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Course type: Certificate
Credits: 60

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: 1 year part-time study
Read more about how long it takes
Study method: Distance learning
Course cost: See Fees and funding
Entry requirements: Find out more about; Entry requirements

Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities

: Course code: C20

If you have a passion for the arts and are looking for an intellectual challenge, this certificate course provides you with an excellent opportunity to upgrade your qualifications. You will deepen your understanding of either philosophy or creative writing, while developing advanced research and analytical skills that will give you the edge in today’s competitive jobs market and prepare you for further academic study.

Optional modules	Credits	Next start
MA Creative Writing part 1 (A802) This module is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills in fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and scriptwriting through practical writing, reading and research activities. See full description Register	60	03 Oct 2026
MA Philosophy part 1 (A853) This module introduces you to graduate-level philosophy through studying the beauty of nature; a classic text – Plato’s Meno; the nature of consciousness; and issues around global justice. See full description Register	60	03 Oct 2026

Optional modules

Credits

Next start

MA Creative Writing part 1 (A802)

This module is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills in fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction and scriptwriting through practical writing, reading and research activities.

See full description

03 Oct 2026

MA Philosophy part 1 (A853)

This module introduces you to graduate-level philosophy through studying the beauty of nature; a classic text – Plato’s Meno; the nature of consciousness; and issues around global justice.

See full description

03 Oct 2026

Credit transfer

For this qualification, we do not allow you to count credit for study you have already done elsewhere.

On completion

On successful completion of the required modules you can be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities entitling you to use the letters PG Cert (Hum) (Open) after your name.

You can progress from this Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities to our MA in Creative Writing (F71) or MA in Philosophy (F30).

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.

Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 18 March 2025.

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Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities

Modules

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

Credit transfer

On completion

Regulations

How long it takes

Career relevance

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Modules

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

Credit transfer

On completion

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How long it takes

Career relevance

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Where do you live?