Changes to policy and curriculum

Academic Regulations (Taught Courses) 2016 - 2018 (March 2017 update)

Warning: the content within this page reflects the information available to students in the 2016/17 academic year. As such, this information may no longer be factually accurate.

In March 2017 a number of changes were implemented to the regulations which form the basis of the registration agreement between Open University students and the University, setting out what students have to do to become and remain a student of The Open University studying a taught course.

These changes will affect:

• students registered with The Open University to study a taught course with a start date in or after August 2016
• students registered on a qualification during the 2016/17 or 2017/18 academic year, even if they're not studying
• students who have declared a qualification intention prior to 1 August 2016 and remain a Student of the University during the 2016/17 or 2017/18 academic years.

A taught course may be either a qualification including any module studied as part of that qualification or a module studied as a standalone course.

These regulations do not apply to students studying towards a research degree or studying a non-credit bearing course (a short course).

The changes made

The period of time for which this document is valid has been extended to apply beyond the end of the 2016/17 academic year.

The terminology in Section H has been updated to reflect the University’s Recognition of Prior Learning Policy. Any references to the content of this section throughout the document have also been updated.

Section J3 has been expanded. The additions to this section are:

• J3 g) to specify potential exceptions agreed by the Education Committee to time limits and the use of short course credit for students who transfer from a declared qualification (i.e. a pre-2012 qualification) to a registered qualification (i.e. one of the newer, restructured versions of our qualifications) before 31 December 2019.
• J3 h) has been added to specify the potential time limit exception.
• J3 i) has been added to specify the additional rules of the potential time limit exception.
• J3 j) has been added to specify the potential short courses credit exception.

Section K5 has been amended to clarify that for the purposes of a determining a qualification start date only a withdrawal where a fee liability has been incurred will count.

Section K8 has been added to refer back to Section J3 g) for students who have moved from a declared undergraduate qualification to a registered qualification.

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.