BA/BSc (Hons) Open degree | Open University

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An image to illustrate the BA/BSc (Honours) Open degree

No two students or career paths are the same. That’s why the Open degree puts you in charge. Whether you're passionate about science and the arts, technology, business, or something entirely your own, this flexible BA/BSc (Honours) degree lets you combine different areas of study to build the knowledge and skills you need. You’ll choose from over 250 modules across 16 subject areas, creating a personalised qualification that reflects your interests and goals. With multidisciplinary learning at its core, the Open degree equips you with adaptable skills and broad knowledge, ideal for those seeking flexibility, variety and a career impact.

We also offer a

Diploma of Higher Education Open (W34)

, which has the same structure as the first two-thirds of this degree. Similarly, our

Certificate of Higher Education Open (T09)

corresponds to the first third.

This combined studies degree has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

You can dive straight into Stage 1, or if it’s been a while since you last studied and you'd like to build your confidence or gain experience in online learning, you can begin with an optional Access module.

For your BA/BSc (Honours) Open degree, you have three flexible options to build your qualification:

At Stage 1, you’ll start with 60 credits from a choice of introductory modules, carefully selected to develop your subject knowledge and study skills. One option in this group is Making your learning count (YXM130), a 30-credit module that lets you count different types of learning, such as CPD study, towards your qualification.

To complete this stage, you’ll choose a further 60 credits from a wider selection of our other Stage 1 modules.

Modules	Credits	Start month
You'll choose 60 credits from:
A variety of Stage 1 key introductory option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
You'll choose 60 credits from:
A variety of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list

Having completed Stage 1, you may have a sense of a particular direction you would like to take. If so, Stage 2 offers the opportunity to deepen your understanding by focusing on one or two subject areas to explore familiar topics in greater depth. Alternatively, you might choose to continue exploring a broader range of subjects. Either way, after completing 120 credits at this stage, you will have further developed your critical thinking and analytical skills, building on the foundation you've already established.

Modules	Credits	Start month
You'll choose 120 credits from:
A variety of Stage 2 option modules	120	See list

At Stage 3, you will develop significantly as an independent learner and acquire high-level thinking skills in preparation for graduate-level employment or postgraduate study. To complete the 120 credits of study required for this stage, we strongly recommend that you build on previous studies to get the best from your learning experience.

Modules	Credits	Start month
You'll choose 120 credits from:
A variety of Stage 3 option modules	120	See list

If you'd like to study a specialist route, we’ve developed over 40 suggested subject routes to guide your studies. Each specialist route allows you to focus on a specific subject area for 180 credits of study – the equivalent of half a degree. For the remaining 180 credits, you’ll have complete freedom to choose modules from any area of study offered by the OU.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer to specialise in two subjects, you can combine 180 credits from one subject route with 180 credits from another. This option lets you study both subjects in equal depth, either alongside each other or sequentially.

Please note that the subjects you study won’t appear on your degree certificate or in the degree title.

Details of our most popular routes are shown below:

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Discovering the arts and humanities (A111)	60	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Art and life before 1800 (A237)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Art and its global histories (A344)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Science: concepts and practice (S112)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Cell and molecular biology (S296)	30	Oct
Biodiversity: survival in a changing world (S286)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Biological science: from genes to species (S317)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list
S112 is not a key introductory module. If you're interested in studying this route, you'll need to have completed 60 credits of key introductory modules in another subject.

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
An introduction to business and management (B100)	60	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Shaping business opportunities (B207)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Strategic management (B302)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Introduction to childhood studies and child psychology (E104)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Exploring childhood and youth (E232)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Contemporary research with children and young people (E320)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Introduction to computing and information technology 1 (TM111)	30	Apr \| Oct
Introduction to computing and information technology 2 (TM112)	30	Apr \| Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Object-oriented Java programming (M250)	30	Oct
Algorithms, data structures and computability (M269)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Data management and analysis (TM351)	30	Oct
Interaction design and the user experience (TM356)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Design thinking: creativity for the 21st century (U101)	60	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Design for impact (T240) – planned for October 2026	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Innovation: designing for change (T317)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
You and your money (DB125)	30	Oct \| Feb
Economics in context (DD126)	30	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Essential economics: macro and micro perspectives (D217)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Doing economics: inequalities, innovation and environment (DD320)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list
DD126 is not a key introductory module. If you're interested in studying this route, you'll need to have completed 60 credits of key introductory modules in another subject.

