Editing Open University (section)

== Academic profile ==
=== Teaching methods ===
[[File:Belfast - The Open University.jpg|left|thumb|The Open University in Belfast]]
The OU has used a variety of methods for teaching, including written and audio materials, the Internet, disc-based software and television programmes on [[DVD]]. Course-based television broadcasts by the [[BBC]], which started on 3 January 1971, ceased on 15 December 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 Dec 2006 |title=End of a cultural era – but OU on TV evolution continues |url=http://www3.open.ac.uk/media/fullstory.aspx?id=9898 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425114843/http://www3.open.ac.uk/media/fullstory.aspx?id=9898 |archive-date=25 April 2017 |access-date=2017-04-24 |publisher=open.ac.uk}}</ref>  Materials comprise originally authored work by in-house and external academic contributors, and from third-party materials licensed for use by OU students. For most modules, students are 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. A number of short courses worth ten [[Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme|credits]] are now available that do not have an assigned tutor but offer an online conferencing service ([[Internet forum]]) where help and advice are offered through conferencing "moderators".

[[File:Perry C building in Open University Campus in Milton Keynes, spring 2013 (3).JPG|thumb|Perry C building in Open University Campus in Milton Keynes]]

Some modules have mandatory day schools. Nevertheless, it is possible to be excused on the basis of ill health (or other extenuating circumstances) and many courses have no mandatory face-to-face component.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} Similarly, some modules have traditionally offered week-long summer schools offering an opportunity for students to remove themselves from the general distractions of their life and focus on their studies for a short time.

The university has separated residential modules from full-time distance-taught modules. Exemption from attendance at residential schools, always as an Alternative Learning Experience (ALE), is sometimes available for disabled students and others who find it impossible to attend in person (See "Qualifications-Undergraduate" section.)

For many years the OU produced television and radio programmes aimed at bringing learning to a wider audience. In its early years, most of these were in the form of documentaries or filmed lectures. Latterly, most OU-associated programming was mainstream and broadcast in peak hours, including series such as ''[[Rough Science]]'' and "Battle of the Geeks", while older-style programming was carried in the [[BBC Learning Zone]].

In 2004 the OU announced it was to stop its late-night programmes on [[BBC Two]], and the last programme was broadcast at 5.30 am on 16 December 2006. The OU now plans to focus on semi-academic television programmes, such as many now broadcast on [[BBC Four]].
[[File:The logo of FutureLearn.svg|thumb|The Open University launched [[FutureLearn]] in December 2012 with a dozen UK university partners.|225x225px]]
The [[Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education]] review published in December 2015 found five areas of good practice and made three recommendations for improvement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2015 |title=QAA Report, OU |url=http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/ReviewsAndReports/Documents/Open%20University/The-Open-University-HER-15.pdf |access-date=23 October 2017 |archive-date=20 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020155617/http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/ReviewsAndReports/Documents/Open%20University/The-Open-University-HER-15.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The English national survey of student satisfaction has twice put the Open University in first place.

In October 2006, the OU joined the [[open educational resources]] movement with the launch of [[OpenLearn]]. A growing selection of current and past distance learning course materials will be released for free access, including downloadable versions for educators to modify (under the [[Creative Commons]] [[BY-NC-SA]] licence), plus free collaborative learning-support tools.

In the early 2000s, the OU researched the use of virtual worlds in teaching and learning, and had two main islands in [[Second Life]].<ref>[http://slurl.com/secondlife/Open%20University/95/48/25/?img=http%3A//i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/OUvirtualworlds/Second%2520Life/SLURLThumbnailOpenUniversity-1.jpg&title=Open%20University&msg=Teaching%20%26%20Learning%20in%20Second%20Life Teleport to Open University island.] Second Life grid.</ref><ref>[http://slurl.com/secondlife/OUtopia/85/56/30/?img=http%3A//i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv283/OUvirtualworlds/Second%2520Life/SLURLThumbnailOUtopia-1.jpg&title=OUtopia&msg=Social%20community "Teleport to Open Life Village"]. Second Life grid.</ref> In May 2009 these regions formed the basis of a case study<ref>[http://secondlifegrid.net.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/Second_Life_Case_OpenU_EN.pdf The Open University’s Place for Us: Providing Geographically Dispersed Students & Faculty A Place to Meet and Learn Together.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707124515/http://secondlifegrid.net.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/Second_Life_Case_OpenU_EN.pdf |date=7 July 2011}} Linden Lab Education blog, May 2009.</ref> by Linden Lab, the company which owns Second Life.

