Undergraduate Course Timeframes

Unlike traditional full-time universities that lock you into a three-year schedule, Open College of the Arts (OCA) structures undergraduate degrees into three stages of study. Because OCA degrees are exclusively part-time, you have the flexibility to complete each stage over a longer period.

Each stage is worth 120 credits, split into three 40-credit core units. You enroll in these units one at a time, allowing you to focus your energy and manage your workload effectively.

You have a maximum of 12 months to complete each individual 40-credit unit. However, you can complete sooner than 12 months depending on how many study hours you dedicate each week.

As long as you stay within the maximum timeframes, you can adjust your pace whenever your life, work, or personal commitments change. The longer timeframes offered aim to account for most delays but understandably, sometimes there are unexpected mitigating circumstances that affect your ability to study. In these instances, students can apply for an extension or deferral. We encourage students to seek support as early as possible in such circumstances.

Extenuating Circumstances Policy

The timelines below are approximations. Degree completion time can also influenced by when you complete your unit and what assessment event you submit to.

Important Note on Full-Time Study: Because all OCA undergraduate degree pathways are strictly part-time, they cannot be accelerated to a traditional full-time pace, even if you dedicate extra hours per week.

To keep your academic journey on track, there are a few key milestones you need to meet as you move from one unit to the next.

• Your Very First Unit: If you are completely new to your course with Open College of the Arts, you must receive your first set of assessment results before you can progress to your next unit. This typically applies to students completing their 1.1 unit, but also applies if you have been granted credit exemptions and are skipping ahead to begin at a later stage of study.
• Moving Between Stages of Study: To progress from one stage of study to the next (e.g., from Stage 1 to Stage 2), you need to achieve a minimum number of credits. In practice, this means you must have received formal assessment results for at least two 40-credit units within your current stage before moving up.
• Standard Progression: Outside of the two scenarios above, you don’t have to wait around. You can enrol in your next unit while your previous unit is still being assessed, you just need to ensure you have fully completed your previous unit. If you choose to enrol to your next unit while your previous unit is being assessed and that unit is unsuccessful at assessment, your studies will be temporarily paused. This pause remains in place while the issue is resolved via an assessment resubmission or resit.

Assessment events run three times a year. The date you complete your unit (this is the date you receive your final assignment feedback) will decide which assessment event you are entered into.

You have 12 years of “On Programme” study time to complete your degree. On Programme study time refers to periods where you are enrolled to a unit and studying – not on a deferral, or a break between units.

This means for a degree with 9 units, even if you take the full 12 months available per unit, there is still scope to apply for extensions if you have any extenuating circumstances during your studies.

Your total registration period is 16 years from your first unit start date. If you haven’t completed your degree by the 16-year mark, you may be eligible for an exit award instead.