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Engineering: origins, methods, context (T192)	30	Apr \| Oct
Engineering: frameworks, analysis, production (T193)	30	Apr \| Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Core engineering A (T271)	30	Oct
Energy and sustainability (T213)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Nanoscale engineering (T366)	30	Oct
Renewable energy (T313)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Environment: journeys through a changing world (U116)	60	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Energy and sustainability (T213)	30	Oct
Environmental management: systems and sustainability (T220)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Environmental management: pathways to sustainability (T330)	30	Oct
Renewable energy (T313)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Introduction to French studies (beginners) (L102)	30	Oct
French studies 1 (intermediate) (L112)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
French studies 2: language and culture of the French-speaking world (L222)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
French studies 3: language and culture of the French-speaking world (L332)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Introducing health and social care (K102)	60	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Critical ideas in wellbeing and public health (K212)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Leading, managing, caring (K318)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Criminal law and the courts (W111)	60	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Public law (W211)	30	Oct
International, environmental and space law (W260)	30	Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Trusts law (W311)	30	Oct
Law, society and culture (W340)	30	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Discovering mathematics (MU123)	30	Oct \| Feb
Essential mathematics 1 (MST124)	30	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Mathematical methods (MST224)	30	Oct
Analysing data (M248)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Applications of probability (M343)	30	Oct
Deterministic and stochastic dynamics (MS327)	30	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Exploring psychological worlds: thinking, feeling, doing (D110)	60	Oct \| Feb
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Applying psychology (D250) – planned for October 2026	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Social psychology for the 21st century (D360) – planned for October 2026	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

Modules	Credits	Start month
Stage 1 (120 credits)
Active bodies: introducing the study of sport and exercise (E114)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 1 option modules	60	See list
Stage 2 (120 credits)
Applying sport and exercise sciences to coaching (E236)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 2 option modules	60	See list
Stage 3 (120 credits)
Contemporary sport and exercise issues (E315)	60	Oct
Plus choose 60 credits from this list of Stage 3 option modules	60	See list

By studying this degree, you’ll:

You’ll be supported by personal tutors, rich distance-learning materials, interactive tools, and regular feedback.

You'll be awarded a BA (Honours) Open or BSc (Honours) Open upon successful completion.

The class of honours (first, upper-second, lower-second or third) will depend on your grades at Stages 2 and 3.

You'll also have the opportunity to attend a degree ceremony.

Designation of your degree

Your choice of modules determines whether you graduate with a BA (Honours) or BSc (Honours) Open degree:

If you plan to work or study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether this qualification meets local requirements. Find out more about the international recognition of Open University qualifications.

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

We regularly review our curriculum to keep it up to date. This means the structure, availability, and content of the course or modules may change. We’ll update this page as soon as possible if there are any changes. If you have already registered for this qualification, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes where practicable. For more details, see our

Academic Regulations

contact us

You can achieve this degree in as little as three years and have a maximum of 16 years to complete it. Our module-by-module approach gives you the flexibility to complete your qualification at a pace that works best for you.

You can complete this degree in three years by studying at a pace equivalent to full-time. That’s similar to a student at a campus-based university.

You can complete this degree in six years by studying part-time. That’s roughly half the rate of a student on a full-time course at a campus-based university.

At the OU, flexibility and support go hand in hand. You’ll be in control of when and where you study, with clear deadlines to guide your progress. Whether you’re balancing work, family or other commitments, our approach helps you fit learning into your life. Students consistently praise the support we provide, and from the very start, you’ll be part of a vibrant OU learning community.

As you progress through your qualification, you’ll have access to a dedicated online study space, expert tutor guidance, optional live tutorials, and a wide range of resources to help you succeed. The sections below outline what you can expect.

Your module website will be a central hub for your learning, giving you easy access to:

Discover how the OU’s module websites, course materials, and support tools help you study online with confidence.

Each module has a dedicated tutor who will guide you through your studies. They’ll provide feedback, help you find resources, mark your assignments and support your learning journey.

For extra support, you can attend optional live tutorials with your tutor. These are usually conducted online, and most are recorded so you can review them later.

See how OU tutors and tutorials help you build confidence, connect with others, and get the support you need to succeed in your studies.

Our assessments reinforce what you’ve learned and show your understanding. Assessment types vary by module and may include:

Our qualifications are as accessible as possible, and we have a comprehensive range of support services to help you succeed. This qualification uses a variety of study materials and includes the following elements:

Every module has its own Accessibility Statement with more detailed accessibility information – you’ll find these in individual module descriptions. Visit our Disability support page to learn more about our services.

