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Building your career

Courses designed with employment and career development in mind

If you're looking to enhance your job prospects, then a foundation degree or full degree could be the qualification for you. Our courses are specifically designed with employment and career development in mind and offer academic study combined with workplace learning.

Foundation degrees are designed to equip you with the skills, knowledge and understanding to enhance academic and workplace performance, making them ideal if you're unsure about committing to a full degree or want to study while working, all within a shorter timeframe than a full degree.

Over 2,500 foundation degree courses are available nationally. More than 30 are on offer with Oxford Brookes.

Our courses are specifically of interest to employers since they are designed in partnership with industry experts to equip learners with the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding their employees require.

Level 7+

Level 6

Level 5

Level 4

Level 3

Postgraduate study

Master's degree, PhD

University Degree

BA, BSc, BEng

Top up

BA, BSc, BEng

Foundation Degree

FdA, FdSc, FdEng

HND

HNC

A levels, BTEC L3, Access to HE Diploma
or equivalent

Reasons to study and learn

  • You will become better qualified - specialist skills and knowledge can greatly improve your performance and prospects.
  • You can study with minimum disruption to your employer - the study is at a given time each week, which can be in the evenings.
  • You can study locally - and continue to earn while you learn.

  • Your studies will give you high quality, university-endorsed professional learning.
  • Your learning will be tailored to the work place - enabling you to apply your learning from the outset.

Bringing added value

The University and our partner colleges have strong relationships with a wide range of companies, both local and national. Many of our tutors have worked - or continue to work - in their relevant sector.

By improving both your academic and technical work-based skills, you can bring added value to your job and contribute towards your employer’s future success.

Oxford Brookes University
Students working in a workshop

Opening doors

A foundation degree can open doors and give you many different options. Once you’ve gained your foundation degree, you have the option to ‘top up’ to achieve a full honours degree.

You may choose to continue your studies by entering the third year of an Oxford Brookes bachelor’s degree in a related subject. Alternatively, some of our partner colleges deliver one-year bachelor courses allowing you to study for a full degree locally.

Throughout your time at our partner colleges, you will benefit from a programme of activities we have developed with Oxford Brookes. This includes support for those interested in progressing from a foundation degree to a full bachelor’s degree.

Nicholas Wright

"My creative course was very practical and I benefited from hands-on experience that has given me new skills, dramatically increased my confidence and most importantly has led to me being offered a job for one of the best furniture makers in the UK."

Nicholas Wright studied the Oxford Brookes BA Honours degree in Furniture Design and Make at City of Oxford College (Activate Learning)

Rebecca Smith

"The teachers are really helpful and easy to get along with. With a top-up year now available at UCS, I have a clear progression route that will help build firm foundations for my career."

Rebecca Smith studied an Oxford Brookes foundation degree in Sports Science with Sports Coaching Education at Bridgwater & Taunton College