The Open University(OU)hasbeen around for 50 years andhas helped millions of students achieve theiracademic goals in aflexiblestyle best suited to them. Whetheryouare planning on being a part-time studentafter college/sixthformor youarea mature student looking to go backandpick up a new qualification, The Open University has a range ofcourses and support systems which offer anynew learner the opportunityto gain a globally recognised degree.However, due its flexibility, many believe that The OpenUniversityis not a “real”university,and your degree will not be respected by employers.
The short answer to the question is yes. At the end of the day, a degree is a degree no matter what university it comes from and all employers recognise the work that goes into such a qualification. OU degrees have a similar reputation to BTECs in that people think they are somehow easier. This is a false assumption, stemming from misinformation. They simply offer a different style of teaching and learning which many students benefit greatly from. An OU degree takes just as much effort as any other degree, onlythose studentsare given more control on the structure of their learning. The idea is to let students fit a degree around other commitments they may have, whether it’s a full-time job or an ill family member they have to look after.
This article will inform you on how OU degrees are generally perceived, both by employers and students,while helping you decideif theyaretruly respected.
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DoEmployersRespectOpen UniversityDegrees?
Althoughthis article cannot possibly represent the opinions of everysingle employer out there, it can give you a general ideaabout how some of the biggest companies deal withapplicantsfrom OU.
One of the biggest issues people seem to have with OU is thattheir degrees consist of distance learning.This tends to make people think that OU students just sit around, trawling through their modulesin the comfort of their own homes. Thoughmost of theteachingoccurs online,this does not impact the way employers perceiveOUdegrees. According tothisarticle written by UCAS ondistance learning, employers holdthese types of degreesto the same standard asones taught on campus.
Adraw for employers toOU degrees is that theymake students stand out.It can be a talking point of sorts to employers asthe choice to go to OU is not an extremely common one.Theyshow a commitment and dedication to learningthat a lot of other students may nothave the opportunity to display.Due to them being conducted online, it can lead some students to become complacent and not take it as seriously so, if you manage to succeed in a situation like that,it shows your ability tobeself-motivatedandindependent.
Can Open University Students Gain More Experience?
Due to the technology aspect,it allows students to take on formal job roles thatother students might not have the time to commit to. This meansOU students are likely to have relevant work experience, something which is greatly valued by employers.Thiswebsitehasa statistic stating72% of their students work full or part-time in theduringtheirstudy.BeinganOU student demonstratesdetermination to push yourselfdespite your circ*mstances, a skill that is useful even outsideof the employment world.
To take one example,one employer from the UCAS article said thatOU students who worked full-time during study show an immenseskill for organisation and time-management.Juggling a 9-to-5joband a part-time degreerequires a high level of competence which employers tend to look outfor. By itself, going to an on-campus university doesnot tell an employer what kind of worker you are and how well youcan multi-task. However, coming out with a good grade at OUcoupled with work experience will certainlyshow your aptitude for learningand focus. Those,amongst other skills developed atOU, will make you a more desirablecandidate versus someone who went toauniversity and came out with the same grade but has none of the work experience.
Employers benefit greatly from hiringpeople who learn in different waysbecause it means they think differently. Getting people who have varied learning styles ontheirworkforce encourages innovationand discovery which leads to progression.An OU student has already proven their independence,initiative,and “go-getter” attitude simply by attending the course. Those kinds of thinkers are inhigh demandfor employersas they perceive things in a unique waywhich makes them a valuable asset to any team.
What Do Students Think About Open University Degrees?
Student satisfaction should play at least somepartinyourchoice of university. Even ifemployers love the university and think it’s great, if the atmosphere ofit is poor, notinclusive,and all-round a badplace to be, thenyou have to consider if thepotentialjob is worth it.Thestudents are the ones who truly know whatthe university is likewhich is why it is so important to feature theiropinions somewhere on the site. OU has done justthat,and they alsoofferthe option toaskcurrentstudentsany questions you may have.
Students have nothing but positives to say about the OUwith the main appealbeing able tolearn around your schedule rather than changing your schedule to learn.Itisextremely useful tostudents with children,students who are carers,orstudents whohave a disability.Whereother universities fail to meet the needs of students in certain circ*mstances, OU offersanequivalentalternative.
If youdo nottrust the opinions of the students featured on the website, you can findan article writtenhereby an OUstudent.Hetalks abouthis experience ofthesometimes-hiddendifficulties of being anOUstudentand also expresses his disagreement withthe preconceived ideas the general public hasaboutthe path he took to achieve higher education.He feelsthe negative connotations areundeserved and knows first-hand how much work it takes tosucceed at OU.
DoOpen University Students Have tobe More Self-Motivated?
Average universitystudents are surrounded by learning. They go to a campus,meet otherstudents,and have face-to-face lectures. This makes it easier toget into that “learningmindset” and requires less self-motivation than being at home.A student in distancelearninghasto conditionthemselvesto ignore distractionsandgettheirhead down. Some people cannotdeal with that kind of pressure while others thrive under it. It all just depends on your learning style.
Learning in this type of way demonstrates maturity. OU prides itself on their innovative teachingstylewhich is well liked by studentsand draws out abilities they might nothaveused in along time. They use a mixture of tutor-led online courses and traditionalstudying materials such as textbooks to convey information to their students.Before the start of a course,OU will senda package containing textbooks, memory sticks and other extra equipmentwhichare all included in the tuition fee.They offer high quality materials to make the learning experience as smooth as possibleand relieve the pressure of worrying about if you’re missing specificresources.
Will IGet aJobAfterGetting aDegreefromAnOpen University?
