Open University. Any Good?

[Waj 0]

I need a new direction in life but I am unable to attend college or university.

I was thinking of the Open University but I worry that a qualification would mean less than going to a bricks and mortar learning establishment.

Am I right to be worried or is an OU qualification just as good as the rest?

[tzijlstra 11]

39 minutes ago, Waj said:

I need a new direction in life but I am unable to attend college or university.

I was thinking of the Open University but I worry that a qualification would mean less than going to a bricks and mortar learning establishment.

Am I right to be worried or is an OU qualification just as good as the rest?

You are wrong, they award proper degrees and as a recruiting manager I don’t care where it is from. Get it

[Annie Bynnol 612]

Going to the wrong University and doing the wrong course is a waste of time and money.

Going to the right University and doing the right course and getting the right qualification, could be the best thing you ever did.

 

An OU qualification shows an employer that you have determination, tenacity and willpower and are highly respected in their own right.

The course you do will greatly effect your career. Choose carefully.

Nowadays your local University will also offer different routes to a degree, including different types of Accrss courses and Blocks of study.

All can also advise on finance and support- go for it.

 

Edited July 20, 2019 by Annie Bynnol

[tinfoilhat 11]

Hijacking this a bit a bit but when is it too old to start an OU course - and make a meaningful career out of any qualification gained? 

[Bonzo77 13]

The OU can be quite a long drawn out way of getting a degree. Although, with the responsibilities of being a working adult, it's sometimes the best way to get your qualifications.

However, research the career path you want to take because theres often alternative qualifications that are more specialised, but just as recognised. 

I looked into computer science and theres a company called Treehouse, that you just pay a monthly fee to download lessons. They also help you find work at the end of the program. 

Good luck!

[lobster 54]

Sometimes the OU is better regarded . My niece left school with only GCSE's ,eventualy found a job she was good at .The Mgmt wanted to promote her but couldn't without qualifications  so she spent three  years and her own money getting a relevant qualification from the OU . Result next employer was really impressed and paid for her to go to the next level 

[Bargepole23 337]

I did my masters degree through the OU. Don't underestimate the workload or think it's an easier option than the traditional route. Especially if you're working full time as well. 

[Waj 0]

21 hours ago, tzijlstra said:

You are wrong, they award proper degrees and as a recruiting manager I don’t care where it is from. Get it

Thank you thats really helpful 👍

21 hours ago, Annie Bynnol said:

Going to the wrong University and doing the wrong course is a waste of time and money.

Going to the right University and doing the right course and getting the right qualification, could be the best thing you ever did.

 

An OU qualification shows an employer that you have determination, tenacity and willpower and are highly respected in their own right.

The course you do will greatly effect your career. Choose carefully.

Nowadays your local University will also offer different routes to a degree, including different types of Accrss courses and Blocks of study.

All can also advise on finance and support- go for it.

 

Thank you for your reply. Thats very useful. Im still mulling over which course to. Id like to be able to help people in a practical sort of way. Counselling, that sort of thing so I think ill end up going down that road in some form.

21 hours ago, tinfoilhat said:

Hijacking this a bit a bit but when is it too old to start an OU course - and make a meaningful career out of any qualification gained? 

Well im 45 so If it turns out im too old, ill let you know 😂

[Waj 0]

21 hours ago, Bonzo77 said:

The OU can be quite a long drawn out way of getting a degree. Although, with the responsibilities of being a working adult, it's sometimes the best way to get your qualifications.

However, research the career path you want to take because theres often alternative qualifications that are more specialised, but just as recognised. 

I looked into computer science and theres a company called Treehouse, that you just pay a monthly fee to download lessons. They also help you find work at the end of the program. 

Good luck!

That never occurred to me. Thank you, Ill take that onboard.

17 hours ago, lobster said:

Sometimes the OU is better regarded . My niece left school with only GCSE's ,eventualy found a job she was good at .The Mgmt wanted to promote her but couldn't without qualifications  so she spent three  years and her own money getting a relevant qualification from the OU . Result next employer was really impressed and paid for her to go to the next level 

Thats brilliant and a big well done to your niece 🙂

8 hours ago, Bargepole23 said:

I did my masters degree through the OU. Don't underestimate the workload or think it's an easier option than the traditional route. Especially if you're working full time as well. 

Thanks but I dont think of it as an easy option. I cant attend college or university at the minute because I care for my disabled son so any course I do needs to fit around him.

[Top Cats Hat 10]

Knowing quite a few people with Open University degrees, they all say that it takes way more self discipline than a bricks and mortar degree.

[tinfoilhat 11]

1 hour ago, Waj said:

 

Well im 45 so If it turns out im too old, ill let you know 😂

I’m 43. But I’ll be starting at the very very bottom academically so I’m guessing a minimum of 5 years plus any foundation course(s)  before I get to the actual degree bit. So I’ll be knocking on 50 by the time I get a degree, if I pass everything I have to pass and have sufficient time, application, self discipline  and smarts.

 

So, yes, if you are too old, let me know

 

Oh yeah, and £18k to pay back.

Edited July 21, 2019 by tinfoilhat

[Chez2 10]

It all depends where you are in life and where you want to be in a certain timescale; I will explain. 

 

My first employer way back in the early to mid 1980s only paid for my study up to HNC, the rest was bespoke training courses lasting a week at a time. I wanted a slight career change 1995 and had the chance of going to UNi or Poly for a year or two to convert my qualifications to a degrees or honours degree. I was only twenty nine at the time but decided instead of going back full time for a year or two I would take the OU route and do temporary jobs to get more wide ranging experience. People told me the OU wasn't as good as doing a degree full time but I found exactly the opposite. Employers know its not an easy route and took people more seriously. I know a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then but I still think its a good option.

 

As has been said above, don't do a degree for the sake of it. You need to map out a path of stepping stones relevant to the job or career you want. 

 

I had only been out of higher education for eight years but I found the foundation course a good refresher. If you have higher education qualifications it can count towards your degree so it doesn't have to take ages. Be warned, two thirty point units was a lot more time consuming than a sixty point unit. 

 

I managed to do a sixty point unit while working twelve hour shifts and every second or third Saturday. It was difficult keeping up when I had a summer holiday so I started taking holidays after the October exam. 

 

Edit - I attended both Leeds Poly (now Leeds Met Uni) and Leeds Uni for lectures occasionally on Saturdays. I was so busy one year I never attended a lecture and never met a tutor or fellow student.  As I worked shifts the did change my course tutor for one I could speak to around my shifts. So there wouldn't be any bias the tutor who wasn't accommodating was not allowed to mark any of my assignments.

Edited July 21, 2019 by Chez2
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