An investigation into the Social, Academic, and Developmental value of Arts and Humanities Foundation Years

Abstract

This research paper explores the social, academic, and developmental value of arts and humanities foundation years at university. The research was conducted with students at a post-92 university in the northwest of England and investigates their experiences of undertaking a foundation course in the arts and humanities. It focuses on students’ perception of the course’s value, both in terms of the cost of tuition fees and the educational and personal benefits to them. The research was conducted in the context of the 2019 Review of Post-18 Education conducted by Sir Phillip Augur that recommended funding be withdrawn from university foundation courses. Our research found that most students would not have continued studying had a university foundation course not been available to them, and that the course benefitted them in a number of ways, including by developing their self-confidence and their sense of belonging in a Higher Education (HE) environment. Our findings demonstrate that foundation years at universities continue to play an important role in widening participation in the arts and humanities at a time when these subjects are themselves under threat, and therefore remain valuable in promoting social justice and inclusivity in HE.