Open University Degree Reviews 42

I contacted them 4 times to see if a course was right for me or find one that was. I book calls and never receive them, if I log on to talk to AI it tells me there's no-one to take my call. After 4 attempts I enrolled in an unsuitable course through the AI agent as that was the only contact I was able to make. I finally spoke to someone who wasn't helpful and whose English was so bad I couldn't really understand anything or explain what I needed, I just gave up. Now I am enrolled in an unsuitable course still, 2 weeks later.

The Open University is a life changer. I undertook a degree and a masters with them and found the teaching engaging and inspiring. Since studying with them my career has radically changed and from someone with no qualifications, I am now seen as a leading player in my area of work. It changed my life and also those of the people I studied with and whom I still remain in contact with.

Do not register to Open University.
Unbiased and unnecessary political.

Open university fxxking sxit ,they kept failing me on every assignment for no reason when the work was good the markers were totally rubbish I dropped out twice because of there spitefulness and lack of support towards me if you have a disability they do not care they are horrible

I've been a student with the OU on and off for the last 20+ years and it's been in slow decline since then. I just finished the first four years of a six year part time degree and it's got so bad I don't want to continue studying with them. It's very disappointing as it impacts on my future career, and I now have tens of thousands of pounds of student loans.

I have had continual issues with getting the most basic support. Two years I had little or no tutor support at the end of module assessment. One year this meant I deferred my studies, then still didn't get support with the resit. The poor admin processes mean every time I try to get support I have to spend hours on the phone, wait for replies, chase things up. I had so many issues around my final assessment this year that I just don't want to return to study with them again. For example I didn't get the feedback from a previous assessment in time to hand in the final assessment for the year which added additional challenge. I put in a formal complaint about it, they were supposed to respond in ten days and a month later still nothing.

Also they removed face to face tutorials during Covid and never being them back. Students endlessly complain about this but despite the rest of the country returning to work the OU is still not putting on face to face events. It wouldn't be so bad but there is no online replacement. It leads to studying being an isolated experience as the official forums are not used much.

Still waiting for 4 months plus for the head of the complaints department to get back to me. That says something. His name is Billy aparently. I have called so many times and left messages requesting a call back or email. No luck

No communication between open universities and other connecting universities. They don’t communicate with students at all and end up having to keep postponing education again and again until we had no choice but to drop out. Absolutely devastated

Before signing up to the Open University beware that you may not have a graduation day. They do not allow enough spaces for all students and appear to want your money but not follow through with there duties to the students that graduate. Very poor and Mr Tim Blackman the vice-chancellor@open University doesn't want to respond to you

I am currently studying towards a degree with the OU and i am in my second year and studying full time. I can say that if i had known what i know now i would have just avoided the OU and gone to a typical university and just worked around my life commitments somehow. The level of support for students leave much to be desired the tutors take days to respond to query emails/text ect if they reply at all that is i have had replies to TMA queries after i have already submitted TMAs because the cut off date and time was sadly not as lacks as tutor communication. Before i ever signed up for my degree i read through the over view ect for each year of the course and what it would entail and i can categorically say that what it said i would be doing is far reaching from what i am actually doing, it also stated that the degree was 100% assignment based and made a point of saying no exams.....year 2 and there's an exam at the end of one of my modules. It also states basic math is needed... i personally don't class algebra or equations that look like they belong on a pharaohs tomb walls 'basic math'. Half of the time you are asked to read and engage with material which has no actual use in your TMAs and quite often are given material which is left of the TMA information you need so it's never clear what you're actually meant to be reading, looking at, analysing or using for TMAs. The course material for the most part is not engaging or remotely interesting which is a big issue when you need to engage with it. There is several issues with online material my latest online material which was a data table which was needed for one of the tmas had to be altered 4 times as they gave the incorrect material this then causes delay in starting that part of the tma so you have less time to get it done as they make the mistakes they cause the delay in you being able to start your tma but they still expect you to hand it in at the same time even when you've had less time to complete it due to circumstances beyond your control. I can say i without a doubt do not recommend the open university

I find the OU an excellent choice for my music degree. So far I have enjoyed every minute & find the tutors helpful & knowledgeable and available at all times. Should I wish to continue with an MA or a different degree I shall definitely chose the OU again.

