Open University Validation
Richmond’s undergraduate degree programs are validated by The Open University (OU). The MA in Art History and Visual Culture and the MA in International Relations are also validated by The Open University. Validation of undergraduate degrees by The OU means that Richmond’s degrees are of comparable standard to the Bachelors Degree with Honours (denoted BA (Hons) awarded to students directly registered with the Open University and other UK universities. Likewise, Richmond MAs are of a comparable standard to UK masters degrees.
Benefits of validation include enhanced recognition throughout the European Union and in other parts of the world where British influence is significant, and this association may also assist with specific financial benefits (grants and loans) for citizens/residents of European Union countries.
An integral part of OU validation is the appointment of external examiners for each degree program. External examiners, who are normally experienced academics from other British universities, review the content and structure of the undergraduate degree program at the 300- and 400-level, review samples of assessed academic work from a broad cross-section of students in the program, and have the right to moderate the grades awarded by internal examiners where this is within the regulations of the program and does not bias the overall assessment or cause unfairness to individual students. Therefore grades in 300- and 400-level courses required for the degree may not be considered final before review by the external examiners. Likewise, the external examination system is key to the awarding of OU-validated Masters degrees, and grades will not be considered final before review by the external examiners. See Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures for more details.
The OU Student Handbook provides more information for students on services and the qualification provided by The Open University.
Completion of Richmond degree requirements results in the award of a Richmond diploma signifying completion of the US accredited degree program and, normally, a certificate from the Open University signifying that the degree obtained is validated by The Open University. Students on the RIASA program will not, however, receive an OU-validated degree. Their degrees are certified by the US accrediting body only. Other exceptions to this policy reference those students who permit their OU registration to lapse (see Students Completing Graduation Requirements Elsewhere).
British honours degrees are classified as first class (1st), upper second class (2.1), lower second class (2.2), third class (3rd), or pass degrees (pass degrees are not classified as Honours degrees). Teh results of MA students will equate to British masters degrees classified as Distinction (A and A- grades) and Pass (B range grades). The classification of the degrees awarded to Richmond graduates are determined by the Richmond faculty members with the ratification of the external examiners.
Students should note that the OU examiners meet once in an academic year to evaluate degree results. This occurs at the end of the Spring term of the academic year concerned. OU certificates for all students who have completed requirements by the end of the spring term are sent to Richmond at the end of August, and posted to students' addresses in September, once all quality checks have been made, and the diplomas signed by the President. Students completing graduation in the summer or fall terms should take particular note that although they will receive their Richmond diplomas in the September or January following their completion of requirements, the OU will not examine their results until the following summer. For OU purposes, then, the academic year runs as follows: Summer, Fall, Spring.
To sum up the practical implications of this: summer completers will receive their OU degree certificate a full year after they have completed requirements; fall completers will receive their OU degree certificates in the September after they have completed requirements.
Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/s/211.aspx
