Are OU courses really more expensive than Standard University courses??

studentphil

I have often been told that OU courses are more expensive than those of a standard university. However, I think when you look at the extensive and good course materials you get that they are fairly good value for money.

annie-c

Universities should have their fees set out in prospectuses or on websites. Might be worth making a comparison between a few before committing yourself - make sure that the modules/courses are for the same number of credits and check out what you get for the fees.

After that it's a personal choice about the style of teaching/learning that you prefer and any practical constraints/additional costs in terms of transport/childcare.

Also have a look at the kinds of bursaries/fee remission/benefits available to you in each case.

DrFluffy

My friend is doing molecular biology with the OU. She says it's about the same cost - around £300 for a 30 credit module, and as per any degree you need 120 credit points a year...

OU will become more attractive to peeps who do not qualify for fees help though as £1200 a year (average price of 120 credit points) is much nicer on the wallet than £3000!

CIS

Remember that an OU course also has funding that doesn't need re-paid , taking this in to account then it may not be so bad.

On the course that Iam doing, working towards a law degree, I can do most of the courses without paying a single penny and I get the £250 course grant.

saintstreaky

When full time fees were ~£1000 a year they were pretty much comparable (though there are a few business/law related ones that are a lot more). Now fees are £3000 a year, OU courses are a bargain - especially if you qualify for the non-repayable grants.

Plus, even if you study 120 credits a year with the OU it's possible to fit in a greater amount of paid work around it if you need to.

KRUPPMANN

It depends upon how you look at it. I recently graduated with an LLB (Hons) from the OU. It took me six years to complete and I worked full-time throughout. This meant that I was able to pay my fees and maintain myself as I went along - the result: one degree and zero debt - well, pretty healthy savings actually as I never had much time to go down the pub.

It is fair to say that course prices have increased - the first course I took has more than doubled and the others are also increasing yearly. You should also keep in mind that certain courses (law and business units) attract no subsidy and are considerably more expensive as a result.

I did my degree mainly out of interest and because getting a degree was unfinished business for me. I was impressed by the quality of the materials and the teaching and feel it was cracking value for money. That said, you need to be disciplined and dogged as nobody is going to prod you in the ribs if you slacken off. If I had to choose where to read my degree again, I'd choose the same institution.

CIS

The OU law course will cover your fees (dont know about previous yrs), Ive got full course fee relief (and was offered it for an accountancy course I was going to do and on expensive courses the OU will make top-up payments.

If you intend to study a course where the fees are higher than &pound750, for example Business or Law, we will top up the government fee grant. This top up will cover the whole fee if you get a full award or a proportion of the fee if you get a partial award. You will only receive this additional support for one such high fee course per year.

MastG

Been doing OU courses for ages now (started 1990)

I am currently doing a Bsc Hon in Economic and Mathematical Sciences
So far I have completed 3 years and it will take 3 more at the pace I am happy with.

The OU courses are getting costlier year after year. Asd is postage which OU is trying to avoid by eletronic messaging.

I think on the whole the OU is an excellent learning resource, but you need disciple to get the course work completed in time !!!!

There is an awful lot of material sent out and you will feel as if being spoonfed the information sometimes. But on the whole it is mathematics and done at home....great.


Gary

Ryan.Maloney

studentphil wrote:

I have often been told that OU courses are more expensive than those of a standard university. However, I think when you look at the extensive and good course materials you get that they are fairly good value for money.

Yeah, but it's not like a real degree is it?

It wont increase your chances of being employed

Total waste of time

Also, going to uni is loads of fun. Making heaps of friends, getting drunk, getting laid, making mistakes.. making good decisions.. it's a chance for you to grow

aurora_borealis_2

Ryan.Maloney wrote:

Yeah, but it's not like a real degree is it?

It wont increase your chances of being employed

Total waste of time

Also, going to uni is loads of fun. Making heaps of friends, getting drunk, getting laid, making mistakes.. making good decisions.. it's a chance for you to grow

Really?

My first degree is from the OU.

On the strength of that I received a bursary to do my Masters at a redbrick uni followed by a lucrative three year scholarship to do my PhD.

I have an excellent job and in the course of my work I would be impressed by a candidate making an application for study or research that had an OU degree in their CV.

aurora_borealis_2

Oh and talking of fees, for the serious posters.

I paid the full costs as they were at the time but received substantial postgraduate funding from the OU for books and travel. It was a very simple application and appeared to be directed at all graduates.

The total amount probably covered my original fees.