He prospectus

Higher Education Prospectus2011-12

a love for learning

Working in partnership with:

Contents

Contents 1

Welcome 2

Quality assured 3

Exciting new programmes for 2011 4

International students 5

Pathways into Higher Education 6

UCAS tariff guide 7

Oxford Brookes University 9Business 10

Foundation Degree in Business & Enterprise 10

Creative arts 12Foundation Degree in Creative Arts and Design Practice 12

Motorsport 14Foundation Degree in Motorsports – Performance and Automotive Technology 14

Teacher training 16Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) 16

Bucks New University 19Furniture 20

Foundation Degree in Furniture: Design and Make 20

Tuition fees and how to pay 22

How to apply 23

The information in this guide was correct at March 2011, but is

subject to change.

2 | Higher Education Prospectus 2011-12

Welcome to Oxford & Cherwell Valley College (OCVC) and our Higher Education prospectus. We are delighted that you are considering studying with us. You are following in the footsteps of thousands of learners who have turned their lives around with OCVC learning.

Studying a Higher Education programme at a further education college instead of university is an option rapidly growing in popularity. Currently, around 178,000 students are enrolled on higher education programmes in 270 of the 353 FE Colleges in England – around 10% of all higher education students.

One of the biggest benefits of choosing college over university is affordability. Many of our students like to live at home and save thousands of pounds on accommodation costs. You also have the benefit of being able to take on a permanent part-time job if it suits you. So, the chances are you can complete your degree without incurring debt.

Another major benefit is the more individual approach to learning: at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College you will typically be in a small-sized class with an industry-experienced lecturer who will give you individual attention and support.

We are currently in discussions with Oxford Brookes and Bucks New University about extending our partnerships to deliver more degrees, so please do check our website regularly to find out more about the programmes on offer for 2011.

We will be very happy to discuss your Higher Education options with you at any time – and if you feel you may need a programme to help you get ready for higher education, please see the Access section in the college’s full time prospectus.

OCVC is a friendly and supportive college where you will make friends, enjoy life as you learn, and enhance your employability, confidence and communication skills alongside your qualification. You receive a high level of support when you study with us, including a personal tutor to guide you throughout your studies and special help for students needing learning support or with disabilities.

This prospectus introduces you to our range of programmes and gives you a flavour of what it will be like to study here. We will be very happy to provide you with further information to help you find the right programme for you. We’d be delighted to see you at one of our Open Events or you can contact our Customer Services team to find out more.

We look forward to welcoming you at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College.

Sally Dicketts, Principal

Welcome

Our specialist HE programmes are validated and awarded by partner universities in our region; Oxford Brookes University and Bucks New University, complementing and extending their own degree portfolios.

Oxford Brookes University

Bucks New University

You can find more useful information about OCVC in the HE Student Handbook which contains detailed information about assessment, learning resources and libraries, and everything else you need to know about the college.

See also the Learning Opportunities website:

www.learning-opportunities.org.uk

Quality assured

For information call customer services on 01865 550550 | Email: [email protected] | Visit: www.ocvc.ac.uk | 3

http://www.brookes.ac.uk

http://www.bucks.ac.uk

http://www.ocvc.ac.uk/courses/he

http://www.learning-opportunities.org.uk

Exciting new programmes for 2011

We are always reviewing the programmes we offer, and work closely with employers, universities and other partners to make sure that we continue to provide innovative programmes that will give you the qualifications and skills that employers and universities want.

Extending Higher EducationWe are delighted to be extending our Higher Education provision for 2011 entry. We are developing two new foundation degrees with Oxford Brookes University in Business & Enterprise and Creative Arts and Design Practice. We’re also working with our other partners to develop new programmes.

Sustainable constructionThere are exciting times ahead for us in Oxfordshire because Bicester has been named by the Government as one of four areas in England where a new eco-town will be developed. Up to 15,000 carbon-neutral homes will be built using sustainable technologies, and they will be powered by wind, solar and ground source heat pumps. The development of the eco-town will provide an enormous economic boost to the region, and bring opportunities for construction and building services workers who are skilled in the knowledge and use of new sustainable technologies. In light of this, the college is planning to establish a new Foundation Degree in Building Studies & Sustainability for 2012 start.

