Open University - OU (reviews)

I love the flexibility of being able to study at University level with distance learning. I am in my third year of an English Literature degree and I love being able to study alongside working full time. I also love that there are no entry requirements for my degree, so I’m not penalised for the fact that I didn’t do as well as I wanted to in school. I’m doing much better in University than I did in the school environment so my lack of GCSEs is not a reflection of my academic ability and I like that my University acknowledges that. I feel very well supported during my studies with loads of resources and additional help available if I need it. My only concerns are that my tutors are not always easy to get hold of. There is a 10 day service level for getting a response from a tutor and I feel this is too long. Especially studying via distance learning, I would like to be able to contact my tutor more easily. I also feel that the marking is somewhat unclear, I get feedback from my tutor when they’ve marked an assignment but there is no clear guidance available to students about the marking criteria so I wouldn’t know if I’m being marked fairly or not, I’m just reliant on what my tutor tells me. It’s not a concern for me as I am happy with my marks but just an observation. Overall, I am having a great Uni experience and would recommend the OU to anyone.

this university suits you who wants or need to get a job before finishing your degree. what i like about this uni is they have this option to do learn without coming to campus. what i hate is their system is developing slowly through the era. I wish i was enrolled 2 years prior, but their online system at that time wasn’t today’s good. I would recommend this learning center to those who wants to pursue their degree a little late like me.

I chose distance learning due to financial difficulties in my family. My dad lost his job, and my mom became the primary breadwinner. Despite my frustration, I excelled in my JAMB exams and sought teaching jobs to support my family and fund my university education.

Distance learning is unfamiliar to many African parents and can be challenging, especially for those not tech-savvy. Nigeria’s technological infrastructure, including power supply and internet access, remains unreliable. Even as a tech-savvy individual, I faced difficulties. I missed classroom interactions and close-knit activities, as distance learning often meant reading handouts and visiting the school for inquiries, defeating the purpose.

Given my experience, I wouldn’t readily recommend distance learning in this context. Conventional classes provide a better learning experience, fostering interpersonal skills and teamwork, essential for communication and social skills development.

I spoke to the team leader when I was not gaining high marks. After his explanation and encouragement I passed my first year of a diploma in Economics.The student forum is also a good place to share ideas with fellow students.