In mid-2010, the university led the list of contributing universities in the number of downloads of its material from the educational resources site [[ITunes U#iTunes U|iTunes U]], with downloads of over 20 million.<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 June 2010 |title=Open University's iTunes record |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/10446141.stm}}</ref> Open University continues to adopt [[Moodle]] as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) with their own team deploying custom plugins.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 October 2012 |title=Open University's Learning Systems Update |work=Open Universities |url=http://learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?u=ram65}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=26 November 2014 |title=Plugins created and maintained by the Open University |work=Moodle Plugins |url=https://moodle.org/plugins/browse.php?list=set&id=10}}</ref>

In 2013, the OU began a [[massive open online course]] (MOOC) platform called [[FutureLearn]], which is the UK's largest provider of free online courses.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

=== Assessment methods ===
[[File:Robert Hook building at Open University Campus in Milton Keynes, spring 2013 (1).JPG|thumb|[[Robert Hooke]] building at Open University Campus in Milton Keynes]]
Open University modules are often assessed using an equal weighting of examinations and coursework. The coursework component normally takes the form of between two and seven tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), and may also include up to six multiple-choice or "missing word" 10-question interactive computer-marked assignments (iCMAs). The examinable component is usually an invigilated three-hour paper regardless of the size of the module (although on some modules it can be up to three three-hour papers),{{efn|A 60-credit Accounting course has a three-hour paper halfway through the course, and two more three-hour papers at the end}} but an increasing number of modules instead have an EMA (End of Module Assessment) which is similar to a TMA, in that it is completed at home, but is regarded as an exam for grading purposes.

Modules results are sometimes issued on a graded basis, consisting of pass grades 1 (threshold 85%, a distinction), 2 (70–84%), 3 (55–69%) & 4 (40–54%), and fail (below 40%). This grade is calculated as the lower of the overall continuous assessment score (OCAS) and overall examination score (OES).

These grades can be weighted<ref>{{Cite web |title=Working out your class of honours |url=http://www8.open.ac.uk/students/essential-documents/files/essential-docs-pl/file/ecms/web-content/honours-class-working-out.pdf |access-date=2014-04-10 |archive-date=17 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417044708/http://www8.open.ac.uk/students/essential-documents/files/essential-docs-pl/file/ecms/web-content/honours-class-working-out.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> according to their level, and combined to calculate the classification of a degree. An undergraduate degree will weigh level 3 modules twice as much as level 2, and in postgraduate programmes, all M-level modules are equally weighted.

=== Qualifications ===
==== Undergraduate ====
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 credits roughly equating to the year of study for a full-time student.

[[File:Walton Hall, Milton Keynes - view from S.jpg|thumb|Walton Hall, Milton Keynes]]

The OU offers a large number of undergraduate qualifications, including certificates, diplomas, and bachelor's degrees, based on both level and quantity of study. An OU [[Honours graduate|undergraduate degree]] requires 300 (or 360 for honours) CATS credits.

Students are generally advised not to undertake more than 60 credits per year, meaning that an undergraduate degree will take typically six years to complete. With the exception of some degrees in fast-moving areas (such as computing), there is generally no limit on the time that a student may take. Students need special permission to take more than 120 credits (equivalent to full-time study) at any time;<ref>{{Cite web |title=OU regulations 8.5.2 stipulating limit on maximum concurrent modules |url=http://www3.open.ac.uk/our-student-policies/pdf/studentregs.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061212031006/http://www3.open.ac.uk/our-student-policies/pdf/studentregs.pdf |archive-date=12 December 2006 |access-date=2006-10-08 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> such permission is not usually granted.{{Citation needed|date=December 2013}}

Originally the BA was the only undergraduate degree, and it was unnamed. The modern OU grants degrees of Bachelor of Arts (BA), Science (BSc), Laws (LLB) and Engineering (BEng); the BA and BSc may be named (following a specified syllabus) or unnamed (constructed of courses chosen by the student) degrees.

