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Latest Reviews

“Go elsewhere”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Clarencen54 on 19/07/2022

tutors are largely unprofessional. Getting tutorials started is painful as the technology either doesn't work or they cannot use it (not always entirely clear which or both) and they are ineloquent when they do eventually start. I have done two years with great marks but third year did badly but they wouldn't change my (awful pernickety non sensical) tutor and my end of year assessment marked by external marker was consistent with previous years - proof it was the tutor - but the policies and procedures to make any complaint or change tutor are just so stacked against you that its all pointless and futile. I did my first degree and postgraduate in person at different institutions and it was 1000% better than my experience here so Id say go anywhere but the OU. unfortunately I had to give a star to leave the review but really its zero stars

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Was this review helpful? 6 0

“Not a proper university ”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Floodnd18 on 08/02/2022

This university is for rejects who can’t get into a proper university hence the abysmal quality of teaching and administration. They are now just a business only interested in your cash! Course books are a thing of the past, it’s more profitable for them, and many courses are written by uneducated folk, littered with errors - embarrassing! Don’t waste your time and money and most importantly, save your sanity as the effort will get you nowhere in life anyway. I achieved an engineering degree but it opened no doors whatsoever. I wish I’d gone to a proper university now!

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Brightknight's Comment

Written on: 03/07/2022

I appreciate your review. I won’t be studying engineering at the OU. I’ll sit A levels instead and go to the proper university. Thanks.

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Was this review helpful? 6 3

“Engaging module, awful tutors”

★★☆☆☆

written by JamarLevesque1958 on 21/01/2019

So far I have managed 5 of 6 years at the OU and have found the materials mostly to be engaging. However, the tutors are so inconsistent in their marking standards you can be very disadvantaged if you have the poor fortune of getting a harsh marker, as it will affect your degree classification. They need to audit their markers better. Also there is no easy way to deal with a difficult tutor. The student support is lacking. Lots if IT issues, too.

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Was this review helpful? 14 1

“The Worse Experience of my Life, I wanted to CRY”

★☆☆☆☆

written by JonasMcCollum on 03/10/2018

I studied with the Open University for 6 years as a transitional student and it was the WORSE experience of my life. The University ended up telling me that I would have to pay nearly £3000 for one module because I was not a transitional student anymore. The University knew that I had a full-time job and that I was working in the evenings to pay for my modules, but do you think they cared... NO! They just wanted the money. I only had 2 more modules left to take, but this year (2018) I gave up the course. I tried to call the University for direction because I had to sit an exam but Customer service was not opened, then when I called back the person was rude and did not know how to give me directions to the Open University in Milton Keynes, so you guessed it, I missed the exam. I was so upset I could have cried. Did someone phone or send me a letter to find out why I did not turn up for the exam ... no, because they do not care. To speak about the tutors is another matter and I do not have enough space to tell you what I experience with them. I DEFINITELY WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANYONE TO STUDY WITH THEM, it has left me traumatised.

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Was this review helpful? 9 5

“Marking is a little too secretive.”

★★☆☆☆

written by Avery9 on 29/09/2018

Bare in mind the following when considering your degree provider: - The lowest mark overall is your module result. So if you score 80% over the year, but score 40% in the final piece of work, your module score is 40%. - The module result is affected by non-academic factors. So might score 35% which is a fail (because it’s under 40%), but actually get a pass 4 (40-49% bracket). - No past papers are given. You may not see any previous work whether students consent to it being shown or not. - There is limited time given to staff to provide feedback. So do not count on detailed feedback to improve the score on your next piece of work. End of module (EMA) feedback is also sparse and hardly covers the reasons why you scored the way you did. - Appeals are tightly restricted. You may not appeal their academic judgement.

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Was this review helpful? 7 2

“Waste of my life”

★☆☆☆☆

written by IThomas on 14/08/2018

I have been studying with OU for 8 years. There have been problems on top of problems. Firstly, you can not trust the estimated study times (e.g. 8 hours for a 30 credit module). They have no idea or care about how much time and effort students have to put in. How they expect people to study around full time jobs with such inconsistent workloads and estimates, I don't know. My degree scheme was terminated before I even had a chance to finish it. I was told that some of my work would no longer count and that I would have to spend more years studying and more money, of course. Tutor support was awful. I asked for clarification a number of times and either received no response or a useless one. After complaining, my complaint was simply rejected and no further action was offered. Awful.

