Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Public Health and Wellbeing with Foundation Year

at Wrexham Glyndwr University - Wrexham Campus United Kingdom

Studying Social and Cultural History at Wrexham Glyndwr University will introduce you to themes such as family, fashion, crime, art, politics and propaganda – from the Roman era through to the modern age. 

Alongside regular class-based teaching, there are also visits to country houses, historical archives, and sites of historical importance.  These provide a strong practical element to the degree and encourage engagement with a wide range of sources and experiences. We also offer a work placement module in a historical setting of your choice. 

Our degree is designed to be diverse and enjoyable, with a focus on the investigative and analytical elements of historical study.  This focus opens up a wide range of careers.  Our students have gone on to work as teachers, writers, researchers, financial analysts and members of the legal profession. 

*Our history subject area has been rated first in Wales and in the top 10 in the UK for student satisfaction, Complete University Guide 2021. 

The Foundation Year in Humanities will introduce students to a diverse range of themes and activities from the disciplines of History, English Literature, Creative Writing, Theatre and Media.

Key Course Features

• Wide-ranging degree – from Ancient Rome to Modern Britain - connected by important social and cultural themes
• Work experience opportunities - Placements are available in archives, libraries and heritage centres
• A blend of theory and practice -  Visits to aristocratic homes and other sites compliment class-based learning
• Develop your research, analysis, interpretation, communication and presentation skills
• Analyse primary documents from the past
• Study local, national and international history
• *Our history subject area has been rated first in Wales and in the top 10 in the UK for student satisfaction, Complete University Guide 2021. 

This is an exciting course, specially designed for those wanting to work positively with children, young people, marginalised groups and communities. *It has been ranked first in Wales for learning community in the National Student Survey 2019 (WGU analysis of National Survey of Students 2019).

Successful completion of the Foundation Year will also lead to an Agored Cymru Level 2 & Level 3 Youth Work accreditation.

Through this course, you can gain a professional youth work qualification endorsed by Education Training Standards Wales with over a third of your time in placement activities.  Successful completion of the course will allow you to register with the Education Workforce Council in Wales as a Youth Worker. There is also the option to study a faith-based route in the first year and exit with a Certificate in Higher Education Youth and Community Work (faith-based), or to top up the full degree and JNC Qualification*.

As well as placement opportunities in Wales and the UK, there are also opportunities for a part-funded placement through the Erasmus programme with a university in Europe.
The youth and community department at Wrexham Glyndwr University is regarded as the “home of youth work in Wales”, having offered education and training to the youth and community sector for more than 43 years. As such the department has excellent links with employers across North Wales, North West England, and the Midlands, and it works in partnership with organisations across the statutory, voluntary and third sector.
Please be aware it may be necessary to work outside of normal working hours, e.g. during evenings or over weekends, whilst on placement due to the nature of this profession.

You can also choose to study this course as a three-year degree (without a foundation year) BA (Hons) Youth and Community Work (JNC)

Key Career Features

• Includes a foundation year to prepare you for further years of study.
• A degree programme with professional endorsement, and course content aligned with National Occupational and Professional Standards in the sector.
• Opportunities for continuing professional development through additional training opportunities and professional networking on a course with strong links with employers and local training providers.
• Learn and gain experience with 800 hours of supervised fieldwork practice, with a placement in each year of study. This can be in a variety of settings either in the UK or internationally.
• Start the academic year with a learning experience with a partner project to see youth work skills in action.
• Develop skills in teamwork, positive communication, working with groups and individuals, reflective practice and leading others.
• Develop knowledge and core skills for youth work practice and informal education that are transferable to work with children, young people and adults in a range of different settings.
• *1st in Wales for learning community in the National Student Survey 2019 (WGU analysis of National Survey of Students 2019).

The foundation year programme is designed to gradually build the required mathematical skills and science and engineering knowledge for you to progress into your level-4 study. It is designed specifically for the candidates who do not have enough/required UCAS tariff points for their direct level-4 entry or strong enough science and engineering background or would like to build a more solid foundation for your degree studies.

