5. •The Open University (also commonly
referred to by its initialism OU) is a distance
learning and research, a university founded
by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom.
•The university is funded by a combination of
student fees, contract income, and
allocations for teaching and research by the
higher education funding bodies in each of
the four countries of the UK (England,
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
6. The Open University Aim
• The OU provides university education to
those wishing to pursue higher education on
a part-time and/or distance learning basis,
including people with health disabilities, who
are officially a priority group for the
university, nearly 13,000 OU students have
health disabilities
• http://www.open.ac.uk/
7. Academic Divisions
Faculties Business School
Arts; Education & Language Master of Business
Studies; Health and Social Administration
Care; Students study via
Law; Mathematics, distance learning for a
Computing and Technology; Certificate or Diploma in
Science; Social Science; and Management and MBA
Business and Law. programmes
8. Teaching Methods
Distance Education
•Written and audio materials, the Internet, disc-based software
and television programmes on DVD.
•Usage of Modules as supported by tutors ("Associate
Lecturers") who provide feedback on their work and are
generally available to them at face-to-face tutorials, by
telephone, and/or on the Internet
•An online conferencing service (Internet Forum) where help
and advice is offered through conferencing "Moderators".
9. Teaching Methods
Distance Education
•The most popular module during 2009–10
was DD101 An introduction to the social
sciences (7,512 students), followed by AA100
The Arts Past and Present, B120 An
Introduction to Business Studies, K101 An
Introduction to Health and Social
Care and Y163 Starting with Psychology
11. Courses
•Open University modules have associated with
them a number of Credit Accumulation and
Transfer Scheme (CATS) credits – usually 30 or 60
– depending on the quantity of the material in
the module and a level (1, 2, 3, or 4)
corresponding to the complexity, with 120
roughly equating to the year of study for a full-
time student.
12. Degrees
•OU offers Degree in the Named Subject for the
modules taken
•"Open" Bachelor degrees and “Open” Honors
Degree. Example: Bachelor of Arts Open or a
Bachelor of Science Open either with or without
honours.
•Undergraduate Certificates
13. Assessment Methods
Assessment of
University Modules
Examinations Coursework
End of 2 to 7 tutor
3 hour 6 multiple
marked
paper exams Module assignment choice or
Assessments identification
computer
marked
assignment
14. Assessment Methods
Grading System for all
examinations and coursework
1 = 85 and up
2 = 70 – 84
3 = 55 – 69
4 = 40 – 54
5 = below 40
15. Open Policy
Open Admissions Policy
A diverse range of students from all walks of life are
attracted to the OU; for most modules there are
no entry requirements other than the ability to
study at an appropriate level, though most
postgraduate modules require evidence of previous
study or equivalent life experience. This
fundamental open admissions policy makes
undergraduate university study accessible to all.
16. Open Policy
Financial Matters
•The average cost of one full-time year or 120 credits will rise to
£5,000, bringing the cost of an average Bachelor's honours
degree for an English student to £15,000.
•From September 2012 the Government will be reducing its
funding for all students residing in England, English students
will for the first time pay higher fees than those living the rest
of the United Kingdom.
•European Union and international students pay more as the
University does not receive government funding for them
