Open College of the Arts

www.oca-uk.com

WelcomeAt the Open College of the Arts (OCA), we are specialists in creative arts education. We have a community of students all following their passion and achieving at the highest levels. All our students are supported by tutors who are experienced teachers and practising artists, writers, photographers, visual communicators or musicians. There are no entry qualifications and our flexible approach means you can start studying with the OCA straightaway, fitting your studies around your life.

The OCA gives you the opportunity to study for a degree which is validated by the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), one of Europe’s largest specialist universities for art, design, architecture, media and communication, with an impressive list of alumni. As an educational charity, our students are at the centre of everything we do and studying with the OCA plays an important role in the lives of our students. We hope you feel inspired to share in the passion today.

Gareth Dent, Chief Executive

Sarah Scales

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Why choose the OCA?We provide a real alternative to traditional campus based learning. Our inspiring course materials enable you to work at your own pace, in your own time, and wherever you choose to study. As your studies develop you move from building a strong foundation in your chosen field to cultivating your voice as a creative artist or practitioner. The OCA gives you the ability to develop your skills whether you are learning for pleasure or to pursue a career in the creative industries.

“The OCA is fantastic at providing dedicated support from enthusiastic tutors. Course materials enable inexperienced students to build their core skills gradually at the same time as enabling those with more creative experience to work towards developing their own personal voice. I am proud to say that I study with OCA.”

Daphne Argyridou

Ayla Morten

Drawing 1: Drawing Skills

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What will my course include?Each course entitles you to:• Course materials which provide a structure to your learning

• An induction and guides to make sure you get the most out of your studies

• A personal tutor who will give you tailored feedback on your assignments

• Access to the student community where you can discuss your work and developments in your field with other students, tutors and OCA staff

• Membership of OCA Student Association.

• Access to a library of resources to support your study and widen your understanding

• Assessment of your work when you complete a course and registration of credits towards a qualification

“Illustration 1 has really opened my eyes to the illustration profession. The course materials are really comprehensive, guiding you through various exercises and assignments and the feedback from my tutor is always detailed, positive and really helpful. There is a lot to learn and do but I’m sure I’ll get there with the support of the OCA!”

Lia Edwards

Lia Edwards

Illustration 1: Key Steps

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Exploring your subjectYou can start at any time with the OCA. As soon as you enrol you will be sent the course materials, allocated a tutor and encouraged to go through an online induction, especially if this is your first course unit with the OCA. You’ll soon feel part of our student community, sharing your experiences in our web forums with others studying alongside you.

You are encouraged to explore your own subject area and will spend 8 to 10 hours a week on your coursework and linked reading and research. To broaden your knowledge there are optional additional opportunities such as student generated initiatives and study visits which give you the opportunity to meet other students and tutors and share your thoughts on the latest exhibitions, recitals or other artistic events.

All our undergraduate course units are accredited at higher education level and build towards a degree. A full degree programme can take anything between 3 to 12 years.

OCA study visit

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Studying with usOpen learning with the OCA takes effort and dedication. You study on your own using printed and web based course materials but you are studying a subject you love with the support of your tutor and the encouragement of your fellow students.

You will record your experiences, learning and challenges in a learning log which shows your sources of influence and inspiration and how you have developed your knowledge and practice. Projects break your learning down into manageable pieces and are completed at regular intervals throughout each course unit, giving you a chance to evaluate your own improvement along the way. You bring together everything you have learnt in the projects by completing 5 or 6 assignments for which you will receive individual feedback from your personal tutor.

At the end of your course unit you can opt to have your work assessed, as most students do, against a set of criteria agreed by UCA our accrediting university, enabling you to gain appropriate HE credits. Once you have done this, you can then choose the next course unit in your creative arts journey.

Valerie Newman

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QualificationsWe offer seven degree routes all validated by the University for the Creative Arts, a specialist arts institution.

