Guide for Students in Prison

The Open University in Scotland OU - Scottish Prison Service Scheme

GUIDE FOR APPLICANTS

D:\Docs\2018-05-04\02b52d51f70cf0d673f41348f696a45b.doc WHAT STUDENTS SAY ABOUT OPEN UNIVERSITY STUDY

‘I hope my OU degree will demonstrate to an employer that I am capable of learning.’

‘My OU study has been instrumental in helping me to understand myself and my offending behaviour.’

‘The pursuit of a degree inside prison is liberating – it frees the mind.’

2 4 STUDYING OU MODULES IN SCOTTISH PRISONS

If you think you might be interested in studying with the Open University to gain higher education qualifications whilst in prison, this leaflet is for you.

You can find out about Open University study and how to apply for a place on a module.

of difficulty and the amount of study support given. On Level 1 modules students get The OU Scottish Prison Service Scheme more study skills support to ease them into This is a partnership between the Scottish their study with the OU. Prison Service and the Open University in Scotland. The Scheme is primarily for These levels correspond roughly to stages of longer-term prisoners to study university-level study at a conventional university, that is, a courses. There are some restrictions on the Level 1 module in the OU undergraduate modules you can study, for example modules programme is equivalent to the first year of that are taught on-line are not feasible. study elsewhere.

You will be supported by learning centre staff How You Study in prisons and by OU staff, including tutors, The Open University is a distance learning and you will be able to speak to an OU university and its modules are based on Educational Adviser for further support if you correspondence and audio-visual materials. have difficulties. Everything you need will be sent to you, c/o the Learning Centre. For a 60 credit module Open University Study you will need to find time to study for about The Open University offers degree-level 15 hours a week for about 32 weeks of the modules for part-time students. The modules year. cover many different subjects from Art History to Environment Studies, from Mathematics to You will be given detailed correspondence the Social Sciences, from Economics to tuition, based on the assignments that you Oceanography. There are over a hundred submit regularly to your OU module tutor. modules to choose from. Your tutor marks your work and offers constructive teaching comments to help you. Most modules have a value of either 30 or 60 credits and you can obtain a certificate, You will have contact with your tutor through diploma or degree by successfully completing telephone, and possibly face to face tutorials courses at the appropriate level and building on Level 1 modules. This gives you the up the required number of credits (360 for a opportunity to discuss the module. degree) over a period of time. Sometimes there are one or two other students taking your module in prison, but in Before you start working for your degree or the main you will see your tutor on your own. diploma, you will normally study a 10 credit There are two main start dates each year: preparatory course. modules run from February to October or October to June and assessment is carried Module Levels out through a combination of the module assignments and an end of module Modules are designated Level 1, Level 2 or examination in October or June, depending Level 3. This generally indicates the level on your start date. Module results come out in late December or mid June.

3 WHAT TO DO NEXT

If you want to find out more about becoming an Open University student, this is what you have to do:

 To be eligible to study with the Open University in prison, you will be required by SPS to show some evidence of prior learning and commitment.  Once you have decided on a module, you need to discuss this with staff in the Learning Centre who will advise you how If it’s a long time since you followed an to apply. Applications go to the SPS educational module, ask your Learning Higher Education Access Board, which Centre about how best to prepare. has members from the OU, the SPS and the colleges providing education in prisons. This takes place at the end of June.  The application process begins around April/May for modules that start in September/October/November or the Prison Learning Centre Staff will advise following February. Some prisons have you about your application. information and advice sessions where you can see module brochures and examples of course materials.

 Funding the course: From academic year Ask your Learning Centre for Open 2008/09, all undergraduate Scottish prison University module brochures. students who have successfully applied to the Higher Education Access Board – both new and continuing – are able to apply for financial assistance under the Scottish  Most Open University modules are Funding Council fee waiver scheme, planned on the assumption that you will subject to the usual rules on eligibility. follow a route from one study level to another, starting at Level 1. Level 1 modules are specially designed to stimulate in students an interest in learning  as well as introducing them to the OU’s Formal registration on a module will take teaching methods. You will develop good place when funding is in place. The academic learning and organisational deadline for applications to the Higher skills. Education Access Board is normally 15 May each year.

New students are strongly advised to begin with a Level 1 module.