Choosing your Course
MAIN SUBJECT GROUPINGS
What subjects do the OCA offer courses in?
How can I find details of the full range of courses on offer?
RECOMMENDED COURSES FOR NEW STUDENTS
If I am planning to get a qualification, which would be a good course to start with?
I already have some knowledge of and/or experience in the subject matter – can I enter at Level 2 or 3?
PRIOR EXPERIENCE OR STUDY
Do I need any prior experience or entry qualifications for this course?
What skills and/or experience would be it useful for me to have before starting this course?
Does the OCA have a language entry requirement?
Does the OCA have an IT entry requirement?
EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
Is there any equipment or software I will need but which is not supplied by the OCA?
Does it matter if I do not have a computer?
Does it matter if I am not very skilled with using a computer?
SCOPE OF INDIVIDUAL COURSES
What topics will I cover in this course?
Can you give me a sample of the course?
GETTING DETAILED ADVICE
If I am still unsure about specific points to do with this course, can I speak to someone by phone?
MAIN SUBJECT GROUPINGS
What subjects do the OCA offer courses in?
We offer courses in practical creative arts. The choices include painting, drawing, photography, music, illustration, creative writing, textiles and art history. Courses are at undergraduate level but can be studied for pleasure if students are not wanting to study for a qualification.
As of February 2011 we also offer a MA Fine Art course. Further details can be seen HERE.
How can I find details of the full range of courses on offer?
The best source of information on our courses is the website – see www.oca-uk.com. This is continually updated so as to include new courses. We also have a printed guide to studying with us which we can send you on request [see HERE for contact details]. However this has less detail than the website and will reflect the position at the time of publication (it is updated annually).
Back to questionsRECOMMENDED COURSES FOR NEW STUDENTS
If I am planning to get a qualification, which would be a good course to start with?
All OCA courses assume some experience in the subject to start with. However, we generally recommend that whatever your experience, reviewing and refreshing your knowledge of the groundwork is a good thing.
So, for artists we recommend starting with the first level drawing course. Drawing is fundamental to all forms of art practice. For Creative writers the best starting point is Starting to Write or, if your passion is poetry, you could start with the Level 1 course in Poetry. For photographers, the best introduction with broad coverage is The Art of Photography. If your specialism is Textiles, start with A Creative Approach (Level 1). Finally for music, start with Composing Music 1.
I already have some knowledge of and/or experience in the subject matter – can I enter at Level 2 or 3?
OCA offers an open access policy to Level 1 students. This means regardless of any qualifications you can enrol on a Level 1 course.
Some students will have experiential learning of the subject they are interested in and may feel Level 1 is too basic for them. If you feel you have enough experience to study at Level 2 then you can enrol straight onto a Level 2 course via the OCA Direct Entry Policy.
Please note degree students are required to have the full 120 credits at each of the 3 levels. You will not be able to obtain one of our degrees unless you have all the credits required at each level. If you do wish to obtain a degree then you must submit an Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) application. Please see APL guidance notes for detail on how to submit an application – download the booklet by clicking:
HERE.
If you enrol via Direct Entry and do not submit a successful APL application then you will not be eligible to have your course formally assessed as you will be seen to be studying for leisure rather than academic achievement.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE OR STUDY
Do I need any prior experience or entry qualifications for this course?
Unlike a traditional university, you do not have to have any formal qualifications or experience to enrol on one of our Level 1 courses.
However, some experience is recommended for a minority of courses. For example, we recommend that all students enrolling for Composing Music 1 have a good grasp of Music Theory; this would normally be evidenced by having Grade 5 Theory (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music or equivalent).
What skills and/or experience would be it useful for me to have before starting this course?
Our Level 1 courses are suitable for beginners. As you progress through the courses and the level your method of study will become more academic and you will learn skills you require such as presentation of work, reflective writing, keeping a logbook etc. If you enrol on Level 2 or 3 after a successful APL application then the assumption in part of the decision to award you APL is that you already have the relevant academic and practical skills required.
