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Making your learning count

This innovative and flexible OU level 1 module allows you to count different types of learning towards a formal OU qualification. The type of study you can count includes courses from the OU’s free learning website, OpenLearn, other open educational resources (OERs) or learning programmes you may have undertaken through work or elsewhere. Through a series of topics and assessment tasks, you will explore what you have learnt whilst developing the skills you need to be a successful student. The courses that you choose to study is up to you, making this learning experience an entirely personal one. Your tutor will help you plan your study and identify what you are hoping to achieve through this module and your future study plans.

Modules count towards OU qualifications

OU qualifications are modular in structure; the credits from this undergraduate module could count towards a certificate of higher education, diploma of higher education, foundation degree or honours degree.

This is an optional module in our:

Certificate of Higher Education in Arts and Humanities (T32)

Certificate of Higher Education in Business Management (T27)

Certificate of Higher Education Open (T09)

Foundation Degree in Combined Professional Studies (X13)

Diploma of Higher Education in Arts and Humanities (W59)

Diploma of Higher Education in Business Management (W51)

Diploma of Higher Education in Combined Professional Studies (W13)

Diploma of Higher Education Open (W34)

BA (Honours) Arts and Humanities (R14)

BA (Honours) Business Management (Q91)

BA/BSc (Honours) Open (QD)

BSc (Honours) Combined STEM (R28)



 

Module

Module code

YXM130

Credits

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.
30

Study level

Across the UK, there are two parallel frameworks for higher education qualifications, the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ) and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). These define a hierarchy of levels and describe the achievement expected at each level. The information provided shows how OU module levels correspond to these frameworks.
Level of Study
OU SCQF FHEQ
1 7 4

Study method

Distance Learning

Module cost

See Module registration

Entry requirements

See Entry requirements

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Module details Entry requirements Module registration Study materials

What you will study

Open educational resources (OERs) provide a valuable platform for learning about a wide variety of topics and subjects. This module allows you to take what you have learnt and use it towards the OU qualifications outlined above. You will have a tutor to offer help and advice, and fellow students with whom you can share ideas.

You will need to select 150 hours of learning to bring to the module, some or all of which may have been completed already. This may come from the OU’s free learning website, OpenLearn, or other specified OER sites. This includes FutureLearn, edX, Coursera and OERu. You will also study consolidating material and complete a number of assessment tasks on the module website, which will ask you to analyse and reflect on your OER study.

These assessment tasks will help you develop your study skills over the course of the module.  These will focus on developing the ability to plan and reflect on your learning.  This will be done by supporting you to decide on the courses you will study and when. You will learn how to communicate your learning through a variety of tools, and then develop an appreciation of multi and interdisciplinary study.  You will be able to look at other students’ work and comment on it, and develop the ability to learn about how assessment can consolidate your learning.  All this will be carried out while you have a very wide choice of materials to give you a taste of a variety of topics and disciplines. 

The final assessment task provides you with an opportunity to consolidate your learning as you approach the completion of this module. 

You will learn

The module will help you explore what happens when you bring different knowledge, skills and learning experiences together. You will discover the richness that comes from thinking about a topic from a variety of angles. This new insight may confirm that your learning goals are exactly as you had originally planned, or it may open a whole new world of possibilities.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

All tutorials are conducted between you and your tutor, although there will be opportunities for collaboration with other students. Your tutor will help you plan your work and think about the ideas explored in the module. Your tutor will also comment on and support you with your assessments. At the end of the module you will discuss your progress with your tutor, and you will work together to review your learning before deciding on your next steps.

Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.

You will be expected to submit all of your Tutor-marked Assignments (TMA) and the End-of-module Assessment (EMA) through the university’s eTMA system.

Future availability

Making your learning count starts once a year - in October.

This page describes the module that will start in October 2023. We expect it to start for the last time in October 2024.

Regulations

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

    Course work includes:

    6 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
    End-of-module assessment
    No residential school


    Entry requirements

    Although there are no formal entry requirements, this module is most suitable if you have completed some study using The Open University’s free learning website, OpenLearn. or other specified OER. This includes FutureLearn, edX, Coursera and OERu or any other open educational resources.

    If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

    Register

    Start End England fee Register
    07 Oct 2023 Jun 2024 £845.00

    Registration closes 07/09/23 (places subject to availability)

    Register
    This module is expected to start for the last time in October 2025.

    Additional Costs

    Study costs

    There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

    If your income is not more than £25,000 or you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.

    Ways to pay for this module

    Open University Student Budget Account

    The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.

    You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:

    • Register now, pay later – OUSBA pays your module fee direct to the OU. You then repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts. 0% APR representative. This option could give you the extra time you may need to secure the funding to repay OUSBA.
    • Pay by instalments – OUSBA calculates your monthly fee and number of instalments based on the cost of the module you are studying. APR 5.1% representative.

    Joint loan applications

    If you feel you would be unable to obtain an OUSBA loan on your own due to credit history or affordability issues, OUSBA offers the option to apply for a joint loan application with a third party. For example, your husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or friend. In such cases, OUSBA will be required to carry out additional affordability checks separately and/or collectively for both joint applicants who will be jointly and severally liable for loan repayments.

    As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.

    Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).  

    Employer sponsorship

    Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.

    More than one in ten OU students are sponsored by their employer, and over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. 

    • Your employer just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
    • You won’t need to get your employer to complete the form until after you’ve chosen your module.  

    Credit/debit card

    You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module. 

    We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron. 

    Mixed payments

    We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).


    Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and therefore the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2024. Fees normally increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules

    This information was provided on 30/03/2023.

    Can you study an Access module for free?

    In order to qualify, you must:

    1. be resident in England
    2. have a personal income of less than £25,000 (or receive qualifying benefits)
    3. have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above, or completed 30 credits or more of OU study

    How to apply to study an Access module for free

    Once you've started the registration process, either online or over the phone, we'll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible.

    If you're unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069 or you can request a call back.

    Not eligible to study for free?

    Don't worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

    • monthly payments through OUSBA
    • part-time tuition fee loan (you'll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

    To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding.

    What's included

    You'll have access to a module website, which includes:

    • a study planner
    • course-specific module materials
    • video content
    • assignment details and submission section
    • online tutorial access

    You'll also have personalised support and one-to-one telephone tutorials.

    Computing requirements

    You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11), or macOS (11 'Big Sur' or higher).

    Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.

    To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).

    Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.

    Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.

    It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop as described above.

    If you have a disability

    The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying YXM130 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

    To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.