Many OU faculties have now introduced short modules worth ten credits. Most of these modules are taught online and start at regular intervals throughout the year. They typically provide an introduction to a broader subject over a period of ten weeks, these are generally timed during vacations at conventional universities in order to take advantage of their facilities. Some science modules, which require only home study, are complemented by residential courses, in order to allow the student to gain practical laboratory experience in that field; typically, an award of a degree or diploma will require completion of both.

Different modules are run at different times of the year, but, typically, a 30 or 60-credit undergraduate module will run from October to June, with some dual-presentation modules also running from February to October. Assessment is by both continual assessment (with, normally, between four and eight assignments during the year) and, for most, a major assignment or, on some modules, a final examination.

===== Open degree =====
[[File:St Michaels Church of the Open University, Walton (geograph 2335167).jpg|thumb|223x223px|St Michael's Church at the Open University campus]]

As well as degrees in named subjects, the Open University also grants multidisciplinary "Open" degrees. Open degrees provide students with access to a wide variety of subjects to develop a personalised curriculum to meet their vocational needs and personal interests.<ref name="Open by Degrees">{{Cite web |title=Open by Degrees: A Case of Flexibility or Personalization? |url=http://oro.open.ac.uk/54750/1/Open-by-Degrees_-A-Case-of-Flexibility-or-Personalization_.pdf }}</ref> The Open degree may be awarded as a Bachelor of Arts Open, a Bachelor of Science Open (either with or without honours), a Master of Arts Open or a Master of Science Open.<ref>{{Cite web|title=F81 {{!}} MA/MSc Open {{!}} Open University|url=http://www.openuniversity.edu/courses/postgraduate/qualifications/f81|access-date=2021-03-05|website=The Open University|language=en}}</ref>

The Open degree is the most popular qualification at the university,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Tricia |author2=Open University |date=2013-01-22 |title=Celebrity students: The Open University Hall of Fame |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/microsites/ou/celebrity-open-university-hall-of-fame-1549422 |access-date=2021-01-26 |website=mirror |language=en}}</ref> followed by BSc (Hons) Psychology; Cert of HE in Psychology; Bachelor of Laws (Hons); and BA (Hons) Business Management.<ref name="renamed100"/> Around 20,000 students are enrolled on the Open degree, which makes the Open University the UK's largest multidisciplinary education provider.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Celebrating "Open" curriculum at The Open University {{!}} #YourDegreeYourChoice |url=http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/openquals/ |access-date=2021-01-26 |language=en-GB}}</ref> As of 2018, over 236,000 alumni have graduated with an Open degree,<ref name="Open by Degrees" /> and in 2019, the Open University celebrated its 50th anniversary; as did its flagship Open Programme.<ref name="renamed102">{{cite web |title=Celebrating "Open" curriculum at The Open University |url=https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/openquals/?p=879#more-879 |website=Open University | date=25 October 2022 |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref>

===== Other qualifications =====
The Open University grants undergraduate ''Certificates'' (abbreviated Cert) typically awarded after 120 completed credits at Level 1 (where each credit corresponds to roughly 10 hours of study, therefore 120 credits represent about 1200 hours of effort), ''Diplomas'' (abbreviated Dip) after 240 credits – typically 120 credits at Level 1 and 120 credits at Level 2. Open University also awards ''[[Foundation degree]]s'' (abbreviated FD).

OU also offers a limited number of [[CertHE]] (120 CATS) and [[DipHE]] (240 CATS).

==== Postgraduate ====
The Open University provides the opportunity to study for a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] on a part-time distance, or a full-time basis (on-site for science subjects and most social sciences, off-site with some supervisions on-site for arts) in a wide range of disciplines as well as an [[Doctorate in Education|EdD]] for professionals in education. Since 2019 the Open University has also offered a professional doctorate for healthcare workers. The university offers a range of [[Master's degree|Master's]] levels modules such as the [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]] and [[Master of Public Administration|MPA]], [[Master of Science|MSc]], [[Master of Arts|MA]] and [[Master of Education|MEd]], and [[Master of Research|MRes]], and a number of postgraduate diplomas and certificates including innovative practice-based modules and postgraduate computing qualifications for professionals. Postgraduate certificates are awarded for 120 credits of study on specified modules; postgraduate diplomas are awarded for 240 credits of study on specified modules. The university offers "Advanced Diplomas" that involve 60 credits at the undergraduate level and 60 credits at the postgraduate level – these are designed as "bridges" between undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Its master's degrees in the field of engineering are accredited to support registration as a [[Chartered Engineer]], the highest level of engineering professional registration in the United Kingdom.<ref>[https://www.engc.org.uk/education-skills/course-search/recognised-course-search/?page=1&q=open+university&s=current Recognised course search]. ''Engineering Council''. Retrieved 30 July 2022.</ref>