BA (Hons) Creative Arts

BA (Hons) Creative Writing

BA (Hons) Textiles

BA (Hons) Painting

BA (Hons) Photography

BA (Hons) Visual Communications

MA Fine Art

You can choose a specialist degree route or the creative arts degree route provides an exciting opportunity if you have a passion for more than one creative arts practice. It allows you to choose from the range of courses, combining the study of art, creative writing, art history, printmaking, sculpture, music, visual communications and photography. You may choose to study poetry and music for example, or art alongside creative writing. If you study art history you may choose to look at authors and their illustrators, for instance. The range of choices available is exceptional, enabling you to build the programme around your interests.

Our MA in Fine Art is the only distance learning programme of its kind in Europe and is an ideal course for artist practitioners, art teachers, tutors and graduates wishing to take their studies further. It is run slightly differently from our other courses and full details are on the website.

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Through accreditation of previous study or of a portfolio of work it may be possible to gain credits which provide exemption from some Level 1 and 2 course units. The MA programme follows a different structure, please see the website for details.

Degree structure

Level 1 (HE4) Level 2 (HE5) Level 3 (HE6)

40credits

40credits

40credits

60credits

60credits

120 credits (negotiated programme)

Certificate of Higher Education

Diploma of Higher Education

Progress to Level 2

Progress to Level 3

Exit Exit Complete

BA (Hons)

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We will support you in finding your own voice as a writer and becoming an effective writing practitioner. The courses will allow you to gain experience of writing in a variety of literary forms including life writing, poetry, script writing, short fiction and writing for children, as well as developing your critical understanding of the theoretical and conceptual issues central to the practice of writing.

These courses are unique in their approach, giving understanding to the cultural and historical context of art. You will develop your observational skills using annotation and photography and be able to work with a systematic structure for analysing, researching and recording information that can be applied to any art form.

What can you study? We offer an exciting range of course units across the creative and visual arts, all building towards a degree if you choose this option. Use this summary of the subjects available to find the area which suits your interests then visit www.oca-uk.com for the full list of courses and to find out about all the latest developments.

Art History

Fine Art

Creative Writing

This range of courses helps you to become a reflective artist with the skills necessary to effectively develop a personal artistic voice across the disciplines of drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture.

“I’ve learnt so much with the OCA, through excellent tutor support and guidance, and a fantastic student forum where we can share our experiences.” Jereme Crow

Illustration 1: Key Steps

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Visual communications is the artistic practice applied to communicating through a visual language. There are courses available across the disciplines of graphic design, illustration and book design all aiming to prepare you to become a visual communications professional, capable of applying your intellectual and creative skills to communications solutions.

Visual Communications

Photography and Film

Textiles

These courses develop your practice and critical understanding of photography. The programme fosters high-level technical, ethical and professional standards. You will develop your ability to convey your ideas visually and your awareness of the possibilities offered by the medium.

With these courses you will develop your textiles art practice with a wide range of media and techniques. You will also develop your creative capacities in the interpretation and application of imagery, tactile awareness and understanding of the theoretical and conceptual issues central to the practice of textiles art.

Our music courses focus on the context/history of western classical music and also on the skills of composing, providing a rich contrast to other HE music courses which tend to focus on performance. The composing music courses enable you to develop tools and techniques in melody, rhythm and harmony - skills which can be applied in the jazz, folk and rock genres, as well as within the ‘classical’ tradition.

Music

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Fees and financeAs an educational charity dedicated to widening participation in arts education, we provide value for money with quality education. You can enrol on one course at a time, allowing you to pay for your degree over a period of time.

Degree programmes with the OCA attract student finance depending on certain criteria which may include previous qualifications, annual household income and where you live. Please see our website for further information.

As part of our charitable purpose, a Learner Support Fund provides additional support for prospective OCA students who can demonstrate commitment and potential - but who face financial or other practical constraints from enrolling in the usual way.

Please visit www.oca-uk.com for the latest details on course fees and financial support.

Tanya Ahmed

Take the next step on your creative arts journey today

Open College of the ArtsMichael Young Arts CentreRedbrook Business ParkWilthorpe RoadBarnsleyS75 1JN

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Visit www.oca-uk.com for more information on our coursesOr read our blog www.weareoca.com to find out what we’re thinking

0800 731 2116+44 1226 730495enquiries@oca-uk.com

OCA courses are accredited by the University for the Creative Arts

OCA is a company limited by guarantee,registered in England no.2125674,

registered charity no.327446