Program Overview

International Foundation Programme

The International Foundation Programme (IFP) is a one-year intensive course designed as an alternative to A Levels, which prepares international students for undergraduate study. The programme includes subject modules specific to the pathway course and core skills modules that aim to equip students with the necessary skills and competencies required for undergraduate study and overall university readiness.

Subject Pathways

• Advanced Mathematics and Economics: This pathway is designed for students with an interest in studying a more pure Economics course at university. The Advanced Maths content also allows for opportunities in Computer Science.
  • Advanced Mathematics I: Quadratic Functions and Inequalities, Exponential and Logarithmic functions, Transformations of Graphs, Coordinate Geometry, Radian measures, Trigonometric Functions and Equations, Differentiation including parametric equations
  • Advanced Mathematics II: Partial fractions, Binomial Expansion, Arithmetic and Geometric series, Integration including parametric equations and differential equations, Vectors in two and three dimensions, Numerical Methods
  • Principles of Economics: Factors of production, Opportunity cost, Production possibility frontiers, Demand and consumer surplus, Elasticities of demand, Supply and producer surplus, Price elasticity of supply, Circular flow of income, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Current account on the balance of payments, Fiscal policy, Monetary policy, Supply side policies, Aggregate supply and aggregate demand, Conflicts of economic policy and objectives
  • The Global Economy: Globalisation, International trade, Protectionism, Development economics, Multi-National corporations, Exchange rate systems, Economic integration and monetary union, Balance of payments
• Art and Design:
  • Graphic Art Design: Illustration, Typography, Photography, Mixed media, Graphics, Logos, Colour Schemes
  • Design Process: Designing Fashion, The Crafting and Construction of a Garment, Commercial Production
  • Historical and Critical Analysis: Art Deco, Cubism, Skills building, Digital development
  • Fashion, Culture & Identity: Traditional & Ceremonial Dress, Functional/Official Dress, Social/Tribal Dress, Key Designers & Fashion Houses/Brands
• Biomedical Science: The Biomedical Science International Foundation Programme is a one-year intensive course that prepares students for undergraduate study for a range of science courses at university.
• Business and Economics: This pathway seeks to inspire future leaders and prepare students for undergraduate study in a range of courses.
  • 21st Century Business: An introduction to business in the UK, Stakeholders, Revenue, costs, contribution and profit, Foundations of marketing, Introduction to accounting, Operations and lean processing, Key concepts in human resources, Market-driven decision making, Digital business & entrepreneurship
  • Management & Strategy: Fundamentals of leadership, Leadership theories, MBO, Developing corporate strategy, Growth strategy, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis, Managing external pressures, Analysing the external environment, The ethical business, Principles of financial accounting, Ratio Analysis, Decision making models, CPA, Decision trees, CBA, Forecasting, Evaluating investment decisions, Investment appraisal, Managing change, Change management, Risk management
  • Principles of Economics: Factors of production, Opportunity cost, Production possibility frontiers, Demand and consumer surplus, Elasticities of demand, Supply and producer surplus, Price elasticity of supply, Circular flow of income, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Current account on the balance of payments, Fiscal policy, Monetary policy, Supply side policies, Aggregate supply and aggregate demand, Conflicts of economic policy and objectives
  • The Global Economy: Globalisation, International trade, Protectionism, Development economics, Multi-National corporations, Exchange rate systems, Economic integration and monetary union, Balance of payments
• Computer Science and Mathematics:
  • Advanced Mathematics I: Quadratic Functions and Inequalities, Exponential and Logarithmic functions, Transformations of Graphs, Coordinate Geometry, Radian measures, Trigonometric Functions and Equations, Differentiation including parametric equations
  • Advanced Mathematics II: Partial fractions, Binomial Expansion, Arithmetic and Geometric series, Integration including parametric equations and differential equations, Vectors in two and three dimensions, Numerical Methods
  • Computer Systems for the Digital World: Computer Science Fundamentals, Engineering
• Engineering: The Engineering IFP is ideal preparation for undergraduate study in a range of fields.
  • Advanced Mathematics I: Quadratic Functions and Inequalities, Exponential and Logarithmic functions, Transformations of Graphs, Coordinate Geometry, Radian measures, Trigonometric Functions and Equations, Differentiation including parametric equations
  • Advanced Mathematics II: Partial fractions, Binomial Expansion, Arithmetic and Geometric series, Integration including parametric equations and differential equations, Vectors in two and three dimensions, Numerical Methods
  • The Foundations of Physics: Quantities and units, Basic principles of kinematics, Basic principles of dynamics, Work, energy and power, Properties of solids, Circular motion, Simple Harmonic Motion and its effects
  • The Applications of Physics: Electric currents and their effects, Electric circuits, Charge and electric fields, Capacitors, Magnetic fields, Electromagnetic induction, Transformers and the transmission of electrical power, Waves and wave motion, Reflection and refraction, Optical fibres and their applications
• Fashion Management: This pathway seeks to train and inspire future fashion professionals with acute commercial awareness and prepare students for undergraduate study in a range of fashion-based courses.
  • Fashion, Culture & Identity: Traditional & Ceremonial Dress, Functional/Official Dress, Social/Tribal Dress, Key Designers & Fashion Houses/Brands
  • Design Process: Designing Fashion, The Crafting and Construction of a Garment, Commercial Production
  • 21st Century Business: An introduction to business in the UK, Stakeholders, Revenue, costs, contribution and profit, Foundations of marketing, Introduction to accounting, Operations and lean processing, Key concepts in human resources, Market-driven decision making, Digital business & entrepreneurship
  • Management & Strategy: Fundamentals of leadership, Leadership theories, MBO, Developing corporate strategy, Growth strategy, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis, Managing external pressures, Analysing the external environment, The ethical business, Principles of financial accounting, Ratio Analysis, Decision making models, CPA, Decision trees, CBA, Forecasting, Evaluating investment decisions, Investment appraisal, Managing change, Change management, Risk management
• Social Sciences: Available from September 2021, this programme combines History, Politics, Psychology, and Sociology modules and offers progression to a wide range of courses at top UK universities.
  • History: Causes of the Cold War, Peaceful coexistence, Détente, End of the Cold War
  • Politics: Representative Government, Political Legitimacy, Pluralism, Constitutionalism, Political ideology, Globalization and the State, IR Theory, Global Governance
  • Psychology: Psychological Approaches and Research Methods, Criminal Psychology and Forensics, Introduction to Psychopathology
  • Sociology: Sociological Methods of Research, Sociological Perspectives, Crime and Deviance