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Was this review helpful? 6 1

“OU: Poor over all and Not Worth the Money”

★★☆☆☆

written by FrankieCrowley327 on 06/04/2018

The OU was for me personally poor value for money. After two careers and a family --including a lot of college and professional qualifications over 35 years-- I began an OU History BA on the Heritage pathway in 2012. Enjoyed the first modules. We started with the Arts Past and Present (AA100), and studied interesting people including Cleopatra, Stalin and Shostakovich inter alia. We had good course books and local tutorials with a great tutor; all was good. After that it all went downhill; we could only write TMAs and discuss ideas based on the OU course books. Recently I looked up the reviews and courses: I get the 'research' philosophy; we are supposed to read and study. I like research but I don't like the OU fees and reduced tuition. After my first year:'student support' was poor; OU admin and communications were shambolic, emails and enquiries were not answered. They withdrew our coursebooks and local tutorials. I decided it wasn't worth the money. An OU Degree is worth nothing to me now, certainly not worth the extortionate fees for bad service, and I'd never go back. Apart from poor participation in the online OU forums and seminars: most of our lazy 'students' were on Facebook, ignoring the group tasks. Most of our course didn't bother to prepare for tutorials and turned up having read nothing. To this older professional: the modules were over-priced, restrictive and boring; the whole experience including so-called 'students' was miserable. It was just not worth the money and effort. They've asked me to return recently, obviously fishing for subscriptions, but I would never use the OU ever again.

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Was this review helpful? 4 0

“I have recently started my degree and so far, I am...”

★★★★☆

written by on 15/10/2017

I have recently started my degree and so far, I am happy with the OU! I have a lovely tutor who I can contact at any time for some support and they are really supportive of people who have disabilities and understand that life gets in the way sometimes. I got to meet with other students yesterday at a tutorial and I met one of the tutors. We had a very interesting and intellectual discussion about society. It is perfect for anyone who may be intimidated by a lecture hall where they're being talked at, as this was very informal and you could ask questions without fear! The OU is very much about independent learning and for some, that's not right for them, especially if they're used to a traditional university. In higher education, you get guided less and less and it's down to you to put in the work which develops many skills. My first module is very basic; starting with very small word counts for essays and it is teaching us how to write essays and how to reference correctly. I think it's a really good starting point for those who have been out of education for a long time and I'm glad I didn't do an access course. The value for money is excellent in my opinion. My entire degree will cost about £5800 - a lot cheaper than a traditional university! As I am in Wales, I can get a grant so I get £1k a year! You can pay yourself or with a tuition fee loan and you can access a disability support allowance. You get to choose when you want to do your modules and how many credits you do and what modules you wish to do. This also translates to the Open degree, which lets you do 300 credits in absolutely any module you fancy which is not available in other universities. The Welsh Student Support Service is excellent. Everyone I've spoken to have been really friendly, chatty and lovely to me. You can get an NUS card too to get discounts almost every where and your OU e-mail address gives you access to Microsoft office for free. The OU have their own online library full of articles/books. The OU has student representatives and associations and the OU arranges meet ups themselves but the hosts are also students who offer to host. They even have their own shop with OU merchandise! As this is a degree you study at home, of course there will be no night life (or accommodation so don't know why people have bothered to review those), but that's up to you. I have met students twice now and it's down to you and them to arrange events and meet ups, where you can definitely enjoy the night life together! It depends on how much you put yourself out there to meet people. I didn't give the OU a 5 stars because there were a few errors in my module, though they corrected them very quickly and notified all of the students. I expected it to be a bit more proof read but you have to learn to overlook any mistakes and just follow what they've told you to do. I wanted to write a review because I was initially put off the OU because of the low reviews you find online, but I am happy that I went forward to do it so I can show myself and others that I have potential! If you are dissuaded by the reviews, you can join the OU Facebook groups and ask current and past students yourself. :) It is often those who have had a negative experience that make an effort to write a review.