All of the negative reviews surprise me. Comparing the OU to places like UNISA - the negative reviewers have no idea what they should be grateful for.

I'm doing a Master of Physics and find the OU to materials to be of excellent quality. The tutors are generally very helpful if you know how to engage with them. The forums, WhatsApp and Discord communities are there if you know how to find them. The WhatsApp chats and forums are always pumping with activity if sharing the process with peers is important to you to help you stay motivated.

You need to be proactive and work hard to do well. If you have the right attitude and are sufficiently motivated, the OU is an amazing place to study. Ignore the negative reviews, but be prepared to graft.

The degree isn’t worth anything I’ve applied for job in the same field that preferred a level 3 one year course or apprenticeship. It’s harder to get 2.1 compared to brick university. Save yourself the debt. Only plus side is that you can work along side it.
Really regret it as I’m in debt paying back a degree that isn’t beneficial to me in anyway.
You don’t get the same help like you do from brick university. The career advice there wasn’t great tbh

AVOID. Not only does it take over your life with no breaks, the people who have created the study material lack are self obsessed arrogant 'professors'. They waste so much of your time on purpose! Every module its a challenge to find any of the study materials they ask you to find on the OU library. Today I had to ask a librarian because I was adamant that the material was not there, and she couldn't find it either! What a waste of 30 minutes, these people need to wake up and stop wasting peoples time on purpose, something in their lives is clearly lacking that they feel the need to waste other peoples times. All of the materials are also from the 90's. Do these old people forget what time we are living in? Where's the relevant new topics? Why not just put a link to material, who on earth needs to know how to access a digital library in this day and age? When the OU takes on some younger staff members, things may improve. But until then don't spend 35k wasting your life away!

Honestly do not bother going here. The quality of tutors is poor and they are untouchable - no matter how bad they are the OU always sides with them and makes it impossible in reality to complain

As its been stated: shiny on the outside, rusty on the inside. It just feels like a joke. I literally feel like behind the scenes I am being laughed at. You can read the module material, study it thoroughly and feel confident you understand what is being said. Then, you get an assignment which asks you to do everything that WASNT taught. Submit projects that involve using techniques of which the descriptions were deliberately vague. Ask a tutor and IF they respond, the answer is "refer to the module material" or "google it". What am i paying for if you're telling me to google it? Over the last year there has been ONE tutorial related to the module, which was spent waffling, IT issues and she kept gulping her god damn coffee and it made me feel sick (not important, but still). I recently had some exams. Now, in the build up and preperation to the exams it was advised to study and attempt the past exam papers, attend the "exam prep" tutorial etc. I did all of this, and worked hard to make sure I was confident I could pass the exam based on what they had specifically told us to study. Every question in the exam was on things that were, again, deliberately vague in their explanations in the module material and we were advised "not to worry too much, it wont be asking you to do anything you havent done before". It was evident as soon as the exam started that this was intentional. For example, the past papers pdf document was 3 pages long. This exam was 8. A TMA gives you a few weeks to complete, the exam gives you 3 hours and requires approximately 2.5X of completed answers. This place is a SCAM! They WANT you to fail, so they can charge you for resits, or to move on to another module in order to obtain your credits. There is no support, the tutors are ******* crap, and the module team are so arrogant that they refuse to accept any criticism on the way they word things. I have incurred debt attending this university, with hopes of pursuing a new career and instead my confidence has been destroyed, self worth obliterated, and financial situation left in tatters. The open university have effectively ruined my life. Please, anyone who reads this, if you were thinking of studying with them STEER WELL CLEAR!!!!!!

