Alternative education.britishopenuniversity

British Open University

Reported by:

Joemar MaganteIII-16 BSE History

•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).

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/

Academic DivisionsFaculties Business School

Arts; Education & Language Studies; Health and Social Care; Law; Mathematics, Computing and Technology; Science; Social Science; and Business and Law.

Master of Business AdministrationStudents study via distance learning for a Certificate or Diploma in Management and MBA programmes

Teaching MethodsDistance 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".

Teaching MethodsDistance 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

Courses OfferedTypes of Courses

1.Opening Courses2.Short Courses3.Undergraduate Courses ( Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 )4. Postgraduate Courses

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.

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

Assessment MethodsAssessment of

University Modules

Examinations Coursework

3 hour paper exams

End of Module

Assessments

2 to 7 tutor marked

assignment

6 multiple choice or

identification computer marked

assignment

Assessment MethodsGrading System for all

examinations and coursework1 = 85 and up

2 = 70 – 843 = 55 – 694 = 40 – 54

5 = below 40

Open PolicyOpen 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.

Open PolicyFinancial 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

Thank You!