We have run our specialist performance engineering centre in Bicester for six years and now plan to develop a new Eco-Technology & Skills Centre at the campus that will be operational by January 2011.


International students

With our main campus located in Oxford, a world-renowned centre of learning, it’s no great surprise that international students from all over the world choose to study at OCVC.

We deliver a wide choice of programmes at all levels; vocational and academic, that enable our students to progress to Higher Education or take the first steps in their chosen careers.

The one-year International Study Programme combines academic study and English language training. Successful completion of the programme will enable you to progress to a related Foundation Degree at OCVC and most UK universities. The International Study Programme pathways include:

• Business and Management

• Hospitality, Tourism and Catering

• Media and Performing Arts.

We welcome applications from students who have completed their high school studies in their own countries and have a good intermediate level of English of IELTS 5.5 or its equivalent.

You will also find useful information at the British Council website.


http://www.britishcouncil.org

Pathways into Higher Education

NVQ 1BTEC

Introductory Diploma

14-19Diploma

Foundation DegreeYear 1

Foundation DegreeYear 2

A / AS Levels

BTEC First Diploma

14-19 Higher Diploma

Apprenticeship

Advanced Apprenticeship

Access Courses

DiplomaHE

HigherApprenticeship

NVQ 2

NVQ 3

NVQ 4

NVQ 5

BA / BSc Degree Year 1



Masters

Higher National

Certificate

Higher National Diploma

Postgraduate Certificates

14-19 Advanced Diploma

Furt

her

Educ

atio

n

Progression

Opportunities exist to progress to different qualifications at each level

High

er E

duca

tion

BTEC National Award / Cert

/ Diploma

L

L

L

4LEVEL

3LEVEL

2LEVEL

1LEVEL

5LEVEL

6LEVEL

7LEVEL


UCAS tariff guide

UCAS has assigned a value of points to many different levels of qualifications, below are a list of the most common UK qualifications.

If you have a qualification that is not listed you can contact our admissions department (on 01865 551691) who will be happy to help or you can visit the UCAS website directly:

www.ucas.ac.uk

Key

D – DistinctionM- MeritP –Pass

Points A/AVCE ADA AS BTEC Nationals OCR Nationals

Award Cert Diploma Cert Diploma Extended Diploma

360 DDD D1

320 DDM D2/M1

280 DMM M2

240 AA DD MMM D M3

220 AB

200 BB DM MMP M1 P1

180 BC

160 CC MM MPP M2/P1 P1

140 CD

120 A DD D MP PPP D P2 P3

100 B DE

80 C EE M PP M P3

60 D A

50 B

40 E C P P

30 D

20 E

10


http://www.ucas.ac.uk


Oxford Brookes University has been named the best modern university for ten years in a row by the Sunday Times University Guide .

Oxford Brookes is pleased to run the following Higher Education programmes in partnership with OCVC:

Foundation Degree Motorsports – Performance and Automotive Technology

Foundation Degree Business and Enterprise (subject to validation).

Foundation Degree Creative Arts and Design Practice (subject to validation).

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) (subject to validation).

These programmes are designed in collaboration with employers to give you real skills to develop your career. If you successfully complete your foundation degree at OCVC, you will be able to progress on to the third year of a related bachelor degree at Oxford Brookes University.

You will benefit from the same facilities and services as on-campus students. These include:

• use of Brookes’ libraries, Centre for Sport and Students’ Union

• study support and mentoring

• professional advice and information from Brookes’ Careers and Employment Centre.

For further information please check out our website at: www.brookes.ac.uk/acp


http://www.brookes.ac.uk/acp

The financial services, legal and business worlds are vast and varied with each sector containing many disciplines. Oxford & Cherwell Valley College is here to equip you with the right skills to pursue your chosen career. We have developed strong links with employers to enable our students to strengthen their knowledge with first-hand industry experience. Many of our graduates are now established in their chosen fields in a broad range of jobs including posts as legal secretaries, marketing assistants, solicitors and accountants.

