Study leave
Study leave
It’s easy to underestimate the time and commitment needed for part-time study by supported open learning and it’s a good idea not to take on too much too soon. You will need time to read your course materials, complete your assignments, develop your practical skills and attend tutorials. So the help and support of your employer is likely to play a crucial part in your success.
FACT: Where students have the additional support of UNISON negotiating on their behalf for extra time off and extra study sessions, success rates are far higher!
The table below gives you an idea of the amount of study time needed to complete different length OU courses.
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OU courses
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Number of credit points
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Average time to complete a course
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Openings course
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10-15
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Approximately 6 hours a week for up to 5 months
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Residential school course
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10-15
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1 week at residential school (plus a few hours study before and after)
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30-point course
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30
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7–8 hours a week for a 9-months course or 12 hours a week for a 6-months course
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60-point course
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60
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16 hours a week for 9 months
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Your employer’s support can make all the difference to your study and success. Study leave is not a given right so it has to be negotiated with your employer and allocated at their discretion. With this in mind, we strongly recommend that you approach your employer to discuss any potential study leave entitlement before registering for a course. You can then take their decision into consideration when deciding whether you can realistically fit OU study around your existing work and home commitments.
Studying on your own
If you are registering on an OU course individually and you want to initiate discussions with your employer about study leave, UNISON will be able to advise you on the best way to do this. Your UNISON Learning Rep or local UNISON branch will be able to advise, support and guide you through study leave negotiations so that you and your employer can reap the benefits of your supported programme of study.
Studying as part of a Learning Partnership
Where UNISON agree learning partnerships with employers, they negotiate the study leave required on the students’ behalves. For example, for East Sussex County Council staff studying An introduction to health and social care (K101), the following guidelines have been agreed with the employer:
- Paid time off to attend tutorials and workshops (this amounts to 5 working days).
- Paid time off for additional study, subject to agreement by the line manager concerned.
- Before the place is accepted the line manager must broadly agree absence from work in line with the recommendation from the institution. Total time recommended by the OU is 18 days (this includes the 5 days noted above).
- The agreement is reviewed annually to take into consideration work responsibilities, patterns of working and changes to working hours, etc.
Students who have studied as a result of this learning partnership would certainly testify that the support of their employer has helped them to find time to study K101 properly.