Foundation Degree in Business Start-Up

    Are you interested in working for What is the Foundation Degree yourself; starting your own in Business Start-Up? business? This new degree programme has If you’re thinking of starting your been developed in association with own business you’re in good the Learning & Skills Council to company. In 2004, 59% of the respond to the Government’s wish

    UK’s workforce was employed in to encourage entrepreneurship by small to medium sized enterprises getting more people to think about (DTI). A very important share of how they can move into business the UK’s wealth and employment is and become self-employed. generated by small companies. As well as developing and But where to start? Do you go to establishing your own business, college learn all about it first or just you will gain a nationally go ahead hoping you’ll learn the recognised qualification from a good as well as the bad as you go University and be able to progress along? to an honours degree is you wish.

     The course is designed for anyone Now you can do both! with a good business idea and Starting in April 2007, Staffordshire drive who perhaps lack the University offers a ground-breaking necessary business skills or the approach to getting your new confidence to take that major step business up-and-running. We can of setting up their own company. It offer you the chance to start a will provide a supportive business and to achieve a degree environment over the critical first qualification at the same time. two years in the life of a business, You’ll be offered support from during which you can put into experts and low-cost office space practice your freshly acquired in a prestigious location in a entrepreneurial and business Business Village for the duration of management skills. This is one of your degree studies and those the major features of Foundation

    Degrees – work-based leaning. early years where a new business

    is most likely to stumble.

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    Because you are running your The pattern of study is based upon business at the same time, the an average attendance of 4 hours pattern of study has been carefully per week in two 2-hour sessions designed to have a minimal impact (on the same day in the Business on it and the assessment method is Village) designed to optimise the exam-free; it is based only around impact on running your own you would normally achieve in the business. The emphasis will be on course of running the business. work-based learning using

     interactive workshops What are the main areas of study? /masterclasses and case studies The areas you will be studying rather than formal lectures. The have been designed to work first four modules run concurrently alongside the stages of growth of a for six months, followed by two new business and comprise these larger modules delivered essential elements of knowledge concurrently for the following six and skills related to business start-months. The second year up: comprises of four modules,

    delivered in pairs. You will have ? Personal and Business

    the support of a Personal Tutor and Skills

    a Mentor, who will be available to ? The Business Environment

    provide academic and business ? The Money Side of Business

    advice. As well as the learning ? Resources for the Business

    input, the University will facilitate ? Developing, Marketing and

    access to business advice and Selling the Product

    support, which is more often than ? Business Technology and e-

    not, free of charge. Business

     ? Managing and Running the

    How long does the course take? Business

    The course continues for two years. ? Product and Market

    You will be awarded a Certificate Extension

    of Higher Education (Cert HE) ? Growing the Business

    after one year of study. A further

    year of study results in achieving How is the study time structured?

    the Foundation Degree.

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    Where is it based? Holders of the Foundation Degree

    in Business Start-Up will be entitled The first pilot cohort, starting in to add FdMgt after their name. It April 2007, will be based at the will be possible to progress from Lichfield Campus/Business Village. the Foundation Degree to the final Further cohorts are planned for year of the Honours Degree in Stoke and Stafford campuses. Enterprise Management & Number of this first cohort will be Entrepreneurship. limited to 15. Each Business

     Village is purpose-built, with all the What qualifications are needed facilities necessary for a new to be eligible for the course? business. Included with the office Foundation Degrees are aimed at space is a desk; chair; PC and broadening access to higher business software; printer; storage education. As such the aim is to cabinet; telephone; internet offer a place to anyone considered connection; IT support; access to capable of demonstrating the ability shared kitchen facilities and a and commitment necessary to meeting room, which can be undertake the course. This will be booked. The only running costs assessed on an individual basis. will be telephone calls and printer Students will normally be aged 18 consumables. years or over, with three passes at

    How much does it cost? GCSE Level (grades A, B or C) or

    one pass at GCE ‘A’Level or The current cost of a Foundation equivalent. However, a mix of work Degree is ?2100 per year. As a experience and other qualifications full-time student you will be eligible, may also be acceptable. In subject to your personal addition to this you will need to circumstances, to apply for student have a good idea of the product loan (which is only repayable when or service you will be developing income reaches a prescribed level) for your new business and, as well as other bursaries and importantly, demonstrate a degree funding opportunities. of enthusiasm and commitment Renting space at the Business towards making it a success. Village is ?45 a week (single desk).

     However, for the pilot cohort

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starting in Lichfield we are able to

    Who do I contact? offer 100% assisted funding for the

    first year of Business Village rent. If you’d like to view the premises in

    Lichfield please contact:

    When does it start? Joe Rutherford

    t 01543 308601 The intention is to offer flexible m 07753582173

    start-dates with the first pilot cohort e Joe.Rutherford@staffs.ac.uk

     beginning in Lichfield in April 2007. To express interest in joining the

    Further cohorts are planned, course contact:

    Clair Hameed at Enterprise & subject to demand, to begin in Commercial Development

    October 2007 in Stoke and t 01785 353518

    e C.M.Hameed@staffs.ac.uk Lichfield and possibly Stafford too.

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