Our qualifications are designed to be flexible. So if you want to vary the amount of time you spend studying from year to year, or even take a break for a while, you can.
However, bear in mind that it’s easy to underestimate the time and commitment needed for part-time study by distance-learning methods. It’s a good idea not to take on too much at first. As you become more experienced and confident you can always take on more.
How long will it take me to get my qualification?
Many OU students working towards a qualification study 60 credits each year, meaning they could complete their 360-credit undergraduate degree in six years or their 180-credit masters degree in three years. Others study at a slower rate, completing 30 credits each year. The number of credits you study each year is referred to as your ‘study intensity’.
The table below will give you an idea of the timescales involved.
| Qualification |
Total credits required |
Time required to complete |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | ||
| Certificate of higher education (Cert HE) | 120 | 1 years full-time study or 2 years part-time study |
| Foundation degree or diploma of higher education (Dip HE) | 240 | 2–3 years full-time study or 4 years part-time study |
| BA or BSc degree without honours | 300 | 3 years full-time study or 5 years part-time study |
| BA or BSc degree with honours | 360 | 3–4 years full-time study or 6 years part-time study |
| Postgraduate | ||
| Postgraduate certificate | 60 | 1 year part-time study |
| Postgraduate diploma | 120 | 1 year full-time study or 2 years part-time study |
| Masters degree | 180 | 1½ years full-time study or 3 years part-time study |
*The timings assume full-time study is similar to that of full-time education (120 credits per year), with part-time study at half this rate.
How much of my time will it take to study a module?
As one credit represents about ten hours of study, 15-credit Openings modules and 15-credit short online modules will take you about 150 hours to complete, and 30- or 60-credit modules will take you approximately 300 hours or 600 hours to complete respectively.
Approximately 60–80 per cent of this time will be directed through the module materials and the balance will be used for independent learning, review and revision. The number of hours required each week will vary during the length of your module. For example, if you are preparing an assignment, the number of hours required in that week may be higher than other weeks where you are studying the module materials or interacting with online and audio-visual activities. Our modules usually contain study break weeks so you can either have a rest or use these to catch up if necessary.