For Composing Music we recommend that students have a good grasp of Music Theory; this would normally be evidenced by having Grade 5 Theory (Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music or equivalent).
Does the OCA have a language entry requirement?
Yes.
All students need to have an appropriate standard of English to complete their chosen course of study, which will include a substantial written element. International or EU students will need to provide evidence of their ability, which could be i) prior education in the medium of English, ii) long term residency in an English speaking country or iii) one of the following international qualifications :
- IELTS (International English Language Testing Service): A minimum score of 6*
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): Minimum score of 550 (Paper PBT), 213 (Computer CBT), 80 (Internet IBT)
Other equivalent exams will be considered.
Courses at Level 2 (HE5) and Level 3 (HE6) require you to carry out research and write critical essays, so you will need to have sufficient proficiency in English language and be familiar with the conventions of academic writing. The OCA provides students with guides on writing academic essays and the use of the Harvard referencing system.
If you would like to discuss this further, please contact the Head of Learner Support via enquiries@oca-uk.com or on 0800 731 2116.
There are some useful links and resources for English language study on the Open University's website, here:
Further links and resources for English Language
Does the OCA have an IT entry requirement?
Yes.
The primary mode of communication on OCA courses is online, therefore, it is important that all students must have readily available internet access and the basic IT skills listed below.
The ability to:
- access, read and write emails, reply to emails and forward emails
- upload and download attachments
- search for information on the internet and complete and submit web-based forms
- save web pages and download files from the web
- click on links on a webpage and navigate to another page
- copy web content, including images, into a document and know how to print it out
- use standard word processing software.
Students will be required, as part of some programmes of study, to develop further IT skills in specific applications, such as Photoshop, Illustrator or Sibelius.
This requirement may be waived, on rare occasions, by the Head of Learner Support if negotiated prior to the start of the course. Typically, exemptions are only given to students with specific disabilities or to those studying in prison.
Students must also be aware of network etiquette and security considerations when using email and the internet.
EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
Is there any equipment or software I will need but which is not supplied by the OCA?
For Composing Music we recommend that students have access to a good music software package. Our preferred program is Sibelius – bt this is not cheap so make sure you shop around and claim the educational discount. There are alternatives (e.g. Finale) but we suggest you speak to us first if you have concerns about this.
For photography you will need to have an image editing programme such as Photoshop Elements or Creative Suite. Students are entitled to significant discounts on Adobe Software so you should not buy a programme before enrolling.
Does it matter if I do not have a computer?
Increasingly it is useful to have a computer for research, having discussions online with fellow OCA students and for gaining quick responses on queries with your tutor. It is essential to have a computer with internet access if you are studying Photography or Graphic Design.
Back to questionsDoes it matter if I am not very skilled with using a computer?
The most useful skills for studying with the OCA are (a) the ability to search the internet and access websites (including the OCA website and student forums) and (b) send and receive emails.
Back to questionsSCOPE OF INDIVIDUAL COURSES
What topics will I cover in this course?
The best source of material on our courses is on the website. Hover your mouse pointer over the 'Courses' heading on the grey navigation bar and select the course-are you are interested in and then follow the course links on the left of the screen.
Back to questionsCan you give me a sample of the course?
Can you give me a sample of the course?
You can see examples from the materials for most courses on the course pages of this website.
But remember that the learning experience is about the assignments, personal research and interaction with the tutors and other students, not just the printed text.
We have also put together packs with excerpts from the materials for the main subject groups. If you would like to check whether a pack is available for the subject you have in mind, please contact the operations team.
GETTING DETAILED ADVICE
If I am still unsure about specific points to do with this course, can I speak to someone by phone?
Yes. We suggest you telephone an academic services adviser in the first instance on 0800 731 2116 (or send an email to enquiries@oca-uk.com). If the head office team are unable to answer your question in detail, we will arrange for an experienced tutor to respond (by phone or email). But do check out our website first (www.oca-uk.com) - the examples of course materials and student handbook should answer a high percentage of your questions.
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