=== Degree ceremonies ===
[[File:The Open University degree ceremony.jpeg|thumb|The Open University holds its annual degree ceremony at The Barbican Centre in London.]]
Unlike most United Kingdom universities, degree ceremonies at the Open University are not [[graduation]] ceremonies as such (the occasion on which degrees are ''formally'' conferred on those who have achieved substantive degrees)—although [[honours degree]]s are also normally conferred on these occasions. The Open University degree ceremony is officially known as a "Presentation of Graduates" at which those who have already had a degree bestowed on them are presented to the [[Chancellor (education)|University Chancellor]] or his/her representative. Open University graduates normally graduate ''[[wikt: in absentia|in absentia]]'' at a joint meeting of the university's council and senate ("congregation") which takes place at a meeting entirely separate from the degree ceremony.

The university's degree ceremonies occur throughout the year at various prestigious auditorium venues located throughout England, as well as in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Ely, Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast and Dublin. In the year 2018 the OU held 29 degree ceremonies in total.<ref name="renamed101"/> These ceremonies are presided over by a senior academic at the Pro-Vice-Chancellor level or higher, and have the normal formal rituals associated with a graduation ceremony, including [[academic dress]], [[academic procession|procession]] and university [[ceremonial mace|mace]].

==== Academic dress ====
Academic dress for the Open University is based on the colours blue and gold (yellow). No headwear is worn at degree ceremonies.<ref>Open University, ''Academic Dress'', n.d. c. 2009 Ceremony leaflet</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Open University academic dress
!Degree
!Gown
!Hood
|-
|Doctor of Education
|Royal blue, 3-inch gold facings
|Full shape, gold Panama, lined light blue
|-
|Doctor of Letters
|Royal blue, 5-inch gold facings
|Full shape, gold, lined royal blue
|-
|Doctor of Philosophy
|Royal blue, 3-inch gold facings
|Full shape, royal blue, lined gold, edged 1-inch gold
|-
|Doctor of Science
|Royal blue, 5-inch gold facings
|Full shape, gold, lined light blue
|-
|Master of Philosophy
|Light blue
|Full shape, light blue, edged gold
|-
|Master of Research
|Light blue
|Simple shape, royal blue, faced 3-inch golf
|-
|Master of Science
|Light blue
|Full shape, dark blue, lined gold, edged 1/2-inch gold &nbsp;
|-
|Master of Arts
|Light blue
|Full shape, dark blue, lined gold, edged 1/2-inch gold &nbsp;
|-
|Master of Business Administration
|Light blue
|Full shape, dark blue, lined gold with a blue edge, edged 1-inch gold
|-
|Master of Education
|Light blue
|Full shape, dark blue, lined gold with a 1-inch white edge on a cowl, edged 3/8-inch gold on cape
|-
|Master of Engineering

Master of Mathematics
|Light blue
|Full shape, gold, faced 3-inch inside light blue
|-
|Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Engineering

Bachelor of Laws
|Dark blue
|Simple shape, light blue, faced 3-inch gold
|-
|Foundation degree
|Dark blue
|Simple shape, light blue, faced 3-inch dark blue
|}

In the year 2000, the Open University was the first to host an online "virtual" graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom together with an audience at the OU's campus in Milton Keynes. Twenty-six students in eight countries, from the United States of America to [[Hong Kong]], were presented for their master's degrees in online graduation, including, from the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) – [[Tim Berners-Lee]], one of the founders of the [[World Wide Web]], who was conferred an [[honorary doctorate]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 March 2000 |title=Open University's online graduation |work=[[BBC]] News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/696176.stm |access-date=22 September 2010}}</ref>

