Changes to policy and curriculum

Conditions of Registration 2014/15

Warning: the content within this page reflects the information available to students in the 2014/15 academic year. As such, this information may no longer be factually accurate.

There have been a number of changes to the Conditions of Registration which form the basis of the OU’s contract with all registered students. This document contains a summary of the changes that will come into force for the 2014/15 academic year. These Conditions will apply to all students who study modules which start in the 2014/15 academic year.

The changes made

1. There is a single version combining the Conditions of Module Registration and the Conditions of Qualification Registration.
2. A more prominent introductory alert to read and check the document.
3. Paragraph 1.1(a) amended to expressly incorporate documents referred to in the conditions as terms of the contract.
4. Paragraph 1.1(d) added to make explicit reference to the Policy for the admission of applicants under the age of 18.
5. Changes to section 1.1 (e) & (g) to clarify the period which these regulations apply to and to make explicit the Senate’s right to amend rules under Student Regulations. This reflects changes in Student Regulations approved by the Senate in February 2014.
6. Paragraph 1.3 added to make more explicit our right to apply conditions or vary terms of study if required to comply with statutory duties.
7. Paragraph 1.6 is expanded to include more detail of the obligation to notify changes to personal details and how they will be used. This is in the same terms as the Data Protection Policy, express incorporation of which is moved, without amendment, from paragraph 8 to paragraph 1.6(c). The rules for use of names on certificates are expressly included.
8. Paragraph 2.2 is expanded to give more explanation of what fee liability means and the consequences of becoming liable for fees. There is more explicit reference to the cancellation right under the Distance Selling Regulations and how to do it.
9. Paragraph 3 is substantially altered in the same terms as the Student Regulation amendment approved by the Senate 2 April 2014 to remove reference to academic sanctions, to comply with the OFT report into University Terms and Conditions February 2014.
10. Paragraph 4A.4 added to include expressly the right to count credit to qualifications.
11. Paragraph 4B added to set out the different circumstances previously covered in the 2 (Module and Qualification) versions. 4B.2 and 4B.3 are carried forward. 4B.1 and 4B.4 are new clauses to deal with the omission of explicit reference to standalone module study and postgraduate study in the previous editions.
12. Paragraph 4C adds a reference to deferrals and study breaks, explicitly incorporating the Deferrals and Withdrawals Policy.
13. Paragraph 5.1 (c) to (e) clarifies the effect on qualification or module registration of withdrawing from modules or qualifications and reflects changes in the Student Regulations approved by the Senate in February 2014.
14. Paragraph 7 is expanded to cover communications between the University and Students through websites.
15. Miscellaneous re-numbering of clauses and changes to correct minor grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors and some changes of terms used to aid clarity and interpretation.

Please talk to your Student Support Team if you need any further information. You can find out how to contact them on Contact the OU.