Open university or 'normal' university

[mymoonshift]

I am currently a SAHM and am thinking of spending this time studying and retraining for a new career when I want to return to work. I have looked at several open university degrees, but wondered what is the actual difference between the OU and a conventional university? I like the idea of being able to study at home whilst looking after DS but not sure if I'm going to spend the money and time whether to do it through a more conventional university. Does anybody have any experience of either? Thanks.

I'm doing the final year of a bricks and mortar university degree. I did consider OU but I needed the motivation of a 'real' university. I'm sure I'd still be doing my first modules if it was left to me . I also wanted to finish sooner as I'm desperate to go back to work.

I'm studying with the OU. I love the flexibility but you do have to be strict with yourself or you'll fall behind quickly. You do get a tutor but it's not the same level of support as you'd get from a lecturer in a brick uni, even if they say it is! You also get the option of part time or full time study and can take a year out in between modules if you want to.
What is it that you're looking to study?

I studied at the OU for 4-5 years for my degree, back then it was virtually free for me because I earned a pittance as a teaching assistant but it's still competitively priced compared to a brick uni. I liked being able to just get on with the work around my job or when I chose and not having to go into a physical building. You have to be pretty motivated and disciplined though. I really enjoyed it and the flexibility suited me at the time. I've never had an employer think less of me because I got my degree via OU (not that I've known about anyway!). In fact I often use my studies in job interviews as an example of how dedicated and organised I can be which is especially useful if there's on the job training involved.

Had the same dilema this time last year and settled on a bricks and mortar uni. The support is better and because it's my first degree, I get the student grant for living costs and a couple of bursaries worth another 2.5k!

It depends on how much time you have and how much flexibility you need. I will always say OU is a fab university to study with and they offer great support. However, you have to be very motivated and dedicated to study using distance learning. It is always a talking point on my CV and certainly isn't looked down on (quite the opposite).

I am now doing a Masters with a normal uni and I have found they haven't adapted to online learning well (due to covid). The flexibility just isn't there like the OU even though its a part time course.

Some bricks and mortar unis offer degree courses online as well. My dd has just graduated from a uni 150 miles away and has only been there once for an exam. She should have been back but covid changed that to a different assessment. It was the best course for the qualification she wanted and allowed her to carry on working part time. It is worthwhile investigating all possibilities.

I tried bricks and Mortar years ago and dropped out. Now studying with the OU part time. However I was considering going to a brick uni after finishing my level one. Life changed so I stuck with OU. It’s hard having to self motivate to study and I personally have found it very lonely at times. I have had some bloody awful comments too about it not being real in comparison to a brick uni. However it is flexible and I have managed to get halfway so far whilst having babies and family, working, etc. I have deferred and taken many extensions for TMA’s too. Also had many positive comments about it too. It was also cheaper for me than brick uni and uni is miles away. My course won’t lead directly to a career path iyswim, I will need to take additional qualifications and ideally gain experience. I hope to volunteer soon as Covid curtailed my plans put in place for that. So it is worth checking qualifications needed for any career. If you haven’t already speak to all the uni’s your considering, OU and brick ones.

The OU is the same price as a brick university these days, I thought. I know a few people who have done degrees with them. You need to be disciplined and focused.

I have just completed a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature, and am waiting anxiously for the results. I really hope I pass because I could not face having to do another module, it has been far too stressful. Part of the reason for that is due to the cutbacks they have made over the years.

During the first two years, when I was doing level one modules, everything was great. We had face to face tutorials at least once a month, which gave us the opportunity to get to know our tutors and build up relationships with other students. this was important for me, but then with the following modules, our tutorials were cut to two per year.

So this has been a lonely old road for me, and in retrospect, I thinkI would have preferred a brick university part time.

Studying with the OU is very isolating. Its fine if you are confident basically doing everything yourself, so a good idea for a change of direction if you have caring responsibilities. If this is your first time at uni I would go for a brick university. I work in a university and they offer so much more support than the OU. (I started the OU course before I got the job!)

I'd wait and see how normal universities are operating this year and into the future to be honest. My DS started uni this year and has had virtually all lectures, seminar and tutorials on line. Many of them have just been recordings, not live sessions, so no interaction etc. I think I would prefer OU if it was going to continue in this way. At least the OU have experience of many years of providing remote learning.

I did OU for a masters. And normal for a BA.

The pro of OU for me as a working mum was being able to do it VERY slowly-like one module at a time when life was full on. It meant it took AGES but the workload was manageable with two toddlers and a part time job.

The downside for me was that it was incredibly isolating. I never met a tutor or any other students (there were some online forums and technology will have improved a lot). When you got stuck it was quite hard to reach out. And also it was a lot of reading as there was nothing really interactive going on (again things may have improved/progressed with technology). And i found the reading hard when i was always so tired!

But for me personally i think it was the only way i could have done it as i didnt have a lot of support. With more support ripping the band aid off and doing it short and sharp might have been better!

@Seeline

I'd wait and see how normal universities are operating this year and into the future to be honest. My DS started uni this year and has had virtually all lectures, seminar and tutorials on line. Many of them have just been recordings, not live sessions, so no interaction etc. I think I would prefer OU if it was going to continue in this way. At least the OU have experience of many years of providing remote learning.

I think this is a really important point from @Seeline

I'm on my 2nd OU degree and I love it, it's a shame that all tutorials are online now (some of them are recorded for later, which is handy) but I have found the Facebook groups for my modules really important in terms of connecting with other students, posting useful advice and just sharing the trials and tribulations of a particular subject. It's been fantastic. Avoid the Whatsapp groups though if you do an OU degree as they invariably make your phone die from constant messages pinging, then you'll mute it and never look at it again. Plus the drama! So much drama. That doesn't seem to have happened much on Facebook, thankfully.

You do have to be disciplined or you'll fall behind, and able to be self reliant and reasonably organised. But you won't be on your own. I love the OU and I'm already sad about what it will be like when I finish my current degree and I've got another 4 years (part time) to go.
Employers also love the OU as it shows genuine ability to work to deadlines and manage a workload independently, as well as commitment and drive. Ignore anyone who says it's not a real degree because it bloody is! I can't comment on brick uni as I haven't been, but just thought I'd throw that out there.