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The overall ranking is decided by students from this institution rating them in a 2026 Whatuni review. This forms the basis of the Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs for short).
4.02.11.880 Student reviews
Sort:Latest reviewsIncredibly isolating throughout covid so I've an unfair viewpoint to be fair.
Clearly it is somewhat difficult to evaluate the facilities, location and campus of a long-distance institution such as the OU (though tbh they do have a pretty campus in Milton Keynes). For me the location, i.e. anywhere you wish, is great and has perfectly fit my busy life while studying. Same goes for the facilities: their online library is top class and will grant you passage through any editorial paywall on the Web. The student support, in my case, has been outstanding. Staff have gone above and beyond when I had to register a little late for a module, when I needed customised references for postgraduate study, even when I needed to briefly interrupt a module due to unforseen financial issues. Getting a personal tutor for each module that you're studying, who you can email your questions to, is priceless and just does not happen at any other uni (the 'personal tutor' at other unis is just one overall ad cannot be knowledgable in every single subject obviously). Having studied both at the OU and at a top brick uni, I would rate the OU much higher, hands down. People underestimate how disorganised brick unis can be. Also, people who complain in their reviews that the OU only 'a bunch of books', or that there isn't enough support, are making zero effort in their studies and overall experience IMHO. Even though of course my impressive brick uni degree is what probably stands out the most to employers now, I have got questions and expressions of admiration at interviews about the fact that I managed an OU degree while working. And of course, it was only thanks to my degree at the OU and my grades that I got into a top brick uni in the first place.
Absolutely shocking experience would never ever recommend the pain and depression and cost of this Uni. I believe it is owned by some rich governing board that all they care about is lining their pockets with our hard earned cash. Tutors are absolutely non existent/rude. And courses are made of all non realistic situations an absolutely shocking part of my education.
So far all very positive! I can't think of anything negative to say. Very supportive and helpful, very good quality study materials, very good tutors and tutorials.
So far so good. I hope that the next years will be good as the past ones. Obviously they can improve under many aspects, such as the easy of surfing their website, that to be honest results quite confusing in some parts. They can also try to keep even more uptdate the material especially in a subject costantly evolving like Computer Science.
I was never cut out for brick uni so the OU has been a saving grace for me. It's hard at times but if it wasn't.. Everyone would do it. So far I am enjoying it. Its terrifying and I can feel isolated but the help is there If I ever reach out.
Flexibility of studying from home was very good. Quality, frequency and content of tutorials is very poor and causes lots of stress. Module content - statistics as mandatory when you have no intention of working in this field is a huge bind (driven by BPS as opposed to OU). Uni could do soooo much better that it does today - def on a further decline so chose wisely...
My experience this year has been very dull, uninspiring and frustrating. I feel like I am wasting my time and have been ripped off. I can't really think of anything good to say about them other than that I will be finished very soon.
Considering the open Uni charges the same fees as a brick uni they are a bit of a joke tbh. You'll be sent books at the start of every term and just expected to get on with it. Little support is offered from tutors who will quite happily just ignore you for the whole term. All the modules contents need to be brought into the 21st century and digitised.
At first I was excited about having the opportunity to get a degree at my age (40) but as soon as I started, I felt disappointed. I had to learn how to use some software by reading a book. Imagine learning how to use photoshop from written instructions. it would take you ages to find the tool/action you are supposed to use.
The further you go into the degree, the further away from your learning goals the modules diverge. Of course, it's not until you've actually started the modules that this becomes apparent as it's only really divulged in the coursework. The OU is a neat little cashcow that massively overcharges and desperately under-delivers.
When I started out (for a previous degree) the courses were excellent: interesting material, well taught, challenging assessment work. In the last years [this is for a new degree], the material is often poorly thought out, the thinking behind language teaching is about a decade behind current scholarship [I can't comment on other courses], the materials are absolutely dire, and laughably pedestrian.
