Make your experience count
On this page
This unique online course enables you to gain 30 credits towards a higher education qualification by drawing on your past life experiences, including non-accredited training courses. Over 16 weeks, you will learn how to analyse and reflect on these experiences in an academic environment, take stock of your skills and plan for your personal and career development. The course is suitable for anyone in paid or voluntary work, planning a career change, or wishing to enter or re-enter the labour market. It is also appropriate for anyone with no particular goal other than to undertake some personal or academic development.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | U122 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 1 |
| SCQF level | 7 |
| FHEQ level | 4 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| No residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees and financial support may vary by country.
What you will study
Throughout the course, you will collect, organise and present evidence of your own learning, working independently and with others. The online study materials, activities and assessments will help you through this process. You will be supported throughout by your personal tutor, Open University resources and other students.
You will learn
You will:
- learn how to identify, reflect on and capture your own experiences
- have an opportunity to examine your personal development and explore how you might plan your future studies
- develop study skills
- gain useful IT skills as all the study materials are online
- learn how to put together a professional curriculum vitae (CV) that will help you in your future career.
By the end of the course you will have a clearer understanding of the skills you have acquired through past life experiences and will be able to plan your future personal and career development with greater confidence.
Vocational relevance
This course is suitable if you are in paid or voluntary work, planning a career change or wishing to enter or re-enter the labour market. The course is also suitable if you wish to undertake some personal or academic development but do not have a clear career goal in mind. If you have attended non-accredited courses, this course gives you the opportunity to earn university credit for this type of learning without the need for any additional evidence.
Entry
To study this course you must:
- have some life experiences you can draw on to complete the assessment on this course (experiences in this context does not have to mean formal or certificated learning)
- be able to use your computer to create documents, save and locate files, access websites and use email.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Outside the UK
This course should be relevant for students with learning experiences gained outside the UK.
Preparatory work
No preparatory work is necessary for this course.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
The course includes significant amounts of work with a computer as all the course content is delivered online as HTML or Adobe Portable Document (PDF) files. Some course components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. If you use specialist software you are strongly recommended to check that you will be able to access the resources before you register for the course. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our publication Meeting Your Needs.
You can also find information about accessible study materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Study materials
What's included
Website and online forums.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2005 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will be allocated to a tutor who will give you advice and guidance on the study requirements and will mark and comment on your written work. Your tutor will be particularly concerned with helping you with your study methods and providing feedback on your assignments. You will be expected to communicate with your tutor by email and telephone.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You must use the online eTMA system to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs). The end-of-module assessment must also be submitted online.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in May and October 2012 when it will be available for the last time.
Fees 2012
See fees and funding options for study from September 2012.
Course facts
An undergraduate course.
| About this course: | |
|---|---|
| Course code | U122 |
| Credits | 30 |
| OU Level | 1 |
| SCQF level | 7 |
| FHEQ level | 4 |
| Course work includes: |
|---|
| 3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) |
| End-of-module assessment |
| No residential school |
Study explained
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about distance learning with the OU.
Student Reviews
Very enjoyable course. I'd recommend this, particularly to anybody thinking of changing course in their career, as it helps you ...
Read more
This was my first experience of study with the OU and after an initial hic-up when I had no idea ...
Read more
Your questions
We may have already answered it in our frequently asked questions.
Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35
Browse the prospectus
Get a prospectus
Download or
order
Share
This PageThe University wishes to emphasise that, while every effort is made to regularly update this site, the material on it is subject to alteration or amendment in the light of changes in regulations or in policy or of financial or other necessity.