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Visit the New to the OU website to learn about OU study.
The Open University's style of teaching is called 'supported open learning', also known as 'distance learning'.
Open learning means that you will be learning in your own time by reading course material, working on course activities, writing assignments and perhaps working with other students.
Supported means support from a tutor and the student services staff at Regional Centres, as well as from centralised areas such as the Library or Open University Students Association.
Some courses include a residential or day school. These are held at various times and locations.
We use a variety of media to help you learn. Your course may use any of the following different media that you will use from home (or wherever you choose to study):
If you are disabled, we can help with materials in alternative formats for students with disabilities (see Services for Disabled Students website).
All the printed materials, and most others, are yours to keep - use them in the way that suits you best. You'll get the most benefit if you study actively, so it is good practice to treat printed course materials as workbooks: write notes on them, highlight sections, underline key points, make notes on the pages, add comments, stick bits in.
As well as using the course materials, courses may include:
Assignments
"TMA" is short for "tutor-marked assignment". Each one covers material from your course and completing them helps you to consolidate and use what you have learned.
Some courses include other types of written assessment such as computer-marked assignments, project work or dissertations.
Examination
If you find the thought of an examination a bit daunting, then please don't let it put you off. Only a very few people actually enjoy examinations but most students find that the process of revising for the examination helps to 'pull together' the material they have learned during the course. There is also a great sense of achievement when you receive your final marks and (in most cases) realize that you have successfully passed a demanding academic course.
Many courses also include:
Tutorials are a good idea as they give you a chance to meet your tutor and some fellow students, but they aren't usually compulsory. Residential or day schools may be a required component to pass the course.
topEach course operates to a timetable, which you receive in the "course calendar" or "course plan". This includes:
If your course has an exam you will be informed of the date in good time.
What if you're away or miss part of the course?
Most courses last for 6 or 9 months, so you will usually find that you are away, on holiday, or busy with other things for some part of the course. You'll do better if you try to get ahead so that you do some planned activities early, before you go away, rather than trying to catch up when you return. If you fall behind, contact your tutor who will help you decide how best to get back on track.
What if you can't meet the cut-off date for an assignment?
The first thing you should do is contact your tutor before the cut-off date. Your tutor will help you to plan your work and explain what to do.
What if you can't do the examination?
If you are worried about examinations then you should contact your tutor. If you can't get to the examination then you should contact your Regional Centre.
Your tutor will support your progress throughout the course. You will receive details of your tutor around the course start date.
Your tutor will be an expert in the subject and appreciates what it is like to study at a distance. Many tutors are, or have been, OU students. Most work part-time for the OU and have other full- or part-time work, often in the subject field. Your tutor will support a small group of students on your course.
You need to be active in asking for help from your tutor - they won't necessarily know just when you need it. Your tutor will support you by:
The extent to which you keep in touch with other students is entirely up to you. Some students opt to have very little contact with others. Others make full use of the range of activities available, which may include:
Regional centres
We have 13 Regional Centres across the UK. The student services team based there can help you with:
Central services
We also have some services organised from Milton Keynes that are available for all students:
Read the 'Becoming a student' section of our online prospectus for more details.
