Do I have enough time for study?

Fewer than six hours a week

You haven't yet put aside enough time for studying a module.

• An Openings module (worth 15 credits) takes around six hours of study a week, over a 20-week period.
• One Level 1 module (worth 60 credits) takes around 16 hours a week over a nine-month period.
• One Level 1 module (worth 30 credits) takes around eight hours a week over a period of six or nine months.

If you can't identify enough time now, but are still interested in studying with the OU, you'll need to work out how to find the necessary time. Could you juggle things round, reduce the time spent on certain activities, or give up others altogether? Perhaps you can enlist the support of family or friends, or delegate some jobs so that you can free up time for study.

Remember too, that this activity encourages to you think about potential slots in the week when you may be available for study. To be a successful student, you'll need to learn how to manage your time flexibly to fit around your study and other commitments.

Once you've thought through these issues, you might want to revise your estimates of time available for study.

Six to eight hours a week

You seem to have enough time to study one of the Openings modules available in Step 1 of the Access to Success Route. Each module (worth 15 credits) takes around six hours of study a week over a 20-week period.

However, bear in mind that in Step 2 of the route, you'll need to set aside more time for study. This is because you'll need to complete either one 60-credit Level 1 module over a nine-month period or two 30-credit Level 1 modules over 12-18 months.

• One Level 1 module (worth 60 credits) takes around 16 hours a week
• One Level 1 module (worth 30 credits) takes around eight hours a week.

Remember too that to tackle your work successfully you'll need to think about

• how familiar you are with the subject of your chosen module
• the time of day when you can study most productively
• the length of time that you can concentrate effectively at a given stretch
• creative ways to accommodate your study time to suit your lifestyle (e.g. can you listen to audio materials while travelling to work?)
• scheduling your activities realistically according to your priorities
• the support that you will need if, for instance, you have a disability or long-term health condition
• the extra time it may take to develop confidence in certain study skills.

Having thought about these issues, you may want to revise your estimates of available time for study.

Nine to 16 hours a week

It looks like to you have enough time to study one of the Openings modules available in Step 1 of the Access to Success Route. Each module (worth 15 credits) takes around six hours of study a week over a 20-week period.

However, think carefully about whether you have enough time set aside for the Level 1 modules in Step 2 of the route. At this stage, you'll need to study either one 60-credit Level 1 module over a nine-month period or two 30-credit Level 1 modules over 12-18 months.

• One Level 1 module (worth 30 credits) requires about eight hours a week
• One Level 1 module (worth 60 credits) requires about 16 hours a week.

Have another think about how you might free up some more time for study. Can you reduce the time spent on certain activities, or give up others altogether? What about delegating some jobs or asking the support of family or friends?

Remember also that to make best use of the study time you set aside, you'll need to think about

• how familiar you are with the subject of your chosen module
• the time of day when you can study most productively
• the length of time that you can concentrate effectively at a given stretch
• creative ways to accommodate your study time to suit your lifestyle (e.g. can you listen to audio materials while travelling to work?)
• scheduling your activities realistically according to your priorities
• the support that you will need if, for instance, you have a disability or long term health condition
• the extra time it may take to develop confidence in certain study skills.

Having thought about these issues, you may want to revise your estimates of available time for study.

Over 16 hours a week

According to your estimates, you seem to have enough time to study the modules that are available in Step 1 and Step 2 of the Access to Success Route.

• In Step 1, an Openings module (worth 15 credits) requires about six hours a week over a 20-week period.
• In Step 2, you will study either one Level 1 module (worth 60 credits) over a nine-month period or two Level 1 modules (each worth 30 credits) over 12-18 months.
• A 60-credit Level 1 module requires about 16 hours of study a week; a 30-credit Level 1 module requires about eight hours.

Before signing up, do check that you haven't missed anything out of your schedule. For example it's easy to underestimate how long certain activities take.

To tackle your work successfully, you'll also need to think about

• how familiar you are with the subject of your chosen module
• the time of day when you can study most productively
• the length of time that you can concentrate effectively at a given stretch
• creative ways to accommodate your study time to suit your lifestyle (e.g. can you listen to audio materials while travelling to work?)
• scheduling your activities realistically according to your priorities
• the support that you will need if, for instance, you have a disability or long term health condition
• the extra time it may take to develop confidence in certain study skills.

Having thought about these issues, you may want to revise your estimates of available time for study.