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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think an OU degree is not worthless?

55 replies

petitmaman · 10/01/2010 17:28

Went out last night and got talking to a friend f a friend. I am doing an OU degree at the MOment as I cant work. He said that 'OU degrees are for people that sit at home saying they want to use their brains, they arent actually worth anything' was he talking crap or is this true? i thought they were thought quite well of in that it shows that you have the motivation to do something off your own back, or have i been foolong my self? i am doing a degree in childhood and youth studies and want to go into social work /teaching. am quite worried now but please be honest. TIA

OP posts:
Original poster
petitmaman · 10/01/2010 17:29

sorry about typos. have 2 year old helping me.

OP posts:
DorotheaPlenticlew · 10/01/2010 17:32

What a completely twattish thing to say to you.

I honestly have no idea how they are regarded in relation to other degrees (if indeed there is a consensus -- I'd guess that it depends on the subject and specific details etc). Hopefully someone else will know better. But I'd say well done for doing it, as it proves you are pro-active and keen.

Reallytired · 10/01/2010 17:33

An OU degree is as valid as any other degree. Ofcourse its valued. It shows blood guts and determination and that is valued by many employers.

BelleDameSansMerci · 10/01/2010 17:34

I don't think it makes any difference - a qualification is a qualification. I'm not an academic though!

ShinyAndNew · 10/01/2010 17:34

He is talking crap. My friend is a grdauate and manager of a large retail chain. He was talking to me and another friend about interviews he had done. He said that he was stuck between two people. Both with degrees in business. One from an ex poly tech uni and one from the ou. He eventually settled on the OU grad.

His reasoning was, she had managed to complete her degree at home whilst looking after children and a house. Therefore she has proven experience of good time management skills, working to deadlines without supervision and is clearly very hard working. He had nothing but respect for the fact she had been able to complete a degree whilst looking after dc full time and without the face to face on going support you have from 'proper uni'

SkipHopJump · 10/01/2010 17:36

My mum has an OU masters and is a headteacher and my uncle is head of Audi human resources with an OU degree.
So basically...this man is an idiot.

Original poster
petitmaman · 10/01/2010 17:36

thank you.
and yes, guy was complete twat.

OP posts:
cordonbleugh · 10/01/2010 17:39

While I was discussing DD'd nursery hours with one of the staff at the nursery, the woman told me that she'd done a course with the OU, but gone to a "proper" university to do her degree, because she didn't want a "mickey mouse degree" from the OU

OU is bloody hard work, especially if you have DC's and IMHO, means a lot more than someone who went to uni at 18 with all of their mates.

GrendelsMum · 10/01/2010 17:43

No, the man's an idiot. I'm a researcher at the University of Cambridge on a joint project with the OU, and I KNOW.

If someone says something like this to you again, laugh and say "You're a little bit out of date, aren't you?"

Cyclops · 10/01/2010 17:46

YADNBU

I have completed various courses with the OU (to keep my brain active and to keep learning new stuff) and I can vouch that the courses are as rigorous as any that a regular Uni offers.

Ignore the comment or better, ask him to enrol on an OU course if they are so easy!

Original poster
petitmaman · 10/01/2010 17:47

will do GM. Thank you. actually just one of those awful evennings when you wish you weren't there but I was probably dwelling on this more than i should. So just the next 5 years of my degree to do then.....

OP posts:
Acinonyx · 10/01/2010 19:23

I'm also at Cambridge and also an OU tutor - there are quite a few of us here. We take it very seriously - the course work I am teaching is as demanding as any you would find in other universities. I teach with the OU for the same reasons people study with it - I need flexibility for family and other committments.

I certainly don't feel that I'm teaching a 'mickey mouse' degree. Perhaps you should ask him to do some of your course work for you...

....curious about Grendelsmum......

GrendelsMum · 10/01/2010 19:29

p.s. good for you - I bet you're working bloody hard for that degree. Not one but two of my colleagues are studying for extra OU degrees in their spare time.

... ooh, do I know Acinonyx? I won't give any clues as to the nature of the joint OU-Cam project as you could identify me in about two seconds ... But hello from a fellow inhabitant of the Fens anyway ...

JaneS · 10/01/2010 19:30

My mum has a doctorate from Oxford. She says it was peanuts compared to the OU degree she started but couldn't finish. Make of that what you will, but feel free to use it to tell this man he's being damn rude. What makes him an expert on your degree?

junglist1 · 10/01/2010 19:34

There's always some tosspot sneering and spreading negativity. Ignore

smartmars · 10/01/2010 19:36

OU are biggest Uni in the country, in terms of numbers of students. Must be good at what they do based on that.

CarmenSanDiego · 10/01/2010 19:40

That's crap. I'm doing an MBA with the OU and they've got quadruple accreditation. Apparently less than 1% of business schools in the world have that.

OU is pretty well respected now and the credits transfer to other universities too.

tinierclanger · 10/01/2010 19:41

It's crap. Everyone I know who has or is working to one has worked harder than any student I knew, and is at least as intelligent. And I know someone with one who is employed as a 'degree-holder' so employers clearly agree.

tinierclanger · 10/01/2010 19:42

I worded that really badly didn't I? I should have clarified with YANBU.

thesteelfairy · 10/01/2010 19:43

What a lovely, supportive thread. I am about to start an OU degree as I have no other possible way of studying. Ds has HFA, needing lots of support at school and dd is not at nursery yet. I am really excited about starting to study with them but have also had a few comments made about it.

Good to read the views and information on here.

Goodadvice1980 · 10/01/2010 19:48

The guy is an idiot!

I have a psychology degree from the OU and I do not consider it "inferior" to a degree from a "conventional" university.

I have also taken a few other courses with the OU as well, and they are hard work. Any future employer should look at the fact that you have studied whilst also undertaking work and/or a busy home life too.

Next time he makes a snidey comment just wop him round the head with a large text book! And then, as he reels with concussion, ask him where he got his degree from!

Good luck with your studies! I hope you do really well!

tethersend · 10/01/2010 20:00

OU won University challenge in 1984 and 1999.

Where did your friend of a friend go? Scumbag college?

GrimmaTheNome · 10/01/2010 20:08

YANBU

My DH has an OU MBA. He also has a 1st and PhD from an old-fashioned university. They are equally valid. Its simply he way you do degrees if you do other stuff too, isn't it?
He's done lots of other non-degree OU courses too - very valuable to his scientific and management career.

I had a friend who had her kid young, then did an OU science degree, then went on to do PhD and have career as a research scientist in good academic labs.

Its the way ahead - DH gets lots of academic podcasts on all sorts of subjects and the OU is nowadays ahead of the game (better quality than some top-notch US unis who are trying it).

LittleSilver · 10/01/2010 20:14

My first degree was at a university that shall remain nameless (but is well thought of) and my second is with the OU.

OU is better quality, better taught, better assessed and (much) harder marked.

He doesn't know what he is talking about.

wicked · 10/01/2010 20:27

I think that the OU is very well respected and just a rigorous as an equivalent course elsewhere.

One one level, I am sure that employers love OU graduates because they have a track record of being self-motivated, etc.

Some people just get kicks out of putting other people down. Their opinions are not worth a jot.

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