This essential business foundation course is ideal for those who are looking at an alternative route into higher education, or who wish to update or broaden their knowledge before progressing onto a full undergraduate degree.

The course will help you develop a strong foundation of business knowledge, alongside academic and transferable skills to ensure you get the most out of your degree-level studies – and provides a direct entry point to one of our business-related undergraduate degree programmes, such as business management, accountancy and finance, maritime business or shipping and port management.

Designed by experienced academics who have worked across key roles in a wide variety of industries, our business foundation year is designed to build your confidence and make you ready for the competitive global marketplace.

Whether you are interested in the private, public, charity, social enterprise or entrepreneurial industries, this course is your gateway to developing the skills for your first management job or to set up your own business.

From core subjects such as business, finance, marketing, enterprise, personal development and projects in the community, you will gain a solid introduction to the foundations of business, study contemporary business challenges, identify future trends and focus on the areas and industries which matter to you.

And throughout the foundation and subsequent full Solent degree, you will do more than learn the theory – you will learn to apply it through an innovative range of assessment and ‘real-world’ live briefs. Our degrees offer the chance to engage with get hands-on experience of international business challenges, as well as a variety of extra qualifications, exemptions and memberships on top of your honours degree.

At Solent you will become part of an active business community, encompassing students, staff and business alumni who inspire and support current students. Our graduates work across the globe, in a wide and fascinating range of industries. As well as visits, talks, guest lectures and opportunities to develop your professional network, we offer a great peer mentoring scheme – providing an academic mentor who will be there to support you throughout your degree journey.

The curriculum is based around core business topics in the context of contemporary developments and industry future trends, giving the course an essential real-world grounding in the industry.

**What does this course lead to?**
A Solent degree in areas such as business management, accountancy, finance or maritime business gives you the specialist business knowledge and broad transferable skills to find business-focused roles in any industry. Recent graduates have started their own entrepreneurial businesses, or gained professional and managerial positions across the world, such as:

Graduate scheme, TK Maxx
HR graduate scheme, Randstad
HR Assistant, B&Q
Assistant manager and graduate manager trainee, Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Transport Planner, DHL
Shipping Operations Assistant, Carnival UK
Resource partner, Roke

**Who is this course for?**
Solent’s business foundation year is ideally suited if you want to build your academic knowledge and confidence to return to studying or progress in your studies. You’ll develop strong academic and organisational skills, and prepare yourself for successful careers in a range of business industries – studying a curriculum that is not just about theory but real-world application.