Find information about undergraduate courses that are designed to offer flexible study options and alternative routes for those looking to return to study.
You can find all our undergraduate courses on Course Search.
Our flexible study options and alternative routes
Foundation courses
If you don’t have the formal qualifications for immediate entry to a degree course, you can take a foundation course. Sometimes known as extended degrees, foundation courses help you prepare for degree-level studies and gain the necessary academic background. On successful completion, you will then progress to the first year of your relevant degree course.
- BA Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year
- BSc Business Studies with Foundation Year
- BSc Interdisciplinary Science with Foundation Year
- BA Social Science (extended social sciences courses)
- BSc Studies in Science with Foundation Year
- We also offer a part-time evening foundation course, BA Interdisciplinary Studies with Preparation for Higher Education, run through the Lifelong Learning Centre.
International Foundation Year
If you are an international student and you don’t have the right qualifications to start an undergraduate degree course, you may be able to study on one of our International Foundation Year programmes.
Joint honours
Employers welcome the specific skills that joint honours graduates gain and the employment record of our graduates is excellent.
Use Course Search to search for a joint honours course.
You can choose to study several subjects in your first year — your two named subjects and one or more discovery modules in areas which are new to you, allow you to continue your interests from school or college or help you to develop skills such as IT or a new language. There is usually the chance to do a large project or dissertation in the final year, with a wide choice of courses to choose from.
Joint honours courses vary in length from three to five years — all programmes which include a modern foreign language last either four or five years, and include at least one year abroad. You may also want to study abroad if you are not a language student.
As a joint honours student you will study alongside single honours students and you'll study the same number of credits as a single honours student, but just take fewer modules in each of the subjects.
Part-time study
The option to study part-time is available to both mature students and school leavers. It can enable you to work and balance other commitments while you study.
Part-time study can also enable you to gain an academic qualification while developing your career at the same time.
Many of the University’s undergraduate degrees are offered part-time. Our Lifelong Learning Centre also offers part-time programmes and provides free, confidential and impartial advice and taster events. It also offers support throughout your studies.
Intercalating
If you are a medicine or dentistry student you can take time out of your course to study for an intercalated medicine degree.
By combining your training with a year’s study in a complementary subject, you can develop your skills and knowledge and improve your employability. Students at Leeds and other institutions are welcome to intercalate at the University.
Integrated degrees are available at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and bursaries and other financial support are available to selected students.
Please check the entry requirements for your chosen course as they differ between undergraduate and postgraduate courses. For more information email intercalate@leeds.ac.uk
Integrated Masters
Some of our degree courses are offered as integrated Masters – you undertake three years of undergraduate study, with the fourth year taught at postgraduate level, converting your undergraduate degree to a postgraduate one. These are most common in scientific disciplines.
Search for ‘integrated Masters’ in Course Search to see what’s on offer.