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Student at the Open University
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Open University - 85% to get a first!? 70% to get a 2.1!?

Hi guys, I have just heard that the degree classifications at the open university is significantly higher then other uni's.

Eg. at norma uni it is 70% to get a 1st, and most people in essay based courses very rarely get over 75%.

Yest at the open university you have to score 70% just to get a 2.1, and an impossible sounding 85% for a 1st!:eek:

so is the OU VERY difficult, or is their grading system system slightly different, in that an essay usually worth 60% at a normal uni will usually be graded as 70% at the OU?

Thanks in advance for your help, becuase 85% is scaring the crap outta me!

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Reply 1
Where is your source for this information? I did an OU course (not a degree), and definitely did not have to get super high marks!
Student at the Open University
Open University
Milton Keynes
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Reply 2
sohanshah
Where is your source for this information? I did an OU course (not a degree), and definitely did not have to get super high marks!



It is on the OU website...also many people on TSR have also mentioned this...

what grade did u finish with? and what percentage did you obtain?

Im pretty certain the boundaries are higher,

however, whether they just give u more marks and it ends up being the same as Uni grading (Ie a paper that I would give to another UNI that would usually get 60% gets 75% at OU) I am really unsure of this, as I am aiming for a first but there is no way in hell, having studied at Uni, \I could get 85%!!

This is putting me off the idea of Open University
Reply 3
I did a module style thing - can't remember what it was called but I failed two parts of it and still got a decent mark. I know that's not very helpful so you should probably ask someone who has done a degree with the OU.
Reply 4
Don't take my word on this as I haven't done an OU degree but I think it's just their marking system which is different. I did, however, know someone who managed to get ~80% in an OU arts degree but I have no contact information for her so I can't ask her about how easy it is :p:
Reply 5
Bongboy6969
Hi guys, I have just heard that the degree classifications at the open university is significantly higher then other uni's.

Eg. at norma uni it is 70% to get a 1st, and most people in essay based courses very rarely get over 75%.

Yest at the open university you have to score 70% just to get a 2.1, and an impossible sounding 85% for a 1st!

so is the OU VERY difficult, or is their grading system system slightly different, in that an essay usually worth 60% at a normal uni will usually be graded as 70% at the OU?

Thanks in advance for your help, becuase 85% is scaring the crap outta me!


I know it's only Wiki, but...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_undergraduate_degree_classification
Reply 6
It is 85% for a pass 1 on a module.

Bear in mind this requires an 85% average on assignments and 85% on the end of module exam. Perfect assignments and 84% on the exam gets you a pass 2. There are exceptions and a few percent leeway if grade boundaries are shifted or there were special circumstances.

That doesn't mean you need a pass 1 for every single course to get a first though. Level 1's don't count towards your classification and make good practice. Do expect to have to attain a good chunk of grade 1 modules at level 3 though.

For full details of how that's calculated, this PDF should be useful.
http://www.open.ac.uk/student-policies/objects/d3420.pdf

If the easiest route to a first is high on your list, it'd probably be better to stick to a traditional uni. The OU is great if independent study is your thing though.
Reply 7
Moggs
It is 85% for a pass 1 on a module.

Bear in mind this requires an 85% average on assignments and 85% on the end of module exam. Perfect assignments and 84% on the exam gets you a pass 2. There are exceptions and a few percent leeway if grade boundaries are shifted or there were special circumstances.

That doesn't mean you need a pass 1 for every single course to get a first though. Level 1's don't count towards your classification and make good practice. Do expect to have to attain a good chunk of grade 1 modules at level 3 though.