Foundation Degree in Business & Enterprise*

Oxford*subject to validation

Why choose this programme This programme will equip you with the knowledge, understanding and much sought after entrepreneurial skills required to succeed in business. It is designed to meet the needs of future employment in business in today’s changing economic landscape, as well as enable students to progress to the final year of an honours degree in Business & Management. This is a varied programme which enables you to leave with the skills required to run and manage a small business.

Programme summaryThis programme is being developed in partnership with the Faculty of Business at Oxford Brookes University and in consultation with local employers and entrepreneurs. It is designed to further your knowledge and understanding of fundamentals of business and the range of contexts and environments that organisations operate within. You will explore core business disciplines alongside the dynamic nature of enterprise, developing your creativity and innovation skills and promoting new ideas.

As a student you will be engaging with individual entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organisations in order to develop your own entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.

Programme ContentPlease note that as programmes are reviewed

regularly, the module list may vary from that

shown here

Year 1 (Level 4)

• Introduction to Business context

• Fundamentals of Business

• Financial Accounts for New Businesses

• Entrepreneurial Traits

• Marketing and New Media

• Critical Skills/Personal Development

• Building a Business

Year 2 (Level 5)

• Meeting Customer Needs & Quality

• Business strategy for competitive advantage

• Leading & Managing Change

• Strategic or Dynamic Enterprise

• Leadership & Managing People

• Running own business

• Work-based Business Project

Business


How you are assessedThe modules are delivered through a variety of techniques to suit different learning styles. The teaching and learning methods will include: group work, pair activities, investigations, discussions, experiments and note taking.

The assessment you undergo will be formative and summative:

Formative - designed to provide you with feedback on your progress and inform you of your ongoing development. Formative assessments, such as in class exercises, tests, activities do not form part of your grade.

Summative - designed to provide a measure of your achievement in respect of your performance in relation to the intended learning outcomes of your programme of study; in other words, the end of module assignments which determine your grades.

At each level of study you will be asked to participate in formative assessment procedures, which require you to consider your own work against the agreed assessment criteria. This allows you to reflect upon your own practice and to take responsibility for acknowledging areas of strength and areas for further development in your work.

What you can progress toThere will be the opportunity for students who successfully complete this Foundation Degree to progress on to a further year of study at the Oxford Brookes University in order to complete a full Honours Degree.

Students who normally achieve an average of 55% over the second year for the Foundation Degree will be eligible for progression on to the BA (Hons) in Business and Management final year.

How to applyApplicants should apply via UCAS. Please log on to: www.ucas.ac.uk

UCAS code: TBC

Institution code: O66

Fees informationFor details on fees please contact one of our friendly customer service advisors on

01865 550550 or [email protected]

Entry requirements

Entrants to the Programme should normally possess the following:

Either:

• a minimum of two years’ relevant work experience and a current role in an appropriate workplace setting, and

• a line manager’s letter of support and recommendation

Or:

• a minimum of one pass at A-level or 6-unit Vocational A-level, plus three passes at GCSE (grades A–C), or O-level (grades A–C) normally including Mathematics and English Language

• a National Certificate or Diploma or other equivalent qualifications, such as GNVQ/NVQ or other Level 3 vocational qualifications.

Admission with Credit

Applicants with prior certificated or experiential learning may be admitted with credit for up to a maximum of 120 credits at level 4.

You are required to be employed (voluntary or paid) for the duration of the programme and will be provided with opportunities to use your work place as a point of reference for your assignments. This will enable you to appreciate the links between theory and practice and develop your understanding of key business related issues within a vocational context. To support your vocational learning you will have a work place mentor, whose role is to support you in the work place and to liaise with your personal tutor.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate that their level of English is acceptable, by achieving a score in a recognised test such as:

• British Council IELTS: normally minimum level 6.0 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in the reading and writing components;

• TOEFL minimum score of 550 paper-based or 213 computer-based or 80 internet-based

See also www.brookes.ac.uk



Oxfordshire School of Creative Arts is located on both the Oxford and Banbury campuses. The facilities available to you for successful completion of your programmes include craft workshops in printmaking, woods, metals, textiles, ceramics, print design, dark rooms, photographic studios, TV studios and fine arts. You will find large gallery spaces and extremely well-equipped practical areas, supported by specialist lecturing staff, practitioners and technicians.

