Foundation Year in Health Sciences (FY HS)

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Program Description

The Foundation Year in Health Sciences (FY HS) is a competitive one-year program that prepares graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills to progress into an English medium higher education institution and embark on a degree in the College of Health Sciences. Through the program, students gain fundamental knowledge and competencies in English, math, and sciences before being introduced to specialized courses tailored to link with future studies in Health Sciences. Through experiential, communicative learning, students engage in motivating tasks where they interact with concepts to ensure their comprehension and develop the relevant skills. The program curriculum provides content for each area, consistent with the student outcomes and program educational objectives, to ensure that students are prepared to enter the College of Health Sciences.

Program Duration:

One year

Admission Requirements:

1. High school graduation certificate approved by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education plus the following:

a. English Language with a minimum grade of 60%

b. Academic Mathematics with a minimum grade of 60% or Advanced Mathematics with a minimum grade of 50%

c. One of the following three sciences: Biology, Chemistry, or Physics with a minimum grade of 60%
1. The required score on the University English Placement Test or a passing score from another approved internationally recognized English language test, as validated by the Admissions & Registration Directorate.
1. A minimum of 60% on the University Math Placement Test; OR

2. A valid SAT Report Form with minimum score of 480.
1. Admission is competitive. Eligible applicants are ranked based on their overall final year (Grade 12 or equivalent) high school percentage, placement tests rankings, and admission priority category.

Dependent on English Placement test scores, students requiring preparatory English courses may enroll in the following English
language courses:
 

COURSE NUMBERCOURSE TITLECEFR DESCRIPTORCEFR RANGEOOPT RANGECAN DO STATEMENTS 
FENG1002English IIIndependent User – Threshold PlusMid B1 – Low B257–64
  • Can read CEFR low B2-level academic texts and extensive reading materials to identify main ideas, key details, and inferred reading using appropriate reading strategies
  • Can understand the main idea and supporting details in CEFR low B2-level authentic monologues or dialogues on targeted academic topics and take effective notes using listening and note-taking strategies
  • Can speak with some fluency on academic topics in both unplanned exchanges and prepared presentation, using turn-taking strategies and use functional language to communicate at a CEFR low B2-level
  • Can write clear, connected CEFR  low B2-level academic texts, including responses, reflections, process descriptions and opinion essays
ACAD1000Academic Reading & WritingIndependent User – VantageLow B2 – B265+
  •   Can use a range of advanced reading techniques to increase reading speed, improve retention and clear understanding of academic texts
  • Can make generally effective choices in sentence and paragraph structure to produce clear and coherent writing for a range of academic purposes
  • Can produce original written work that includes accurate paraphrasing of source material, synthesis of ideas, and reflection on ideas from texts
HMED1000
Medical Terminology
 
Independent User – VantageLow B2 – B265+
  •  Can identify anatomical, pathological, and physiological medical terms including their parts of speech, spelling patterns, and word parts
  • Can define and accurately pronounce medical terms related to various anatomical, pathological, and physiological topics
  • Can interpret, read, and comprehend medical terms in simulated medical statements and other documentation

Program Educational Objectives

Within a few years of graduation from the Foundation Year in Health Sciences (FY HS) program, graduates will be able to:

PEO01. Apply knowledge, techniques, and skills to learning activities in academic settings

PEO02. Communicate and collaborate successfully individually and within a team in an academic setting

PEO03. Consider ethical and social implications related to academic studies

PEO04. Apply principles of continuous learning to adapt to new academic challenges

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Foundation Year in Health Sciences (FY HS) program, graduates will be prepared to:

SLO01. Demonstrate University-level oral, written, and graphical communication skills in the English language

SLO02. Demonstrate competency in fundamental mathematics knowledge and skills

SLO03. Demonstrate competency in fundamental natural science knowledge and skills

SLO04. Apply learning strategies to learn new knowledge, and skills in a variety of academic situations, including lecture, lab, and discipline-specific contexts

SLO05. Demonstrate critical thinking skills in a variety of academic situations

SLO06. Demonstrate professionalism through student success strategies such as lecture and lab attentiveness, time management skills, including class preparation, and timely submission of assignments

2026-2027 Study Plan:

COURSE
NUMBER		 COURSE TITLE REQUISITE HOURS/WEEK
Pre-req CO-req CR LEC LAB
SEMESTER 1
FENG1002 English II FENG1001 OR Min Score on AEP - 0 12 6
HMAT1000 Mathematics for Health Sciences Min Score on AMP - 0 3 2
Semester 1 Total: 0 15 8
SEMESTER 2
ACAD1000 Academic Reading & Writing FENG1002 OR Min Score on AEP - 4 3 3
HMED1000 Medical Terminology - ACAD1000 0 3 0
FCHE1000 Fundamentals of Chemistry for Health Sciences - - 0 3 2
FBIO1000 Biology Fundamentals for Health Sciences FENG1002 - 0 3 3
Semester 2 Total: 4 12 8
SEMESTER 3
FBIO1001 Fundamentals of Human Anatomy & Physiology FBIO1000 - 0 3 3
EFFL1002 Applied & Experiential Learning - - 3 3 0
Semester 3 Total: 3 6 3
Year 1 Total: 7 33 19
Program Total 7 33 19

Graduate Future Pathways:

Graduates of the Foundation Year in Health Sciences (FY HS) program may choose to continue their education by applying for any of the specialized Diploma or Bachelor programs within the College of Health Sciences.

Graduate Career Opportunities:

The Foundation Year in Health Sciences (FY HS) is an applied program with learning outcomes closely linked to the labor market. A wide range of career opportunities in the field currently exist and include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Officer
  • Pharmacy Technician
  • Paramedic
  • Respiratory Therapist
  • Medical Technologist
  • Dental Hygienist
  • Health Inspection Officer
  • Practical Nurse