Is an OU degree just as recognised as actually going to uni?

[harlaandfowkes]

There are no entry requirements, you study in your own time and will have less debt, sounds great.

AIBU to think that realistically employers aren't going to pick me over someone who's also studied a-levels/access and has actually been to university in a formal setting? I've just signed up for a psychology degree and I'm dithering. I don't know what to do. I can't actually go to uni as I need to keep working.

I'm in a dead end job that I hate and want out.

I'm young so no excuses really. I probably just need a kick up the bum.

I think you have missed the point of an open degree. It isn't in anything. Hence "open". So, with the OU you can do a named degree, or an open degree.

I have a psychology degree from the OU. I used it as a stepping stone to go on to do my Social Work diploma. It is defiantly a well recognised route to a degree. I thing the ‘Open’ bit means it is open to all. I only did psychology modules (had credits from previous study so didn’t need to do any foundations courses) so my degree is definitely a degree in psychology. The courses are at a proper uni standard and i didn’t find it easy by any means. There is a lot of course work to hand in, a final 3 hour exam and of course the summer schools (which were fun) for each module. I got a 2:1 and am well proud of my achievement.

It's true that strictly speaking you have to add BA/BSc (Open) after your degree.

That's exactly the same as for all degrees if you want to be pedantic - the awarding body should be in brackets after the letters.

Iona - if google says only OU degrees have to have OU after them and no other do, then Google is wrong.

Open definitely denotes that a broad spectrum of subjects were studied and not just one subject area. My OU degree when I get it will be a BSc (Computing & IT).

My OU degree is a BA (Hons)English Literature. I think most OU students do named degrees, not an open degree, particularly if they have a particular career progression in mind. I also have degrees from brick universities and there is definitely no difference in what letters you put after your name, other than specifying it is a BA, MA etc of course.

think it's a bit of a myth that employers value OU candidates because if their time management.

I agree with this. I work in a university and we have lots of students who work, have placements and juggle family committments all at the same time. It's not just OU students doing that.

Or rather (hopefully) a BSc Hons (Computing & IT).
Actually an Open degree could be a complete mixed bag rather than a broad spectrum. And what I have heard of that Open degrees are not quite so well regarded as named subject degrees.
It's impossible in my subject area to get the degree without taking exams. So would be difficult to defraud the system entirely. Plus the pass marks for each grade boundary are higher than for bricks and mortar and for each module it's the lower of coursework and exam/final assignment scores that determines the grade.

There are no jobs in psychology. Mental health is being cut to the bone in the NHS and there's lots of competition for private patients. Think very carefully before you start.

I agree that there are a lot of psychology graduates. Look at all of us on the thread! I did mine for fun. And it was.

No one doubts that it's fully accredited. The reason you have to indicate that your degree is from the OU is to indicate that you did it by zero attendance distance learning

No you don't. Dozens of redbrick universities offer zero attendance postgraduate degree routes and you list them exactly the same as you list the physical attendance route. Many degrees at the OU are also not zero attendance and involve residential schools (psychology used to, dunno if it still does).

As has been explained (repeatedly), you list an OU defined degree path exactly the same as a degree from a bricks and mortar university. 'BA Psychology (Warwick)', 'BA Psychology (Open)', unless you specifically earned a BA Open degree. It doesn't matter HOW you earn your degree; it signifies that you have passed the required academic standards.

My O U degree enabled me to become a teacher. My Head Teacher thinks O U degrees are great, because they require self motivation and organisation.

I don't see how you would cheat really. You still have to sit exams and produce photo ID to do so!

Having sat my third OU exam on 9th June I'm not sure how it's possible to cheat. There's some shocking mis information on this thread!

Exams and assignments for each module.
Teacher here with and OU degree too.
BSc (hons)

Can you do a teaching degree with the OU?

Wow thanks for all the responses. I don't know where I got the idea that it isn't accredited from . Ideally I'd like to be a counsellor but am aware that requires extra training/study. I guess I should probably go with something more practical but I don't know where to start! Wibu to ask one of you to decide for me?

I'm doing an OU degree now and my first degree was from a Russell Group uni. I am very impressed at the level of assistance given in making sure students understand what's required in comparison to my first degree.

But a word about psychology. There's more to studying it than learning about Freud. It's a science. There's learning about research methods and statistics.

And you do need to be motivated. I've found a lot of people complaining in my course because the "tutors and materials don't make it interesting for me". The modules I've done have been exceedingly well put together (I used to work editing educational materials in a former life!). But they're educational not entertainment. I actually think they've done an excellent job of including interesting, real life things in my modules - it's not just theories. However, if you're looking for something fun to do, especially with psychology where the BSc is only laying the groundwork, you might not get what you're imagining.

I'd recommend the OU to anyone though. Especially if you're on U.K. fees.

There's psychology and counselling degree that I think is also accredited by the BPS.

If you want an undergraduate degree that's going to give you a field/career, then it's going to have to be something like accountancy/computer science/engineering. Any arts undergraduate isn't in itself going to do more than show you are capable of getting a degree. Which does matter, in some areas and companies, but it's work experience that really qualifies you outside of very vocational and technical courses.

If you think you want to go into one of the fields of psychology then you could certainly do a lot worse than start the psychology degree. Counselling psych isn't especially well paid and you would probably have to pay for your own postgraduate training, but it'll take you a while to get the BA anyway. The other thing to consider is that many people in the field are self-employed. The BPS website has information on the other fields of professional psych if you think one of them might interest you (educational, occupational, neuro, sports etc.)

I'm working towards an Open degree with the OU because I like learning and don't need a defined degree for a particular job or anything like that. So far I have modules in humanities, creative writing and European history. I agree that an open degree isn't as valuable as a named degree, because you don't go as deeply into your subject -- however, it's a huge amount of fun and I'm enjoying it immensely. I wouldn't really expect it to open doors for me recruitment-wise.

OP your first year will be a general social sciences introductory module which will give you a broad sense of the type of courses the school opens. You can narrow down your choices after that, if you want - unlike traditional unis you don't need to say 'this is my named degree' when you apply.

My open degree is 680 points so well over the 360 needed; I studied maths, science, English and educational theory and then did a masters in education and now work in education. Open degrees are just as worthwhile as others.

There are no jobs in psychology. Mental health is being cut to the bone in the NHS and there's lots of competition for private patients. Think very carefully before you start.

Clinical is in a tough state, it's true (and getting on a DClinPsy programme is bloody difficult) but psychology is more than clinical.

Anyone interested can check the BPS's job site at psychapp.co.uk where jobs are listed by field.

I am LLB (hons, first class), I don't have to put 'Open' after it but if I did it would be no different than my sister putting BA Hons* (Cantab) - i. e. not compulsory

*she can't put "first class" despite apparently being the clever one.

I second why many have said. OU degrees are held in high regard, as students often do them alongside working and they are a big commitment.

I remember going into hospital to have my daughter and taking my books as I had a TMA due a week later.

I loved how flexible it was, thought the support was great (although local tutorials is a big miss) and as soon as my youngest is at school, will be signing up for my masters.

I'm doing a postgrad degree at the OU and did my undergrad at a Russell group uni ten years ago. It's superb, absolutely love it (am currently halfway through). World class researchers and really close links to the academic community for my research area. I'm hoping to do a PhD at Oxford and as the OU partners with Oxford in my subject I'm pretty sure it's considered a 'real' university.
Go for it OP, it's great fun