We maintain a high profile by exhibiting both locally and nationally; events include New Designers D&AD New Blood. In addition, we enter regular competitions, achieving great success. Our staff are all practitioners, exhibiting their work and ensuring they maintain a professional relationship with key practitioners within this innovative field of work. The current mix includes scriptwriters, journalists, photographers, graphic artists, actors, dancers, film editors, fine artists, craft designers, print makers, dress/textile designers and sculptors. They will help you to develop your talents in our creative spaces, all with industry standard equipment.

Regional, national and international trips form an integral part of the curriculum; recently these have included Venice, New York, Madrid, Florence, Paris and Berlin. Students find experiencing a variety of cultures enriches their work and enables a more informed, innovative portfolio to be realised.

Competition for a full-time place at the Oxfordshire School of Creative Arts is always fierce because we attract some of the most talented young people in Oxfordshire to our c ollege. We do have rigorous entry criteria, and all students will be interviewed or asked to bring portfolios, so that we can determine which of our programmes is appropriate for you and your future career intentions.

Foundation Degree in Creative Arts and Design Practice*

Banbury*subject to validation

Why choose this programme Designers are becoming masters of more than one process and are demonstrating their high level of creative skills by being able to produce work for a variety of outcomes. This new programme will offer students the opportunity to study core design skills and the flexibility to pursue individual creative pathways.

Programme summaryThis new programme will prepare you for the modern workplace by developing your broad-based creative and entrepreneurial skills.

There will be an opportunity to continue to explore and experiment across disciplines working with a range of practising artists and designers in professionally-equipped workshops. Emphasis will be placed on the applied nature of art and design, so that you will be well prepared to move directly into employment or art and design practice.

At the centre of the programme will be a professional ‘hub’ where students will be able to respond to live commissions and projects and develop entrepreneurial skills and design application alongside generic employment skills. The aim is to create a professional working environment to boost student confidence in their abilities, ensuring our graduates are ‘industry ready’ and prepared for the real world.

Programme ContentPlease note that as programmes are reviewed


shown here.

Year 1 (Level 4)

• Cultural & Contextual Studies

• Mixed Media Practice

• Processing Ideas for a Solution

• Professional & Entrepreneurial Practice

• Live Group Project

Year 2 (Level 5)

• Critical Studies

• Work Related Practice

• Creative Competitions

• Final Major Project

Creative arts


How you are assessedThe modules are delivered through a variety of techniques to suit all different learning styles. The teaching and learning methods will include: practical sessions, workshop programmes, presentations, and peer criticisms.

The assessment you undergo will be formative and summative:

Formative - designed to provide you with feedback on your progress and inform you of your ongoing development. Formative assessments, such as in-class exercises, tests, activities, do not form part of your grade.

Summative - designed to provide a measure of your achievement in respect of your performance in relation to the intended learning outcomes of your programme of study; in other words, the end of module assignments which determine your grades.

At each level of study you will be asked to participate in formative assessment procedures which require you to consider your own work against the agreed assessment criteria. This allows you to reflect upon your own practice, with tutors, and to take responsibility for acknowledging areas of strength and areas for further development in your work.

What you can progress toYou will be able to progress onto the final year of an honours degree in an art-related subject through an additional one year of study.

How to applyApplicants should apply via UCAS. Please log on to www.ucas.ac.uk

UCAS code: TBC




Entry requirementsEntrants to the Programme should normally possess the following:



Admission with CreditApplicants with prior certificated or experiential learning may be admitted with credit for up to a maximum of 120 credits at level 4.

English Language RequirementsApplicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate that their level of English is acceptable, by achieving a score in a recognised test such as:



See also www.brookes.ac.uk



mailto:[email protected]


The Bicester Performance Engineering Centre is the newest of OCVC’s four college sites, providing specialised training and education to the Motorsports industry.

