THE first students to undertake a foundation degree in business and management with the GTA University Centre have graduated.
The 10 students started the part-time course in September 2010 when the GTA partnered with Bournemouth University’s Business School. Over three years, they completed the course through a combination of classroom teaching by Bournemouth University lecturers, work-based learning supported by GTA staff and online support from the university’s business school.
‘The FdA in business and management was introduced to provide an on-island alternative to off-island university education and was open to those who had just left full-time education and those already in work who perhaps wanted a second chance as they hadn’t been able to go away to university,’ said deputy chief executive of the GTA University Centre Simon Le Tocq.
Mr Le Tocq said he was delighted with the success of the first course which demonstrates the GTA’s ability to deliver high quality undergraduate education on-island.
‘To have 10 students graduate from what has been a three year commitment is fantastic and demonstrates the enthusiasm that islanders have for continuing professional development. All of the graduates feel they have benefitted enormously from having this opportunity and I am confident that their commitment will be recognised by their employers and that they will progress in their careers based on what they have learnt.’
A foundation degree is a widely recognised university-level qualification in its own right, equivalent to the first two years of an honours degree. Once completed, students can then top up the qualification to a full honours degree. As well as undertaking units in areas such as marketing, finance, HR, law, economics and management, the students completed a work-based learning project which required them to investigate a topic of their choosing in a real business environment.’
Graduates
The graduates, who were presented with their awards by Professor Richard Conder, were Stacey Blondel, Wendy James, Paul Le Page, Aidan Matthews, Lauren McSwiggan, Simon Nelson, Aimee Parker, Solomon Phillips, Aaron Walden and Anthony Walkington.