Pre-Foundation Programme

The Pre-Foundation programme is a 22-23 week programme for students who do not meet the academic or English entry requirements for the University of Auckland's Foundation Studies Certificate programme. The registered name for the Pre-Foundation programme is The New Zealand Certificate in Foundation Skills (Level 2) and is developed by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and delivered by Study Group NZ Limited trading as Taylors College.

What will I study?
During this course you will receive an introduction to the subjects that you will study at foundation level, including academic English. You will receive high quality academic tuition, as well as one-to-one support from your teachers. Taylors College Auckland will help you develop and improve your English language skills throughout the programme.

In this course you will study three core subjects and two out of three elective subjects.

Core subjects
English
A focus on the four basic language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Includes an introduction to academic reading and writing skills, with an emphasis on independent learning, interpreting resources and using new knowledge to answer questions and write essays.

Mathematics
Develops a skill base that will prepare you to specialise in statistics and/or calculus during the Foundation Studies Certificate programme.

Information Technology
Focuses on essential skills needed to study the Foundation Studies Certificate programme, including wider computing skills, presentation skills, and internet use for study and research.

Elective subjects
You will study two out of three elective subjects depending on your chosen progression degree.

Science
This subject offers an introduction to all the science subjects available with the Foundation Studies Certificate programme:

• Biology: Key topics needed for foundation-level study, including genetics, evolution, and plant and animal responses to environmental factors.
• Chemistry: A practical introduction to common chemicals, what they do, how to test for them, and how they react.
• Physics: Practical and theoretical study to investigate why and how things happen.

Commerce
This subject includes accounting and economics skills and vocabulary you need to study the Foundation Studies Certificate programme. It focuses on the knowledge, understanding and application of core concepts.

Social Studies
This subject gives students an introduction to New Zealand history and M?ori culture, European history and ancient history. It includes topics in the history of art, and the history of disasters. The subject introduces vocabulary that will be useful in the Foundation Studies Certificate programme of Classical Studies, Geography and Art. You will also begin learning the skills of analysis and critical thinking which are necessary in humanities subjects.