Set in the heart of ‘motorsport valley’ within a few miles of the Silverstone circuit, our centre houses industry-standard workshops:

• Fabrication and welding - featuring the latest TIG welding technology

• Engineering machining - including CNC machining and material testing

• Composites - featuring a full size Autoclave

• Hand fit workshop

• Computer Aided Design - with 2D and 3D software and Computational Fluid Dynamics

• Motorsport workshop - including sub-assembly and engine rebuild with numerous open wheeled cars

• Specialist projects workshops

Our teaching staff are a mixture of academics and vocational trainers with the combined experience of over 100 years working in top flight motorsport.

Foundation Degree in Motorsports – Performance and Automotive Technology

Bicester

Why choose this programme The Foundation Degree (Science) in Motorsports - Performance and Automotive Technology has been developed by Oxford & Cherwell Valley College at our Bicester Campus and Oxford Brookes University as preparation for a range of careers in the motorsports industry. The UK motor industry employs thousands of graduates each year and has a highly successful autosports sector.

You will be working, or expecting to work, in a motorsports environment. You will want to gain a higher level qualification in relation to your skills and knowledge and to build on any experience you have of the motorsports or related industries.

Programme summaryThis programme has been developed in consultation with local motorsport employers in order to meet regional priorities for skills shortages. The qualification is validated by Oxford Brookes University.

As well as being enrolled at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College you will also be registered and enrolled with Oxford Brookes University and so will also be entitled to use many of the University’s facilities.

Programme contentPlease note that as programmes are reviewed


shown here.

Year 1 (Level 4)

• Engine Technology

• Graphics and Design

• Engineering Science

• Basic Mathematical Methods I

• Managing Resources

• Composite Materials Technology

• Manufacturing Technology

• Work-based Assessment

Year 2 (Level 5)

• Computer-aided Design

• Vehicle Technology

• Performance Engineering

• Vehicle Electrical and Electronics

• Road and Race Car Aerodynamics

• Project (double)

Motorsport


How you are assessedDuring each module you will undertake assignments which will count towards the assessment of the module. Some modules are assessed entirely by assignments; a few, however, also require you to take a timed examination. All modules are designed to enable you to engage in new areas of knowledge, acquire practical experience of a range of activities relevant to your employment within the motorsports industry and encourage you to engage in critical reflection.

You will participate in lectures and workshops, plan and deliver presentations to your peers, research areas of relevance to the degree programme, critically evaluate the validity and implications of information and work with a wide variety of computer hardware and software.

During the programme you will develop transferable skills in self-management, learning, communication, and problem solving, teamwork and information technology. They will help you to meet changing circumstances, whether these arise from a shift in your own area of employment, promotion to supervisory or management roles, or from general changes in the motorsport industry.

What you can progress toThe Foundation Degree in Motorsports - Performance and Automotive Technology will equip you with the knowledge, understanding and skills required for success in current and future employment or for progression to an undergraduate honours degree. Students who successfully complete the FdSc in Motorsports - Performance and Automotive Technology are able to progress to the BSc (Hons) Motorsport Technology programme at Oxford Brookes University.

How to applyApplicants should apply via UCAS. Please log on to: www.ucas.ac.uk

UCAS code: H338




Entry requirementsEntrants to the Programme should normally possess the following:

Either:

• a minimum of two years’ relevant work experience and a current role in an appropriate workplace setting, and

• a line manager’s letter of support and recommendation

Or:



Admission with CreditApplicants with prior certificated or experiential learning may be admitted with credit for up to a maximum of 120 credits at level 4.







OCVC’s established and well-regarded teacher training programme ranges from introductory programmes to full teaching qualifications. Our teacher training programmes are part-time, with the exception of the intensive PTLLS programme which is offered over five full days.

Our students enjoy achievement rates that are well above the national average. We also offer exceptional tutorial support, an experienced and inspirational teaching team, and home access to a first-class virtual learning environment.

OCVC has particular expertise in training teachers for post-16 environments like FE and HE, and the lifelong learning sector – so if you enjoy working with young people and adult learners, OCVC is the ideal place to study.

The programmes are available at Banbury, Bicester, BBL and Oxford campuses.

