A special event to encourage people who thought they were not academic enough to study for a degree is being staged tomorrow.

Residents from all ages and walks of life are invited to the open day at Bradford University tomorrow promoting the lifelong education development school.

The event aims to allow people who do not come from an academic background to realise their career goals

The school runs a variety of full-time and part-time degree courses available to mature students from the end of the month.

And the university also runs a foundation year in combined studies for people who do not feel ready to study at degree level.

An open day takes place in the university's Richmond Building foyer, off Great Horton Road, from 1pm to 7pm, allowing visitors to talk through options with academic staff.

Director of combined studies Richard Woodcock said: "Combined studies is a fantastic programme that covers a large spectrum of study areas such as archaeology, creative writing, information and community technology and psychology. It can be taken as a full degree programme, or as a foundation year.

"The foundation year has been specifically designed to help people who may feel they are not ready for a full undergraduate degree programme, who may not have gained the results they wanted or are returning to study and feel they need to get up to speed with the demands of higher education.

"We offer part-time and full time study and, on successful completion of the programme, we guarantee the offer of a conditional place on a wide variety of degree courses."

Josie Crowley is one of the students who is feeling the benefit of the foundation year in combined studies.

The 34-year-old from Manch-ester Road, is currently working as a data inputter for mail order company Grattan but wants to broaden her horizons.

She has no higher education qualifications and had not set foot in a university before.

However, she attended an open day last year and is now studying for the foundation combined studies course.

Now she is urging others to follow in her footsteps.

She said: "I didn't rate myself as any kind of academic but I recently found out that I got 77 per cent in one of my first semester modules, which is like getting an A grade. I couldn't believe it. I've never been an A grade student before and it was a real confidence booster.

She is studying for the foundation course part-time which will take two years, while she continues to work.

And she is setting her sights on continuing her studies after that. She said: "I hope to go on to do a full undergraduate degree."