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Was this review helpful? 2 2

“Unable to get a refund”

★★☆☆☆

written by mastamak on 04/10/2017

I had a dismaying experience. I paid out £1300 but had to withdraw (before the first assignment) due to illness. I was sent a standard message telling me that I could have a refund or a credit, foolishly due to my health I failed to check and when I inquired 4 months later I was told it was only a credit and that there were no suitable courses available in the time so I lost the money. You are given no opportunity to appeal the decision and just run through the system receiving no proper communication. I have had very positive experiences with the OU in the past but now it appears to be a commercial operation where 'customer service' is now the cover for simply making money regardless of the quality or fairness of the situation which is standard business procedure for high handed capitalist organisations. My advice to anyone would be to pay by installments as it would appear that once they have your money they will try to keep it regardless of the rights or wrongs. All in all it has left a seriously 'bad taste in my mouth' and although I am considering further study I am reluctant to use the OU again.

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Gazamac95's Response to mastamak's Review

Written on: 15/06/2018

I had a similar experience! I tried to appeal the decision and got nowhere. I only got a credit voucher which was useless to me. The worst thing is, one of their advisors told me that if I withdrew I'd get a full refund. If they had been honest with me and said I wouldn't get my money back, I wouldn't have withdrawn!

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Was this review helpful? 1 2

“Could be better”

★★★☆☆

written by on 29/09/2017

With only a few GCSEs and as a stay at home mother, I was fed up with people making assumptions about my intelligence. With no familial childcare help and a partner working 3 shifts, I found the OU the best option at that time. Meet up tutorials were useless, but later, online forums were invaluable & fun. Student services were great, helping me change from one rude & unfair tutor to a brilliant one. I finished my degree with 1st class hons, but it was 18 months until my graduation (even then, next county). I complained & was told there wasn't enough students in my area to hold one earlier, but others must have complained & 12 still-long-months later, I finally got to graduate. There were actually far too many graduates, making the event drag on & with only 2 guests allowed at £17 each(!), my 3 children never got to see me graduate, something that still upsets me & my partner sat alone. Long queues for photos, which you only get to see once paid for and through your door, mine was horrible, expensive waste of money. I didn't receive any careers guidance and with no relevant work experience, my degree has been a waste of time & means I cannot apply for an Apprenticeship now, which would've lead to a job. If you have an exact aim or just want to learn, then OU is brilliant, most courses are engaging, but if you have the choice, go to a brick Uni, make good friends to graduate with & get help with work guidance.

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Was this review helpful? 4 1

“Worst in the UK”

★☆☆☆☆

written by RobertoMiguelRodriguez on 13/06/2017

Enrolled in this institution in the Master of Laws program. The program has four modules and the dissertation. I enrolled in the first module W820 Exploring Legal Meaning. The instructor's participation with the students was poor. Communication with her led nowhere. Little or no feedback and reprisal for complaining about her methods and her grades. I decided to drop the program. This was not my first experience with a UK university. I graduated from both the University of London and the University of Liverpool. The Open University is quite expensive (not worth what it teaches), its administration is also weak. I received no email about registration for the next semester and when I tried to register the registration was closed. I was unable to register. After all I am glad I was unable to register. It is not worthwhile. I recommend everybody to find another institution. My experience here was terrible.

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Was this review helpful? 4 3

“open university has gone back”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Carryc216 on 17/11/2015

I studied a English degree with the open university. The university have cut back on tutorial so you hardly see your tutor. The textbook don't contain the relevant information that can help you on the course. The open university degree marking is ridiculous. Durham and red brick university grade scores of 60 as 2:1 degree. Open university you need 71 plus to get a 2:1. I once argued to the open university they should lower the marks. The open university responded back they mark under an American grading system which is redundant since we are in the UK.

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Worn_Out's Comment

Written on: 19/11/2015

Erm for someone who has studied English that wasn't the finest grammar.

As for the grading it's not harder it's just a different scale, the OU make more use of marks over 80 whereas scores in the 90s are very rare at brick universities. As for textbooks they shouldn't contain too much material you can blindly churn out to gain marks without understanding, there has to be an element of reading between the lines and reading around subjects to gain understanding otherwise the degree is meaningless if it becomes too spoon fed. Brick universities don't usually teach from a specially created, set textbook (they may have a reading list) but OU doesn't have lectures so it's their mode of delivery.

