Open University degree courses - worth the money?

poorlittlefish

I'm interested in working towards a degree in my spare time and have looked at distance learning courses run by both the Open University and London University. I've not found anything online to give me an indication of what the OU's study materials are like and would be interested to hear from people who've done degrees through either uni about the standard of material and help available.

Also, the London University fees work out at just over £4k for the whole degree, but with the OU it's over £15k - that can't be right, surely?

EmmaHerts

I have never heard of London University - OU is a well-known and trusted place.

Do you have a link for London University?

Edit: Just realised you are talking about University of London.

http://www.london.ac.uk/

If you can get a degree there cheaply, then do it! Check that you can get the same kind of funding though.

tomterm8

poorlittlefish wrote: »

I'm interested in working towards a degree in my spare time and have looked at distance learning courses run by both the Open University and London University. I've not found anything online to give me an indication of what the OU's study materials are like and would be interested to hear from people who've done degrees through either uni about the standard of material and help available.

Also, the London University fees work out at just over £4k for the whole degree, but with the OU it's over £15k - that can't be right, surely?

You can get copies of most OU course material through your local library either reserve online or via interlibrary loan.

tomtontom

The London fees do not include tuition. Do you already have experience in your subject?

hawk30

What is it you want to study?

noelphobic

I recently completed a degree with the Open University. I was very fortunate in that the funding system was more generous and it cost me next to nothing for my degree. However, you can now get a student loan with the OU which you couldn't before (there were loans available but only over a very short period of time.)

A lot of material is now online rather than in book form but you can obviously only access this when you are registered on the course. They did used to have open days or something similar I think, where you could meet staff and look at course materials.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/contact/events.aspx

poorlittlefish

I'm interested in doing law and the only experience I've had is through work (leasehold/property law).

ohreally

poorlittlefish wrote: »

I'm interested in doing law and the only experience I've had is through work

How about putting a toe in the water to find their thoughts on funding the course?

poorlittlefish

ohreally wrote: »

How about putting a toe in the water to find their thoughts on funding the course?

Unfortunately I only started my new job last week and it's in a different sector to what I'd always done previously so I don't think there's any chance of that happening!

hawk30

poorlittlefish wrote: »

I'm interested in doing law and the only experience I've had is through work (leasehold/property law).

OK, have you thought about the CILEx route? http://www.cilex.org.uk/careers/careers_home.aspx

You can do this by distance learning (like the OU, but you can't do CILEx at the OU) or by going to college. Once you have done the academic stage of training (10 units at level 3 (A level standard) and 6 units at level 6 (final year degree standard)) and you have sufficient qualifying employment, you become a chartered legal executive, which is a specialist lawyer, and you can become a partner in a law firm (if you work hard enough) and even a judge.

If you decide you want a law degree, the University of London is prestigious, but it is quite academic and the fees do not (as far as I'm aware) include tuition. To get tuition you would need to sign up with a college (either traditional face-to-face or distance learning).

I'm afraid I don't know much about the OU law degree.

whodathunkit

Do you have the entry requirements for a degree? The UofL requires this but the OU does not. Personally, I feel that London's academic standards are higher, possibly because of this.