What you will study
There are two ways to start a qualification. You can begin your studies at Stage 1, or, if you haven’t studied for a long time, you can get started by studying an Access module as an additional preparatory stage of your chosen qualification. We know from experience that students who have completed an Access module do better in their subsequent modules, so it could be the vital first step you take to help you succeed in your future studies.
To find out the recommended Access module for this pathway, choose your country in the Fees section below.
Stage 1
You’ll begin your studies with the compulsory 60-credit module The arts past and present (AA100)The arts past and present::This broadly-focused course introduces you to university-level study in the arts across a range of subject areas - art history, classical studies, English, history, philosophy, music and religious studies. It is structured around four themes, in order to guide you through some of the basic concerns of arts subjects: Reputations; Tradition and Dissent; Cultural Encounters; and Place and Leisure. Your studies will range from poetry to string quartets, and from sculpture to short stories – across a wide variety of cultures and historical periods. This key introductory Level 1 course is also a useful means of acquiring the key skills required for further study of arts and humanities subjects.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.W35-11,module,AA100,,1, an absorbing and broad-based grounding in the arts and humanities, including:
- history
- philosophy
- music
- literature
- art history
- classical studies
- religious studies.
You’ll develop essential study skills while engaging with a wide range of topics, periods and approaches and enhancing your enjoyment and understanding of fascinating and diverse aspects of human culture.
We recommend that you build on this with either:
- two 30-credit Level 1 modules in humanities; Voices and texts (A150)Voices and texts::Designed to follow our key introductory course in arts and humanities, The arts past and present (AA100), which you are strongly advised to study first, this course focuses on language in a wide range of contexts and from the perspective of different academic subjects. These include subjects familiar from studying The arts past and present - classical studies, history, literature, music, religious studies - and two additional subjects, creative writing and English language studies. Voices and texts will help you to prepare for your studies at Level 2 by giving you opportunities to sharpen your analytical skills and to develop new approaches to your own writing.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.W35-11,module,A150,,1 and Making sense of things: an introduction to material culture (A151)Making sense of things: an introduction to material culture::This course is designed to follow our key introductory Level 1 course, The arts past and present (AA100), which you are strongly advised to study first. It introduces you to the study of objects, or material culture, in both the past and present from a variety of different perspectives. These include heritage studies, art history, classical studies, history, philosophy and religious studies. Making sense of things will prepare you for Level 2 study, giving you opportunities to develop a range of critical and analytical skills within the context of this exciting new subject.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.W35-11,module,A151,,1 (from October 2014, these 30-credit modules are being merged into one 60-credit module Voices, texts and material culture (A105))
or
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Introducing the social sciences (DD101)Introducing the social sciences::This key introductory Level 1 course is an ideal introduction to the social sciences – psychology, social policy and criminology, geography and environment, politics and international studies, economics and sociology – through study of contemporary UK society. Using a blend of text, audio, DVD and online materials, you’ll explore a wide range of topics, including questions of society’s relationship to the environment, questions of identity and issues of social order and governance – all considered in their national and international contexts – that will equip you with a range of skills for independent study and for your personal and working life.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.W35-11,module,DD101,,1 (60 credits)
Either of these options will be good preparation for Level 2 study in philosophy and will allow you to hone your critical and analytical skills.
Alternatively, you could choose from other options which include languages and design.
Stage 2
At Stage 2, the 60-credit module Exploring philosophy (A222)Exploring philosophy::This introduction to philosophy considers fundamental questions from six core areas: the self; philosophy of religion; ethics; knowledge and science; the mind; and political philosophy. What makes me ‘Me’? Does God exist? Why should I act morally? Can I trust science? How can I, a physical being, have thoughts and emotions? Should I obey laws I disagree with? Philosophers – both past and present – have offered radically diverging answers to these and the other questions asked in this course. Guided engagement with this philosophical tradition will provide the platform for you to tackle the big questions of philosophy for yourself.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.W35-11,module,A222,,1 introduces you to this subject via six core areas: the self; philosophy of religion; ethics; knowledge and science; the mind; and political philosophy. Philosophers past and present have made radically diverging claims about these issues. Guided engagement with this philosophical tradition will equip you to tackle the big questions of philosophy for yourself.
You could decide to complete Stage 2 by continuing your study of interdisciplinary humanities. Alternatively, you can choose from a wide range of modules covering art history, classical studies, classical languages, creative writing, heritage studies, literature, music, English language, religious studies, history, French, German and Spanish.
These modules can be studied in any order and throughout Stage 2, you’ll continue to develop your critical thinking, writing and analysis skills. You’ll also begin to work and think more independently in relation to a range of problems and questions posed by your course of study.
Modules quoted in qualification descriptions are those that are currently available for study. As the
structure of our qualifications is reviewed on a regular basis, the University is unable to guarantee that
the same selection of modules will continue to be available in future years.
How long it takes
Typically it takes four years part-time study to complete this qualification, but you can take anything from two to 12 years.
We recommend spreading Stage 1 over two years, giving you time to get used to distance learning as well as a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for future study. You could then continue at this pace or speed up to complete in three years.
If you are considering taking just two years, the equivalent to full-time study, we strongly recommend that you first speak to an adviser.
If your country isn’t listed here, visit our international prospectus.
Register
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards an Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible, and before you register for your chosen qualification. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.
Visit our Credit Transfer site for more information and details of how to apply for credit transfer.
Choose country above to register.
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