; Calculus, Trigonometry, Complex numbers, Matrices, Algorithms, Graph theory and Linear programming.

Pure Maths and Mechanics

This advanced two term module starts by building on some of the key topics studied in Core Foundation Mathematics, as well as introducing some new concepts in Pure mathematics. Students will spend the second term studying some fundamental concepts in Mechanics, a branch of mathematics which deals with the motion of, and forces on, objects. The module content includes; Calculus, Trigonometry, Complex numbers, Matrices, Kinematics, Statics, Dynamics and Conservation of momentum.