The OU is far from faultless (more so after so many changes in policies, format and removal of services) but I wouldn't say it's ridiculous.

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Was this review helpful? 3 4

“OU experiences poor deliverance of course ”

★☆☆☆☆

written by peony on 22/05/2015

I am nearly at the end of my studies, one more course to go. The OU have new methods now for studying, they don’t send out course books anymore, I guess to save money. The course was completely computer driven, no materials, you had to print them out yourself. The course had all sorts of materials online, at times seemed overwhelming and hard to keep up with them all. Tutorials were delivered via an online audio system, so more computer work. Although the course wasn’t a computing one, certainly seemed so with all the numerous diagrams and charts tables to undertake in the assignments, along with masses of web research throughout the course, plus masses of activities most of which you had to publish for other students to review. The time given to complete everything was badly underestimated (the course was new). The massive amount of computer work I have done, caused my knuckles and tendons in my wrists to swell, to the point where my husband commented that he thought I was developing RSI because I had done too much typing in the course. I ended up feeling the delivery of the course was eccentric and using the students as guinea pigs for new methods. I don’t think there was any consideration whatsoever by the OU for the health of the students that you had to be glued to a screen. So, I wish the OU would go back to sending materials through the post but this is not likely and course books are a thing of the past.

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Peony's Response to peony's Review

Written on: 10/07/2015

My course mentioned above has now completed. I received 2 marks short of a 1st in the course work, but the examinable project at the end got little over 40%. The examiners remarks consisted of: sarcasm, untruths, contradictions, rubbishing of my idea for my project; with vague remarks, and stating my project was 'visually unattractive'. Examiners are supposed to be professional, positive and polite, this one was the opposite. I was so shocked, never in my time have I ever had a tutor putting awful remarks like this and rubbishing my project which they clearly had not bothered to understand and they also missed part of it out, with no good comment at all.

Some other students in similar position to me, likely had the same bad examiner. Course team had let slip tutors (but not your own) were to mark the examined project, this explains a lot of.

The OU used to have outside professional examiners, now it seems cost cutting is the name of the game and they are using some tutors who are obviously not fit for purpose.

Wasted my time, energy and money, and am not studying with them ever again, as they are going from bad to worse. It is entirely their own fault that students numbers have dropped about 40%. Its going to get worse.

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Peony's reply to Peony's Comment

Written on: 13/07/2015

Since I wrote this, it seems a number of other students are protesting as they too have had unprofessional comments made on the 'feedback' for their results of this course. As well as the bad feedback, the examiner knocked off huge chunks of marks, resulting in people getting a poor grade.

Wonder if the OU is applying a quota system so that only certain amount of people get higher grades, there is something odd going on. I am taking the matter as a complaint, and am intending to possibly request my money back as the examiner (who had very bad English, bad grammar, spelling mistakes and used jargon and terminology), undermining contradictory comments some of which sound barking mad and nothing to do with the course.

I do not know if the examiner had been drinking or had a mental health problem or could not be bothered or whether the OU had outsourced the marking to people who had no idea of the OU policies or knowledge of the course.

The standards in the OU have been in decline in the past few years and now even more so. I regret ever studying with them as my plans for a degree are in complete ruins.

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Cocoem's reply to Peony's Comment

Written on: 09/11/2016

Hey...just wondering if you made an official complaint and what was the outcome?
I'm so sorry to hear of your experience I can only imagine the frustration after all the time and work you put in. I am think of applying for a degree this month to start in February so that is why I am asking. Thanks

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Was this review helpful? 5 1

“Not as good as it used to be”

★★★★☆

written by marco9 on 14/05/2015

I'm on my last module for the BSc Math degree in October so nearly there after 7 long years of effort. I use OUSBA to pay monthly installments for the courses and have never had a problem with them, even after postponing a booked course till the following year. One thing to be aware of if you need the degree to actually get in to work or further study then these days you really need a 2:1 or a First to be up there with the pack. Apparently the good ol 2:2 doesn't cut it much anymore and anything less than that isn't worth mentioning. The OU uses TMAs and final exam combinations to work out your final mark on each subject and it basically falls out as - you get the lowest mark of the two as your overall score. This can be devastating if you work really hard and grade 1 all your assignments only to have a poor exam and score grade 4 overall. Be aware of this as you need a certain number of grade 2's, 3's and grade 1's to get the elusive First. Having a degree from a RG brick Uni I remember it was more an average of the coursework and exams and consequently felt a bit easier to get a good mark.