OCVC teaching qualifications are presented in partnership with Oxford Brookes University.

Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) *

Banbury/ Oxford*subject to validation

Why choose this programmeThis programme is an excellent preparation or development opportunity for a career in teaching or training in a wide range of post-compulsory institutions.

Programme summaryThis is a two year part-time programme for those teaching in the Post-Compulsory sector; this might be in Further Education, Higher Education, the health service, adult and community education, the prison service, the armed forces or private training providers. The programme incorporates Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) and the Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS) and enables students to gain QTLS (Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills) status via IfL (Institute for Learning).

For those with a Level 3 professional / vocational qualification on entering the programme, and upon successful completion, the award will be a Professional Certificate in Education (Post-Compulsory). For those who would like to continue, there is the opportunity to progress to a BA degree in Education Studies offered at Oxford Brookes University.

For those with a degree on entering the programme, and upon successful completion, the award will be the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education. There is the opportunity to undertake modules at Masters level (offered by Oxford Brookes University) in Year 2. Successful completion will give the award of Postgraduate Certificate in Education. There is the opportunity to progress to the MA in Education, offered part time at Oxford Brookes University.

Programme contentPlease note that as programmes are reviewed


shown here.

Year 1 (Level 6)

• Introduction to Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (incorporates PTLLS)

• Theories and Principles of Planning and Enabling Learning

• Curriculum Assessment

• Embedding Literacy, Language and Numeracy.

Year 2 (Level 6)

• Practitioner Research

• Widening Professional Practice

• Continuing Professional and Personal Development

• Curriculum Development for Inclusive Practice.

Teacher training


How you are assessedThere is an assessment in each module, some include an assessed presentation.

There are 3 tutorials in each year and 3 observations from OCVC staff during each year plus one in each year by your mentor at work

You will be assessed throughout the programme in a number of different ways:

• observation

• micro teach (Year 1 only)

• peer assessment

• presentations

• written Submissions

• group work

• reflective professional journal

• personal development planning

What you can progress toFor graduates - 3 modules in year 2 may be completed at level 7 (Masters level) giving exemptions from the MA Education at Oxford Brookes University.

For non graduates progression is available to the BA Educational Practice.

How to applyApplications should be made directly to Oxford & Cherwell Valley College

Please log on to www.ocvc.ac.uk/application-form-0



Entry requirementsA Level 3 Professional / Vocational Qualification or a degree

A minimum of 75 hours teaching in each year of the programme.

GCSE English and Mathematics grade A* – C or equivalent.

CRB check complete


• British Council IELTS: normally minimum level 6.5 -7 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in the reading and writing components;

• TOEFL minimum score of 550 - 600 paper-based


www.ocvc.ac.uk/application-form-0

www.ocvc.ac.uk/application-form-0


Bucks is a new generation university, one that is always open to fresh ideas and thinking. We offer a diverse range of innovative programmes that will build on your studies at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College (OCVC) and help you hit the ground running in your chosen career.

As a student of Bucks New University you will benefit from studying in a dynamic, exciting environment, alongside staff who boast a high level of expertise gained through professional experience, connections with industry, or research activity.

Our strong industry experience informs the teaching, ensuring our programmes reflect the very latest findings. Upon successful completion of the Foundation Degree in Furniture: Design and Make, graduates will be able to progress to either the BA (Hons) Furniture: Design and Crafts or BA (Hons) Furniture: Contemporary Design at the University.

Together with OCVC, we have recently launched The National School of Furniture. Through the School, you can choose the type of programme to suit you, including short skills-based training programmes and diplomas as well as more traditional undergraduate, foundation and master’s degree programmes, creating an educational ‘journey’ with flexible entry and exit points.

It is not only our programmes that are focused on helping you succeed in life. We will support and encourage you throughout your study, and are committed to developing your overall employability, expertise, confidence and competencies.

For further in formation please check out our website at www.bucks.ac.uk




The Rycotewood Furniture Centre has an international reputation as a centre of excellence in innovative furniture design and making. It is part of the National School of Furniture, a partnership with Bucks New University to offer furniture training from level 1 to level 8, 14 years to Doctorate.