Number one in the UK for course satisfaction (Guardian University League Table 2019), this course will ensure you have the key skills and thorough knowledge necessary for a successful career in aircraft and modern engineering.

The course is designed to fulfil industries’ requirements and benefits from strong industrial links.

• Design-focused course: develop a full understanding of engineering design concepts and the engineering design process.  
• Gain transferable knowledge and business skills to equip you for a broader job market.
• You’ll be trained to use a variety of computer-aided design tools, including industry-highly-required Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools.

You can also choose to study this course as a standard three year programme without the foundation year BEng (Hons) Aeronautical and Mechanical Engineering. 

Key course features

• Includes foundation year to prepare you for further years of study.
• Strong links with companies such as Airbus and Raytheon.
• State-of-the-art Merlin Flight Simulator, design and test your own aircraft using engineering theory.
• Access to cutting-edge computer-aided design, analysis and simulation software, including ANSYS, Abaqus, MATLAB and Simulink.
• Subsonic and supersonic wind tunnel facilities.
• Access to flight simulation packages such as FLITE, RANT navaids trainer and Boeing 747.
• Work on jet engine aircraft in our aircraft hangar.
• Eligible to be a student member with the IMechE, RAeS, and/or IET.
• Rapid prototyping facility.
• Advanced composite training and development centre based in Broughton.
• Wrexham Glyndwr University is one of two education providers in the UK that are official Catia Certification centres. This means that students are able to gain Catia Certification in addition to their degree studies. (Students are required to pay a Certification fee of £50)

Today’s businesses demand the ability to have computer systems and networks, which operate on a global scale – so there is a high demand for people with the skills to make this happen.

This subject area has been rated top in Wales for learning opportunities and academic support (WGU analysis of unpublished 2019 NSS data) and includes a mix of technology, security and networking modules with many hands-on practical opportunities.

Students will

• Develop critical skills and cutting edge thinking to gain the confidence to keep up with the fast pace of change in this field
• Develop technical knowledge of the installation, operation security, and maintenance of computer systems and networks used in business and industry
• Develop industry-critical key skills such as team working, communication and business skills
• Have opportunities to work on real-life projects
• Learn the fundamentals of data communications and how to apply this knowledge to manage, design, implement, configure and operate secure networks on a professional footing
• Learn how to identify a range of significant threats to network security and formulate and implement defence strategies.
• Have the opportunity to complete the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) qualification whilst studying for their degree
• Have access to Cisco Systems state-of-the-art equipment is used in practical sessions
• Have the option of an Industrial Placement Year 

Key Course Features

• Extensive PC and networked computer facilities with Internet access.
• A specialist computer laboratory dedicated to computer networking.
• The computing subject area is a recognised Cisco Academy. You have the opportunity to complete the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) qualification whilst studying for your degree.
• The optional Industrial Placement Year gives students the opportunity to experience the workplace first-hand and gain valuable employment experience for the future.
• This course responds to identified skills gaps and you will develop the critical understanding, knowledge and skills needed for successful employment.
• The University is home to ARCLab, which specializes in research in the field of Computing and Computer Science.
• The optional Industrial Placement Year gives students the opportunity to experience the workplace first-hand and gain valuable employment experience for the future.
• subject area is 1st in Wales for learning opportunities and academic support (WGU analysis of unpublished 2019 NSS data)

This course is available to study with an Industrial Placement year BSc (Hons) Computer Networks and Security (with Industrial Placement)
You can also choose to study this course as a foundation year BSc (Hons) Computer Networks and Security (four years including foundation year)

This Applied Art course focuses on the high-quality craft skills needed to be a professional maker. Develop your material and design skills through Ceramics, Metal, Jewellery and mixed media.

