Open University - Anyone involved at the moment?

InKursion · 4 Jul 2012 at 22:02

Mr Jack said:
Depends a bit; OU science degrees lack the practical elements that traditional degrees have, for example. However, in general, they're pretty highly respected. Not as much as, say, a degree from Oxford or UCL, of course but they'll be more highly rated than one from De Montford University, say. And you get the odd numpty who think they're "not a proper degree" out there, still.

Overall, they compare well with a degree from an upper mid-tier university.

I see no proof or substantiation anywhere that makes the OU an 'upper mid-tier' university. Where's the data? How better than De Montfort, for example?

InKursion · 4 Jul 2012 at 22:19

Mr Jack said:
The OU does tutorials, although not as many, and on-line support. The Open University's on-line library delivers a vast array of eBooks and electronic access to journals. Meanwhile, learning from excellently written books, designed to teach you the subject matter, compares extremely well with lectures from people who speak English as a second language and really just want to get back to their research.

As I said, I've degrees from both a high tier redbrick - Warwick -and the Open University so I'm in a better position than most to compare.

Anecdotal and personal evidence doesn't make the rule, though. I've had fully competent lecturers, quite conversant in English and extremely top-rate and leading in their fields. Close tutorial time, a small department, and access to some of the best academic libraries in the UK. Are you saying the OU's online resources and ebooks (I shudder to even type it; studying from a laptop screen is a nefarious process) are 'better'? Sounds like you had an awfully sub-rate experience at Warwick.

UK-AL05 · 4 Jul 2012 at 23:01

It can't be that bad since people have gone from the Open University to become oxford Ph.D students.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Wilkinson_(ambiguity_expert)

InKursion · 4 Jul 2012 at 23:24

You can go to anywhere to become a PhD student, really. So long as you have a strong proposal that suits a member of faculty at that university... oh and the small matter of funding. Research isn't some elite-preserve where you have to go the right schools to merit access. You just need an idea and a demonstrable methodology for 3-4 years of study. It's the same for postgraduate Masters - if you have a 2:1 from any mid rank university and a means of paying for it, they'll probably let you on. Not the same selectivity as undergraduate.

JoeF1 · 5 Jul 2012 at 10:05

Cheers dudes. Going to go for it. I have quite a bad credit rating (bank offering me a visa at 18 when i went to magaluff) anyhoo its more stable now but i still sometimes struggle for credit. Will this stop them from giving me the loan? or am i over thinking stuff?

Thanks.