I'm going into my forth year and find the OU a great experience. Having attended a bruck and mortar university twice before both times Edinburgh which isn't a bad uni, and find the OU support services are more helpful than anyone at Edinburgh. I have multiple disabilities and find the support exceptional. If you actually attend the online and face to face tutorials you can usually get clarification on anything you're unsure of. I can't understand how so many people have had such negative experiences. Maybe I'm just lucky that I live in Scotland, and our student support teams are incredibly helpful even during COVID it's easy to get through and quick responses to email.. DON'T GET PUT OFF BY THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS. Thee support teams are helpful even if you decide half way through your degree that you have changed your mind they go through all the options open incorporating the modules already completed or argue the case to have completed modules to be accepted. Excellent support I'm just sorry for those who have not had this experience.

I started the application process for a Diploma in ICT and Computing with a Second Subject in October 2020. The process seemed fairly straightforward however, when I went through the Credit Transfer system to transfer the credits from my previous university degree, the system decided to put me onto an Open Degree (BSC) which is a completely different pathway that I did not want to take. When I phoned the university to change this, they kindly told me that I would be able to reapply for the course via the phone and that this was a mistake by the system. They patched me through to a different department to confirm my details. This department then tried to send me back to the original person I had been speaking to previously. However, after 40+ minutes of waiting, the line was cut off. I was really annoyed at this but decided to just reapply online anyway. After applying online, I received an email stating that another email would arrive within 10 days with my username and password for my account. However, after waiting around a month (due to COVID I thought it might take a little longer) I decided to contact the university again. I informed the staff about the situation however they told me that I had not reapplied properly and will not be able to start the course until October 2021 (A full year after initially applying!!!). I can't believe that their system is so incompetent that it can't even send an generic email with username and password. Also, the student dashboard for their website is absolutely horrendous. It doesn't seem to give any information on what courses you have registered for and just seems like a mess overall. Looking at the reviews from other people though, it's not just the application that's a mess but the course structure as well. Please avoid if you can.

DO NOT REGISTER TO OPEN UNIVERSITY. They are a money-grabbing institution. Honestly, if you value your peace of mind and sanity do not register. At the beginning of 2020, I made a new year resolution to sign up for a course. I kept on seeing adverts of discounted courses and the temptation was too strong. I registered and received emails (that I never opened). Personal problems took priority and Covid. I received an email that payment was missed. I emailed them and informed the team that I did not pursue the course (I could not even recall the subject). I explained my situation and the fact that the current pandemic meant that I would not be pursuing anything with the open university. I was transferred to another agent only to be told that I had to pay no matter my circumstances. If I did not pay I would be referred to a debt collector. I explained that I was not in the right frame of mind and their threat was mentally affecting me. They did not call me or message me again. Towards the end of the year, I get a call. Asking if I would be interested in a course. I was furious I asked for my details to be deleted. The agent in the attempt to do then transfers my call to another agent only to be told that I had to pay for a course that I had never started. I don't know what their study site looks like but I would dread to log on. If I should take my life it's because of the threats and mental strain this institution is giving me. I never imagined in my life that I would be FORCED to study. I hold a degree, pursued a Masters but did not complete and at both Universities, I never experienced this, on the contrary, I was supported. The Open University is not a university but a business hungry for money money money. I pray you don't end like me. My battle continues and it appears that they will only stop when my life ends. I will be writing to the Prime Minister, the House of Lords and Ombudsman. The Open University is NOT an institution for learning. RUN!

I would give a 0 if I could. The most unhelpful service! I almost felt like they were taking the mick! Awful !!!

Did the computing and IT degree with them as I thought it would be helpful to have a degree. I am self taught and have worked in the field for nearly 15 years.

The courses were badly taught and often padded out with needlessly long waffling text that failed to adequately explain trivial concepts. Half of the level 3 "software engineering" course was almost entirely devoted to project management/business management with zero practical work at all.

I feel like I wasted my time and learned almost nothing new and certainly nothing useful.