Students will

• Be able to understand the importance of high-quality making, originality and how to generate personal responses to materials and processes.
• Develop creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial skills
• Be able to combine their conceptual and technical skills in applied arts with the professional skills needed to be a successful maker.
• Develop interpersonal skills through collaborative projects and teamwork
• Study on a course in a subject area rated 94.4% for satisfaction with learning opportunities (WGU analysis of unpublished National Student Survey data 2020)

Key Course Features

• Excellent gallery and commercial links, with the focus on craft skills to enable you to become exceptional makers.
• 1st in Wales and 6th in the UK for overall satisfaction in the area of creative arts and design (WGU analysis of unpublished NSS 2019 data).
• Focus is placed on developing your business skills in areas such as pricing, publicity and marketing; we are consistently praised by external examiners for how well prepared our students are for professional life.
• You will be taught by a dedicated team of research-active practitioners who exhibit their own work both nationally and internationally.
• Work on live projects, exhibitions, competitions and commissions for public and private clients; this will give you confidence for your future career, for example, when approaching galleries and retail outlets with your work.

You can also choose to study this course as a foundation year BA Hons Applied Art (with foundation year)

Policing in England and Wales is a complex activity characterised by the need to carefully consider how law, values, social policy and organisational priorities should be interpreted and applied. As police forces in England and Wales aim to adapt to meet the demands of the 21st century, discover an in-depth degree developed in partnership with North Wales Police.

This course will

• combine scenario-based learning based upon simulated policing encounters, together with lectures and seminars taught by experienced academic staff and retired experienced police officers
• offers opportunities for students to develop their academic knowledge and skills in policing

Students will

• develop knowledge of the broader criminal justice system
• demonstrate advanced skills in dealing effectively and sensitively with members of the public
• on completion of the course, have the necessary legal and policing knowledge and key transferable skills to meet the operational requirements of the police service
• study in a subject area rated 1st in Wales for overall satisfaction National Student Survey 2020
• take part in our annual real-time training exercise:

Key Course Features

• Equips students with the knowledge and understanding, skills and tools that are highly relevant to employment as a Police Constable and in other policing roles
• Taught by research-active academics and practitioners with a background in Police and Policing
• Students will build strong and sustainable networks and links with public service and third sector organisations involved in policing for both professional and personal development and advancement
• Interactive blended approach to teaching
• Develops knowledge relating to the professional performance of the police constable role, permitting learners who are subsequently recruited to the police service to pursue a career as a police constable or police staff.
• Course is in a subject area rated 1st in Wales for overall satisfaction National Student Survey 2020

Learn and work in a real production environment – this Television Production and Technology course is developed in close collaboration with the BBC, Skillset and leading industry experts.

The course, which focuses on exploring current and emerging technologies applicable to still and moving image production, is different to many as students can engage in the day-to-day operation of the production facility, extending student participation beyond the lecture theatre.

Students will also develop a theoretical and practical understanding across a range of skills in pre-production, production and post-production.

The course centres around the use of the university’s television studio where students explore single and multi-camera filmmaking in addition to lighting and acquisition for visual effects work. It is designed to teach and develop skills across disciplines and covers a broad range of technologies that will help in the development of your own portfolio.

As well as the television studio, the course is built around the practical use of the university’s Centre for the Creative Industries and its wide range of facilities.  The centre is home to BBC Cymru in North East Wales.
You can also choose to study this course as a three year degree (without a foundation year) BSc (Hons) Television Production and Technology

Key Course Features

• Includes a foundation year to prepare you for further years of study.
• The Centre for the Creative Industries supports work across a range of creative disciplines using the latest in television production technology.
• Glyndwr’s Television Studio, which features 4K and High Definition cameras and equipment and multi camera control room.
• Post-production facilities both Mac and PC based with grading and finishing suite
• Students lead Glyndwr.tv live sessions, streamed live and featuring a mixture of high profile as well as local bands and performers.
• Calon FM Community radio station is based in the creative industries building and offers volunteer and collaboration work. The University is one of only three higher education institutions to have such a facility on campus.
• Our graduates have collaborated with a range of local companies including NHS Wales, Wales Rugby League, Clwyd Theatre Cymru and numerous local organisations and productions.
• Past graduates have gone on to work with media companies such as the BBC, Universal Music, QVC and Technicolor and other students have taken on freelance roles and formed their own production companies.
• Previous Creative Industries events at the University have included Ffresh Student Moving Image Festival of Wales and an annual Creative Futures networking event.
• The IT facilities form a core part of course delivery, introducing a range of Non Linear Editing software such as Final Cut, Premiere and AVID as well as colour correction, compositing and 3D packages. These IT facilities are also open access and are available to students in order to develop their skills.

