Open to all people, places, methods and ideas
The Open University believes that everyone who is keen to succeed should have an equal opportunity to study and so most of our undergraduate courses are open to all. However some professional qualifications do have entry requirements so you should talk to an adviser (0845 3006090) to get advice on the best level of course to start with.
Whatever you are thinking of studying, the best place to start - for almost everybody - is with a Level 1 course. This is the sort of study you would do in the first year at a campus-based university. We find that students are most successful when they progress from a Level 1 course and work their way up, building up their knowledge and skills.
If you have got an NVQ or SVQ level 4 or above, you may be able to count it towards an OU qualification. If you have got an NVQ/SVQ at levels 1,2 or 3, you can still study with the OU, but these will not count towards your OU qualification. You should start with a Level 1 course.
The OU has three types of Level 1 courses:
These are introductory courses which are designed to build your confidence by helping you find out what it’s like to study with us, giving you a taste of a subject area and developing your study skills. The courses are perfect for new learners with little or no special knowledge or experience of studying. You start with your own general knowledge and interests - taking examples from everyday life - and gradually build up to the kind of work you could expect at the beginning of a longer Level 1 course. The courses are quite flexible with four starts a year in June, September, November and March; they last a maximum of 20 to 22 weeks; tutorials are all done by phone so you don’t have to go anywhere and you can fit the course in with your other commitments, as long as you can find approximately six hours a week for study. Your personal tutor who will support you all the way, and there are no examinations. Completion of an Openings course, prepares you for a longer, broader Level 1 course.
List of Openings Courses
Exploring sport online (Y164) 10 credit points - next start Sep 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y164.htm
Introducing environment (Y161) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y161.htm
Learning to change (Y165) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y165.htm
Making sense of the arts (Y160) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y160.htm
Starting with law (Y166) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y166.htm
Starting with maths (Y162) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y162.htm
Starting with psychology (Y163) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y163.htm
Understanding children (Y156) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y156.htm
Understanding health (Y178) 15 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y178.htm
Understanding management (Y159) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y159.htm
Understanding society (Y157) 10 credit points - next start Jun 2010 www.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/y157.htm
If you are confident but not sure about studying this way, then start with one of our Level 1 Short courses. Our range of Short courses focus either on specific skills - such as digital photography or web design or on specific topics such as human nutrition. If you are ready for study at higher education level these courses will give you a flavour of OU study before you commit yourself to a longer course. Completion of a Short course prepares you to study either another Short course of a longer, broader Level1 course.
Visit our short courses page for more details and for the full list of available courses.
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/explained/short-courses.shtml
If you are ready to commit to a longer course, then start with a longer, broader Level 1 course. These courses will give you a firm foundation for more specialist study at Levels 2 and 3. These usually take six to nine months to complete and are a popular first step to a degree. There are over 300 courses to choose from. You can build up to a named degree or to our unique open degree which gives you the freedom to choose the courses that make up your undergraduate qualification.
Visit our Study at the OU page for more details on the longer courses
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/
The OpenLearn website gives free access to Open University course materials. This is the LearningSpace, where you'll find hundreds of free study units, each with a discussion forum. Study independently at your own pace or join a group and use the free learning tools to work with others.
Visit OpenLearn at http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/
Also visit our course taster portal
So, which is the best option for you?
The best option is one that:
• Is pitched at the right level and pace of learning
• Fits in with the number of hours you can study each week
• Matches your study goals
Call 0845 300 6090 for further information and advice