For full details of how that's calculated, this PDF should be useful.
http://www.open.ac.uk/student-policies/objects/d3420.pdf

If the easiest route to a first is high on your list, it'd probably be better to stick to a traditional uni. The OU is great if independent study is your thing though
.


so it is harder to get even a 2.1 then at a traditional uni? wow

u would think a 2.1 or a 1st would be seen as alot more prestigeous then?
I don't think it is harder; it's just that the OU uses a different convention for marking. So a 70 at a conventional uni = 85 at the OU for the same standard of work. If you look at the course result stats (they are published every year in the OU's mag Sesame) the distribution of grades is about the same as elsewhere, I think: most students are bunched in the pass 2 and pass 3 bands with 5-10% at pass 1 and a similar proportion at pass 4 (that's an approximation - obviously they vary a little).

I've no idea why this difference exists though: it comes up in here repeatedly over the years and causes confusion!
Reply 9
Bongboy6969
Hi guys, I have just heard that the degree classifications at the open university is significantly higher then other uni's.

Eg. at norma uni it is 70% to get a 1st, and most people in essay based courses very rarely get over 75%.

Yest at the open university you have to score 70% just to get a 2.1, and an impossible sounding 85% for a 1st!:eek:

so is the OU VERY difficult, or is their grading system system slightly different, in that an essay usually worth 60% at a normal uni will usually be graded as 70% at the OU?

Thanks in advance for your help, becuase 85% is scaring the crap outta me!

Well the Open University is one of the best in the UK - it maintains very high standards and that is evident from the high degree classifications.

I know people who got into places like Hull, Oxford and Wolverhampton that were rejected from the Open University.
Is it possible to be rejected from Open University? You don't even need A Levels.

Anyway, I got 80% for my first OU Module, and it wasn't that hard. I'm not a very hard worker and have little motivation.
Reply 11
Could explain why employers like the OU so much then. Can't say they are dumbing down if its harder can they?

I've met people with a 1st from the OU for their degree. They didn't see it as particularly hard all things considered. I mean working full time and getting a 1st class degree in spare time, how hard can it be?
My wife is finishing her degree off at the OU (3rd year plus any required missed modules), both of us have passed modules with them before. Not amazingly hard - not exactly easy either though.
But it is far, far more down to the individual to study. Not suitable for everyone.
Reply 12
easyindeed
Well the Open University is one of the best in the UK - it maintains very high standards and that is evident from the high degree classifications.

I know people who got into places like Hull, Oxford and Wolverhampton that were rejected from the Open University.


Wow, you have come across someone rejected from the OU.
Must have taken some doing for them to have that happen. The only way I can think of would be to sign up for stuff and fail to complete, same as other universities.
Reply 13
It's not gonna so much harder to get a 1st with the OU than a traditional university - that would be completely unfair. The marking system is just different.
Reply 14
Bongboy6969
so it is harder to get even a 2.1 then at a traditional uni? wow

u would think a 2.1 or a 1st would be seen as alot more prestigeous then?


Bad wording on my part I think. What I should have said was that the OU would probably be easier to get your first if you like independent study, and traditional if you feed off other students and daily interaction to learn. As mentioned above, it comes down to your style rather than a general easy vs hard.

The thing with the OU is it's often not very well thought of by students who want to go to uni for the first time. By employers, professionals and academia though, it is highly regarded.

All the best with whichever you choose. :yep:
Reply 15
It's just a different marking system, don't worry about it.
Reply 16
I am doing A210 at the O.U and am currently on an 86% average. I attended Newcastle University for my Linguistics degree and I got a 2.1, but I am trying harder at the O.U course as it is a postgrad. Therefore, I'd say the effort levels are pretty much the same but I think it's definitely easier to get higher marks at the O.U so don't worry about it.
easyindeed
Well the Open University is one of the best in the UK - it maintains very high standards and that is evident from the high degree classifications.

I know people who got into places like Hull, Oxford and Wolverhampton that were rejected from the Open University.

why do people do this? what is the point?
Reply 18
How do you get rejected from the OU? There are no entry requirements, I'd understand if you'd already done a few courses and failed them, therefore the OU wouldn't let you continue.
Alas I suspect they are imagining these 'rejected' people.