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Peony's Response to marco9's Review

Written on: 22/05/2015

My niece in her early 20’s got a 1st at a local college her final pass was averaged out at 71% for a first! (the minimum was 70% for a first). She has now got a very good job which she enjoys, lucky girl. Her sister did the same degree but did not do as well and could not get work.

Elusive first or even elusive 2:1 is hard to obtain with the OU.

My experience is that the OU does some mean tricks to keep students grades down I have found out: this year, in the middle of the course, my tutor suddenly started knocking 3 marks off four answers with no real feedback, just putting the same non-academic abrupt short remark against the answers with no indication of which part of the answer he meant or any information for me to rectify it in the next assignment. The assignment included a project timetable which to me was easy marks and I had perfected it. To my surprise he meanly knocked one mark off with no reason, so 13 marks knocked off the assignment for no reason. Caused me to lose a grade by 8 marks.

(There is an appeals process but I made the decision to press on with the course, as my experience is if you start objecting to things, it can be very disruptive to time, thinking and also stressful.)

But the course let slip some remark on the course web site they mark according to percentages of how many students are getting such and such grades! So, I guess if too many are getting high marks the tutors are told to mark down.

I have some evidence of this as my husband took an OU degree previously and one of his tutors said at the tutorial one day that the Regional Centre had told him to start marking the assignments down and the tutor said he did not agree with it but was obliged to comply.

To get a 1st with the OU, you really need a whole year at Level 3 of 1st class pass. There are other combinations, if you get a lot of grade 2's plus a 1st of half a year each of Level 2 and Level 3 you may end up with a First.

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Peony's reply to Peony's Comment

Written on: 22/05/2015

Correct sorry:

my paragraph 5 should have read: 'But the course team let slip' etc.

Thanks.

I would add that a first with the OU is a minimum of 85 in both coursework and exam part, and a 2:1 is a minimum of 70 in both coursework and exam part.

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Marco9's reply to Peony's Comment

Written on: 22/05/2015

With regard to the grades issue, certainly for the Math courses I think if they set the 1st at 70% then a whole lot of people would make it past this and totally skew the results.

The problem for the OU is that the course notes (in most cases) are almost too good. At brick uni's you are running around using different books and re-writing some lecturer's bland notes and it's much harder to learn from. If they set their grade boundaries too high then no-one would pass at a high level, so for them 70% for an A works well.

For my current OU module MT365, it's so well prepared and catered for with online tutorials and extra problem sets with solutions that all I have to do is work my way through the course notes at a certain pace. I don't have to run all over the place getting different books, it's all there and I find that helps me retain the info and do reasonably well in the exams (70%).

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Peony's reply to Marco9's Comment

Written on: 11/08/2015

Yes, I would agree with that for some courses with the OU.

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Was this review helpful? 2 1

“Perfect, really enjoying degree, helpful tutors”

★★★★★

written by Katie2015 on 02/04/2015

I have just completed my first year of OU studies. I felt the need to write this review as some people are stating to avoid the OU because they have withdrawn and demanded a refund. So lets put this in perspective from an actual student... The OU has many students and id very popular. Unlike some posting on here, I have attended tutorials, which are well organised, thought-out and extremely helpful. The work books and assistance you receive are, in my view, value for money. Again some people moan about paying upfront and then saying it was deceptive of the OU for not telling them about Tuition Fee Loans. These have been about for many years, and as long as you do you research about how you wish to pay before enrolling there isn't any problem. I'm happy to say I will be with the OU for another two years. Never had a problem. People only tend to post on here when they have had a problem, but actual students have no issues!