Computing specialists are in high demand as technology now plays a role in almost everything we do. Our computing degree combines the core principles of the field with a forward-looking approach to embracing and driving new developments.

The subject area is 1st in Wales for learning opportunities and academic support (WGU analysis of unpublished 2019 NSS data).

Students will

• be prepared for a career in an exciting industry with highly sought-after skills in computer programming, database development, networking, website development and information systems design
• develop practical skills useful in any field of business, such as problem-solving, teamwork, project management and how to use information technology effectively and understanding specialised software
• gain practical experience through work placements and working on real-life projects

Key Career Features

• These courses respond to identified skills gaps. They will provide you with the critical understanding, knowledge and skills needed for successful employment.
• Personal Development Planning is integrated throughout the course to develop the skills framework necessary for effective personal, academic and career management.
• The university is home to ARCLab, which specializes in research in the field of Computing and Computer Science.
• Newly refurbished IT labs.
• Host of biennial internet research conference attracting delegates from across the world.
• Optional Industrial Placement Year gives students the opportunity to experience the workplace first-hand and gain valuable employment experience for the future.
• *subject area is 1st in Wales for learning opportunities and academic support (WGU analysis of unpublished 2019 NSS data).

 With its special focus on comics, this degree will provide you with the technical and creative skills to develop both your illustrative style and flair for storytelling. The programme introduces a broad range of creative skills, from the generation of ideas to their technical production through printmaking, bookbinding, 3D materials, life drawing, traditional and digital media, with an emphasis on drawing and the development of a unique personal style. 

Students will

• Work with experienced and industry active staff, learn how to write stories, draw comics and produce a professional portfolio
• Have opportunities to explore visual sequencing, narrative imagery, anthropomorphism and character development
• Gain personal, professional and entrepreneurial skills, learning about the business of working as a freelance artist
• Be encouraged to work on live briefs and competitions

Key Course Features

• You will be part of a vibrant and creative community of commercial artists including children’s book artists, illustrators, animators, game artists and designers.
• You will be taught by a teaching team with a broad range of experience working professionally in the comics and illustration industries.
• We encourage our students to self-publish and learn how to produce high-quality production prototypes to pitch to the publishing industry through the use of our in-house Bindery.
• Our students have won illustration prizes and awards such as the Oxford University Press Illustration competition, the Macmillan Children’s Book competition, the Caldecott Society and D&AD awards and been nominated for prestigious Eisner and Silver Reuben Awards.

Digitally enabled technologies and services support most aspects of modern life. Ensuring information is safe and services are kept running is the responsibility of cyber security practitioners and computer security experts.

The subject area is first in Wales for learning opportunities and academic support (WGU analysis of unpublished 2019 NSS data).
This course:

• addresses the advances in cyber security through an in-depth understanding of IT security, hacking, forensics, and the future and emerging technologies associated with this rapidly changing field
• provides opportunities to undertake real-life projects, preparing you for work within the industry
• provides opportunities to build and configure computer and networked systems, as well as the necessary support systems, to enable them to work effectively in a range of employment environments
• explores the issues associated with managing these types of systems and in particular the necessary aspects of network security

Key Course Features

• Hands-on teaching of a range of cyber security skills, techniques and tools, such as: cryptography; authentication; access control; viruses and malware; penetration testing; risk management; and forensic investigation.
• The optional Industrial Placement Year gives students the opportunity to experience the workplace first-hand and gain valuable employment experience for the future.
• Extensive PC and networked computer facilities with Internet access.
• The course team have strong links to the North Wales Cyber Security Cluster, an industry-led forum for cyber security practitioners and employers, and students on the programme have opportunities to attend and be involved with their meetings and events.
• The University is home to ARCLab, which specializes in research in the field of Computing and Computer Science.
• Subject area is 1st in Wales for learning opportunities and academic support (WGU analysis of unpublished 2019 NSS data).

You can also choose to study this course as a foundation year BSc (Hons) Cyber Security (four years including foundation year)