There is no way to guarantee whether not you will be employed after any degree from any university.It is well known that having a degree does not guarantee a job, however it could be argued that an OUdegree is “worth” more due to the imposed independence and teaching structure.In the years 2018/19,76%of OU graduates were employed or volunteers after graduating.This is slightly lower than theaverage88%of graduates hired inthat same year.
OU also offersmany resources to aid in the job search process,one of the most helpfulbeingtheirOnline TalentConnect.This is their platform forfacilitatingconnections betweenthousands ofstudents andover 80 topemployers, includingIBM,Deloitte,and E.ON.They also have a partnership withBBCIdeasto produceinformative content.Like all their courses, this platform is based on flexibility as it is solely online. This means you can discuss and network no matter where youare. Some of the activities on offer includevideos directly from employers, livewebinars,and presentations.
All these things add upto inform students onwhat employers look for and how to make themselves desirable in a competitive environment. Of course,there is no 100% guarantee that participating in theseevents will get you a job, but it will certainly give you a good starting point to make more informed decisionson where you want to work. Furthermore, if this resource doesn’t suit you, they have more on offersuch asOpportunity Hub.
Opportunity Hubgives students access to the latest job and placement vacanciesfromOU’spartner employers. You can scroll through and search for jobs near youor jobs that best suit your course of study.In order to access it, though, you have to register which you can dohere.
They also offer CV help, career planning services as wellas stories from ex-students who went on tobecome high achievers in the work force.You can find all these resourceshere, rangingfromcareer events to what to do if youare a military veteran who needs career support.
WhatCanYouStudy atOpen University?
You canstudya wide range of subjectsjust like at any other university(e.g.,Chemistry, English,Geography)as they offer around 120 undergraduate qualifications alone.They also havea selection of moreunconventional subjectsincludingCounselling,CreativeWriting,andEnvironment.They offer degrees,diplomas,and certificates, depending on what qualification you wish togain.OU also gives studentsthe opportunity to do a PhDwith them.
The courses are commonly split up intolevels (1, 2 and 3) like the years at your average university.Level 1 courses are the equivalent of a foundation year, while level 2 builds on that and same with level 3.You can alsospecialise within your degreeby taking certain modules. For example, if you take BScNatural Sciences, you can specialise inBiology, Maths or even Astronomy. This option works best for those who know for certain what they enjoy and what they want to pursue in the future. It canshowto employers yourcommitment and enthusiasm for a topicas opposed to another candidate who perhaps chose not to specialise.It does come with disadvantages, however. An employer may see that and think your knowledge is narrowor you may discover that you specialised too early.
Undergraduate coursesat OU are typically studied around afull-timejob which means your degree will take longer to achieve. On their website they sayit takes most students6 years to study part-time for a degree iftheyput aside 18 hours a week. If you want to finish your qualification at the same rate as a traditional student, you’ll need to set asideaminimum of 32 hours per week to earn120 credits per year.Clickhereto find an article written by another Student Writer on howthe university creditsystemworksand what it all means.
If youareunsure onhow many credits you could feasibly study around your schedule, OU featuresa usefultime planning toolon their site to help you. Just answer thefew questions and it tells you an estimate of what you could achieve.Of course,you can alwaysadjust,but the point is that you shouldn’t have to choose between your prior commitments (e.g.,a job, a child to care for) anda degree.
HowMuchDoesItCost toStudy at Open University?
Since OU degrees are primarily targeted to thosewhomaybe can’t afford acourse at a campus-based university, thetuition feesare generally lower.The fees areable to berelatively low compared toother universities becauseof the online aspect. Thatis not to say their facilities are of lower quality.A cheaper price comeswith the connotations of poorer qualityand, as a result,is less respected.Thereason for the price isthat they donot have toworry about certain expensesas, for the most part, the students are at home.This tuition aspecttiesintothe “bad reputation” OU has amongst people who don’t knowmuch about it.People may see the price and jump to conclusions that don’t fully represent theuniversity and its students.
Forapart-timeHonours degree of 6 years, it costs£1,056per yearwith a total of £6,336(as of 2021).Bear in mind,you’ll be studyingone module per year worth 60 credits.However, just like any university, these prices are subject to change as the years go by.You can find out more details abouttuition fees ontheirwebsite.If those pricesseem intimidating, they also offer a part-time fee grant. Essentially,ifyou earn less than £25,000per year, you canapplyfor some money to help with the paymentof tuition. You can find out more about if youare eligible through thislink.
HowDoYouApply toanOpen University?
The application processfor OU is not as rigorous asatop-level Russel Group university, for example. Thereare no formal entry requirements for the majority of their coursesand no interview or test beforehand.It is simply a matter of deciding what you want to study, how you want to pay for it and how you plan on preparing.There are, however,some learning skills thatyou will need to succeed,includingbasiccompetence withacomputer and a good command of the English language.
For people whoperhaps havenot studied in several years or only have minimal qualifications, OUoffersan Access coursein which you improveskillsthat would be helpful on the real course. It lasts for30 weeks and you get to choose the module to ensure it is relevant to the course you want to study.All you need is a phone,acomputer and good internet to get started.You can findout if yourequire an Access course using theAm I Ready toolon their site.
The process is relatively easyand the bar for entry is low. However,this does not at all reflect on the difficulty of the course. This is a common misconception which often leads to OU degrees being perceived as less-than bythe public.A high acceptance rate is often associated with the idea that a course is“easy”. While there may be some students who don’t find their course particularly difficult,every student is different. So just because one person finds it easy to handle a full-time job on top of a degreedoesnot mean itis easy for everyone.Employers, on the other hand, recognise and praise the level of self-motivation and diligence required to push yourself through a course like this, even if theapplication processisquite lax.You can find a simple, step-by-step listhereon how to apply for an OU degree or any of their courses.