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Was this review helpful? 0 0

“Invaluable but going the wrong way”

★★★☆☆

written by Jeramiahv154 on 27/03/2015

The education received here has been invaluable. It's accessible and effective. Recently things have started to change. I've studied there for 8 years and during the last two, feel like I'm being pushed out in favour of a younger generation, with a different attitude. On all the courses, don't expect to be accepted or included on the forums, and don't expect progressive debate or discussion on there. If you're intelligent, you'll likely be ignored and possibly quieted by well chosen words of some self appointed mediator, to make you feel like a stupid child. I thought Open University forums would be the place for intelligent discussion. Not so. They are however, the place where cliques begin. It's the start of workplace bullying. If these are the people who will enter that line of work, then I'll say no, thankyou. Ignoring the other students (not hard) and not using the forums, the courses are invaluable. The content is at least as good as other quality universities. Recently, the university has increased its prices, especially for postgraduate modules, pricing all normal people (not rich) out of them. There is no funding available for postgrad. This is all a shame. Great university, going the wrong way.

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Worn_Out's Comment

Written on: 22/07/2015

Undergraduate fees went up because of the Government not the OU as the government gave a subsidy towards the modules which is now being picked up by the student instead. Which is cr ap (put a space in that word as apparently it's a banned word on the review centre?!?!). :( Unless you live in wales or Scotland and you remain on old style fees. It hurt parting with ~£1300 this year for a module when previous years it was around 450 mark.

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Was this review helpful? 2 2

“Miserable experience studying with this university -...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by anon12371 on 20/03/2015

I suppose that I am not the only person who feels that studying with this university has proved to be a mistake. It has proved to be a truly miserable experience. (1) Marking is incoherent and inconsistent (2) Lack of support from tutors especially if you have a disability. They will throw laptops, and software and dictaphones at you, but they look at disabilities as one size fits all. In terms of exams, essays (TMA's), tutorials, they do not fully accommodate the problems that students might present with. (3) Their focus on 'collaborative' group work which they insist employers are looking for. Yes employers may be looking for this.. but in a work environment. You cannot criticise the problems which present with group assignments and if you do, the course faculty or tutors become a little autocratic. (4) It is hit or miss with tutors responding to emails regarding the course you may be on. (5) Studying with the OU drains your self-confidence rather than elevating it. You are better off going to a conventional university where you are not effectively teaching yourself and where you get enough contact with your tutors to help the study process.

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Peony's Response to anon12371's Review

Written on: 21/04/2015

I agree with you. I have had very similar experiences and found the lack of alternative support very soul destroying. It erodes your self esteem with your disability, so is damaging to your disability.

It was so bad, I stopped studying for a few years, but last year decided to have another go. Got through a course on my own and then decided to take a bigger course, the same problem on both courses, not one single word for me in lieu of tutorials. (I can't get owing to health and disability). Forums were fine, no bad students (some who tried their remarks were removed quickly by the course team who were very active on the forums, not experienced that before).

Depending on my results for my current course and the outcome of a complaint I am going to make, I may or may not continue, as it is very disheartening.

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Eleanor141's reply to Peony's Comment

Written on: 21/04/2015

Peony I really would be interested in speaking with you about your experiences and wonder how that can be done via this forum

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Eleanor141's reply to Eleanor141's Comment

Written on: 21/04/2015

BTW I am an OU student also and I have been very unhappy all in all. I wanted to complain but do not think it will get anywhere..

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Peony's reply to Eleanor141's Comment

Written on: 24/04/2015

If you are thinking of complaining, and have any sort of evidence, such as emails, or telephone conversations you have recorded some of the things said, date and time of the call etc., that have taken place over the duration of your course, I would suggest you give it a go to complain formally if you have grievances about the lack of alternative help from your tutor.

I think complaints (I am not sure, I have to research this) go to the Student Casework office.

If you have any printed evidence, you can submit a special circumstances form to the course examiners as well as the exam examiners. This has to be I think within 14 days of the last TMA and so many days after the exam. (I think 14 again, not sure).

But don't let this get in the way of your completing your course, it is easy to feel upset and that can become obstructive, I feel like this myself just now and am trying to talk myself out of it to get on with the final weeks of my course.

