BA Hons in Creative Arts

If you know you will be studying just for pleasure, you can skip this section, but if you think you may want to get a qualification, then please read on.

Nearly all our courses are accredited. This means that they carry higher education credit points and that successful study with us can lead to a Certificate or Diploma in Higher Education or to an Honours degree in Creative Arts.

  • a Certificate requires 120 credit points at Level 1
  • a Diploma requires 120 credit points at Level 1 plus 120 points at Level 2
  • a BA Hons degree requires a further 120 points at Level 3.

Our Level 1 courses carry 40 credit points. Level 2 and 3 courses carry 60 points. The table below sets out how many OCA courses you need to take at each level in order to gain your chosen qualification.

Qualifications, credit points and OCA courses

Qualification Credits Required OCA Courses
Certificate in Higher Education 120 points at Level 1 3 Level 1 courses
Diploma in Higher Education

120 points at Level 1
120 points at Level 2

3 Level 1 courses
2 Level 2 courses
BA Hons in Creative Arts

120 points at Level 1
120 points at Level 2
120 points at Level 3

3 Level 1 courses
2 Level 2 courses
2 Level 3 courses

You can choose when to be assessed but you do not have to take formal exams. Assessment is based on examination of your course portfolio by an independent assessor. The minimum pass mark for each course is 40 per cent.

Assessment dates

March: Submissions must not be sent before the 15 January and no later than the 230 January of the same year.

August: Submissions must not be sent before the 15 June and no later than the 30 June of the same year.

November: Submissions must not be sent before the 15 September and no later than the 30 September of the same year.

Planning your qualification pathway

You can decide to work towards a qualification at any point in your studies, going back to fill in any gaps in your programme if you need to. You can focus on one subject area, or you can ‘pick and mix’ your subjects, but your chosen studies must make up a coherent pathway. For this reason you must fulfill the prerequisites for moving on to study a subject at Level 2 and Level 3.

The prerequisites are shown below:

Prerequisites

  • Level 1: At Level 1 there are none
  • Level 2: To progress to Level 2 in any subject, you must have studied that subject at Level 1 – eg, to study Photography at Level 2, you must have studied a photography course at Level 1
  • Level 3: To progress to Level 3 in any subject, you must have studied that subject at Level 2 – eg, to study a Level 3 course in creative writing, you must have successfully studied creative writing at Level 2.

Further to the above pre-requisites, there is nothing to stop you from only taking two courses at Level 1 (80 points) and then topping up these Level 1 points with the credits from an additional Level 2 course.

If you think you will be working towards a degree, diploma or certificate, please call us before you enroll to discuss your initial choice of courses. You can’t expect to know at this stage in which discipline you will specialise by the time you reach Level 3, but we can help make sure your Level 1 and 2 choices keep a coherent study pathway open. We are here to help you plan your pathway, so please call Academic Services on 0800 731 2116.

Costs

There is an assessment fee of £100 for each course which you choose to have formally assessed.

The equivalent fee is discounted when you enrol on your next course.

At current course prices and including your final assessment fee, you can get an Honours degree, working at your own pace, without having to attend classes and without having to take formal exams, for around £4,265. As you pay for only one course at a time, the total cost can be spread over a number of years. And you can continue working and earning while you study. Click here for an information sheet that gives more detail: Payment options.

Credit transfer

If you have already successfully completed credit-bearing courses at the appropriate level in the same or a similar subject area, you may be able to bring these credits with you to the OCA. By claiming credit for what you have already achieved, you can reduce the length of time it would otherwise take to get your qualification. Credits may also be claimed for prior learning which has not been formally assessed, provided you can demonstrate that the learning was at the required level and relevant to your chosen study path. It may also be possible to have a portfolio of your work assessed and earn credits. If you think you may qualify for the award of prior credit, please contact us and ask for an Accreditation of Prior Certified Learning (APCL) application pack or Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) pack. To download more information on APCL and APEL, click here - APL guidance notes booklet.For examples of successful APEL portfolio submissions, refer to the list below:


Through the National Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme, you may also be able to transfer for your OCA credits to higher education institutions throughout the UK.

Key features of the BA Hons in Creative Arts

  • No entry requirements
  • Enrol at any time
  • Study in your own time
  • Wide choice and combination of subjects
  • Previous studies can count towards your degree
  • Combine study with other work and commitments
  • No need to travel
  • No compulsory summer schools
  • No sit-down exams
  • No accommodation fees
  • Highly cost effective.
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