Universities and their reputations

[mountainboo]

My husband will shortly be starting a science degree with the Open University and I will be studying with them in 2 years, once I have completed the Access to Higher Education. However, a woman from student services at my college frowned when I told her I would eventually be studying with the Open University. Does the O.U have a bad reputation?

[mountainboo]

please elaborate?

[pastafreak]

Bearing in mind that the OU approach is so different from traditional university learning,it still has an excellent reputation. It regularly gets very good ratings in the yearly Good University Guide of The Times. if anything it will be more of a challenge,because you must learn to be quite disciplined in your study habits. The tutor support is generally quite good....and attending tutorials will be greatly beneficial.
I speak from experiance....having done a short introductory course, followed by 3 years of a degree in Humanities. I stopped 2 years ago, because I found it difficult when working full time....but I hope to go back -possibly next spring. I say -go for it. I loved it.

[mountainboo]

Thanks Pastafreak, I will.

Poodicat, It may not be as prestigious as Oxford or Cambridge but their degrees are recognised. I was just a bit concerned that it had a bad rep. I was thinking from the point of view of an employer, whether they would see it as a good thing

[mountainboo]

What things have you heard Poodicat?

[jojojojoanne]

as its distance learning its not the same as the other universities in the uk so it stands out because of that, the courses offered mightn't differ too much from whats offered by the average uni though you could research other courses to compare

[pastafreak]

Because a fair number of OU students are 'mature'...either by quite a bit like myself.....or in their 20's-30's.....there is the common denominator that they want to learn. I did a residential week with my first course.....terrifying,but so gratifying to see the age-range. From 20 something to 70.
As fo employers....they see doing a degree as indicative of commitment,discipline....and maturity. So all good!!

[saxy_jag]

It certainly does not have a bad reputation. Quite the opposite, in fact. The OU is one of the most highly respected universities in Britain, if not the world. They have higher student satisfaction rates than any university in the UK and many countries have copied the idea successfully over the years.

Your OU degree is as good as anyone else's, possibly better. Many employers favour them over those gained by the the more traditional route. It means you're well motivated, a self-starter with a high level of endurance and academic staying power. Unlike most students, you'll have spent your time at Uni actually studying and learning rather than in the bar or someone else's bed!

That's why it's currently celebrating its 40th anniversary and has more students than ever before.

I'm sorry, but I think this student services woman either needs some training, a change of attitude or her P45.

[Buenchico]

This question has come up several times before.

The majority of employers either don't differentiate between universities or, more commonly, regard an OU degree as being the best possible degree to have (for the reasons expounded by others above).

My degree is from a 'red brick' university (Sheffield). Those people who believe in some form of ranking system would suggest that I should look up to someone with a degree from 'Oxbridge', look down upon someone with a degree from a 'plate glass' university (e.g. East Anglia) and positively sneer at someone with a degree from a former polytechnic (e.g. East London). I do none of those things because there's no valid reason to differentiate between the qualities of their degrees. However I have exceptional respect for anyone who's achieved an OU degree, and many employers will think likewise.

Chris

[mountainboo]

Many thanks for taking the time to reply Pastafreak, Sexy_jag and Buenchico. It has certainly put our minds at ease. I'm looking forward to studying with the OU.

[saxy_jag]

Re Oxbridge - things have probably changed these days, but my bro-in-law (lovely bloke, it has to be said) graduated from Oxford with a first in the early 70s. It was only around ten years ago that he actually learnt how to change a light bulb, and only then because his second wife refused to do it for him. ;-)

[mountainboo]

Lol

[Lil O'lady]

My expereinces with my own children at college level was that unless they had a clear offer from an established university, the college lost all interest in them. There seems to be an agenda to be able to stack up statistics saying how many students go on to full-time degree courses. Part time, distance learning, and years taken out of formal learning all hurt their stats.
An OU degree will be absolutely fine for you, go for it and enjoy it.