BSc (Hons) Project Management with Foundation Year

Course Overview

This course has been designed to equip you with the skills to progress to a career in project management, even if you don’t have the academic confidence or qualifications to join a standard undergraduate course. The foundation year is perfect if you need a little extra support to start your journey to higher education, offering study-skills and guidance at every stage.

You’ll then go on to learn contemporary themes and practical skills directly from AU team of experienced project management professionals, helping you demonstrate to employers that you possess competence in the latest project management techniques. And, as modern projects are becoming increasingly dynamic and challenging, your studies will have a digital-first focus, giving you the knowledge and critical understanding of business solutions to deliver real impact in the workplace.

Today, project management is used in almost every global sector, including engineering, technology, education, healthcare, events management, community and environmental programmes, tourism, and many more creative and service industries. This means your degree in project management from Arden will provide you with the skills and knowledge to enter the industry of your choice once you graduate, with the ability to make an immediate impact on the design, deployment, and success of a wide range of projects.

Course details and modules

Because of AU extensive industry links in project management, including with member organisations of the UK’s NOVUS Trust network, Arden is able to present you with real business problems during your degree. This will allow you to develop a thorough and in-depth understanding of the industry and the real-world challenges you’ll face in your future career. Importantly, you’ll find that the course takes a systematic view to developing your knowledge in project management, with each module building on the skills gained in the previous one, and with interconnected content that helps you accumulate new abilities in a logical sequence.

How do Arden University assess students?

AU assess students using diverse methods that go beyond traditional exams, especially in postgraduate certificate programs. Instead of exams, these programs employ practical, real-world assessments tailored to meet individual needs and help students develop transferable skills for their future careers. These assessments may include:

Essays: Developing critical thinking and analytical writing skills.
Consultancy Reports: Addressing real-world challenges with professional insights.
Recorded Presentations: Enhancing communication and presentation abilities.
Case Studies: Applying theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios.
E-Portfolios: Showcasing personal and academic achievements through organized digital collections.
Visual Research: Combining creativity and analytical skills to present research visually.

This approach ensures that students gain valuable, hands-on experience relevant to their career goals.

Modules

You have 4-12 years to complete this course, meaning you can take up to 3 years to complete each level. Most of Arden students, however, aim to complete the course within 4-8 years.

Foundation year

Using Numeracy, IT and Data (20 credits)
Research Skills and Using Information (20 credits)
Values, Ethics and Working Collaboratively (20 credits)
Developing Academic Skills (20 credits)
Structure of Business (20 credits)
Technology in Organisations (20 credits)

Level 4

Business Research Methods and Analysis (20 credits)
Business Consulting (20 credits)
Principles of Procurement, Financial Control and Contract Management (20 credits)
Governance in a Global Business Environment (20 credits)
Introduction to Project Management (20 credits)
Elective: Digital Skills & Professional Development (20 credits)
Elective: Technology and Innovation (20 credits)

Level 5

Advanced Project Management (20 credits)
Project Justification (20 credits)
Project Planning (20 credits)
Agile and Hybrid Project Management (20 credits)
AI and Big Data Analytics in Project Management (20 credits)
Elective: Operations & Supply Chain Management (20 credits)
Elective: Digital & Social Media Marketing (20 credits)

Level 6

Project Change and Control (20 credits)
Quality Management (20 credits)
Project Risk and Issue Management (20 credits)
Developing People and Capabilities (20 credits)
Final Project including End Point Assessment (40 credits)

Please note: course content and modules may vary subject to validation.

Study options

This course is available to study through Arden’s blended learning study mode at Arden campuses in London Tower Hill, London Holborn, Manchester and Birmingham.

Full time blended learning

How does it work?

When you choose AU full-time blended learning study mode, you’ll have eight hours of timetabled classes spread over two days at the Arden campus of your choice. This is combined with around 25 hours of independent study, which takes place through ilearn, Arden university campus in the cloud. ilearn contains all the resources you need to study successfully. As a blended learning student you’ll also have access to AU Library Portal, an extensive digital library with thousands of journal titles, eBooks, and a range of academic and industry databases that you can use to research and gain in-depth information on your area of study. At Arden, all of your course materials are provided free of charge, removing the need for you to buy expensive textbooks to study your degree successfully.

Blended learning is the best option for students who prefer the structure of regular face-to-face classes with their tutor and fellow classmates, and is particularly suited to students who live within commuting or driving distance of one of AU UK campuses.

If you’re a student from England who is enrolling on a blended learning course with Arden (based in one of AU UK campuses) then you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan to help pay for your living expenses. You can find more information on AU fees and funding page. If you’re a student from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can find information on Living Cost Loans from your student finance body.

Entry requirements

At Arden University applications are consider on a case by case basis. If you have significant work experience, have qualifications you have gained elsewhere, or a degree or qualification that isn’t a clear pathway to this degree – Arden team is more than happy to discuss your application.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the BSc (Hons) Project Management with Foundation Year course, you should normally have:

Two subjects at GCE A-Level or equivalent, plus passes at grade C or above in three subjects at GCSE level or equivalent.
Arden also offer this course as a standard bachelor’s degree without foundation year.

English proficiency

IELTS 6.0 or equivalent (no less than 5.5 in any element).
Alternatively, evidence you have previously studied in English, such as a letter to show that the Medium of Instruction was in English can be accepted.

