Law degree

I have just done a law degree with the Open University. I am no robot and i will tell you how it is. In my view, the short version is no stay away from the Open University unless you want to waste your money and lots of time (6 years at least) I have also researched law degrees around the world.

You are paying for this law degree yourself albeit through a student loan.

If you seriously want to be a solicitor or barrister in the UK, I would not do a law degree. I would instead do any degree but make sure you get at least a 2.1 in it. I would then do a post grad conversion course in law (GDL, i.e. Graduate Diploma in Law.) The downside is you might have to fund the GLD other than student loans.

If you insist on a law degree per se for depth of knowledge, my advice is look around. Law degrees are very academically based in normal universities, are, in terms of practical use, actually viewed by the legal industries, in England, Canada, Australia, USA, as irrelevant. Consider going to a reputable university like University of Law (formerly called College of Law until recently) or BPP as they offer fast-track law courses and will offer you some practical content too. Look around! You will work your socks off for a B grade in just one law piece of coursework. Choose a soft subject and the 2.1 is easier to get.

Open University law degree:

Pros: The materials are more like an A-level type course, ie course manuals, although at university level equivalent to second year university. This may suit you but for me the materials were just so basic. They may be ok to learn the basics. However applying the legal principles in practice is just too limited, in my view.

Cons: Exams!!!! You will struggle to get a 2.1 (Upper 2nd Class law degree), or perhaps even a 2.2 (2nd Class law degree). The coursework is equally weighted with the exams. What this means is say you get 99% overall for the coursework, i.e. essays and assignments (problem questions relating to fictitious scenarios using legal remedies). if you get less than 40 on the exams, you fail the course. If you get 40% or 50% on the exam, you get 40% or 50% overall. You need at least 55% (C grade) on the exam to get a 2.2 score.

Normal universities will likely do dissertations (long pieces of coursework) as well as law exams. This means you have a better chance of getting a 2.1 with them. College of law has open book exams, but Open University has closed book. Open book means you can take course text into the exams and possibly your notes. Closed book exams means you take nothing into those exams, except yourself! Here's how out of touch the OU are, even US bar exams (to qualify as a legal professional in the USA) have closed book exams.

Higher education stats (HESA): 55% get law degrees nationally. No more than 3% get a 1st class law degree. With the Open University, these stats will likely be lower.

Ask me some questions, as you may find this more helpful.

'Choose a soft subject and the 2.1 is easier to get.'

Very good comment save for this what is a soft subject all degrees are hard.