{{Infobox university rankings|USNWR_N=51|USNWR_N_ref=<ref>{{cite web|title= U.S. News & World Report National ranking|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/united-kingdom}}</ref>|USNWR_N_year=2021|USNWR_W=718|USNWR_W_ref=<ref>{{cite web|title= U.S. News & World Report Global ranking|url= https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/open-university-506455}}</ref>|USNWR_W_year=2021|ARWU_W=601-700|ARWU_N=42-49|ARWU_N_ref=<ref name="shanghairanking">{{Cite web|url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2022|title=ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities|website=www.shanghairanking.com}}</ref>|ARWU_N_year=2022|ARWU_W_ref=<ref name="shanghairanking"/>|THE_W=601-800|THE_W_ref=<ref>{{cite web|title=Times Higher Education World Universities Rankings |date=10 April 2024 |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/open-university}}</ref>|THE_W_year=2024|ARWU_W_year=2022|CWUR_N=51|CWUR_N_year=2022|CWUR_N_ref=<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cwur.org/2022-23/Open-University,-UK.php|title=Open University, UK Ranking 2022-2023 &#124; CWUR|website=cwur.org}}</ref>|USNWR_Europe=308|USNWR_Europe_ref=<ref>{{cite web|title= U.S. News & World Report Global ranking|url= https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/open-university-uk-506455}}</ref>|USNWR_Europe_year=2022|TEF_N=Gold|TEF_N_year=2023|TEF_N_ref=<ref>{{cite web|title=Teaching Excellence Framework 2023 Outcomes
 |url=https://tef2023.officeforstudents.org.uk/open-ancillary/?id=10e89ef4-4589-ee11-be36-0022481b5984&finaloutcome=86658b23-9d53-ee11-be6f-0022481b5d22}}</ref>}}

===Rankings===
The university is included in major world university rankings such as [[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]], [[U.S. News & World Report]] and [[Academic Ranking of World Universities]].

The OU ranked in the top third of UK universities in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 using the Times Higher Education Power Score.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Research Excellence Framework 2014: The results |url=https://www.ref.ac.uk/2014/media/ref/content/pub/REF%2001%202014%20-%20full%20document.pdf |access-date=|website=REF}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-07-26|title=Research Excellence Framework 2014 |url=https://www.open.ac.uk/research/impact/ref/2014|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Research at The Open University|language=en}}</ref>

The Open University ranked third in [[National Student Survey]] 2021 achieving 88.24% for overall student satisfaction.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-07-19|title=National Student Survey 2021: overall satisfaction results show varied impact of Covid-19|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/news/national-student-survey-2021-overall-satisfaction-results-show-varied-impact-covid-19|access-date=2021-12-18|website=Student|language=en}}</ref>

=== Research ===
Like other UK universities, the OU actively engages in research. The OU's Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute has become particularly well known to the public through its involvement in space missions. In October 2006, the Cassini-Huygens mission including 15 people from the OU received the 2006 "Laurels for Team Achievement Award" from the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). Cassini-Huygens' successful completion of its seven-year, two billion-mile journey in January 2005 to [[Saturn]] ended with Huygens landing farther away from Earth than any previous probe or craft in the history of space exploration. The first instrument to touch Saturn's moon Titan was the ''Surface Science Package'' containing nine sensors to investigate the physical properties of Titan's surface. It was built by a team at the OU led by [[Professor]] [[John Zarnecki]].

The OU employs over 500 people engaged in research in over 25 areas, and there are over 1,200 research students. It spends approximately £20 million each year on research, around £6 million from the [[Higher Education Funding Council for England]], and the remainder from external funders. {{Citation needed|date=February 2018}}

The Open University also runs the [[Open Research Online]] (ORO) website. ORO is a collection of over 40,000 open-access research outputs across a broad range of research areas.<ref name="oro">[http://oro.open.ac.uk/ Open Research Online], accessed 21 September 2008, 2h03Z.</ref>

The Open University produced in collaboration with [[Springer Nature]] the [[Computer Science Ontology]], which is a large-scale automatically generated [[Taxonomy (general)|taxonomy]] of research topics in the field of [[computer science]].

=== OpenScience Observatories ===
[[File:Teide Observatory 2018 075.jpg|thumb|The Open University operates a collection of telescopes and other instruments at the [[Teide Observatory|Observatorio del Teide]], [[Tenerife]], [[Spain]].]]
The university operates a collection of telescopes and other instruments at the [[Teide Observatory|Observatorio del Teide]], Tenerife. Its facilities comprise the COmpletely Autonomous Service Telescope (COAST), the Physics Innovations Robotic Telescope Explorer (PIRATE) and an associated weather station.