But it can sometimes makes you feel better to give it go at complaining, as it tells the staff something is amiss, (and maybe that tutor is doing the same thing to others or has done in the past) and it tells the staff you are not getting the help they have taken time to arrange.

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Fairplayforall's Response to anon12371's Review

Written on: 18/11/2015

What is it you wanted?

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Anon12371's reply to Fairplayforall's Comment

Written on: 18/11/2015

Wow did you really just write that? Or can you not read?

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Peony's Response to anon12371's Review

Written on: 21/04/2015

I agree with you. I have had very similar experiences and found the lack of alternative support very soul destroying. It erodes your self esteem with your disability, so is damaging to your disability.

It was so bad, I stopped studying for a few years, but last year decided to have another go. Got through a course on my own and then decided to take a bigger course, the same problem on both courses, not one single word for me in lieu of tutorials. (I can't get owing to health and disability). Forums were fine, no bad students (some who tried their remarks were removed quickly by the course team who were very active on the forums, not experienced that before).

Depending on my results for my current course and the outcome of a complaint I am going to make, I may or may not continue, as it is very disheartening.

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“Univ of Exeter / FutureLearn online Course - Climatic...”

★☆☆☆☆

written by RJStansfield on 13/03/2015

An open letter to the OU and FutureLearn. Please pass this to the OU's course creators. Univ of Exeter Course -- Climate Change - ended 2015 Mar 6 ========================================================== "Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts" . . I have just completed this Course. I am retired now & wanted to obtain a balanced assessment of the present state of knowledge on climatic change from the respected OU & Exeter Univ. I am disappointed. Instead, I found unashamed propaganda for the "Global Warmists". Few checkable sources for lecturers' interpretations are presented. Almost none of the abundant dissident opinion & literature is mentioned. The impression is that GW is a done deal, an open-&-shut case, an Euclidean Theorem -- QED. All discussion assumed it & is based upon it. Little research appeared to have been done by the organizers, other than sycophantic acceptance of the IPCC (see sec 4.4) as the Word Of God. . The Course, having taken GW as read, goes on to present economics based on speculation. All economics is debatable. A scatter of off-the-cuff, even hare-brained posts is not a debate. The Course casually passes over the overweening impact of political forces, as though what we can't control, we can ignore. The discussion groups comprise youths clearly informed in no other discipline than that on offer. No well-argued dissidence. Little that one can call debate. No seasoned sceptics. The whole ethos is that of the totally informed expert conveying an incontrovertible set of conclusions and recommendations for action, to a mindless audience agape with awe at the presenters' self-declared wisdom. . Little or no comment or mentoring by Facilitators of postings by Course's audience. Eg, sec 4.6 has pages of entries by interested parties, but only 1 Facilitator contribution. Your Higgs Boson Course has far more, which are most valuable. . . The scientific reality is that science of climatic change is not "settled". Far from it. The climate is staggeringly complex. The roles of Chaos Theory, & many sciences, eg that of clouds, that of the El Nino "cycle", solar output, subsea volcanoes, & much more, are not well understood. IPCC & others' predictions based on computer models (often themselves based on yet other models of models) have one thing in common : they have all been wrong. Until they get it right for a convincing series of predictions, this is no recommendation for action, least of all spending billions to avert what may be fanciful horrors. To promulgate the notion "We haven't time to wait for the facts; we must rush & act anyway" is chillingly irresponsible. Diverting immense treasure and effort for this frolic, for years, instead of using it to improve the world's creaking infrastructure & helping the 3rd World on to its feet -- & to do more REAL research -- is criminal folly. Many will die without those funds & effort. Many will suffer hardship that could have been relieved. If the advice proves wrong, what will you say to the families of all those who have needlessly starved or sickened to death? "Sorry" isn't going to cut it. . . I DO concur that world climate is changing. It always did & always will. I do NOT accept that any sustained worldwide increase in temperature is proven (GW), or that humanity will not adapt to it if it is, much less that climate can be predicted by laying a ruler on a graph & drawing a continuation for decades, a century even. Imagine doing it for the price of gold! This is witchcraft not science. Snake oil. I DO recognize that world climate MAY warm up. It may cool -- as many of the same GW-ists were forecasting in the 1970s. What is wrong is pretending you know when you know that you don't. We do not and possibly CAN not know what the climate will be doing in 30 years' time, never mind 100. . . Attitude. "Be prepared to defend your argument". A secondary school ma'am addressing 14-yr olds. As someone twice her age with scientific qualifications as good as hers & with a great deal more practical experience, I have to find that offensive. The OU should instruct the Course's organizers not to speak to us as though we are dolts. And have the humility to admit they & we are not beyond the stage of best guesses. The IPCC quoted its "90% confidence" &c a decade ago, and was -- wrong. The GW gang are at it again. And the "investors" and handouts brigade are gleefully trousering fortunes from taxpayers. . . I have no personal issue with the staff & organizers. I know none of them personally, have no connection with the University, & live in London. It is not my intention to cause offence, but I recognize that my criticism will inevitably cause some. I make no apology. I think you are misleading a lot of people. Oliver Cromwell famously said, "In the name of Christ, think it possible you are mistaken." . In all humility I submit my credentials: I hold a degree in geology & a PhD in computing science. I have worked on 3 continents, my whole life in industry. I believe there are many unconvinced of the GW religion, like me. . The crux: 3 times, I challenged ANYONE to show me authenticated published models & results that post-dicted past climate; AND predicted 5-years-worth of future climate with usable accuracy. I'd even settle for 3. I have no reply from anyone associated with this Course. Because no one has succeeded yet. I hope they will. The fact is that anyone who could do that would be the richest man on Earth. So why is the OU pretending we can? I am told that funding depends on signing up to the GW Faith. I am hoping for a different explanation, but cannot perceive one. . The OU should resurrect scientific method. Viz, question everything. Rigour. Due caution. 1) Collect evidence/facts, double check their reliability, be honest & state margins of error; 2) Seek pattern(s), check against further data; 3) Make math model that reproduces the existing data; 4) predict things very unlikely to be chance; 5) post facto, evaluate the predictions vs actuality; 6) admit errors/shortcomings; 7) respect & consider others' conflicting results; & 8) try again. Above all, honestly disclose the uncertainties inhering in the data, the statistics, & the computer models -- before recommending the ignorant to bet the farm on them. Almost all this was absent from this Course. What is presented is dogma. More befitting a madrassah than a university. The OU should be ashamed. . Yours with sadness, but in the genuine hope of improvement .