For the first and second years I was fairly happy as I didn’t require any additional support - when I hoped the university would support me, I have never been let down so much. You are very much a number in their system that they really couldn’t care less about.
Horrendous. Worse than I could have imagined. Hate hate hate hate it. Horrible university who dont care for their students at all and only care about taking my money.
Very poor in comparison to real universities, to which I have two separate bachelor degrees at Russell group Universites. If you require a masters part time, I would advise seeking the courses from somewhere else.
It is a horribly bad institute where the student is completely disrespected and student's progress and learning is unimportant to them. Most of the tutors are nasty and arrogant. I have been studying with OU for the last 10 years. After a lot of effort I finally managed to get a third class degree which should have been a 2nd or 1st class under normal conditions. I was forced out of the uni courses and banned for 3 years from studying because I cancelled some modules. I had very few tutors who were excellent in supporting and encouring me in my studies. Majority of the tutors are pretty arrogant and you can't address them with criticism. They have an attitude of I know-it-all and you are treated as if you are some lowly creature! I have been accused by one of my tutors of being pro-colonialism, when I just wrote a short story about British colonial history! I had once challenged my tutor's marking and it was deferred to another tutor. That tutor off course supported his colleague and for the end of module project, I was failed badly and was not given any chance to resit. This was clearly a punitive measure from module administrators. There is little support and feedback from tutors. The marking is sometimes exteremly harsh. It makes you think whether your IQ is on the low side. The harsh marking and unavailibility of the tutor for discussing the mark, makes you feel abandoned, side-lined and disrespected. You are not taken serious by the OU tutors. I feel that the type of the teaching at OU belongs to the Victorian Age, with strict teacher-dominated approach. The student is almost gagged and mulled. You can't contribute much to the teaching project, it is an old-style one way of teaching. The tutors back each other's mistake instead of giving you right when you are right. It is a corrupted system, in which the tutors care more about pocketing money than serving student's interests. OU is what i call an institution that does not allow the majority of its students to progress and get their desired academic degree, diploma, certificate etc but a punitive institution a la Victorian, which tries to punish you, make it impossible for you to progress and render your academic skills useless, and finally force you out of the study without achieving anything useful or academic.
HORRENDOUS. YOU WORK HARD, YOU GET THE COURSEWORK DONE TO HIGH STANDARD AND ITS FAILED WITHOUT EXPLANATION. I'M 30 YEARS OLD AND TRYING TO FORM A CAREER WITH A DEGREE. I'VE BEEN STUDYING 7 YEARS FULL TIME AND HAVE 480 UNIVERSITY CREDITS TO MY NAME. NEITHER THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OR ANY OTHER UNIVERSITY WILL RECOGNIZE THESE CREDITS, BUT THEY DO RECOMMEND MORE AND MORE COURSES COSTING THOUSANDS AND YEARS MORE WORK. COMPLETE AND UTTER SCAM.
Overall the experience is terrible. I honest wish I'd never started studying again, and debate quiting every year, but never can due to the time I've already invested.
Awful. With the exception of the actual course content, which is average /sometimes good and sometimes dull or irrelevant. They got rid of 10, 20 and most 30 credit courses, making study impractical for most of their potential students. The whole thing is a farce.
3.5
I wanted to change my life with a brand new career in engineering so spent the last 8-10 years studying hard with the OU but despite all the effort and expense I'm still stuck in a dead end job (a cleaner). Engineering employers don't care about an OU degree so unless you're already in an engineering job don't be deceived by their claims of how doors will open for you, it's just a lie !Go to a proper university where it may cost a bit more but at least you won't be wasting your money!
It's not taken seriously by employers despite the claims. If you are new to the subject it won't open doors. Some awful tutors. The OU has changed a lot since I became a student (for the worse). It's a money making business now. They used to provide books but mostly now are phasing them out in favour of cheaper online resources. OU needs to wind up they are a dead duck now!