Foundation Year in Law and Social Sciences
Prepare for a full-time law, criminology or sociology degree
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Viewing course details for 2025 year of entry
- Attendance
- Full-time
- Start
- September 2025
- Fees
- £9,250 (UK) £16,600 (INT)
- Duration
- 1 year full-time + 3 years full-time
- Course Leader
- Dr Keir Sothcott
- Study mode
- On campus
- Location
- Hendon campus
- Entry Requirements
- 56-64 UCAS points
- School / Department
- Department of Law and Social Sciences
Why choose Foundation Year in Law and Social Sciences at Middlesex?
This foundation year course will prepare you for entering an undergraduate degree on one of our law, criminology or sociology degrees.
This one-year course is perfect for you if you don't have to the right qualifications or you feel you need stronger grounding in your specialist area. Or maybe you are returning to study and want to get up to speed before starting a degree.
The number of students who progress to degree study is very high and in fact, many have gone on to become some of our most successful graduates.
You will need to enrol on a four-year course, which includes the one-year foundation course. When you complete this year successfully you will progress directly onto one of our three-year degree courses.
- BSc Criminology
- BSc Criminology with Psychology
- BSc Criminology with Policing and Investigations
- Sociology with Criminology BA
- LLB Law
What you will gain
You will be starting your journey to a full law, criminology or sociology degree. Once you complete your first year you will move on to one of our three-year degree courses. You will also:
- Be supported by personal tutors, student learning and academic assistants who have first-hand experience of the subject
- Develop transferable skills in business, communication and problem-solving.
Below is the Professor Brenda Barret Law Scholarship and Bursary that is avaliable to second year students on this course.
3 great reasons to pick this course
About your course
You’ll gain a deep understanding of legal principles, particularly the Foundations of Legal Knowledge, and develops key skills for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam and the Barristers Training Course. It broadens your awareness of the ethical, social, political, economic, cultural, and historical contexts of law. Specialist modules allow you to expand your legal knowledge in areas of interest, while the program also enhances your legal analysis skills and critical evaluation of legal systems. You will study four modules over the year, focusing on two modules for 12 weeks in each semester, which means you have the chance to explore the learning materials and develop the skills in depth quickly.
This module will give you the fundamental written and oral communication skills required for studying at degree level. You'll develop analytical skills through problem solving, build your confidence working individually and as a member of a team, and gain appreciation of research techniques by using a range of library and e-learning resources.
The module enables you to develop an understanding of the foundations of business, law and social science disciplines. This will be achieved by introducing you to key concepts, principles and schools of thought in your respective subject areas, as well as how you intersect with each other which are then explored in the context of real-life events selected. You will apply your subject knowledge to news and case study scenarios and develop an appreciation of the complexity of such events.
This module aims to give you confidence in understanding and exploring data relevant to your field of study. You will be introduced to the fundamental quantitative ideas that you will need throughout your degrees and careers. These ideas will be illustrated and explored through current, real-life datasets. By the end of the course you will have experience of analysing a wide variety of datasets relevant to your discipline and communicating your findings. The module also aims to develop your skills and confidence in using software to perform mathematical calculations.
This module aims to provide you with the experience of a range of accounting, finance and economics projects that reinforce understanding of materials taught and provide opportunities to apply the knowledge gained in other Foundation Year modules.
To find out more about this course, please download the Law and Social Sciences with Foundation Year specification (PDF).
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North London campus
Our north London campus is 23 minutes away by underground train, travelling from London Kings Cross.
Learn moreFacilities and support
Our Sheppard Library provides a wide range of resources and support to help you to succeed in your studies.
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Over 1,000 study spaces including rooms for group study and over 500 computers available.
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We have one of London's biggest and best university campuses with everything you need in one place.
Our facilitiesStudent support
We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.
Additional needs
We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.
Wellness
Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.
Work while you study
Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.
Financial support
You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.
We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.
Careers
MDXworks
Our employability service, MDXworks will launch you into the world of work from the beginning of your course, with placements, projects and networking opportunities through our 1000+ links with industry and big-name employers in London and globally.
Global network
You’ll study with students from 122 countries who’ll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.
Entry requirements
Our entry requirements provide a guide to the qualifications that you’ll need to study our courses. We have a personalised admissions approach and we make fair but aspirational offers.