Course fee

Blended	Fee
Fee Per Year	£ 9,250

Please note: Fees quoted relate to the intake that you enrol on (i.e. when you start your course), NOT your application date.

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Career prospects

Project management expertise is required in nearly every business and in every sector, so your future career opportunities are almost limitless. Accredited by the Association of Project Management (APM), this degree will give you the skills you need to demonstrate project management expertise, greatly enhancing your current and future career options. You’ll also be able to create valuable industry networks whilst studying this course, helped by the strong industry connections of AU staff members here at Arden’s School of Project Management. Wherever you want to take your career next, your project management degree will provide you with the tools to achieve your ambitions to the fullest.

What can I do after Arden University?

You’ll find project management employment opportunities within both public and private sectors across industries such as engineering, construction, IT, events management, healthcare, retail, and transport, as well as in the charity sector, government projects, the creative industries, and many more.

Today, organisations use project management as a way to improve and change business operations to become more efficient and effective. Successful project management is also about managing interdisciplinary teams within diverse organisational structures and across organisations. Having graduated with a complete view of all the stakeholders in any given project management situation and how success is measured, domestic and global organisations alike will appreciate and value your skills and employability assets. Wherever you want to take your career next, this course gives you the knowledge to achieve your ambitions to the fullest. With that in mind, some future roles you might want to consider include:

Project assistant or coordinator
Project manager or project lead
Implementation or change manager
Project management consultant
Programme or portfolio manager
Technical project manager
Technical project lead
Business project lead
Project planner or risk analyst

You can also continue your studies at postgraduate level (e.g. with Arden’s MSc Project Management course), set up your own businesses, or develop into highly lucrative project management consultancy roles.

What will the BSc (Hons) Project Management with Foundation Year do for me?

AU foundation degree course in project management has been carefully designed with your employability in mind, and specifically addresses skills gaps in the industry that have been identified by the APM and other leading organisations. You’ll learn the skills required to be an efficient, knowledgeable, and digitally savvy project manager. And, because the course focuses on the practical application of skills in the real world, you’ll graduate with the confidence to demonstrate your value to employers from your first day on the job. Some key learning outcomes from your studies will include:

Gaining project management knowledge as a widespread, pan-sector professional discipline
Appreciation of traditional, iterative (agile), and hybrid approaches to delivering successful projects
Acquiring high-level strategy, people, and leadership capabilities
Understanding the latest software and big data to become an expert in digital project management skills
Gaining a critical and detailed analysis of the theory and practice relating to the role of project management within organisations
Completing a detailed piece of research relating to a project management issue
Exploring sustainability and business ethics
Applying knowledge of project management theory and models to complex issues, both systematically and creatively, to improve business and management practice
Developing a variety of transferable skills suited to an extensive range of project management roles

Industry Skills

Association for Project Management (APM)

The Association for Project Management (APM) is committed to developing and promoting excellence in project management. The organisation is the only chartered body for the profession and has over 30,000 members and 500 organisations participating in its partnership programmes.

Arden’s BSc Project Management is accredited by the APM, giving you student membership while you study with us. This is your gateway to discovering further training opportunities, free access to resources such as digital libraries and project case studies, and networking opportunities. As a student member, you’ll receive a digital badge to display on your social media platforms, such as Linkedin.

Graduating with an APM-accredited degree tells employers that your knowledge meets the latest standards of the sector, helping enhance your future career options. It is also a fast-track route to full membership of the APM, which you can achieve after just 3 years of experience working in the industry.

Our BSc Project Management has also been awarded APM Recognised Assessment status, the first university to achieve this recognition for a BSc Project Management course. That means upon completion of your degree, you’ll be eligible to apply to the APM to become a Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) via the APM’s Route 1, which is for project professionals who have a recognised assessment for technical knowledge. As your technical knowledge is already recognised by completing your degree, you will have completed a large component of the application for ChPP status upon graduation.

Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) membership.

Arden University is a member of the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). AACSB International is a global association of leaders in education and business dedicated to supporting and advancing quality business education worldwide.

This membership reflects the fact that Arden University has successfully matched the high standards required by the AACSB, and enables the sharing of ideas and the exchange best practises between global business schools. Membership also gives AU faculty members access to in-depth data and research to support the development of AU courses and teaching methods, ensuring that Arden is able to provide you with the best possible university experience.

Business Graduates Association (BGA)

The BGA is a membership and quality assurance body. As a member, Arden University have signed up to the BGA Charter, committing their institution to responsible management practices and lifelong learning, positively impacting their students, communities, and the economy. This shows AU students that Arden is demonstrating responsible management ourselves, as well as it being a central theme that runs through AU own courses.

As Arden University is a member of the Business Graduates Association (BGA), students will receive complementary BGA student and graduate membership. Through this membership, current students will have access to the BGA Career Development Centre, packed with interactive tools, e-learning content, partner discounts and the latest job opportunities. This is a lifetime access, which means students will continue to have access to these services even after they graduate.

LinkedIn Learning

All Arden students will have free access to LinkedIn Learning through the Library Portal. LinkedIn Learning is a video-based online learning platform offering over 16,500 expert-led courses across a wide range of subjects including business, technology, and creative skills.

With LinkedIn Learning, you can:

Pursue curated learning pathways aligned with AU curriculum and your career goals.
Add value to your LinkedIn profile by showcasing your newly acquired skills.
Personalise content based on skills relevant to your chosen career path, interests and prior learning.