G u i d e t o C o u r s e s

2 0 0 9 – 1 0

Open College of the Arts

0800 7312116

www.oca-uk.com

Foreword

These are exciting times to be studying with the OCA. Times of both continuity andchange. As an educational charity dedicated to widening access to high quality education in arts our core purpose remains unchanged. It drives everything we do. At the same time our relationship with Bucks New University has enabled us to offer anincreasing number of students the opportunity to gain credits towards a degree – up40% in the last year. We are working with our tutors to bring on stream new courses towiden the choice available to students and to provide a greater number of coherent degree pathways.Distance learning has many advantages – flexibility above all others. The opportunitiesoffered by web technologies are increasing allowing students to communicate with us,but probably more importantly with each other. Some of this communication is takingplace in our web forums, but it also happens elsewhere – one only has to look at the vibrant OCA student flickr group. Totally outside our control, it is effectively a virtualstudent union.Ihope this guide will makeyou want to join our student body. If you do, you will beembarking on a voyage of discovery.You may start on that journey with a destinationin mind. That could be to gain a degree or develop your skills and personal artistic vision. Most of our students nowwant to do both. It needs application, a sense of purpose and you will haveto question your practice – but if you approach this journey with an open mind, it will enrich your life. That's a big promise, but one I am happy toput my name to.Gareth Dent Chief ExecutiveOpen College of the Arts

Front cover: detail from a painting by

Catriona Meighan

Inside cover: from the sketch book of

Colin Adey