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Course type: Degree

Degree

Also known as an undergraduate or bachelors degree.

Internationally respected, universally understood.

An essential requirement for many high-level jobs.

Gain a thorough understanding of your subject – and the tools to investigate, think critically, form reasoned arguments, solve problems and communicate effectively in new contexts.

Progress to higher level study, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters degree.
Credits: 360

Credits

Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.

One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.

You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.

For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
How long it takes
Study method: Distance learning
Entry requirements: Find out more about; Entry requirements

BA (Honours) Drawing

: Course code: A09

Explore the rich possibilities of drawing with our BA (Honours) Drawing degree. This online programme encourages you to push the boundaries of traditional drawing, embracing both time-honoured techniques and innovative approaches. You'll develop your skills, critical thinking, and artistic voice under the guidance of experienced tutors. Our flexible study model allows you to learn at your own pace, integrating your artistic development with your daily life. Join a diverse community of artists and discover how drawing can become a powerful tool for expression and understanding.

This online course is available through our college dedicated to the creative arts, the Open College of the Arts.

Key features

Entry requirements

Fees and funding

Key features

Expand your drawing skills across traditional and experimental techniques
Cultivate critical thinking and research skills to inform your practice
Learn from and alongside a diverse community of artists
Adapt your studies to suit your lifestyle and commitments
Build a portfolio that reflects your unique artistic journey

Course highlights

This honours degree in drawing has three stages, each comprising 120 credits.

Stage 1 (120 credits)

You'll begin your journey by exploring the fundamentals of drawing. Throughout this stage, you'll experiment with various processes and approaches, covering aspects like material properties, gesture, performance, space, and time. As you progress, you'll develop your research skills and critical engagement with other artists' work, learning to analyse and draw inspiration from diverse sources. You'll also build relationships with peers and tutors, becoming an integral part of the learning community. This foundational stage will help you discover your strengths and interests within the broad field of drawing.

Stage 2 (120 credits)

Building on your foundation, you'll develop a more personal approach to drawing. You'll engage with current themes and practices in contemporary art, learning to situate your work within broader artistic discourses. Throughout this stage, you'll be encouraged to celebrate your unique context as a distance learner, embedding your practice in daily life. You'll explore material experimentation, personal and social themes, and environmental concerns, pushing the boundaries of what drawing can be. This stage will challenge you to take creative risks and develop a more sophisticated understanding of your artistic practice.

Stage 3 (120 credits)

In this final stage, you'll refine your individual drawing practice through challenging intellectual inquiry. You'll develop and carry out personal research projects in your chosen area of drawing, synthesising your technical skills with conceptual depth. Throughout this stage, you'll focus on creating a sustainable research practice to support your studio work, develop professional relationships and networks, and establish a meaningful drawing practice. You'll learn to articulate and share your knowledge through various means, from academic essays to artist talks. By the end of this stage, you'll have produced a substantial body of work that demonstrates your unique artistic voice and your readiness for professional practice or further study.

Course type

Degree

Credits

360

How long it takes

Part-time study – 6–9 years

Time limit – 12 years

Study method

Distance learning

Entry requirements

Find out more about Entry requirements

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Regulations

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.

Entry requirements

This open-access degree welcomes students from all walks of life. No formal qualifications are required – just bring your enthusiasm for art and readiness to learn. You'll need basic computer skills, a stable internet connection, and a good grasp of English to fully engage with the course materials and community.

Fees and funding

Read the detailed description on the Open College of the Arts website to learn more about this degree's fees and funding options.

How will I study this course?

With our unique approach to distance learning, you can study from home, work or on the move.

You’ll have some assessment deadlines to meet, but otherwise, you’ll be free to study at the times that suit you, fitting your learning around work, family, and social life.

For each of your modules, you’ll use either just online resources or a mix of online and printed materials.

Each module you study will have a module website with

a week-by-week study planner, giving you a step-by-step guide through your studies
course materials such as reading, videos, recordings, and self-assessed activities
module forums for discussions and collaborative activities with other students
details of each assignment and their due dates
a tutorial booking system, online tutorial rooms, and your tutor’s contact details
online versions of some printed module materials and resources.

If you have additional needs, we can also provide most module materials in alternative formats. Find out more about materials on our accessibility webpage.

Tutor support

You’ll have a tutor for each module, who will introduce themselves before the module begins.

Throughout the module, they will:

mark your assignments and give feedback to help you improve
guide you to learning resources
support you, whether with general study skills or help with a specific topic.

Tutorials

Tutorials usually take place online, and they’re always optional.

Online tutorials are live presentations with module tutors in dedicated online tutorial rooms and are sometimes recorded.

Assessment

Our assessments are all designed to reinforce your learning and help you show your understanding of the topics. The mix of assessment methods will vary between modules.

Computer-Marked Assignments

Usually, a series of online, multiple-choice questions.

Tutor-Marked Assignments

You’ll have a number of these throughout each module, each with a submission deadline.
They can be made up of essays, questions, experiments or something else to test your understanding of what you have learned.
Your tutor will mark and return them to you with detailed feedback.

End-of-Module Assessments

The final, marked piece of work on most modules.
Modules with an end-of-module assessment won’t usually have an exam.

Exams

Some modules end with an exam. You’ll be given time to revise and prepare.
You’ll be given your exam date at least 5 months in advance.
Most exams take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location.
If a module has an in-person exam (that you must take at one of our exam centres) or is invigilated online, we’ll make this clear in the module description.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments, and having my scores reflecting that, made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded.
Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

Other support and resources

Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to our subject-specific Student Support Teams.

They’ll help you with any general questions about your study and updates to your OU account.

To help with your studies, you’ll also have access to:

our online library, with high-quality online resources to support your study
other university libraries in the UK and Ireland
the online Help Centre, which has general information about OU study and support, along with study skills advice
free Microsoft Office 365 software
IT and computing support from our Computing Helpdesk.

Find out more about student support and being a part of the OU community.

Interested in finding out more?

This degree is delivered by The Open University's Open College of the Arts.

To explore this course in detail, including entry requirements, fees and funding options, and how to apply, visit the Open College of the Arts website.

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