Study an online Textiles degree with OCA
Our BA (Hons) Textile degree offers a rich exploration of textiles in its broadest context, from surface, pattern, texture, material and colour, to design, print, knit and weave, to fashion, interiors, manufacture and product.
This online textile course provides you the opportunity to push the boundaries of what textiles is and what can be created, blending traditional and contemporary techniques, growing your knowledge, skills, confidence, motivation and ambition, that takes you from the first principles of textiles through to the inventiveness and innovation that will lead your artistic vision or professional practice
The structure of the distance learning textile design course provides unlimited opportunity to practice, refine and evolve your specialism while being guided by a market-leading practitioner.
Studying Textiles
This online textile degree programme gives students a unique opportunity to study textiles from their own home or studio with its specifically designed course materials.
Wherever the learner is in their current creative practice this degree aims to equip them with skills, confidence, motivation and ambition through a learning design programme that starts from first principles through to the contemporary professional practice of the student’s choice.
The programme is strongly embedded in contemporary textile practices, encouraging innovation and challenging convention. The unit structure assists them in developing a firm set of practical and academic skills that lead to an autonomous and original textile practice. For this reason, our online textile degree is ideal for anyone looking to pursue a career in textiles or the broader design industry.
If you’re looking for distance learning textile design courses, OCA have an excellent programme to offer. The course is open to anyone, regardless of previous experience or qualifications. All you need is a passion for textiles, and you can begin your journey now by applying today!
Course Structure
As of September 2021, the BA Hons Creative Arts course will deliver 3x 40 credit units in each Level of the course.*
Level 1
Units at this stage introduce students to distance learning and undergraduate study. Special consideration is taken to support students who have not participated in formal education for many years and learners with a range of abilities, guiding them through the fundamentals of academic study.
Students are introduced to experimental and exploratory textile sample making, its importance in the creative process and the development of meaningful outcomes. They develop, hone and personalise technical skills, develop a knowledge of colour theory and explore its applications along with understanding the importance of consideration and sensitivity to materials and techniques.
Level 2
Students at this level are supported in the transition from novice undergraduate to skilled, knowledgeable and independent learners, putting into practice skills acquired at Level 1 and developing a personal approach to their textile practice. The units at this Level expose students to a range of current themes and practices, the aim being to encourage the development of a practice that is personal yet located within contemporary or emerging creative ideas. The topics and projects have been selected and designed for distance learners studying within their own communities, these can be virtual and/or in real spaces.
Level 3
This stage of study equips and prepares students with knowledge, understanding and skills for continuing personal development and professional practice. The units provide a framework for the learners to generate and carry out projects based on personal vision and ambition. The aim is to strengthen individual textile practice and inform creative development through rigorous and challenging intellectual enquiry, resulting in a distinctive body of work.
*For current students enrolled to a Level of this degree prior to September 2021, existing units across all levels will remain available as ‘teach out’ units to ensure no students are disadvantaged due to the changes. Once enrolled to a new level, students will follow the new degree pathway.
We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available units – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which OCA might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 14 December 2022.
Programme Specification 2022/23 New Curriculum
This Programme Specification is for all units on the new curriculum.
Review Programme Specification HereProgramme Specification 2022/23 Running Out Curriculum
This Programme Specification details the units and learning outcomes that are being taught out.
Review Programme Specification HereProgramme Specification 2023/24 New Curriculum
This Programme Specification is for all units on the new curriculum.
Review Programme Specification hereProgramme Specification 2023/24 Running Out Curriculum
This Programme Specification details the units and learning outcomes that are being taught out.
Review Programme Specification hereTextiles Accessibility Statements
Accessibility statements give an indication of the type and format of content, teaching, and learning activities on the course, and how these are ordinarily delivered.
Review Accessibility Statements hereFoundations
£935
Per course
Level 1 (HE4)
£4,500
For the level
Level 2 (HE5)
£4,500
For the level
Level 3 (HE6)
£4,500
For the level
Breakdown of costs...
Level 1 (HE4) |
£1,500 Per course unit (4o credits) |
All of the OCA’s Level 1 (HE4) course units are worth 40 credits each. If you’re studying towards an Open degree, you’ll need three Level 1 (HE4) course units to gain the necessary 120 credits to move on to Level 2 (HE5). Deposit is £415 followed by 7 monthly instalments of £155. |
Level 2 (HE5) |
£1,500 Per course unit (4o credits) |
All of the OCA’s Level 2 (HE5) units are worth 40 credits each on the new curriculum pathway. If you’re enrolling after 01 August 2022 and studying towards an Open degree, you’ll need three Level 2 (HE5) course units to gain the necessary 120 credits to move on to Level 3 (HE6). Deposit is £415 followed by 7 monthly instalments of £155. |
Level 2 (HE5) |
£2,250 Per course unit (60 credits) |
On the teach out pathway (not available for new students), Level 2 is split into two 60 credit units. Both 60 credit units are needed to achieve the 120 credits necessary at this stage to progress to Level 3 (HE6). Deposit is £545 followed by 11 monthly instalments of £155. |
Level 3 (HE6) |
£1,500 Per course unit (40 credits) |
All of the OCA’s Level 3 (HE6) units are worth 40 credits each on the new curriculum pathway. If you’re enrolling after 01 August 2022 and studying towards an Open degree, you’ll need three Level 3 (HE6) course units to gain the necessary 120 credits to achieve a BA (Hons) qualification. Deposit is £415 followed by 7 monthly instalments of £155. |
Foundations
£1,075
Per course
Level 1 (HE4)
£5,160
For the level
Level 2 (HE5)
£5,160
For the level
Level 3 (HE6)
£5,160
For the level
Breakdown of costs...
