Next steps

NEXT COURSE(S)

What would be a logical choice for my next OCA course?

NEXT QUALIFICATION

What other courses would I need to do in order to get a qualification?
Can I use my OCA qualification to gain credits with a different university?
Does the OCA offer any postgraduate qualifications?

CAREERS

Does an OCA degree qualify me to become a school teacher in the state sector in England?
Where can I go for more detailed information, advice and guidance on careers?

NEXT COURSE(S)

What would be a logical choice for my next OCA course?

The answer to this question will vary depending on where you are in your degree programme and which degree programme you are working on. For any of our degrees, students cannot progress to a Level 2 (HE5) course without obtaining all the Level 1 (HE4) credits. The same regulations apply for progressing to Level 3 (HE6) i.e. all Level 1(HE4) and Level 2 (HE5) credits must be in place.

All the degrees we offer, except for the BA Hons Creative Arts, have mandatory courses that must be studied at each level. At Level 1 there tends to also be the option of an elective course from a defined selection. We would advise that you complete the mandatory courses first before progressing to an elective option.

For the BA Hons Creative Arts, you can choose any 3 of our Level 1 (HE4) courses to study; that is to say you can ‘mix and match’ across different subject areas. However, there are pre-requisite conditions attached to your choice of courses at Levels 2 and 3 (HE4 & 5). This means you cannot study a new subject at Level 2/3 that you have not already studied at the lower levels.

Once you have your first course assessed with us, we provide you with guidance with your assessment results regarding the course you should next consider. This is individual to each student’s progress and degree pathway.

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NEXT QUALIFICATION

What other courses would I need to do in order to get a qualification?

Students are assumed to be working towards one of our 3 degrees and therefore would need to obtain credits from 7 courses (3 at Level 1, 2 at Level 2 and 2 at Level 3) in order to have the required credits for a Honours degree.

However, if you can no longer continue your studies for whatever reason after obtaining 120 credits at Level 1, you could exit with a Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE) from Bucks New University. This means you will still have some formal recognition for the work you have completed. If you have 120 credits at Level 1 and 120 credits at Level 2, and cannot continue, you can exit with a Diploma of Higher Education (Dip HE).

Please be aware that the Cert HE and the Dip HE are not awarded simply upon the completion of a Level - but only as exit points if you are certain you are not continuing your studies to the full degree.

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Can I use my OCA qualification to gain credits with a different university?

If you are successfully assessed you will received the OCA Award. This recognises you have been successfully assessed for an OCA course but is not a nationally recognised qualification. However, the credit points you obtain from your OCA study may be eligible to be transferred to a different university via the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Service (CATS). Credits are not always transferred on a point-for-point basis between different institutions and many factors have to be taken into account e.g. do your credits obtained through OCA fit into your new planned programme of study. If you are considering transferring your credits to add to study at a different university, we strongly advise that you contact the Credit Transfer Office at the university in question to clarify their transfer process before you make a formal application to them.

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Does the OCA offer any postgraduate qualifications?

Yes. As of February 2011 we offer a MA Fine Art course by distance learning. Further details can be seen HERE.

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CAREERS

Does an OCA degree qualify me to become a school teacher in the state sector in England?

A degree from the OCA is a UK recognised degree. This is not a teaching qualification in itself, but would qualify you to apply for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. However do bear in mind that in order to obtain qualified teacher status (QTS), you will also need GCSEs at Grade C or above in English and Maths (+ a science subject if you plan to teach in primary education or at Key Stages 2/3 (ages 7-14).

You should consult the Training and Development Agency for schools for more details – see HERE for more details.

Please also be aware that the qualification requirements may differ in other parts of the UK; the situation is also different in the independent sector, Further Education and Adult Education. For more general careers advice, go to the Careers Advice Service (see next FAQ).

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Where can I go for more detailed information, advice and guidance on careers?

We recommend that you contact the (free) Careers Advice Service on 0800 100 900. The relevant page on their website is: http://careersadvice.direct.gov.uk/helpandadvice/helpwithfunding.

They also have an email service (links on the same web page).

Those OCA students who have enrolled as students with Bucks New University (i.e. through going through the assessment process) may also wish to access the university's own careers and employment advice page on their website. See: Bucks' Careers and Employment advice page.