The centre holds a kitemark in the Training Quality Standards in Excellence of furniture manufacture and is also an accredited provider of the National Skills Academy for Materials, Production and Supply.

Our staff are highly professional furniture designer/ makers who have been in industry and keep up-to-date with current practices and have much experience in inspiring, guiding and preparing students for the furniture industry. Staff are active members of The Furniture Makers Livery Company, British Antique Furniture Restorers Association and Proskills - the Sector Skills Council.

Industrial liaison is at the heart of programme delivery. The area has strong links with companies such as Hands of Wycombe, Ercol, Harrods, Jonathan Rose and Benchmark Furniture. Scholarships are offered by the Furniture Industry Trust, private benefactors and by NADFAS (National Association of Decorative Fine Arts Societies).

Our students exhibit both locally and nationally at a range of events including New Designers at the Business Design Centre, London.

In 2010 three of our students were awarded the three top prizes in a renowned national furniture competition sponsored by Axminster Tool Centre and organised by the New Forest Trust.

Foundation Degree in Furniture: Design and Make

Oxford

Why choose this programmeThe programme is delivered at the Rycotewood Furniture Centre for Excellence, by highly professional furniture designer/makers who have been in industry and are kept up-to-date with current practices.

Programme summaryThe Foundation Degree in Furniture Design and Make concentrates on the craft aspect of the subject, helping students to develop their making skills and realise their own designs. This is a direct response to the needs of the Craft Furniture Industry and employers looking for furniture designer makers of excellent ability.

You will also be encouraged to engage in the college life and to become mentor/ambassador in our marketing and other functions. The programme will culminate in a professional public exhibition for the industry and networking opportunities.

Programme contentYear 1 (Level 4)

• Technical and Visual Communication

• Furniture Craft

• Design and Make

• Manufacturing and Material Culture

Year 2 (Level 5)

• Advanced Technical and Visual Communication

• Professional Practice

• Advanced Design and Make

• Advanced Manufacture and Culture

How you are assessedThere are four main overarching generic criteria for the assessment of any given brief, and these trace the development of the design process. They are:

• intellectual content – assessed through collected information, sketchbook notation and written research reports.

• creative content – assessed through sketchbook development work via drawings and writing, CAD work, sketch and professional model making, full-size workshop prototypes.

• quality of outcome – assessed through the effective link between original brief, research, and development toward an effective solution as shown by all work on display.

• transferable skills – assessed through the presentation and clarity of writing in reports, the quality of production and intention behind sketch models, prototypes and 2D visuals, and the verbal presentation to the tutors or students on the day of assessment.

Furniture


What you can progress toMost students will aspire to become independent designer-makers, but many find it useful first to gain experience working in established workshops. Other graduates are employed as designers for firms in furniture and associated industries, or become freelance designers.

Graduates normally progress into either the Craft Furniture Industry working for top designer makers or start their own workshop.

Upon successful completion of the Foundation Degree in Furniture: Design and Make, graduates will be able to progress to either the BA (Hons) Furniture: Design and Craft or BA (Hons) Furniture: Contemporary Design at Bucks New University.

How to applyApplicants should apply via UCAS. Please log on to www.ucas.ac.uk

Institution code: B94/O

UCAS code: W261



Entry requirementsCandidates should have one of the following:

• Art Foundation course

• (Extended) General Art and Design or Design Crafts

• City and Guilds technical practical course

• Access to Art and Design – Mature students over 21 years of age

• Advanced Diploma in Manufacturing and Product Design

• A Level 3 qualification, such as National Diploma merit profile in a related subject, Art and Design Foundation or A level, City and Guilds in Furniture Crafts

Students should have a strong GCSE profile, including English at Grade C, or equivalent.