Level 1 (HE4) |
£1,720 Per course unit (40 credits) for international students |
All of the OCA’s Level 1 (HE4) course units are worth 40 credits each. If you’re studying towards a degree, you’ll need three Level 1 (HE4) course units to gain the necessary 120 credits to move on to Level 2 (HE5). Deposit is £530 followed by 7 monthly instalments of £170. |
Level 2 (HE5) |
£1,720 Per course unit (40 credits) for international students |
All of the OCA’s Level 2 (HE5) course units are worth 40 credits each. If you’re studying towards a degree, you’ll need three Level 2 (HE5) course units to gain the necessary 120 credits to move on to Level 3 (HE6). Deposit is £530 followed by 7 monthly instalments of £170. |
Level 3 (HE6) |
£5,160 For the level for international students |
OCA’s Level 3 (HE6) course units hold differing amounts of credits depending upon the given degree pathway, and therefore are varied in cost. For individual pricing, please see the individual course unit pages on this website. A 40 credit unit is a deposit is £530 followed by 7 monthly instalments of £170. |
More Information
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With the OCA, you can study a BA (Hons) degree in our flexible online learning model at approximately one third the cost of a degree at a traditional physical university.
Students study and pay for the course on a unit-by-unit basis, so you only pay for the course as you enrol to each unit.
This course is eligible for a part-time tuition fee loan from Student Finance England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or you can self-fund the course and break down costs even further through the deposit and instalment option. Find out more about your funding options here.
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You will require regular use of a computer or laptop and internet access. Most essential reading materials can be accessed through the digital library services and eBooks.
Students are responsible for sourcing and, where necessary, purchasing any additional software and resources specified. These can be around £400 at Level 1, £500 at Level 2, and £550 at Level 3. Where possible, open or freeware equivalents will be discussed alongside industry standard options.
You may be eligible for any student discounts on computer equipment and software by using your student email, and you can find out more information about student discounts here.
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Textiles is an open access degree; this means that there are no formal qualifications or experience required to join the course. All you need is a passion for the arts, and willingness to learn.
All OCA courses require students to be IT literate, have a good internet connection, and have a good standard of English equivalent to CEFR B2. You can review the study requirements here so you’re prepared for online study at higher education.
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We accept enrolment for our BA (HONS) courses all year round, so you can start at a time that suits you. You don’t need to wait for a specific intake month, simply complete the online enrolment form and indicate your preferred start date.
When applying for a Student Finance tuition fee loan, this may take 4- 6 weeks to process, so select a start date reflective of this. If you are also applying for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) and would like this support to be in place before beginning your course, please allow 14 weeks from when you begin your application to your start date.
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Our part-time degree courses are completed on average between 6 and 9 years. The degree is structured into three levels (instead of three years) so you’re able manage study around other commitments.
Once enrolled, you’ll have a maximum of 12 years to complete your degree course. There are unit and level timeframes within the overall degree time frame, and you’ll need a minimum of 10 study hours per week to keep on track. To find out more about course duration and managing your time, click here.
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Your course materials are accessible online through the virtual learning environment, OCA Learn, where you’ll also have access to student forums, a subject space, the student handbook and the online library. You’ll work primarily from a set text of course materials and resources, but can also sign up to webinars, workshops and study groups in addition to your core learning.
Once you’ve completed the required assignments within a course unit and received tutor feedback, you’ll submit a portfolio of work to an assessment event. This gives you the opportunity to develop your work before you have it formally assessed to achieve credits towards your degree.
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Upon completing the BA (Hons) Textiles degree at OCA you’ll have a multitude of skills to further your career.
With the skills you’ll have, careers could expand into a product textile designer, textile artist or textile curator, fashion designer, garment designer or print designer. Whatever option you choose, Prospects have some great advice to support you on your journey.
In May 2022 the Department for Culture, Media, & Sport estimated there were some 2.3 million jobs in the UK creative industries, and post pandemic the Creative Industries are growing faster than the UK economy as a whole.
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The Academic Regulatory Framework (ARF) regulations are applicable to all taught courses offered by the Open College of the Arts (OCA). As of January 2024, this will lead to an undergraduate award of The Open University (OU).
You can review the ARF through the link below:
New Students: Please read!
If you are a new student funding your course through Student Finance, we recommend applying for 23/24 Student Finance when part-time applications open from June 2023. This is because Student Finance applications can take 4 - 6 weeks to process, and your application may not be approved in time for the OCA enrolment deadline this academic year (June 23).
We anticipate 23/24 enrolment forms will be available here in July 2023 for those beginning in the 23/24 academic year, beginning from August 2023. Do no submit the 22/23 enrolment form below if you are applying for 23/24 Student Finance, meaning you intend to begin your course from August 2023 onwards.
22/23 Enrolment Deadline
The deadline to submit an enrolment form to begin a course unit in the current 22/23 academic year is 16th June 2023.
The latest you can begin a course unit before we pause enrolment processing in July is 30th June. Please note that you will need to have made payment or have funding in place for your enrolment to be processed and that Student Finance applications can take up to 6 weeks to be reviewed.
We anticipate that you can submit a 23/24 enrolment form to begin from August 2023 in July.
To Join
Enhance your textiles skills with OCA today!