Study materials

Student reading in the library

The Study materials category on the StudentHome Help Centre gives details about:

  • despatch of your study materials
  • alternative accessible formats
  • buying set books

Study materials from other modules/other years

If you want to view the content supplied for Open University modules from current or previous years you have a number of options.

  • A selection of study materials are available online for free on OpenLearn, iTunesU and the OU Learn channel on Youtube.
  • Your support team may have sets of study materials available to view. Please contact OU General Enquiries on +44 (0)300 303 5303 for more information.
  • Print and audio-visual material from current modules is available for reference at the Library at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. The University Archive in the Library building also holds a comprehensive collection of printed and multi-media OU study materials from 1971 onwards. To view archive materials please contact the University Archive Team to make an appointment.
  • If you have previously studied a module then you will retain read-only access to the module website for three years after you have finished studying the module. From your StudentHome page follow the links to your study record where you will see a list of any modules you have already completed. Click on the name of the module you'd like to access and you will then find a link to the site at the top of the following page. 

Accessing past exam papers

Past exam papers for some modules are available free of charge from the OU Students Association. These can be ordered from their past exam papers web page.