All applicants to the course will be interviewed and their portfolios reviewed. This will enable the programme team to assess the candidate’s suitability and compatibility to a programme in a comprehensive way. It also allows flexibility in pre-requisite qualification requirements given the variety of entry points to the programme. As a minimum, the portfolio interview should be able to demonstrate that the applicant can do the following:

• Read, write and converse in English, to a standard necessary for academic study; normally this would be IELTS Level 5.5 or equivalent

• Show that they have an understanding of the chosen programme

• Demonstrate that they have the necessary (or required) academic, artistic and practical skills, as appropriate, to enable them to embark upon their chosen programme of study

• Show that they are motivated to undertake the chosen programme of study

• Show an awareness of, and interest in, creative ideas

OCVC welcome applications from mature students without formal qualifications, who now want to take the opportunity for some practical skills development. It also welcomes those who wish to place their experience and knowledge within a formal educational framework. We are happy to support them through the application process. We see our interview process as an opportunity to get to know students and we will give an applicant a programme presentation, tour of facilities and an opportunity to meet staff and students as part of this process.

Students are normally expected to start at Level 4, but can be admitted to any level of the programme which is considered suitable, after portfolio review and interview using the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS). Under this arrangement, a student may apply to have previous academic credits or other learning or experience taken into consideration. Such applications are considered by the Faculty CATS committee and must be supported by the Course Leader.

See also www.bucks.ac.uk





Tuition fees and how to pay

The kind of help you can get depends on your income, whether you’ve qualified for a grant in the past, and whether you’re studying full-time or part-time. It may include a Maintenance Grant, Student Loan, Childcare Grant, Parents’ Learning Allowance, Child Tax Credit, Adult Dependents’ Grant and Disabled Students’ Allowance. Higher Education students may also be able to get a student bank account with a generous overdraft facility.

Maintenance grants and student loansGet in touch with Student Finance England as soon as you apply for a programme – don’t wait for a firm offer. If you qualify for a loan, you won’t have to start paying it back until your annual income is over a certain level – currently £15,000. Go to Directgov website and apply on-line.

Bursaries and scholarshipsBursaries are extra financial help for students from OCVC and our university partners.

OCVC and our university partners also offer a range of scholarships. These can be awarded on the basis of other factors – such as A Level grades, the subjects you studied, or where you live. The scholarships available will be different depending on your circumstances.

For further information visit:

Student Loans Company

Student Finance Direct

Directgov

How to payTuition Fee Loans are paid direct to the institution by Student Finance England on behalf of full-time students. If a student on a part-time basis is awarded the tuition fee grant then this too is paid direct to the institution. Students paying the fees themselves must pay in full at enrolment. Instalments may be arranged with one third paid on enrolment. Two equal instalments must then be paid by direct debit in January and April.

University partner bursaries, scholarships & other support:


www.brookes.ac.uk

[email protected]

+44 (0)1865 483088


www.bucks.ac.uk

[email protected]

+44 (0) 800 0565 660

International studentsOverseas students will be required to pay International Fees for all funded programmes. These may change for 2011/12 entry. Please contact the college for details about the fees for the programme you would like to take.


http://www.slc.co.uk/

http://www.studentfinance.direct.gov.uk/goodbye.html

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/index.htm

www.brookes.ac.uk/studying/finance


http://www.bucks.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/fees__bursaries.aspx


We welcome all applications to study at OCVC, and will allocate places on our programmes on the basis of individual merit and without prejudice.

We actively promote equality of opportunity and freedom from discrimination on grounds of cultural background, class, disability, ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation.

Part-time studentsIf you are planning to study part-time, you must apply directly to OCVC.

Visit www.ocvc.ac.uk to download an application form, or call 01865 550 550 for more information.

Full-time studentsIf you’re studying a foundation degree programme you need to apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

For submissions and application information, or to get an application form visit www.ucas.com to download a copy, call 0870 1122211, or write to Customer Services, UCAS, Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucester GL52 3LZ.

If we offer you a place on your chosen programme, we’ll also invite you to an interview where you can meet your tutor and tour the campus.

How to apply


http://www.ocvc.ac.uk


0135

/03.

2011

BanburyCampusBroughton Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 9QA

BicesterCampusTelford House, Telford Road, BicesterOX26 4LA

BlackbirdLeysCampusCuddesdon Way, OxfordOX4 6HN

OxfordCityCentreCampusOxpens Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 1SA

01865 550550 [email protected] www.ocvc.ac.uk

Documents

He prospectus