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Postgraduate Diploma in Humanities

This postgraduate diploma will suit anyone who has a passion for the arts and humanities and is looking for an intellectual challenge. At present our postgraduate diploma allows you to focus on either English or history. The English route explores a rich and varied range of literary texts from ancient times to the present. If you choose to study history, you’ll cover local and regional history at an advanced level.

Please note that this qualification will be withdrawn on 31 December 2023.

Key features of the course

  • Deepens your insights into human development, history and culture
  • Provides enhanced career opportunities, academic achievement and personal fulfilment
  • Focus on English literature or local and regional history
  • Good preparation for further study at masters and doctoral level.

Diploma

Course code
D35
Credits

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
120
How long it takes
18 months
Read more about how long it takes
Study method
Distance learning
Find out more in Why the OU?
Course cost
See Fees and funding
Entry requirements

Find out more about entry requirements.

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Course details

Modules

If you plan to study humanities beyond this diploma, we recommend that you read the qualification descriptions for the MA in English (F58), MA in History (F28) before choosing your module:

For this postgraduate diploma you require 120 credits from either:

Optional modules Credits Next start
MA English part 1 (A815)

Expand on your previous study and prepare for your dissertation through an exploration of a rich variety of literary texts, from the ancient past to the present.

See full description

Register
 120 02 Oct 2021 FINAL
MA History part 1 (A825)

Explore British and Irish histories from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries and increase your understanding of a range of key approaches to studying history.

See full description

Register
 120 02 Oct 2021

Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations the discontinued module A880. 

You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 40 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.

Learning outcomes, teaching and assessment

The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Cognitive skills
  • Practical and professional skills
  • Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes.

Credit transfer

You cannot count credit for study you have already completed elsewhere towards this qualification.

On completion

On successful completion of the required modules you can be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Humanities entitling you to use the letters PG Dip (Hum) (Open) after your name.

Recognition in your country

If you intend to use your Open University qualifications to seek work or undertake further study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether your intended qualification will meet local requirements for your chosen career. Read recognition in my country.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website. 

We regularly review our curriculum; therefore, the qualification described on this page – including its availability, its structure, and available modules – may change over time. If we make changes to this qualification, we’ll update this page as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered or are studying this qualification, where practicable, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes. If you’d like to know more about the circumstances in which the University might make changes to the curriculum, see our Academic Regulations or contact us. This description was last updated on 17 March 2021.

Entry requirements

You must hold an honours degree to study for this qualification. Although your degree need not be in humanities, you must have the basic skills expected of a graduate in that area. Both module will bring you up to date with the latest ideas and approaches in humanities but does not offer remedial undergraduate training if your qualifications and/or experience are inadequate.

Before you begin the diploma you must be able to:

  • write clear, concise, accurate prose
  • read large quantities of text quickly, accurately and critically
  • classify evidence precisely and assess its value and reliability
  • argue logically, consistently and sceptically
  • marshal various sorts of evidence to support a logical argument.

If you would like help to assess your preparedness you can contact us for advice.

How long it takes

You will be able to complete this qualification within 18 months by studying the one module required in that time.

Career relevance

Studying for a diploma course will provide you with an opportunity to build on skills acquired at undergraduate level. It will further develop your capability to read and analyse large amounts of written material and enable you to apply your skills through the production of a project. These transferable skills are in demand in many areas of the public and private sector, such as advertising, marketing and public relations; educational, charity and development; or government and public administration.

Completing the diploma will give you a worthwhile qualification in its own right, and you can also count the credit towards one of our MAs, providing you take account of the unique study rule. 

Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.