CONDITIONS OF ENROLMENT
MAIN PARAMETERS
1. General
a. This document provides a formal statement of the Conditions of Enrolment whichapply to both parties (i.e. the student and the OCA) from the point at which anenrolment fee is accepted by the OCA until the student ceases to be ‘active’ (for definition, see 3d
below).
By enrolling with the OCA, all students are deemed toaccept these terms and conditions.
b. The Conditions of Enrolment are sent out to all students at the point of enrolment –or re-enrolment – and are also freely available on the OCA website. All students areurged to read them prior to starting work on their course unit.
Should any student beunable or unwilling to agree to the conditions set out in this document, a full refund isavailable
, provided the course materials are returned to the OCA Head Office in an‘as new’ condition within 14 days of receipt (see 5a for more details).c. The Conditions of Enrolment cover the contractual relationship between the studentand the OCA. There are, however, two other important documents which allstudents should be aware of and are also freely available. These are:
•
the Student Regulations. These provide more details of the ‘academicrules’ which govern the interactions between students, the OCA and our validating university (the University for the Creative Arts - UCA). TheStudent Regulations include the Academic Regulatory Framework whichdefines the parameters for obtaining an HE qualification. It also containsthe more detailed versions of policies and procedures such as MitigatingCircumstances or Tutor Transfers.
•
the Student Handbook. This document provides practical advice for students on how to get the best out of their learning experience with theOCA. The Student Handbook contains an important PartnershipStatement, developed jointly with the OCA’s Student Association (OCASA),which seeks to capture the spirit of the relationship between students andthe OCA; in particular this expands on the principle that both parties haveresponsibilities, as well as rights.d. The OCA undertakes to consult with OCASA over any significant changes to theConditions of Enrolment. Interpreting what constitutes a ‘significant’ change is for the OCA. However, OCASA representatives have the right to raise any concernsthrough the Teaching and Learning Committee.
2. Status as an
undergraduate
or
personal development learner
a. In line with the OCA’s open access policy, all students whose enrolment is acceptedwill have access to tutorial support and will be supported to derive maximum valuefrom their studies. However, not all those who enrol will
be able
to reach degreelevel standards – or indeed will
wish
to complete the full degree programme. Thisleads to two parallel strands of OCA learners: those who are studying with a view togaining an HE qualification (
undergraduates
) and those studying for pleasure andpersonal development (
personal development learners
). Both groups study the
same materials and carry out the same assignments, but the type of feedback givenby tutors will vary according to the strand
1
.b. Students in the personal development learner strand cannot submit their work for formal assessment. Students on their first Level 1 (HE4) course unit who areundecided should seek advice from their tutor.c. Students who start out in the personal development learner strand
may
be able tomove into the undergraduate strand, provided their tutor agrees that they appear tohave the potential to reach the required standards. Such a decision has to be made
before
the deadline for submitting work for assessment
at the end of the first courseunit
, as it is not possible to claim retrospective credits for units which were notassessed at the time.d. It is the student’s responsibility to notify OCA Head Office if they decide (havingconsulted with their tutor) to change strands.
3. Coverage
a. These Conditions of Enrolment apply to all students enrolling on all course units atall levels, irrespective of which strand they are on,
other than where stated explicitly
.b. Separate Conditions of Enrolment apply to postgraduate students.
c. Students on the undergraduate strand will
also
be registered with the UCA. Thedual registration starts from the point at which work is submitted for assessment atthe end of the first unit. From then on, students will be subject to the relevantregulations of the UCA, as well as those of the OCA. The OCA’s AcademicRegulatory Framework, included in the Student Regulations, is based on theequivalent UCA document and ensures the two frameworks are consistent (and seeSection 8 below).d. The OCA’s Conditions of Enrolment (subject to amendments, additions and other changes introduced from time to time) continue to apply during the entire period astudent is active or until they graduate
2
. ‘Active’ students are defined as falling intoone of the following groups:
•
on-programme (course unit is in progress);
•
awaiting assessment of most recently completed course unit;
•
had work assessed within the last 12 months, but not yet re-enrolled;
•
on an agreed deferment from current course unit.
4. Entitlement
a. Payment of the enrolment fee for course units entitles all students to defined corecomponents. These fall into three groups (programme of study, advice andguidance, and community).b. The core components under
programme of study
are:
1
Students in the undergraduate strand will receive (potentially) more challenging feedback, pitched at therelevant HE level; while personal development students will receive feedback designed to raise their skillsand understanding, but without necessarily reaching degree level.
2
A student completing their final Level 3 (HE6) course unit ceases to be ‘active’ from the point at which their degree class is notified, following a Degree Board.
•
a set of the course materials which provide a structured learning pathway;
•
individual tutorial support to provide feedback on assignments for a periodof up to 24 months (other than when extensions are approved in advance);
•
a library of resources to support students’ learning pathways and widenunderstanding
3
;
•
assessment of work at the end of each course unit with a view to the awardof HE credits (undergraduates only), if successful.c. The core components under
advice and guidance
are:
•
an induction unit, to help students get the best out of their learningexperience – especially those who are new to HE and/or open learning
4
;
•
guidance materials to provide additional advice on key aspects of theteaching and learning model;
•
telephone and email support from OCA Head Office staff as and whendifficulties are encountered in following the chosen programme;
•
access to reasonable learner support if financial or other barriers preventstudents from following their chosen programme.d. The core components under
community
are:
•
interaction with fellow students through the OCA Student website;
•
membership of the OCA Student Association (OCASA);
•
access to student discounts such as the NUS Extra card.e. There are other components which students are strongly encouraged to access (e.g.study visits, student generated initiatives). However, these are not part of the coreentitlement and their availability cannot be guaranteed across all subjects andgeographical areas.f. The course unit fee as quoted is non-negotiable. In particular, any students unableor unwilling to take up one or more of the components listed above will not beentitled to a partial refund.
FINANCE AND ICT-RELATED
5. Financial aspects
a. For a period of up to 14 days after receipt of the course materials, students canclaim a full refund by returning the materials complete, in excellent condition,securely packed and by recorded delivery - to arrive at the OCA by the end of the15
th
day. After this initial period, the materials will be deemed to belong to thestudent and will be non-returnable.b. The OCA accepts that, for students living outside the UK, it will sometimes beunrealistic for materials to be returned in the timescale set out in 5a. Where this isthe case, overseas students must notify the OCA
by email
by the end of the 14
th
day
3
It is acknowledged that, as at 1
st
September 2012, coverage of library resources is limited. However, theOCA is committed to expanding the range of such resources as quickly as possible and progress will bereviewed by the Teaching and Learning Committee on which students are represented by OCASA.
4
At the time of issuing these Conditions (September 2012), the Induction unit was still being finalised. It ishoped to have it available for launch during December 2012.
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Conditions of Elrolment
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