Course types

Masters degrees

  • 180 credits
  • typically three years’ part-time study
  • Internationally respected, universally understood.
  • Enhance your career prospects and increase your salary potential.
  • Gain specialist academic, professional and technical knowledge and skills.
  • Compete in the UK jobs market and further afield.
  • Progression route to a research degree, for example, a PhD.

See a list of masters degrees  

Postgraduate diplomas

  • 120 credits
  • typically two years' part-time study
  • Widely recognised qualification.
  • Equivalent to two thirds of a masters degree.
  • Deepen your academic, professional and technical knowledge and skills.
  • Boost your career or take it in a new direction.
  • Just one more year of part-time study to complete a masters degree.

See a list of postgraduate diplomas  

Postgraduate certificates

  • 60 credits
  • typically one year part-time study
  • The first step on the way to a masters degree.
  • A valuable qualification in its own right.
  • Ideal for professional and career development.
  • Enhance your academic, professional and technical knowledge and skills.
  • Just two more years of part-time study to complete a masters degree.

See a list of postgraduate certificates  

Microcredentials

  • 15 credits
  • typically 12 weeks of part-time study
  • Gain specialist knowledge to help advance your career.
  • Complete in just 12 weeks.
  • Gain recognised postgraduate academic credit.

See a list of our microcredentials  

Single modules

  • 15, 30, 60 or 120 credits
  • ranging from six to 12 months' part-time study
  • Self-contained unit of teaching, learning and assessment.
  • Combine modules towards OU qualifications, or study individually for interest or professional development.
  • Credit in an appropriate subject is widely recognised by many other universities.
  • Level of difficulty graded as postgraduate (equivalent to FHEQ level 7/SCQF level 11).

See an A–Z of modules  

Research degrees

  • Recognised and renowned throughout the world.
  • Engage with issues of global significance.
  • Undertake original, in-depth and independent study.
  • A gateway to high-level careers and academia.

Read more about research degrees  

Featured courses

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

  • 180 credits
  • typically three years' part-time study
  • Highly respected and recognised throughout the world.
  • Fast track your career and increase your salary potential.
  • Tap into an international network of high-calibre colleagues.
  • Core disciplines include human resource management, organisational behaviour, accounting and finance, marketing and operations.
  • Flexible progression routes, picking up career enhancing qualifications on the way.

Read more about the MBA  

MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice

  • 180 credits
  • typically three years' part-time study
  • Offers you the choice of a research route or a professional route.
  • Both routes develop essential skills for addressing systems thinking issues systematically in your own context, and extend your knowledge of recent research and research methods.
  • Concludes with either a substantial piece of independent study on a topic of professional interest to you, or a more academic in-depth research project.

Read more about the MSc  

Master of Education (MA or MEd)

  • 180 credits
  • typically three years' part-time study
  • Suitable for education professionals working in formal and informal settings, including teaching, administrative and advisory roles.
  • Designed to develop creative, self-directed professionals with highly developed skills and a deep understanding of learning.
  • Enrich your knowledge, improve your professional practice, and enhance your standing in the jobs market.
  • Gain transferable skills such as critical reflection, exercising initiative and complex decision-making.

Read more about the MA/MEd