Core Skills

• Essential Mathematics A: Percentages, ratios, standard form, significant figures, surds, indices, Expanding algebraic brackets, factorising algebraic expressions, Linear and quadratic equations and inequalities, Simultaneous equations, Exponential & logarithmic functions/equations, Circles, area of 2D shapes, volume of 3D shapes, pythagoras' theorem, Equations of Straight Lines and Curves, Parallel and Perpendicular Lines
• Essential Mathematics B: Sine, cosine and tangent, Ratios, Arithmetic and geometric series, Probability, including mutually exclusive and independent events, tree diagrams, Data analysis, including finding averages (Mean, Median, Mode) and range, Venn diagrams, stem & leaf diagrams, (Cumulative) frequency tables, histograms, box plots, Differentiating polynomials, identifying increasing/decreasing functions and stationary points
• Academic Skills & Research: Writing for academic purposes, Research objectives, Referencing, Constructing a bibliography, Hypothesis formation, Ethical procedures, Introduction to quantitative and quality methods, Library systems, Note-taking techniques, Collaborative study, Validity and reliability

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for a DLD International Foundation Programme, students must:

• Normally be aged 17 or over before the 1 September in the year of registration
• Have passed GCSE English or have an overall IELTS score of 5.0 (with a minimum of 5.0 in the reading and writing components) or IELTS 4.5 for the 18-month programmes
• Meet specific subject requirements for their chosen pathway