Programme structure: Foundation Year in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (CertHE) - what's running in 2025/26

Please note: Programme and unit information may change as the relevant academic field develops. We may also make changes to the structure of programmes and assessments to improve the student experience.

    This section describes which Units you will take in which year of study. It indicates which units are mandatory and where you will be able to choose. The overall pass marks you will need to achieve in order to progress or achieve an award are shown. The full regulations concerning progression and completion are held in the University's Regulations and Code of Practice. Any particular aspects of your programme that are unusual will be highlighted. If any Units are must pass this will be shown below. The linked unit specifications detail any additional requirements.

    What do the Levels represent?

    What do the teaching blocks (TB) mean?

    If you are selecting optional units, ensure that you have a balanced workload through the year.

  • Year 1 (2025/26)
  • Credit will be awarded for any failed units, without the opportunity or requirement to resit, provided that the student achieves an overall mark of 40 across the Foundation Year. Students who do not achieve an overall mark of 40 across the Foundation Year at the first attempt, will be given a further opportunity to resit all failed units for a capped mark of 40
  • To progress to an undergraduate degree programme, students must pass all units, achieve an overall year mark of at least 60, and meet any particular specified criterion in their Maths unit.
  • Students who do not progress to an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Bristol will be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education, provided that they achieve an overall mark of 40 across the Foundation Year and pass the Foundation Skills unit (CHEM10018).
Unit name Unit code Credit points Status Teaching Block
Foundation Skills for Science, Engineering and Mathematics CHEM10018 20 Mandatory TB-1
Foundation Project for Science, Engineering and Mathematics CHEM10019 20 Mandatory TB-2
Select one Unit from the following list
Foundation Chemistry CHEM10017 40 Optional TB-4
Foundation Physics PHYS10010 40 Optional TB-4
Select one Unit from the following list
Essential Foundation Mathematics for STEM MATH10029 40 Optional TB-4
Extending Foundation Mathematics for STEM MATH10030 40 Optional TB-4
Foundation Year in Science, Engineering and Mathematics (CertHE)   120    

Progression/award requirements

Unit Pass Mark for Undergraduate Programmes:

  • 40 out of 100 – for level 4, 5 & 6 units
  • 50 out of 100 – for level 7 units

For details on the weightings for classifying undergraduate degrees, please see the Agreed Weightings, by Faculty, to be applied for the Purposes of Calculating the Final Programme Mark and Degree Classification in Undergraduate Programmes.

For detailed rules on progression please see the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes and the relevant faculty handbook.

Please refer to the specific progression/award requirements for programmes with a preliminary year of study, the Gateway programmes and International Foundation programmes.

Exit awards

All undergraduate degree programmes allow the opportunity for a student to exit from a programme with a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education.

  • To be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education, a student must have successfully completed 240 credit points, of which at least 100 must be at level 5.
  • To be awarded a Certificate of Higher Education, a student must have successfully completed 120 credit points at level 4.

Integrated Master's degrees may also allow the opportunity for a student to exit from the programme with an equivalent Bachelor's degree where a student has achieved 360 credit points, of which 100 must be at level 6, and has successfully met any additional criteria as described in the programme specification.

The opportunities for a student to exit from one of the professional programmes in Veterinary Science, Medicine, and Dentistry with an Award is outlined in the relevant Programme Regulations (which are available as an annex in the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes).

Related links