Discover how the OU’s Disability Support Team helps students with advice, adjustments and resources.

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to a wide range of support services and be part of a vibrant learning community. Our subject-specific Student Support Teams can help with general queries and any updates to your OU account. You’ll also benefit from:

Discover the support network and learning tools you'll have access to throughout your studies.

There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.

You’ll begin your BA/BSc (Honours) Open with one of a range of introductory modules, which will provide you with a foundation in your chosen subject(s) and help develop general study skills. You may want to focus on one subject – such as science or the humanities – but there's nothing to stop you from studying modules from entirely different areas. We've provided some suggested routes through the degree, which you can find in the Course details tab.

For certain subject areas – such as biology, economics, or psychology – you may need to include specific modules at Stage 1 or have completed previous study so that you’re prepared for Stages 2 and 3. But don’t worry, we’ll help you choose the right module at the right stage.

For the following subject areas, we also have online tools that will help you decide if you’re ready:

We’re here to help. If you would like assistance with planning your qualification and selecting your modules, take a look at our suggested study routes or contact us to speak to an adviser.

If it’s been a while since you last studied and you’d like to build your confidence or gain experience in online learning, you can begin with an optional Access module.

If you’ve studied at university level before, you may be able to transfer the academic credit you've been awarded towards an OU qualification. This could save you time and money by reducing the modules you need to study.

It’s not just university study that can be considered; you can also transfer study from a wide range of professional or vocational qualifications, such as HNCs and HNDs.

You should apply to transfer credit before registering, at least four weeks before the registration closing date. We will need to know what you studied, where, and when, and you will need to provide evidence of your previous study.

For more details and to download an application form, visit our Credit Transfer website.

6 years

£3,892*

A degree is worth 360 credits. The fee per year is based on studying 60 credits per year for 6 years.

£23,352*

This qualification also includes option modules with higher and lower fees than standard, which, if studied, will increase or reduce the total cost.

Your course fees cover your tuition, assessment and study materials, but there are still a few additional costs that can come with studying. For this qualification, you'll need:

*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to the part-time fee limit, as set out in section 5 of the University's

Fee Rules

Pay nothing upfront – over 85% of our students in England fund their studies with a Part-Time Tuition Fee Loan (sometimes called a student loan), meaning they pay nothing upfront.

Learn more about this and our other funding options below.

Repay in monthly instalments while you study.

Pay for each module with a debit or credit card in one quick, simple payment.

More than 1 in 10 OU students are sponsored by their employer.

Combine your payment options to fund your studies the way you want.

If you’re a serving member of the British Armed Forces (or you’ve recently left), you may be eligible to use ELCs to cover up to 100% of your course fees.

You may be eligible for:

The BA/BSc (Honours) Open is an ideal way to showcase your abilities across a broad range of skills and gain a competitive edge in today's highly competitive job market.

"The flexibility of the Open degree helped keep things new and exciting. Plus, studying all these different topics means I now have a skill set that's unique to me." - Luke Simmons, BA (Hons) Open

The employers we work with know that diversity of knowledge brings great strength. They highly value OU students and graduates, describing them most often as 'self-starters', 'diverse', 'determined', 'adaptable' and 'work-ready'. An Open degree on your CV not only shows your skills and subject knowledge but also highlights to current or future employers that you are flexible and agile, having studied across a range of subjects.

By studying our BS/BSc (Hons) Open, you can develop a diverse range of transferable skills, expertise, and capabilities, including:

You can find out more about how the OU embeds employability across all qualifications through our Employability Framework.

The flexibility of our BA/BSc (Honours) Open degree makes it relevant to a wide range of careers and industries. It can help you to develop in your existing employment or be a passport to a whole new career. Its flexibility particularly suits people with multi-faceted work roles; and anyone needing to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding to manage changes in their current job or future career path.

From the start of your studies, our experienced Careers and Employability Services team can help you learn how to describe what you've gained from your BA/BSc (Hons) Open in ways that employers will take notice of, including:

For up to three years after you finish your studies, you'll have full access to The Open University's Careers and Employability Services for a wide range of information, advice and guidance. This includes:

Some areas of the Careers and Employability Services website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career. Once you are a registered student, you will also have access to career information and advice on the Open Qualifications Study Home site.

You can also visit the graduate careers website Prospects for hundreds of job ideas.

Credit transfer: apply by 12/02/2026

Ask a question

Our prospectus will help you explore your course options, get a feel for life as an OU student, and register for study.

Request a prospectus

Credit transfer: apply by 12/02/2026