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Peony's Response to RJStansfield's Review

Written on: 21/04/2015

I absolutely agree with you. I think a few scientists and the media have decided to make a big issue of GW. My husband and I believe volcanic activity (particularly beneath the sea) is responsible for global warming together with other factors. Yes, humans are contributing to it, but are not the main culprits as the media would have you believe.

Global Warming is just a theory, but people are accepting it as fact.

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“MSc Mathematics Appalling”

★☆☆☆☆

written by blYoung223 on 17/02/2015

MSc mathematics seems cheap - but less so when you realise that you get nothing for it. Courses now seem to consist mainly of an instruction to read a particular book (not supplied, and sometimes a wholly inappropriate reference book) and an examination. Do not expect lectures!

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“0 star for OUSBA, 4 for the courses”

★★★☆☆

written by dogman70 on 19/01/2015

A few years ago I enrolled on an OU course (having completed several others); I lost my job a few weeks later. Assuming the OU would offer similar standards of service that we're all accustomed to, I thought I would take advantage of the cooling off period. So I removed myself from my course (naively believing I knew my stuff and we can all cancel things), however when I rang the OUSBA they said I had no legal right to change my mind, and that I am still fully liable for the entire debt (they did, however, reschedule my repayments). Due to my finances I missed a repayment and my case was transferred to their solicitors. I had to arrange smaller repayments. However, the solicitors marked my credit history and I was barred me from using OUSBA for several years. So I ended up paying for a course I never sat! Also, just recently, I called OUSBA, having enrolled on a course, to ask if I could begin paying for the course, in advance, and they stipulated that "we don't offer this service." In all honesty the service is just not good enough from OUSBA, perhaps unsophisticated is the word.

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Thinking of doing Children and young people's worlds: frameworks for integrated practice as part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Integrated Practice in Childhood and Youth. Does anyone have any advice on this in terms of career opportunities?

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