[I likewinegums]

How does the open university actually work? upon reading about it , it sounds as though you study at home on the computer and don't actually attend a university?

[Persipan]

Pretty much, yes. Depending on what you study, the course materials might be online, in books, on DVDs or CDs, include practical tasks, and so on; and you study at home (or wherever you like, really).

Many modules also offer occasional face-to-face tutorials, and depending on the module the assessment may include an exam - for both tutorials and exams, they're organised for somewhere not too far away to travel to.

[xChellex]

(Original post by I likewinegums)
How does the open university actually work? upon reading about it , it sounds as though you study at home on the computer and don't actually attend a university?

For the most part, you are given study materials which you study at home - textbooks, online texts, interactive learning materials online, DVD's etc.

Some smaller, level 1 modules do not have tutors - the study is entirely independent, with an end of module assessment to be submitted to the university at the end.

Other modules can offer a range of other things, depending on the module:- a local tutor where you attend tutorials with other local students, a national tutor where you join in online and telephone tutorials, field trips and residential schools at participating universities.*

Assignments can be electronic 'quiz' style ones, written assignments that you submit to your tutor for marking and feedback, projects and other things such as skills portfolios.

Assessment can also take a range of forms - or a combination of all of them - from online interactive computer marked assessments, to end of module assessments that you write up, to final exams sat at a local instituion or public building.

*Residential schools are being phased out currently but some are still available for the time being.