Do employers take open university serious?

[nonamemummy]

I’m unable to commit to a ‘normal’ university at the moment and was looking into the open university as it fits around my lifestyle.

But do employers take them as serious as degrees etc from a ‘normal’ uni?

I do. Because it's hard work studying and working to achieve it, takes commitment and resilience to do, and academically is as rigorous as anywhere else.

Yes they do. Everything said by PP. It is sadly quite expensive to do now though.

Yes!

Yes, why wouldn’t they?

Grade boundaries for the OU are much higher.
To get a first with the OU you need above 85 or 90% (can’t remember). At a brick university it’s typically around 70% (unless this has changed recently). So you could argue that the OU is more challenging as it’s more difficult to get a high mark.

BTW many brick universities also now offer distance learning, so that’s something to consider.

I did mine through OU and it's been respected in fact people often comment how much harder it is as I was working full time as well.. I now work with OU to put our staff through apprenticeships.. I think it is now quite a respected university but that's my opinion..

Zelda93 do you mind me asking what course you did with the OU, and if you now have a job in that field?

I didn’t know other universities offer distance learning, ill look into that

Thankyou everyone

Yes. A friend got an MBA from the OU and now has a P5 level job at the UN. I believe that's 3 levels below the Secretary General. She does have a long work history though.

They'd be more concerned about your grammar
It's "do employers take OU seriously"

My boss has a degree with them, seems to work for him. Something like history but we work in data science.

It’s diffucult to compare them to a grad with a degree at 21 or 22. OU grads are mature and have work experience. It’s difficult to know if it’s the OU degree or their experience that got them the job. If they were competing on a level playing field with little work behind them, I doubt it would trump many standard degrees from RG universities. Definitely not top universities and definitely not for jobs like engineering. Ok for arts and social sciences. Nearly Everyone I know with an ou degree did it for fun. One didn’t but had very relevant work and first class cv.

Yes they do, as do other universities if you were to go on to do a masters. A friend of mine did her first degree with the ou then did a masters at Oxford.

@nonamemummy I recommend you also look at the University of London Worldwide which coordinates distance learning courses from several high profile (and very much taken seriously) University of London institutions ... london.ac.uk/worldwide.

Nelson Mandela did his law degree through this route, whilst in prison, so it has a long and prestigious history.

p.s. before somebody contradicts me ... london.ac.uk/news-opinion/london-connection/feature/nelson-mandela-day-remembering-his-devotion-education-and

I always highly rate OU degrees and my old boss was the same. It shows a really high level of commitment and motivation especially done alongside working.

Yes - OU or University of London distance degrees get extra interest in my experience, as the holders tend to come with work experience and have thought about what they are studying in a different way from people who have just followed the usual school - university route.

I do work in a sector where weird and whacky is less of a barrier than it might be in other areas.

I’m 25, graduated with a maths degree at 24 after 6 years of study at the OU.

Worked full time during and have a senior job in a relevant field now

I’ve just sent off my UCAS application and did seriously consider OU.
I’m currently at college and after taking advice and considering my motivation levels and young children at home am going for a brick uni. (Nothing fancy or RG just my ‘local’ ‘new’ uni) this particular uni does have excellent links to the field I want to work in though.
OU is my back up option if for any reason I don’t complete my HND or get into uni through UCAS. I’m entering direct into 3rd year, so only 2 years at Uni, would prob take me 3/4 years with OU realistically.
Basically what I’m saying is it depends on how you learn best, level of commitment and what time constraints you may have.

Sorry, ignore my post, I went totally off piste there 🙈

Good Lord. Why have I never heard of UofL worldwide?
Thanks glammapuzz.

OP I did an English degree and then went into teaching although now I'm a national training manager for a healthcare company .

Yes I’m in my final year of my OU degree and have had a lot of offers from prospective employers. They are always impressed . The grade boundaries are the same at the OU, they just calculate them differently.

Appear to be in the minority here, bit an OU degree doesn't carry much prestige. To clarify, if it's your 1st degree and your 21, others degrees (even from old pyrotechnics) would be marginally preferable.

However, if your more mature with a little experience behind you it's certainly isn't going to harm your chances of progressing. However, experience and soft skills are much more in demand.

In the middle stages of anyone's career, degrees mean very little in getting you through door for an interview. If I really couldn't decide between 2 candidates to invite to interview, I guess one from a top RG university may sway me (& I'm talking Oxbridge, Imperial, not warwich, Birmingham, etc)

It practically killed me off working, being a mum and doing my OU degree so I’d say yes they fkin better !! 😂

Serious answer tho yes I think so it’s a respected uni In itself and also shows real determination I think completing a degree as a proper grown up !

With all due respect @doubleaces89 certain careers require a degree And therefore worth it . also from all the people I met on my course the fact they did it through OU certainly didn’t harm their chances of career progression in that field or doing a brick uni

Have to agree though - I wouldn’t advise it as a choice for someone of “normal” uni age but I think most people recognize full time uni as a mature student with responsibilities and bills is often not a Viable option