Qualifications
- UCAS Points
- 55–64 UCAS points including GCSE Grade 4/C in English
- A-Level
- DEE/CD - DDE/CC
- BTEC
- MPP
- Access requirements
- Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3
- Combinations
- A combination of A-Level, BTEC and other accepted qualifications that total 56-64 UCAS Tariff points
At Middlesex, we're proud of how we recognise the potential of future students like you. And how we can support you to succeed in your future career.
We make fair and aspirational offers because we want you to aim high, and we’ll support you all the way. Together we can achieve great results.
We’ll always be as flexible as possible and take into consideration any barriers you may have faced in your learning. And, if you don’t quite get the grades you hoped for, we’ll also look at more than your qualifications. Things like your work experience, other achievements and your personal statement.
Our Entry Requirements page outlines how we make offers where we have given a range (e.g. BBB – BBC in A levels), and how we’ll make you an offer if you are studying a combination of qualifications (e.g. BTEC and A level).
Mature students (over 21)
We welcome applications from mature candidates, including those without formal qualifications, provided you can demonstrate relevant experience and ability.
Academic credit
If you have a qualification such as a foundation degree or HND, or have gained credit at another university, you may be able to enter a Middlesex University course in year two or three. Find out how you can transfer courses.
If you have relevant qualifications or work experience, we may be able to count this towards your entry requirements.
We welcome students from the UK and all over the world. Join students from over 122 countries and discover why so many international students call our campus home:
- Quality teaching with top facilities plus flexible online learning
- Welcoming north London campus that's only 30 minutes from central London
- Work placements and networking with top London employers
- Award-winning career support to get you where you want to go after university.
Qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the accepted qualifications on your country's support page. If you are unsure of the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest international office.
English language
You will need to meet our English language requirements. And, don’t worry If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, as we offer a Pre-sessional English course.
Visas
To study with us in the UK, you might need a Student visa. Please check to see if this applies to you.
You will need to apply to one of the four-year degree courses listed below. You can apply via UCAS using one of the codes below:
Criminology courses
Criminology BA with Foundation Year: L3FY
Criminology (Policing and investigations) BA with Foundation Year: L1FY
Law course
LLB Law with Foundation Year: M100
Sociology course
Interviews
You won’t be required to attend an interview for this course.
Find out more about making undergraduate applications.
Fees and funding
The fees below are for the 2025/26 academic year:
UK students1
Full-time: £9,250
Part-time: £77 per taught credit
International students2
Full-time students: £16,600
Part-time students: £138 per taught credit
Additional costs
The following study tools are included in your fees:
- Free access to resources, learning materials and software you need to succeed on your course
- Free laptop loans for up to 24 hours
- Free specialist software for your course
- Free printing for academic paperwork
- Free online training with LinkedIn Learning.
The following course-related costs are not included in the fees, and you will need to budget for these:
the cost of getting to London for field visits – around £10
Scholarships and bursaries
To help make uni affordable, we do everything we can to support you including our:
- MDX Excellence Scholarship offers grants of up to £2,000 per year for UK students
Regional or International Merit Awards which reward International students with up to £2,000 towards course fees
Our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.
Find out more about undergraduate funding and all of our scholarships and bursaries.
Guaranteed internship programme
Enhance your legal education with our exclusive guaranteed internship programme for a select number of second and third-year Law students. Gain invaluable work experience in prestigious law firms, local authorities, government and legal departments, developing the necessary practical skills for your future career. Please note this opportunity is only relevant to students progressing to year 2.
Programme Highlights
- Paid internships
- Duration: 6-8 weeks during the summer (May – September), with potential for longer internships.
- Working Hours: Part-time (16hours/week) or full time (up to 35 hours/week) options.
- Mentorship: Each intern is paired with a dedicated mentor for personalised guidance.
- Hands-on Experience: Engage in legal research, document drafting, case preparation, client’s meetings and more.
Eligibility and Application
- Qualifying students will be identified by their Programme team, based on academic performance
- Application includes a CV, Cover Letter and an initial digital interview
Compensation
- Internships are paid at the London Living Wage (£13.15/hour).
Fees disclaimers
1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase undergraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.
2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.
Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.
Speak directly with one of our Unibuddy student ambassadors
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We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.
Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.
Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.
At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.